Gourmet Hunter (HxH Fanfic)

The desert was an unfamiliar environment for Law.

Whether during his time on Earth or in the years since arriving in the Hunter x Hunter World, Law had never set foot in a real desert.

If it had been a year and a half ago, Law wouldn't dare to say how much he knew about the desert, but after reading Linne's books, even though he had never been to the desert, he was no longer completely ignorant.

Among the books Linne had written herself, there are several books about the desert. One that left a particularly deep impression on him was titled 'Sunbathing in the Khandia Desert'.

It wasn't clear which desert they were heading to, but Law was looking forward to it.

By evening, the sky had darkened early, the temperature dropped, and the wind blowing against his skin felt like icy blades.

Buhara set up a large grill in the desolate courtyard, and once the fire was lit, he called out to the house, "Boss, come help me cut this pork."

Hearing Buhara's voice, Law stepped out of the house and glanced at the black boar as large as a small hill in the yard. He said helplessly, "We're eating pork again today?"

Buhara grinned sheepishly and said, "Pork is delicious."

Hearing this, Law was speechless. After all, this guy had devoured a lot of boars during the original Hunter Exam.

Under Buhara's watchful gaze, Law activated his God Hand, effortlessly processing the large boar and slicing it into pieces about three centimeters thick.

In the forest surrounding the house, wild boars and black bears were frequently seen during winter. In Buhara's eyes, wild boars were far more suitable as food than black bears, so he often hunted black mountain boars for their daily meals.

Once the ingredients were prepped and the grill was ready, Law called Linne and Shachmono out to sit on the stump chairs under the pergola, waiting for dinner.

Law handled the grilling, while Buhara hurried into the house to get some alcohol.

The sun had set, and before long, the moon hung in the night sky.

A lantern dangled beside the pergola, its dim yellow light barely illuminating half the courtyard.

On the table made of tree stumps was a plate of fragrant roasted meat, and next to it was a jar of fine liquor, which was brewed by the ferocious flower gorillas of the forest. It's what is commonly known as 'monkey wine' on Earth.

The difference was that in the Hunter x Hunter World, this wine was brewed by gorillas, using ingredients that are impossible to find on Earth. The resulting liquor was nothing short of heavenly.

Standing by the grill, Law's face was flushed red from the heat, the smoke curling around him but always veering to the sides at the last moment.

Buhara assisted, unfazed by the heat, occasionally tossing a freshly grilled piece of pork into his mouth.

The wild boar's size was several times that of Buhara himself. Roughly three-quarters of the meat went to him, while the remaining quarter was split among Law, Linne, and Shachmono.

Under the pergola, Shachmono pulled out a cigarette case from his pocket, took one, and held it between his lips. He didn't light it immediately but instead moved a distance away from Linne before flicking his lighter and taking a deep drag, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

The smoke swirled before Shachmono, obscuring his face.

Linne glanced at him but said nothing.

Before long, the cigarette had burned halfway.

Shachmono watched the two juniors busy at the grill and murmured, "Teacher, I'll probably die before you, won't I?"

"Who would know about that kind of thing?" Linne picked up a piece of meat with a calm expression.

Shachmono took a long drag, finishing the cigarette, then exhaled a thick plume of smoke, and said: "Have you considered finding another butler?"

Linne seemed to see through Shachmono's intentions and shook her head slightly. She looked at Law, whose face was flushed by the firelight, and said calmly, "He won't stay."

Shachmono fell silent.

As night deepened, the forest grew silent.

The roasted meat, seasoned with Linne's special spices, released an aroma that drifted with the wind, stirring the noses of many nocturnal beasts. Yet none dared approach Linne's old residence.

Living deep in the mountains was one way to escape from the hustle and bustle of the world.

Once Law finished grilling, he brought a large plate of meat to the pergola, leaving the rest for Buhara to handle.

Roasted meat paired with fine wine… both were exceptional.

Linne's secret spice blend was one of a kind, and with God Hand ensuring the flavors melded perfectly into the meat, the result was the most delicious barbecue in the world.

Law didn't usually drink, but the flower gorilla wine is worth his effort to cultivate his drinking habit.

He snapped a photo with his phone, selected his contacts, and sent it out before enjoying the meal.

"Teacher's spices and Law's Nen Ability are a perfect match." Shachmono praised sincerely.

An old house in the forest, a pergola under lamplight, roasted meat and fine wine, elders and youth.

The photo of roasted meat and fine wine was sent via phone to various corners of the world.

Machi and the others received it, Sanbica received it, Ging received it, Netero received it, Sheila received it, Ellie received it...

Before long, Law's phone was bombarded with messages, mostly because his caption had been too boastful. He had deliberately emphasized the uniqueness of the spices and the liquor, practically declaring them one-of-a-kind in the world.

At this point, the Phantom Troupe's activities were growing increasingly frequent, making them wanted criminals. Before they reached the A-Class status, many had attempted to hunt them down. It was likely during this period that Chrollo began accumulating stolen Nen abilities through his Bandit's Secret.

Sanbica had become the Hunter Association's exclusive doctor, working in facilities provided by the Association and staying constantly busy.

Sheila was still in the midst of her training. Among all of Law's contacts, she was the one who messaged him most frequently, often sending photos of scenic landscapes from her travels.

Ellie had acquired a shipyard and risen to the top of the logistics and transportation industry in Spice City. Her reputation in the business world was growing rapidly.

After the incident where Law couldn't be reached by phone, he had personally visited her with rare gifts to apologize, finally soothing her anger.

As for Heavens Arena, although Law hadn't participated in the Battle Olympia, he had competed in two regular matches, which is part of his obligation as a Floor Master. If he did not participate, his qualification as a Floor Master would be revoked.

In those two matches, Law won instantly. After that, no challengers on the 200th floor dared to face him again.

Truthfully, Law's enthusiasm for Heaven's Arena battles had long waned. He didn't participate out of fear of losing his Floor Master status, but rather because his daily routine of reading and training had grown too monotonous. So occasionally, he needed an outlet to unwind.

With time, Law's ties to the Hunter x Hunter World grew ever deeper.

…

Two days later, Shachmono, dressed in a butler's uniform, stood at the entrance of the old house, bidding farewell to Law and the others.

He couldn't accompany them, as someone had to stay behind to watch over the house.

After all, this is a dangerous forest. Without someone guarding it, the entire building would be destroyed by the local wildlife within two days.

After saying their goodbyes to Shachmono, Law, Linne, and Buhara set off on their journey to the Khandia Desert.

[Sunbathing in the Khandia Desert]

This is a book Linne herself had written. Law had read it, but he had never actually been to the Khandia Desert.

Although the living environment there is extremely difficult, there is still human civilizations.