"Waaah! Waaah!"
After eating his fill, Fang Ye lay contentedly in the bassinet. Drowsiness was just beginning to pull him under when a loud, piercing newborn's cry suddenly rang out from outside the room.
Before long, a transport gurney and an accompanying nurse hurried into the maternity ward where Fang Zheng and Su Wan were staying, finally stopping just beyond the curtain separating the beds.
Looking over, Fang Ye saw a strikingly beautiful young woman lying on the gurney. Her face was pale and weary, yet it did nothing to diminish her breathtaking beauty. Sweat-damp golden hair clung to her cheeks.
There was something uniquely captivating about her presence—a strange beauty that blended the exquisite refinement of a classical doll, a fragile, almost sickly delicacy, and an unquestionable aura of authority.
"No wonder I didn't see you when I got back. So you were giving birth today too."
Su Wan suddenly understood. When she had returned earlier and found Mana Nakiri absent from the ward, she had assumed the other woman had simply gone to the restroom. She had never expected that she had gone into labor as well.
"I went out not long after you did. The baby came three days earlier than expected, but fortunately the doctors were skilled, and nothing went wrong."
Mana Nakiri lay weakly against the transport bed, but her eyes were still bright and clear. Seeing Fang Zheng and Su Wan looking her way, she managed a faint smile.
"That really is a coincidence. But since our pregnancies were already close in timing, I suppose I did imagine we might give birth around the same time. By the way, did you have a boy or a girl?"
Su Wan and Fang Zheng exchanged a glance. They were somewhat surprised, but not especially shocked. Then Su Wan blinked and asked about the baby's sex.
"A girl."
Mana answered honestly.
"Have you chosen a name yet?"
"The family decided that if it was a girl, she would be called Erina Nakiri. I just hope this little one can grow up safely and happily."
As she looked at the infant the nurse had placed in her arms, maternal tenderness shone in Mana's eyes.
As she spoke, she reached out and lightly touched the baby's plump little cheek. Only then did Fang Zheng and Su Wan notice the newborn nestled in her embrace.
"She definitely will. Our little guy is called Fang Ye. Please take care of him from now on.
"And with things like this, little Fang Ye and Erina are basically childhood sweethearts from the very moment they left the delivery room together. I have a feeling they'll get along really well in the future!"
Su Wan looked at the baby girl in Mana's arms with a hint of envy. That child was clearly better-looking than theirs—her little face was round and chubby, and her eyes were large and bright.
Even as a newborn, she already gave the impression that she would grow up to be very beautiful.
"Can I hold Erina for a bit? She's just so adorable!"
With that thought in mind, Su Wan turned to Mana with a pleading expression. Because her own child was all wrinkled up, she very much wanted to hold someone else's cute baby right now.
"Of course."
Though slightly puzzled by Su Wan's expression, Mana did not refuse.
She passed the child to the nurse, who then handed her to Su Wan. Watching Su Wan cradle the baby with a face full of tender affection, Mana could not help feeling a strange emotion rise in her heart.
"Girls really are wonderful. She's already this cute just after being born."
Su Wan sighed from the heart.
Meanwhile, Fang Ye, who had just finished drinking milk and had been placed back in the bassinet, was already reeling internally after overhearing their conversation.
Erina Nakiri?!
Wasn't that a character from an anime he had watched a few years ago?
Had he transmigrated into the world of Food Wars!?
No wonder the system had said this was a world where cuisine reigned supreme...
But why Food Wars! of all things? Could it be that the system had sensed his dying wish before he passed away?!
Just as Fang Ye's thoughts were running wild, a rapid series of footsteps approached from outside the maternity ward.
"Let me see my granddaughter at once!"
At the same time came the eager, expectant voice of an elderly man.
"Senior Nakiri, Mr. Azami—your granddaughter is here."
Hearing the familiar voice, Fang Zheng—who had been standing beside Su Wan and teasing little Erina with her moments ago—straightened up somewhat guiltily. Then he turned and greeted the two men hurrying in.
As Fang Zheng stepped aside, revealing the space, Fang Ye, from his bassinet, finally got a clear look at them both.
At the front was an elderly man dressed in an old-style Japanese kimono, wooden sandals on his feet.
His hair and beard were both white, slightly flared in a way that made him resemble an aging lion. A scar slashed across his right eye, lending him even more gravitas.
That was right.
The newcomer was none other than the Commander of Totsuki Academy, the leading figure of the Japanese culinary world, the man known as the Demon of Food—Senzaemon Nakiri.
"Mana, you've worked hard."
Senzaemon's voice rang out powerfully, his eyes full of concern as he looked at his daughter.
But very quickly, his attention was drawn to the granddaughter in Su Wan's arms. On that scarred face—normally stern and imposing—there now appeared a kind of almost clumsy tenderness and excitement.
"Come, let Grandpa have a look!"
He strode quickly to Su Wan's side and carefully took Erina Nakiri from her arms.
The tiny baby looked even smaller cradled in his broad embrace, and his eyes brimmed with the soft affection of a hardened man brought low by family.
"Just look at those eyes and brows—so spirited! And what a strong cry! Her future accomplishments are bound to be extraordinary!"
Senzaemon carefully examined Erina's features, delight flashing uncontrollably in his eyes.
So this was his granddaughter?
What a lively little one she was!
Following behind Senzaemon was a young man with a cold appearance and a somewhat gloomy aura.
This man was Azami Nakiri.
Compared with Senzaemon, his reaction was much calmer. He first nodded to Mana in greeting, then turned his gaze toward his daughter, his eyes carrying a complexity that was difficult to put into words.
"Father, you're exaggerating. She's only a baby."
Mana smiled weakly at Senzaemon's lavish praise, a trace of helplessness in her tone.
"Hahaha! My, Senzaemon Nakiri's granddaughter was destined to be extraordinary from the moment she was born!"
At Mana's words, Senzaemon laughed loudly.
Then, as if noticing something, he turned his gaze toward Fang Ye, who was lying in the bassinet and curiously studying him. He stepped forward and scooped Fang Ye up into his arms as well.
"This little fellow isn't bad either. Bright eyes, strong arms—a fine seedling for the culinary world!"
The large hand that suddenly reached for him made Fang Ye instinctively struggle. Feeling that bit of resistance, Senzaemon thoughtfully loosened his hold slightly, then spoke with a sigh of appreciation.
Fang Ye's feelings at that moment were rather complicated, because directly opposite him was Erina Nakiri.
Perhaps tired from all the crying, she had already closed her eyes and fallen asleep, her expression serene and peaceful.
Children really were blessed, weren't they?
No worries, no burdens. When they were tired or sleepy, they could simply close their eyes, and when they opened them again, it would be a brand-new day.
Fortunately, he was a child now too...
So sleepy...
[Beginner Mission Triggered]: As a newborn, you must quickly gain control over your body.
Please raise 108 fundamental physical abilities—including vocalization, sight, smell, sound discrimination, crawling, walking, jumping, and more—to Proficient before the age of one.
[Mission Reward]: Body Control (Gold)
[Body Control (Gold)]: Grants free control over any part of the body. As the proficiency level of this skill increases, the precision with which each part can be controlled will also increase.
Just as Fang Ye was marveling at how carefree and happy babies were, and preparing to adjust his position in Senzaemon Nakiri's arms for a nice nap, the system notification suddenly rang out in his mind.
Body Control? Free control over any part of the body? That's... an awfully broad description...
As Fang Ye stared at the skill glowing with dazzling golden light in the system interface, his heartbeat quickened by several beats. In his mind, an image surfaced of Luffy stretching himself however he pleased.
No... it probably isn't that outrageous. Still, the strength of this skill definitely shouldn't be underestimated.
A body as elastic as rubber would violate the basic structure of the human body a little too much.
Even so, this was the only gold-tier skill he currently had. Naturally, Fang Ye had no intention of looking down on it. The lazy thought of simply coasting through life vanished the instant this reward appeared.
Though his body was still too young to do many things right now, making a fist was at least possible.
And just so happened—
clenching a fist was one of the beginner mission requirements.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 120)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 100)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 100)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter89)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter86)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter63)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter75)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 53
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 57
From Junkman to Wasteland 35
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 26
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 27
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