Gourmet Hunter (HxH Fanfic)

Machi was very surprised. Not only was she surprised that Law would suddenly come back, but she was also surprised that Law would bring a woman back to Meteor City.

Sambika, however, wasn't surprised. The moment she saw Machi, she recalled the pearl necklace Law had asked her to help weave.

The two women looked at each other silently, both looking at each other with scrutinizing eyes.

'Why is she dressed like that?' This was the first question that popped up in Machi's mind when she saw Sanbica.

'They don't look alike.' This was Sanbica's judgment after seeing Machi, 'Law said that the purple pearl was meant for a friend, possibly this girl. But if that were the case…'

'Were they living together?'

Sanbica thought silently.

"Let's talk inside."

Law didn't know what Sanbica and Machi were thinking. He broke the deadlock and took the initiative to walk into the house.

Machi moved aside to let them in, then shut the wooden door behind them.

When Law walked to the simple hard bed and was about to put the cloth bag on the bed, he noticed that the hard bed was free of any dust, and his expression couldn't help but softened.

Silently putting down the cloth bag, Law sat on the edge of the bed, then turned to Machi and introduced: "Her name is Sanbica, a friend I met outside." Then, he looked at Sanbica, "This is Machi..."

"A friend…" Machi said.

Law was stunned for a moment, then added: "An important friend."

Sanbica nodded slightly but remained silent.

"I'll let the others know you're back." That additional remark made Machi roll her eyes at Law. By 'the others', she meant Uvogin and the rest of the group.

"No rush. Let's just head to Uvogin's place directly." Law patted the cloth bag gently. Uvogin's house would be the best gathering spot for their group.

At this time, Machi offered a warning: "Just so you know, Uvogin might punch you the moment he sees you."

"Should I dodge, or take it head-on?" Law asked, as if seeking advice from Machi.

"Best to dodge." Machi replied coolly.

"Hmm..." Law stroked his chin and said seriously, "With Uvogin's temper, if I dodge, it will probably never end, right?"

"That's true, but if you try to take it head-on, your arm might end up broken," Machi warned.

"Isn't that a bit exaggerated?" Law shrugged.

Machi's voice remained calm, "Not really. It's because of you. Everyone's been training hard to get stronger lately… especially Uvogin."

"Ah, I see. In that case, I should probably take the punch." Law said with a grin, "After all... I've gotten stronger too."

"Suit yourself." Machi thought about it and decided not to persuade Law anymore. After all, letting Uvogin vent his anger might not be such a bad idea.

Listening to their exchange, Sambika found it amusing, though she didn't feel the need to join the conversation.

Before meeting Law, Sanbica was only interested in viruses. And after she met Law, her curiosity expanded to include the abilities of God Hand.

"Let's not talk about this. I brought you all some good things when I came back this time." Law stood up and patted the cloth bag.

Machi asked curiously, "What is it?"

"B-level ingredients!" Law chuckled, waiting for Machi's surprised expression.

After a long pause, Machi frowned slightly, then asked in confusion: "What is that?"

"…"

…

Later that night, the three walked toward Uvogin's house.

Through Machi's brief explanation, Law learned that his supposed death had almost driven the group to drastic actions. They had been ready to kill the East District's Elder and uncover who was responsible for his supposed death.

It was Chrollo's calm reasoning that had prevented them from acting on impulse when they first heard the news.

Instead, they had focused on growing stronger, knowing that whoever had allegedly killed Law couldn't have been weak. They needed to surpass Law's strength to stand a chance at avenging him.

In the days leading up to their planned actions, the group had been preparing to make their move, believing the time was ripe. However, Pakunoda's Nen Ability, [Psychometry], caused their plans to shift unexpectedly.

Initially, they intended to extract information from Vogt about who had killed Law. Instead, they accidentally uncovered the truth: Law had been faking his death all along.

The realization hit them like a cruel joke. Months of preparation, ready to strike with all their might, only to find their target was a feather disguised as steel. It was frustrating, to say the least.

For Nobunaga, it was easier to accept, but for Uvogin, with his fiery temper, the revelation was explosive. He immediately declared that he'd knock Law flat with a single punch. Despite his outburst, he was clearly thrilled to hear Law was alive.

With this new information, their prior plan had to be reconsidered as well.

The original plan was to kill the East District's Elder and then leave Meteor City to find the guy who killed Law.

But since Law was not dead, they needed to weigh the pros and cons of whether to kill the East District's Elder, which was the reason they lingered in Meteor City longer than expected

If Law hadn't returned when he did, the group likely would have left Meteor City soon in search of him, potentially leading to them missing each other entirely.

After hearing Machi's recount, it would be a lie for Law to say that he was not surprised. His decision to fake his death had been a calculated move to protect Machi and the others, ensuring that Vogt guarded the secret in case of unforeseen circumstances. He had always intended to return when he felt strong enough.

What he hadn't anticipated was that Uvogin and the others would target the Elder. Logically speaking, even if they wanted to avenge him, shouldn't they focus on the supposed killer instead?

"Vogt is still alive, right?" Law asked. If he was dead, he would be able to tell by the page turning black.

Machi nodded and said, "He doesn't know about Pakunoda's Nen Ability. If you hadn't come back, we would've killed him before leaving."

Using Pakunoda's Nen Ability, they obtained the information they wanted without Vogt himself realizing it. Until the information was exposed, there was no rush to eliminate him.

What they had confirmed was that Vogt had been complicit in Kuri's plan to kill Law. Interestingly, the Elder himself seemed indifferent to the entire matter.

Even though Kuri and Vogt ultimately failed, Vogt's actions alone were enough for Uvogin and the others to want to deal with him.

"I see."

Law paused, then raised his hand and conjured his book.

Noticing Law's actions, Machi and Sanbica both looked at him.

Law opened the book with one hand, and the page automatically turned to the page with Vogt's name. This was his business to handle, so there was no need to trouble Uvogin and the others to do it for him.

Law extended his index finger and slowly stroked the heart pattern below Vogt's name. It was actually an unnecessary gesture, as he could have ended Vogt's life with just a thought. However, it added a sense of finality.

After making this move, the page of the book turned black instantly. At the same time, Vogt, who is in his home, suddenly shuddered violently before collapsing to the floor and died in confusion.

Machi had a certain understanding of Law's Nen Ability, and knew that Vogt's heart was sealed in the book by Law, and she was even more clear about the meaning of the gesture.

With such a calm expression, Law killed Vogt with a wave of his hand, as if he had just crushed an ant to death.

'Law… something is different about him.'

Machi's instincts told her that Law had changed in some subtle but profound way. But if she knew what he had experienced over the past few months, perhaps she wouldn't have been surprised.

"Law, join the Troupe."

Machi said seriously as she looked at Law.

In response to Machi's invitation, Law suddenly sighed.