If the opponent was truly unbeatable, he'd just use the Gourmet Cloth and order a hundred cans of pickled scale fish!
Both were on high alert when a gruff voice called from outside:
"Machi! You there?!"
Machi, whose eyes had been cold and sharp, instantly relaxed.
"Uvogin and Nobunaga Hazama"
"I'm here," she said, slowly lowering her thread. This indicated she knew the person outside. However, she remained cautious, in case of a disguise or ambush. In dangerous Meteor City, one could never be too careful.
"If you are, open the door. It's me, not an imposter or hostage. Proof: I'm with a swordsman so useless he can't kill a chicken!"
"Find me a live chicken in Meteor City! I'll show you!"
"You can't even kill a chicken!"
"You've never even seen a dead chicken, you idiot!"
The gruff voice was clearly trying to prove his safety, though his choice of words seemed to have angered his companion, leading to an argument outside.
Recognizing the familiar tones and bickering, Machi relaxed and opened the door.
"Stop arguing, Uvogin," Machi said calmly. "Come in, Nobunaga."
Uvogin and Nobunaga grumbled as they entered.
"Someone else?!"
They noticed Orion, who was curiously observing them.
"Those are Uvogin and Nobunaga in their younger days," Orion thought, recognizing their distinctive appearances—Uvogin's spiky black hair and Nobunaga's samurai-like attire. The details were clear in Kurapika's memories of the Phantom Troupe's early days. Uvogin was dark-skinned, with spiky black hair, tall and muscular, though not as imposing as his future self. Nobunaga had a straight braid, surprisingly delicate features, and fair skin. They were polar opposites.
This was Orion's first impression of them, highlighting the transformative power of time.
"Machi, who's this?" Uvogin asked casually, picking his nose. He didn't seem wary. The fact that Orion was unharmed in Machi's room, and that Machi opened the door without hesitation, spoke volumes. Uvogin trusted Machi's judgment. If she deemed Orion safe, he was safe. He might seem rough, but he was observant.
Nobunaga, however, studied Orion thoughtfully.
"He's even more handsome than I was back then," he mused.
"He's Orion. He's staying with me for now," Machi said, gesturing to Uvogin and Nobunaga.
The brief introduction indicated Machi found them acceptable.
"What are you doing here?" Machi asked, slightly annoyed at the interruption to her Nen studies.
"You're late," Uvogin said, displeased. "We agreed to go to the landfill today!"
Machi: "…Oh, right." She patted her forehead. She had forgotten their plans due to Orion's earlier surprises. Uvogin was known for punctuality and hated being kept waiting.
"We were worried something happened to you," Nobunaga said smoothly. "You've never been late before."
Machi apologized. Nobunaga waved it off. Uvogin nodded.
"Thanks," Machi said, feeling a warmth in her heart.
"Okay, let's go," Uvogin said, already heading for the door. "The good stuff will be gone. The garbage trucks arrived today." He turned to Orion. "You're Orion, right? I have an extra protective suit. Take it."
Uvogin was friendly and boisterous.
"What are we looking for at the landfill?" Orion asked.
"Supplies!" Uvogin replied, looking at Orion with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, then glancing at Machi. This kid she found…
Machi smirked, arms crossed, watching with amusement.
"Hmm?" Nobunaga noticed something.
"I'll Treat You to a Meal"
"You've had a good haul these past few days, Machi," Nobunaga said, picking up one of the bowls from the table. "I've never seen such nice bowls. Mine are all broken."
These were the bowls that came with the Gourmet Table Cloth.
"A bowl like this could fetch a lot of black rice," he added.
Machi's eyes lit up. She couldn't sell the food, but these bowls might be safe. She started calculating again.
"Stop it," Uvogin said impatiently. "Let's go."
"A bowl gets you a lot of black rice?" Orion said, smiling.
"Yeah," Nobunaga nodded. "Only the elders have nice things. We just need enough black rice to eat." He seemed to see a younger version of himself in Orion.
"Is black rice good? Doesn't it taste strange?" Orion asked.
"It's not good, but it's cheap and filling," Nobunaga explained.
Uvogin: I'm being ignored! He was getting frustrated. "Hey, you two…"
"I'll treat you to a meal," Orion interrupted. "To celebrate our meeting."
"You'll treat us?" Uvogin, surprisingly, didn't get angry, focusing on the key point. "I won't be polite!"
"That's the idea," Orion smiled. "Eat as much as you want!"
"Really?" Uvogin's eyes gleamed. "Bring on the black rice!"
"Black rice?" Orion shook his head. "I have something better."
Uvogin and Nobunaga raised their eyebrows.
Machi chimed in, "He has something better than black rice."
Better than black rice?
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