A dish that emitted light!
Brilliant, rosy light was liberated from the incision in the chicken's abdomen, illuminating every corner of the tree hole. The aroma that followed instantly intensified the colors before their eyes several times over.
Law was momentarily stunned. The aroma assaulted his nerves, making every cell in his body rejoice.
He even forgot to peer at the porridge-like substance revealed within the radiant glow.
They might have wanted to speak or exclaim, but at this moment, no one uttered a word. They could only hold their breath, inhaling the indescribable fragrance that teased every nerve.
There was a hint of the unique fragrance of plants, the fresh scent of flowers, but more than that, a searing umami, and the harmonious interplay between the spices and the chicken achieved under high heat.
In just a short while, the tree hole was filled with the aroma, which then spread out through the ventilation holes into the surrounding forest.
Part of the aroma's foundation came from the Pearl Flower's fruits and leaves… a taste that could be called nature's own, with immense compatibility, preventing any conflict with the flavors of the spiced chicken, instead adding the final touch to a masterpiece.
Immersed in the aroma, no one realized that the spreading scent was causing reactions in the nearby flora and fauna.
Moving plants turned like sunflowers towards the direction of the tree hole.
Creatures active in the woods stopped, raising the upper halves of their bodies, quietly gazing towards the source of the fragrance.
A desire born from appetite was stirring beneath the surface.
The aroma was intangible. A wind blowing from the forest would give it a push, carrying the scent to more distant places, though fortunately, this distance had an upper limit.
Law had only explored about ten kilometers from the edge into the forest so far. He was far from aware of how many highly threatening creatures lurked deep within the sea of trees.
Currently, one known threat was that leopard-man and the unknown group behind him.
Probably, Law hadn't realized why the leopard-man had attacked him back then. It wasn't to prey on him, but because it had its eyes on the Pearl Flower's ingredients in his possession.
Inside the tree hole, the aroma lingered, but the heat was slowly subsiding.
The brightness of the radiant glow was also weakening.
Golden, translucent chicken broth flowed out from beneath the chicken's abdomen, following the plate's opening into the stone basin below.
Jade-like rice porridge, enveloped in a layer of viscous, pale red syrup, reminiscent of slowly flowing lava, slid from the incision in the chicken's abdomen onto the plate.
The rice porridge had a congee-like consistency. The translucent chicken broth resembled countless tiny rootlets, branching out within the porridge, also like a pulsating pulse or golden threads, adding a touch of luxury.
The emerald green leaf fragments dotted the surroundings, bursting forth with green vitality, radiating life.
The nine Fire Pattern Eggs were thoroughly cooked, the egg whites solidified. They revealed half of their snow-white bodies within the multi-colored mixed rice porridge.
The straight fire patterns on the surface of the egg whites absorbed heat, emitting a fiery red glow, which also weakened as the temperature gradually decreased.
Breaking free from the aroma's spell, the few people present stared at the rice porridge, or perhaps one could call it rice congee, flowing from the chicken's abdomen.
They had seen with their own eyes Law place a considerable number of Pearl Flower's fruits into the chicken's abdomen, but now, they were nowhere to be seen.
Presumably, they had melted into a pulp, fused with part of the chicken broth, enveloping the rice seeds, forming a congee-like flow.
Those golden threads, pulsating like a heartbeat, were probably the chicken broth seeping into the rice congee, right?
"Gulp."
The sound of swallowing broke the silent atmosphere.
Law couldn't wait either. He took out the pre-prepared bowls, used a spoon to first pick out the glowing Fire Pattern Eggs one by one, placed them in stone bowls, then scooped up the rice congee, gently drizzling it over the Fire Pattern Eggs. It was like a pair of gentle hands closing, holding the Fire Pattern Eggs within their palms.
For a moment, the radiant glow from the Fire Pattern Eggs shone through the rice congee, the light now tinged with yellow and green.
After scooping the congee, Law condensed an Aura Blade at his fingertips, chopped it onto the plump chicken leg, cut it into shreds, added it to the bowl, and finally took out an unused stone spoon, scooped up the scalding chicken broth, and directly poured it into the bowl.
The shredded meat tumbled in the chicken broth, some oil foam floating on top, shimmering with pinpoints of light.
Seeing Law had portioned it out, Kuro couldn't hold back. He directly grabbed a bowl, didn't even use a spoon, and utterly unafraid of the heat, swallowed a large mouthful.
Biscuit and Tonpa took the stone bowls and immediately picked up their spoons to eat. Bruna extended a tentacle from her mouth into the bowl.
Law scooped up a spoonful containing all the essence and put it into his mouth.
The golden-hued chicken broth first landed on the tip of his tongue. A profound umami flavor rippled out, as if he were standing on a vast green grassland.
Suddenly, a wind blew from far, far away, from distant to near. The grassland, in a wave of motion, transformed into a golden rice field.
Just as the chicken broth's umami hadn't fully spread, the rice congee, coated in fruit pulp, with its sour-salty taste carrying a hint of sweetness, aggressively occupied the entire tongue.
Countless pale red berries suddenly showered down from the sky above the golden rice field.
Bending down to pick up a berry, through its semi-transparent pale red flesh, one could vaguely see a green vitality hidden within, dancing like a sprite, radiating lively vitality.
Abruptly, the color of the rice field seemed like countless bubbles rising in the sea, gradually flying into the air, dyeing the sky golden yellow.
The rice field, stripped of its color, was replaced by a vibrant green vitality.
Simultaneously, a red sun appeared in the golden yellow sky. Looking closely, it was actually a glowing Fire Pattern Egg.
With just the first mouthful, he could not bring himself to take a second spoonful, because he was already sunk into that supreme deliciousness.
The rice congee mixed with the chicken broth finally, reluctantly, rolled down his throat into his stomach.
The heat contained within the Fire Pattern Eggs released at this moment, warming his entire body.
Law closed his eyes, his skin turning red, wisps of steam rising from the top of his head.
As the rice congee slid into his stomach, he keenly felt that the Nen he had consumed earlier was rapidly recovering.
Unfortunately, the increase in his stats was still very small.
Looking at Biscuit and the others, their skin had also turned red, steaming.
"Hoo."
Biscuit let out a long breath, her cheeks flushed red, her soft, beautiful face emitting an alluring charm.
"Indescribably delicious."
She wasn't a hardcore foodie, but at this moment, her body and mind were completely conquered by this Stuffed Chicken Rice Congee.
Since knowing Law, she had also tasted gourmet food made from high-grade ingredients he handled, but not a single one could compare to this bowl of shredded chicken rice congee before her.
Tonpa and Kuro had already finished all the congee in their bowls.
"Coming here was really worth it." Tonpa said, completely forgetting the painful memories brought by the Dark Continent.
He only felt incredibly lucky to have eaten this bowl of rice congee.
It was rare for Law to share the same thought.
They had come seeking the unknown, adventuring.
Admittedly, the Dark Continent was dangerous, but it possessed too many things the Six Continents did not have.
Every Hunter had something they pursued. Being able to pursue top-tier gourmet food here already made the trip worthwhile.
"If only they could taste it too." Law said, serving himself another bowl, familiar faces appearing in his mind.
Perhaps it was the food stirring his taste buds, simultaneously stirring something else.
Law suddenly missed those people far away in the Six Continents.
What was stirred might be homesickness.
…
At the same time, some commotion was also stirred within the forest.
The vitality contained within that aroma was attracting certain creatures.
Whether human or animal, eating is an eternal, unchanging theme.
In this boundless tree sea, creatures with considerable intelligence were no longer simply satisfied with eating for bodily needs.