"Saitama! That piece of tripe is mine!"
"What?! Whoever gets it, gets it! Your hand speed is too slow!"
"Damn it! You won't get this piece of fatty beef, soaked in broth, out from under my chopsticks!"
"Ah! My shrimp paste! The shrimp paste I just put in!"
At the lively hotpot gathering, King watched the scene of chopsticks flying and his stomach rumbled uncontrollably.
His rumbling stomach was comparable to the roar of the Emperor Engine in its normal state; it could only be said that King's physical attributes were probably all allocated to such strange areas.
— Uh, I'm so hungry...
"King, you're awake? Come on, hurry, or we'll drink all the broth!"
Han Sen, in the midst of his busy eating, called out, and almost simultaneously, with a masterful move like an antelope hanging its horn, he precisely intercepted a slice of top-grade wagyu beef from under Saitama's chopsticks, just as it was perfectly cooked and still slightly curled.
Saitama, who was also looking at King, gritted his teeth: "Ah, damn it! It's a distraction tactic!"
King sat down groggily, and Han Sen handed him a bowl and chopsticks.
"Uh, now that you mention it, I am a little hungry. Thank you, Mr. Han Sen."
"Hey, don't be a stranger!"
While laughing, Han Sen swiftly scooped up an unknown root vegetable ingredient from the pot, which had been boiling in red oil and turned crystal clear like white jade after being cooked, and placed it in King's bowl, saying: "Try this, it's a new variety I just bought today, a specialty of City M, it tastes excellent and is very nourishing!"
After being boiled in the red oil pot, the ingredient was coated with an alluring spicy red color, looking extremely appetizing.
King didn't think much of it, thanked Han Sen again for the food, and immediately picked up a piece with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth.
"Crunch!"
The moment it entered his mouth, an extreme crispness, comparable to some top-grade meat, exploded between his teeth.
Immediately after, an indescribable, strange sweetness mixed with the spicy aroma of the broth instantly swept through his entire palate!
This taste...
He had never eaten anything like it, but it felt too intoxicating!
King subconsciously sped up his chewing, and a majestic and warm current flowed down his esophagus into his stomach.
It then transformed into thousands of fine threads, surging through his limbs and bones!
The last trace of discomfort from his hangover was instantly dispelled, and his whole body felt warm and cozy, as if every cell was greedily cheering and leaping, filled with unprecedented vitality!
"So... so delicious!"
King's eyes lit up; he felt like he had never eaten anything so delicious in his life!
He immediately waved his chopsticks and joined the atmosphere group of this fierce battle for dishes...
Han Sen and Saitama exchanged a smile, and Saitama enthusiastically gave King a few pieces of carrot bigger than a fist: "Come on, come on, try this too, this carrot tastes very good too."
King looked in astonishment at the few 'bricks' stacked in his bowl.
???
— Is this even a carrot?!
This hotpot battle lasted until the middle of the night.
The table was a mess of cups and plates, and all three were satisfied.
King was the first to collapse; he ate too much, but his digestive ability was far inferior to the other two Monsters.
Especially after eating those M City specialty carrots and bean sprouts, he felt his whole body filled with endless energy, as if he could punch through a wall.
But his eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and finally, his head tilted, and he fell asleep on the sofa again, snoring like thunder.
Since it was too late, Han Sen and Saitama simply stayed at King's house.
Anyway, there was a guest room in the apartment, and the sofa in the living room was also large enough.
...
...
The next morning.
King was awakened by an unbearable burning sensation.
He felt as if he was no longer a person, but a walking nuclear reactor.
His whole body was extremely hot and filled with explosive power, as if a slight movement could trigger a big explosion.
"Water... water..."
He sat up groggily, wanting to reach for the water glass on the bedside table, and as his palm just touched the thick glass...
Crack—!
The glass offered no resistance, shattering with a sound, and was easily crushed into crystal powder in his hand, like the crispiest biscuit!
King: "..."
He stared blankly at his empty palm and the glass powder spilling from between his fingers, his mind a blank.
Is this a dream?
He looked down and clearly saw that from his hands, a trace of hot, solidified white energy aura was uncontrollably emanating. Wherever the aura passed, the air was slightly distorted.
What... what's... what's going on?!
"Ah ah ah ah—!"
King was so startled that he jumped, his soul seemingly leaving his body, and he scrambled out of the bedroom.
He happened to see Han Sen and Saitama playing a fighting game in the living room, pecking at each other like chickens.
"Mr. Han Sen! Saitama-jun! Help! I... I seem to be in big trouble!"
King cried out in panic, holding up his hands, which were still faintly glowing.
He looked like a child who had discovered he had grown a third hand, and the scar-faced strongman, who should have scared children, had a face full of fear and collapse.
Clearly, in King's mind, Han Sen and Saitama, these two true powerhouses, were completely trustworthy people.
He didn't have to maintain his aloof persona as the strongest on Earth like he did outside.
Of course, even if he did maintain it, it wouldn't be of much use.
Han Sen stopped his movements, calmly looked at him, then at his hands emitting pure energy.
With just a simple thought, he immediately connected it to yesterday's hotpot ingredients and understood.
The brick-sized carrots might have just been very nutritious, but those crystal-clear, tender bean sprout stems were genuine Dragon-level Weirdo meat!
Even if taken to a supermarket to sell, they would undoubtedly be top-grade ingredients.
Hmm, the meat of a vegetable Monster is still meat!
"Don't panic."
Han Sen walked up to King, ignored the hot energy, and patted him on the shoulder: "You're not in trouble; you've probably awakened a superpower."
Saitama, beside him, also leaned over and curiously poked the white aura on King's hand with his finger, causing the aura to ripple.
He seriously commented: "Oh, not bad, it looks warm."
He stroked his smooth, bald chin and added: "It's going to get cold soon. If you use this ability before going to bed, maybe you won't need to turn on the heater."
As he spoke, a hint of regret, as if wondering why he hadn't awakened a superpower, appeared on his smooth, shiny bald head.
King: "..."
— Please, what time is it now? Don't make such jokes!
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