The Shimelo Wetlands.
At one of its entry points, a small team of three gathered.
"Hey, are you sure you're okay going in dressed like that?" Kevin Carpenberg asked Menqi.
"Cute, right?" Menqi proudly struck a pose and even gave a twirl.
She was wearing a cropped top and ultra-short hotpants. It was certainly stylish and flattering—but probably not the best outfit for trekking into the jungle.
"It looks great," Kevin said without hesitation, even giving her a thumbs-up. "Really great."
"Pervert."
"Appreciating beauty is human nature," Kevin replied smoothly, completely unfazed.
Buhara sighed from the side. Then, with a slightly awkward look, he glanced down and said, "Menqi's not even an adult yet."
"What?!" Kevin cried, eyes wide in disbelief as he looked her up and down. You're telling me she's underage? Seriously?
"Idiot! I am an adult!" Menqi shouted, puffing up her cheeks and clenching her fists. "I was already an adult when I became a Hunter!"
"In my country, you're considered an adult at fourteen! I didn't even apply for the exam until I was past that!"
"But the laws of the Kukanyu Kingdom say you're only an adult at eighteen," Buhara added with a shrug.
"Well, that law is dumb! Most countries recognize sixteen as the age of adulthood, and I'm already sixteen!"
She's developed really well, Kevin couldn't help but think to himself. Out loud, he said, "Becoming a Hunter at such a young age… You're clearly talented."
"Hmph!" Menqi let out a proud snort.
Then she narrowed her eyes at Kevin. "Relax, I came prepared."
She pulled out a small bottle that looked like a seasoning shaker, then spritzed it onto herself like perfume. Sparkling dust floated in the air.
"This is fragrant sesame flower spice—it repels bugs." With that, she marched confidently into the wetlands.
As Gourmet Hunters, it was obvious they'd come here for ingredients.
"You're not here because Begel sent you to spy on us, are you?" Menqi asked as she walked, clearly annoyed. "That's way too paranoid. I protect rare creatures too, you know. I'm not going to just kill them all."
If they went extinct, she wouldn't be able to eat them again, right? No one wants that.
Kevin didn't respond to her. Instead, he turned to look at Buhara.
Caught by Kevin's gaze, Buhara scratched his cheek and looked away.
As her partner, he clearly knew her well. If she really came across something tasty—even if it was rare—there was a good chance Menqi would forget her restraint.
"Even your own partner doesn't fully trust you."
"Hmph." Menqi just grunted in reply, not even bothering to argue. Maybe even she realized she was all talk.
Kevin sighed and waved his hand dismissively. "Relax, I'm not here to monitor you. I just came along since we're heading the same way. I've got my own ingredients to collect too."
With only a few months left until the Hunter Exam, Kevin had taken up Begel's invitation to visit this reserve, hoping to gather materials and expand his knowledge.
"Besides, I've always been curious about Gourmet Hunters," he added. Everyone enjoys food, and from what Begel told him, Gourmet Hunters are basically top-tier chefs.
Even the most luxurious restaurants can't afford to hire them as head chefs.
Most importantly, Kevin wanted to know if Gourmet Hunters used Nen in their cooking—whether their dishes had unique effects like his own ability, A Moment's Dream.
If so, then getting close to these two would be a win-win. Who wouldn't want friends like that?
"Ingredients?" Menqi turned her head, curious. After all, that was why they were here too.
Kevin nodded. "I'm interested in all sorts of rare materials—whether from animals, plants, or even minerals." As he spoke, he pulled out a vial from a custom leather strap on his hip.
"I'm a pharmacist. If you ever need anything, feel free to reach out," he said with a smile.
He understood clearly that he couldn't collect everything himself. For many materials, he'd have to rely on others—like Hunters.
Hunters were all specialized, after all. Hiring them to gather less dangerous ingredients seemed like a good plan.
Of course, that would cost money. Hiring a Hunter wasn't cheap.
That's why Kevin was already planning to make money by selling potions. Even his most basic ones had effects far beyond anything on the market.
Sure, they still had some side effects, but the benefits outweighed the downsides. Honestly, what's more profitable than medicine?
And if no one else had a Nen ability like his, then he'd have a total monopoly.
"Pharmacist?" Menqi looked surprised. She hadn't picked up on that at all.
Buhara lowered his head slightly, his eyes glowing with Nen. He had sensed the aura on the potion—it was definitely Nen-infused.
Kevin figured Menqi, who had only become a Hunter earlier this year, probably hadn't mastered Nen yet. She might not even have developed her ability. Buhara, on the other hand, had probably finished that step, since he'd become a Hunter last year.
Not every teacher was as good as Biscuit. Otherwise, Jin Freecss wouldn't have specially asked her to teach him.
According to what Begel told him, the Hunter Association's standard was simply that a mentor should help the rookie learn basic Ten. What they learned beyond that entirely depended on the teacher's skill and ethics.
"That's right. My Nen ability is creating potions—each with different effects," Kevin said confidently.
This was part of his strategy. Not quite a lie, but definitely not the whole truth. His gear already made it obvious.
The leather holster for his vials was impossible to miss. Unless someone was completely oblivious, they'd pick up on it. It wasn't something he needed to hide.
That way, anyone who might end up fighting him would think he was a Support or Emission type—not a pure Enhancer.
And if he drank a potion in battle, they'd assume his power came from the potion—not from his actual Nen strength.
His sudden honesty put some pressure on Menqi and Buhara—they both fell silent for a moment.
"I'll show you someday if I get the chance," Kevin said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood. Then he changed the subject: "You guys must be here for a reason, right? This place has some pretty legendary creatures, according to the records."
Hearing that, Menqi perked up instantly.
"I've been working on my pastry recipes! I heard there's a kind of turtle around here with strawberries growing on its shell. I have to see it!"
Strawberry Death Turtle, huh…
patreon.com/HRT862 for 20 chapters ahead