Chapter Title: Oath and Restriction
The sky had dimmed.
Dragging his exhausted body, Kai Vexley returned to the little hut he called home.
He opened the door quietly and placed the food he had scavenged carefully on the table.
"I'm back."
"...Welcome back."
A familiar voice greeted him, soft as always.
Without taking a moment to rest, Machi turned toward the hearth, already preparing to cook. It was routine.
"I'm tired of eating this stuff," Kai muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. "Let's eat something different tonight."
Machi's hands froze, mid-motion.
Crack.
The firewood in her hand split.
Usually so composed, a rare flash of irritation sparked in her eyes.
How dare he disdain the food I've worked so hard to gather?
"This is what we have. Eat it or don't," she replied, coldly, her voice sharp as ice.
"And what if I want something else?" Kai teased, a smirk forming on his lips.
"You—"
She turned to face him, ready to unleash her anger, but her words died in her throat.
What is that...?
Kai, without warning, was holding something that looked completely unfamiliar—something she had never seen before, not in this hut or anywhere.
With a sly grin, Kai held it up. "It's called snail noodles—a specialty from my hometown."
Food?
The word alone made Machi's cold eyes flicker.
In Meteor Street, there were many valuable things—weapons, armor, metals, and even people—but nothing was more precious than food.
And Kai knew. Machi wasn't someone who could be easily tricked. If this was false food, she'd see through it immediately.
She narrowed her gaze, suspicion creeping in. "You went out today?"
"No," Kai replied smoothly.
He didn't give her a chance to question further. "Don't worry about it. Just taste it. See if it's any good."
With a dramatic flourish, Kai activated his Nen ability—[Virtual Reality].
A steaming pot of water appeared in his hand as though conjured from thin air.
He tore open a packet sealed tight, and poured the boiling water into a bowl.
And then—
Pungent.
A sour, overwhelming stench filled the room.
Machi didn't flinch.
Her face remained calm, unaffected, but a flash of something darker passed through her mind.
Illusion? A trick? A distraction?
None of those explanations fit.
Her eyes narrowed again.
She had been watching him the entire time—there was nowhere for him to hide the pot or the water.
Where did that come from?
Kai, oblivious to her inner turmoil, smiled as he lifted the lid.
Slurp.
He took a deep breath of the rising steam, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "Ah, I've been eating nothing but bland porridge for days. I almost forgot what real food tastes like!"
He waved her over. "Come on! Just try it. You'll see—it's delicious, a taste of home."
Machi hesitated. She had known Kai for only a few days, and this strange food—that smell—was not something she had ever encountered. But...
There was something compelling about it.
She stepped forward, curiosity piquing her interest. She picked up the bowl.
One bite.
Her eyes widened.
The flavor hit her taste buds like a burst of light, rich and complex, unlike anything she had ever tasted before.
Delicious.
Before she knew it, the bowl was empty.
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
She even drank the broth.
Kai stared in disbelief. "Uh... you really drank all the soup?"
Machi calmly placed the bowl down, eyes looking at him expectantly.
Kai chuckled nervously. "As expected from a future member of the Phantom Troupe... you don't waste time, huh?"
After all, he had known it would be good, but watching Machi devour it so eagerly caught him off guard.
The [Virtual Reality] ability he had just used was powerful, but Kai was well aware of its cost.
Materializing food wasn't the most efficient use of Nen—especially considering it consumed a lot of aura for something as simple as food.
He closed his eyes for a moment, reflecting on the future. The loss of aura wasn't the biggest issue he had to worry about, though. It was the future that gnawed at him.
If I want to become strong enough...
Kai's mind began to focus. He had to think big. He couldn't just rely on his Nen in its current form.
The Dark Continent.
Beyond the known world, where even the strongest hunters had failed. Where countless dangers waited, and only the fiercest survived.
But for that... he would need more power. Not just ordinary strength.
He would need an oath and restriction.
---
Kai's Oath:
1. All materialized objects must exist in another world.
2. The user must have a sufficient understanding of the real world where the object exists.
Only if these two conditions were met could he minimize the aura consumed during materialization and deduction.
The consequence?
If he failed to uphold these conditions... a quarter of his soul would disappear.
---
For most, such a restriction would seem impossible.
The concept of imagining and manifesting objects from another world wasn't simply about creativity—it involved an incredibly deep understanding of that world. Worlds didn't just exist in his mind.
But the price of failure—losing a quarter of one's soul—was steep.
It was a much harsher punishment than the ones Kurapika had imposed on himself, who had only been sacrificing his lifespan.
Losing part of one's soul? That was a fate worse than death.
---
Just as Kai finished establishing the oath in his mind, Machi had finished her meal. She let out a small burp.
"Hi~~"
When she looked over, her face flushed slightly.
The food had been awful in smell, but so wonderfully delicious in taste. She hadn't been able to stop herself.
Kai handed her a glass of water thoughtfully. After so much spicy broth, it was only natural that she would feel parched.
"What's wrong with me?" she muttered, sipping the water, still trying to sort through her feelings.
There was something strange in her heart. It was as if... a strange connection had been formed.
She glanced up at Kai, trying to understand the unspoken bond between them. It felt odd, but in a comforting way. She could trust him, though they had only known each other for a short time.
Kai, sensing the quiet shift in the room, closed his eyes and began to recover the aura he had drained.
Machi stayed silent, her mind still full of questions, wondering about the inexplicable feelings Kai had stirred within her.
Suddenly, a loud voice broke her thoughts.
"Machi, Kai, are you home? We're coming in!"
Creeeak—
Before she could respond, the door swung open, and a large figure entered.
Kai didn't even need to open his eyes to know who it was—his presence alone had already sunk the bed.
Uvogin.
Machi sighed. "Uvogin, be careful. Kai's still recovering from his injury."
Uvogin grumbled in response, but before he could say anything, his nose twitched.
"This smell... you two... did you just poop in here?