The waiter panicked, rushing to the kitchen while shouting inwardly: "He's not human. He absolutely isn't human. He can't possibly be human."
Time flowed quickly, and afternoon turned into evening.
The resort restaurant grew busier, yet Kael continued eating as if nothing else mattered. The menu had already been served three times, but he hadn't stopped. He felt the energy gathering in his stomach was reaching its peak, only a step away from transforming into Gluttonous Mana. Once it transformed, the Gluttonous Art would be complete. Then, using the Primordial Heavenly Demon Chapter, he could fuse it, refine his Heavenly Demon Mana, and break through the bottleneck into Third Rank Lower. So naturally, Kael wouldn't stop.
Meanwhile, two stunning women arrived at the resort. One had long black hair and a cigarette in her mouth—beautiful, yet with the air of a middle-aged man. The other had a graceful figure, delicate skin, shoulder-length hair, refined features, and a faint smile that seemed sincere yet somehow false.
If Kael had looked up, he would have recognized them immediately—
Yukinoshita Haruno and Hiratsuka Shizuka.
Haruno looked ready for a high-class banquet, dressed in a fitted black gown, glamorous and radiant. Beside her, Shizuka wore her usual white lab coat, looking less like a teacher and more like a doctor.
Standing at the resort entrance, Haruno glanced at the road outside, muttering: "Shizuka, are you sure your master will come today?"
Shizuka, cigarette in mouth, looked like a weary man despite her beauty. The contrast was striking. "Who knows? I already contacted him. Whether he comes depends on fate."
Haruno grew anxious. "How can this depend on fate? This concerns our family's survival. Shizuka, please, can't you urge him?"
Shizuka rolled her eyes. "My master hates being pressured. If you push him, he really won't come."
Haruno sighed, tugging at her hair in frustration. "Ugh, this is maddening. Our Yukinoshita family only wants to be a local power in Chiba. Why must we face this?"
Shizuka could only sympathize. Haruno was up against a giant, one even her family had to avoid. Whether they survived depended entirely on luck.
As they waited anxiously, Shizuka's phone rang. She answered quickly. "Master, where are you?"
A voice replied: "Sorry, Shizuka. There's sudden unrest in the Darkness. I must deal with it. The Yukinoshita family will have to find someone else."
Shizuka glanced at Haruno, who immediately looked downcast. After a few polite words, Shizuka hung up.
"Sorry, Haruno. My master can't come. The Darkness erupted."
Haruno forced a smile. "It's fine. There's still time. I'll think of another way."
Shizuka's master wasn't someone she could force. The Yukinoshita family didn't have that kind of influence.
Shizuka patted Haruno's shoulder. "We'll figure something out together. But first, let's eat. Only with food can we think clearly."
Though Haruno had no appetite, she knew Shizuka was right. She nodded and followed her into the restaurant.
As they entered, they heard gasps of astonishment. Curious, they looked toward the commotion and saw a crowd gathered. Approaching, they were shocked to find the cause—a boy.
He sat at a table piled high with exquisite dishes… and a mountain of empty plates.
Shizuka scanned the plates, estimating at least a hundred. Meaning the boy had eaten all of them. Such an appetite was unbelievable.
She immediately judged—this boy was no ordinary human. No human could eat so much.
Nearby, whispers reached their ears.
"How many rounds is this?"
"The fourth."
"He can really eat."
"Is this boy even human?"
Haruno overheard and approached two waiters. "What do you mean by the fourth round?"
One replied: "This boy came this afternoon and ordered the entire menu. He's now on his fourth round."
Haruno's eyes widened in disbelief. Four rounds of the entire menu? Could that even be possible?
Suddenly, she thought of something and hurried back to Shizuka.
"Shizuka, didn't you say some martial arts masters could eat a whole cow in one meal? Could this boy be one of them?"
Shizuka studied Kael carefully. "I heard the talk. This appetite is abnormal. Even my master couldn't do this. I suspect this boy isn't a martial artist… but someone with special powers."
Haruno's eyes lit up. "You mean he's…"
Shizuka cut her off. "I said it's possible, not certain."
Haruno replied firmly: "Either way, I have to try. What if it's true?"
Shizuka frowned. "But you don't know him."
Haruno nodded. "I know. But we can at least make contact. I still have time."
Shizuka didn't object further. The two quietly withdrew from the crowd.