Amaromi Forest was rich in biodiversity, yet it had never yielded an A-level ingredient. This alone showed how rare such ingredients were. Therefore, Law never expected to find one in a ruin.
'B-level ingredient is already considered gourmet delicacies, so what about A-level ingredients?'
Law was looking forward to the taste of the crab claw meat and how much benefit it could bring him.
However, at the moment, he was utterly exhausted, and his Aura were nearly depleted. In his current state, even preparing the ingredient would be too much.
"I'll cook it tomorrow."
Suppressing his growing appetite, Law left those words behind and headed to his room. Right now, he just wanted to lie down.
Black Cat watched Law retreat into the room, feeling as if it heard the sound of shattering glass.
…
The next day.
Since Law goes to bed early, he gets up early, or to be more precise, he is woken up by his rumbling stomach.
Having collapsed into bed the moment he got back yesterday without eating, he would have likely slept until noon if not for the protests of his empty stomach.
Soft morning light filtered through the wooden cabin's windows, casting warm hues onto the floor, while thin mist still lingered in the forest.
After taking a refreshing shower, Law felt revitalized.
When he stepped out of the cabin, he saw Biscuit in the midst of her morning training.
By the lakeside, the mist hung like a delicate veil.
Biscuit was wearing a snug, thin white outfit, which should be the only clothes left after taking off her usual poofy dress. The short-sleeved top and shorts had small white fabric flowers adorning them.
Her upper body was completely flat, her arms and legs were very slender, and her long golden hair was tied up. She was truly a lovely little loli who was pleasing to the eye.
Law sighed in his heart. Sometimes, knowing the truth is a cruel thing. No matter how cute Biscuit looked, he couldn't help but think of her real form.
Biscuit noticed Law but paid him no mind, continuing with her training. For any martial artist, maintaining daily practice was a must.
Law watched for a while but found it dull and monotonous, so he returned inside to start preparing the crab claw meat.
High-grade ingredients basically have the ability to keep themselves fresh for a certain period of time, perhaps due to the powerful life energy contained in them. However, it also made them irresistible to other creatures.
Leaving the crab claw meat out in the open last night without a second thought could have been risky. Fortunately, with Black Cat standing guard, not even an ant had dared to approach it.
Seeing that Law was finally going to cook the crab claw meat, Black Cat's previously resentful expression softened slightly.
Law realized that Black Cat was probably of the same nature as Buhara, both were gluttons.
In fact, Black Cat was born from his Nen and shared a direct connection with him. Traits like its love for food were merely reflections of Law's own personality. Black Cat even had access to Law's hidden knowledge, like secrets from the Dark Continent, as if the information had been transferred directly into its mind.
Law wasn't fully aware of this yet. Ignoring the black cat's eager gaze, he picked up the crab claw meat and walked into the kitchen.
There is no need to keep the thick and hard spiky shell, and auxiliary ingredients such as garlic, onion and ginger are easy to get. However, vermicelli had to be made from scratch, which is a rather laborious process. However, with the help of God Hand, the process can be speed up considerably.
The most crucial aspect was the garlic sauce. It needed to be flavorful but not overpowering. In a steamed dish, the sauce should only complement, not dominate.
The crab claw meat that Black Cat brought were very large and could not be finished in one meal. Law also did not want to make a special steamer to cook it all, so he planned to split it into multiple portions and try different cooking methods.
In an instant, many ways of cooking crab claw meat emerged in Law's mind. Steaming was his top choice, but he also considered marinating and deep-frying it.
The difference between the two lay in emphasis. Steaming highlighted the natural flavor of the ingredient, while marinating and frying would focus on the seasoning.
"Watch this, I'm heading to town."
After making mental note of all the ingredients he needed, Law told Black Cat and left the cabin.
Black Cat watched Law leave, looking pitiful and longing.
Babu Town is adjacent to a forest, which is famous for its pristine ecology. There are many good things that can be obtained from the forest, and the crops grown by local residents are also high-quality products.
Upon reaching the marketplace, Law bought a large variety of ingredients. It took him over an hour before he finally returned to the cabin.
When Law returned, Biscuit was still in the middle of her morning training. Seeing him carrying numerous bags, she was a bit surprised, but didn't ask much.
Sanbica had already gotten up. At this time, she was sitting in front of the computer and browsing the web. It seemed like that was the only thing she did, giving Law the vibe of an internet-addicted teenager. However, Law knew that she was sitting in front of the computer to work.
"You're back."
Sanbica glanced up as Law walked in, and her eyes brightened slightly. One of the benefits of following Law was that she could eat delicious food every day.
That casual 'you're back' almost sounded like a wife welcoming her husband home.
"Hungry?"
Law nodded slightly and walked towards the kitchen.
"Yeah." Sanbica answered honestly.
"Just hold on a little longer. This crab claw meat is A-level!" Law said with a smile.
Sanbica was very surprised when she heard this. She didn't expect that the meat Law casually threw there was actually an A-level ingredient.
"This is the food I hunted. It has nothing to do with him." Black Cat floated up and immediately declared its sovereignty.
Law was too lazy to pay attention to it. He put the ingredients down in the kitchen, then went back to the living room to retrieve the large piece of crab claw meat.
At this moment, Sanbica and Black Cat looked at each other in tacit understanding, both looking forward to the upcoming feast. This might be the happiness of traveling with a Gourmet Hunter.
Utilizing God Hand, Law first prepared the vermicelli before processing the crab claw meat.
His speed in handling ingredients was astonishing that any professional chef would feel dwarfed in comparison. Within just ten minutes, all the ingredients were prepared and the steamer was placed on the stove.
Using his Nen Ability, Law crushed a few select spices and blended them into the crab claw meat, which is his unique infusing technique.
After setting the crab to steam, he began working on the marinade for the fried version.
As one of the famous scenic spots, Babu Town, which is relatively close to nature, produces many specialty crops, as well as several unique spices that Law has never seen before.
In order to prepare his unique sauce, Law needs to taste each spice individually. After all, he needs to understand the characteristics of the spices before mixing them together.
If he is not familiar with the ingredients, it will not be easy to succeed even if he has a good tongue.
If he succeeded in making a great sauce, he could carry it around to enhance the flavor of wild foods in the future.
Seeing that the steamed crabs were almost done, Law temporarily put aside the marinade and focused on a simpler sauce to drizzle over the dish. Since it was mainly for flavoring, it didn't need to be overly complex.
Before long, the crab was done. Law turned off the heat and lifted the lid, releasing a cloud of fragrant steam.
Using Aura to protect his hands, Law carefully lifted the steaming crab out of the pot. He garnished it with additional ingredients, poured the prepared sauce over it, and finally drizzled hot oil on top.
The satisfying sizzle filled the air, and an irresistible aroma spread throughout the cabin.
The enticing scent reached Sanbica and Black Cat inside the cabin, as well as Biscuit, who was still outside finishing her training.
Biscuit's morning training was almost done, so she stepped inside just in time to see Law bringing out the steamed crab with vermicelli.
"It smells amazing." Biscuit looked at the fresh white crab meat. From its color and aroma, it was very appetizing.
"Come and try it."
Law placed the large plate of steamed crab with vermicelli on the table.
Black Cat couldn't wait any longer and rushed over like lightning. It grabbed a large piece of crab claw meat in the blink of an eye and started eating it happily while standing on the table.
Law frowned when he saw this. He regarded Black Cat as a domestic pet, so seeing Black Cat start eating first, he felt that the order was reversed.
However, when he thought that the crab claw meat was brought up by the Black Cat, he let it slide.
Biscuit was also very straightforward. She came over, picked up a pair of chopsticks, then picked up a piece of crab claw meat and started eating.
"Hmm?"
After chewing and swallowing, she turned to Law with a strange glint in her eyes.
The quality of the ingredients is very high, and the taste is comparable to that of the dishes prepared by first-class Gourmet Hunters.
Moreover, the crab meat was brimming with life energy, something Biscuit, with her extensively trained body, could keenly perceive.
In the Hunter x Hunter World, the saying 'wealth nourishes martial strength' also held true. High-energy foods were beneficial for strengthening the body.
This is also the reason why martial artists often developed stronger bodies than those who trained in dojos. It's thanks to consuming such nutrient-rich ingredients.
'This kid really has the makings of a Gourmet Hunter.' Biscuit thought to herself.