MHGA Chapter 170 – Well-fed Hunters Are All Bursting with Vitality!
"Not at all."
Naofumi Iwatani sighed. "I'm not sure if magic would even work—but even if it could deal with ghosts or spirits, we wouldn't be able to just tag along to her world, right?"
"Speaking of which," Raphtalia, standing beside Naofumi, brought up another point. "If this girl can see ghosts, why hasn't she seen any in this world?"
"Huh… good point." Kairo Retsu scratched his chin and looked at Miko. "Miko, have you seen anything like that here?"
"Um…" Miko hesitated for a moment before answering, "Actually, I've been bothered by those thorns on his body for a while…"
She pointed straight at Joseph, and everyone turned toward him—only to see nothing.
"You can see my Stand?" Joseph's eyes widened.
"Yes, I can see it clearly." Miko nodded. "In fact, on the way here…"
Miko then recounted what she saw on the way to the canteen with Tanjiro: how those grotesquely massive slabs of meat outside had eerie, ghost-like shapes oozing out of them—though the darker ones all seemed to get scattered…
"That's because," Granny Felyne emerged from the kitchen carrying a platter of grilled meat with a warm, gentle smile, "everyone in the Gathering Hub is full of vitality."
"Since you're all good children who love to eat, your bodies are very sturdy."
"New little ones need to eat well too, so your bodies can grow strong and healthy!" Granny Felyne beamed at the new Handlers, Miko and the others.
"Huh… I think I get it now."
Kairo Retsu stood up and scratched his head. "Since we've all had plenty of Felyne Grub, why don't we go test it out, Miko!"
"Y-Yes!" Miko responded nervously. "What do you mean by test it?"
"When you arrived here—what time was it? What were you doing?" Kairo asked. "If we follow you back now, will it cause any problems?"
"I was walking home from school when I got pulled in… and there was no one else nearby. Wait, everyone can come back with me?" Miko still sounded worried. "But I've been gone for so long…"
"Don't worry. Time here doesn't flow the same way as in your world." Kairo reassured her. "Alright, I'm going! Who else wants in? Let's test this theory out!"
"I'll help," Tanjiro volunteered immediately. Joseph added, "I'll come too. I've been loitering around the Hub anyway."
"I'll come as well," Naofumi said with a sigh. "I don't think I can just sit back and do nothing."
"Lord Naofumi, you're so kind," Raphtalia said admiringly, further pressuring Naofumi.
"Ghosts, huh… I think I'll pass," Kazuma shrank back, completely forgetting Aqua was right beside him—
"Pfft. Kazuma, you're absolutely useless." Aqua sneered. "Backing out at a time like this?"
"Hey! Those things don't look like normal ghosts at all!" Kazuma shouted as he began bickering with Aqua again. "You attract the undead like a magnet! Who are you to mock me?!"
"Is… is this really going to be okay?" Miko still seemed uncertain. "Those ghosts looked way too dangerous…"
"It's fine, it's fine! Hunters don't die—we just faint and get carted back by Felynes!" Kairo Retsu grinned. "Forget about life and death! Hunters are strong and kind!"
"Just look at Tanjiro—so kind and gentle. All the other Hunters are like him!" Kairo added confidently.
"That's right!" Tanjiro smiled. "Everyone is a kind person."
"Yes! Lord Naofumi too!" Raphtalia nodded.
Joseph scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward about the praise.
And then Aqua, never one to disappoint, added:
"Pfft, Kazuma? He's got nothing to do with this. He doesn't even dare go near that mess." Aqua declared, hands on her hips. "Well, it's Kazuma we're talking about. Even if he's scared, it can't be helped!"
"Don't underestimate me!" Kazuma roared. "Exorcising spirits, exorcising spirits… I can do that too!"
Kairo clapped a hand on Kazuma's shoulder. "Kazuma?! Excellent! First group hunt squad—assemble!!!"
In the next instant, Joseph and Naofumi were already moving in sync, each grabbing one of Kazuma's arms. His face went pale.
"Hey! What are you trying to do?!"
"Let's go! Let's make sure we guarantee Miko's safety today!" Kairo declared, now behind Miko with both hands on her shoulders, gently pushing her toward the Hub gates. "GOGOGO!"
"NOOO! Aqua, help me!!" Kazuma shrieked as he was dragged off.
The remaining girls all smiled as they watched the departing Hunters.
"Kazuma-sama sure is energetic," Raphtalia remarked.
"Honestly," Aqua huffed, hands on her hips, "that guy is always useless, even with a goddess like me around!"
"So all the Hunters have partners like that," Nezuko observed curiously. "I wonder what kind of worlds everyone came from…"
"M-me! Me! Our world had nothing! Not even enough food!" Yuuri enthusiastically raised her hand.
Chito, however, tugged on her sleeve. "Yuuri, you're being too loud."
"Sitting here chatting like this with other girls… it's been a long time," Raphtalia said wistfully.
"Oh, oh! Isn't this what you call a girls' hangout?!" Aqua gave a big thumbs-up.
"A girls' hangout… That sounds really fun!"
While the girls were happily chatting away, Granny Felyne returned once more, this time carrying carefully prepared desserts. With her ever-gentle smile, she said, "You're all such good girls… Come now, time for dessert."
Meanwhile, completely unaware that the Handlers had started their own "girls' gathering," the Hunters had already charged out of the Hub together with Miko.
The moment they passed through the gates, Miko felt a blur in her vision—then suddenly, she was back in her own world.
And the monsters before her were still there. Everything that happened in the Gathering Hub now felt like a dream.
Yet at the same time, the two hands resting on her shoulders and Kairo Retsu's voice from behind her gave her an overwhelming sense of security.
"We're here! Now—let's show off our overwhelming vitality, everyone!"
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