Kuki Shinobu hadn't even exerted much force, yet Yuna and Itto were putting on an even more dramatic display.
Releasing them, she asked, "Who wanted to train?"
Itto silently raised his hand, but Kuki Shinobu merely glanced at him before turning her gaze to Yuna.
Yuna awkwardly raised her small hand.
"Ahem... Well, I think I've been slacking off lately. In the Arataki Gang, only the Boss is a suitable sparring partner for me..."
Itto chimed in, "Yeah, Shinobu, Yuna rarely gets such ideas!"
Kuki Shinobu glared at Yuna. "Alright, go prepare the food first. We can talk about training later."
"Huh? Food?" Yuna asked, puzzled. Didn't we just eat? Is Second Sister hungry again?
Kuki Shinobu explained, "The Traveler and Paimon have already arrived in Inazuma. I expect they'll be here soon. Didn't you always say you wanted to treat them to a feast?"
"Lumine and Paimon? They're here already! Second Sister, how did you find out so quickly?"
"I was at the Yashiro Commission on business and happened to see them."
Yuna stopped asking questions and hurried off to prepare a delicious meal to welcome Lumine and Paimon.
It had been a while since Yuna had held little Paimon. She missed the feel of her in her hands.
Especially when the little one was full, her round little belly felt particularly delightful!
"Boss, do you guys want some?"
"Yes, yes, yes! Yuna, you can't forget about us~"
Itto raised both hands above his head, and Mamoru and the others quickly followed suit.
Yuna gave them a "got it" gesture.
Speaking of which, has Boss gained a little weight recently? Or is it just my imagination?
Every time Boss eats, especially when it's Chef Yuna's cooking, he always eats until he's stuffed. It's not surprising he's put on a few pounds...
Kuki Shinobu trailed behind her younger sister, ready to help out in the kitchen.
"Second Sister, what are you going to the Yashiro Commission for?"
"You guys are planning to participate in the Test of Courage, right? I'm going to register you."
"Oh, okay~"
Kuki Shinobu nodded silently, but she had another purpose for this trip.
The mysterious game that had appeared on the beach some time ago still hadn't been explained. With no vendor present, the game seemed to operate on its own, and many claimed to have encountered strange phenomena there. The Yashiro Commission's involvement only deepened the mystery.
Since her sister was going, Kuki Shinobu needed to investigate the situation thoroughly.
-
On the other side...
After arriving in Inazuma, Lumine and Paimon immediately began inquiring about the Test of Courage. Learning that the Yashiro Commission was organizing it, they headed to the Kamisato Estate.
There, they met Ayato and learned a great deal about the event.
It was a collaborative effort between three factions: merchants providing funding, the Yashiro Commission providing the venue, and Narukami Shrine serving as advisors. The competition would be divided into roughly three stages, with rewards accumulating across rounds.
Simply put, the objective was to find hidden items within Chinju Forest. The organizers would deploy NPCs to scare participants or hinder their progress, with the fastest team to find the items declared the winner.
"In addition to the merchants' offerings, we'll also place delicacies throughout Chinju Forest. These delicacies are personally crafted by Chef Yuna herself, guaranteeing exceptional quality," Ayato explained.
Paimon's eyes widened at these words.
"Delicacies? Made by Chef Yuna?!"
In that instant, her interest in the Test of Courage skyrocketed.
"You two are welcome to explore Inazuma for a couple of days," Ayato said. "The Test of Courage doesn't officially start until then. If you don't mind, you could even stay here at the Kamisato Estate—we have plenty of spare rooms."
Before Lumine could respond, Paimon waved her hand dismissively. "No, no, we still need to find Yuna!"
The mere thought of Chef Yuna's culinary creations made Paimon's mouth water.
It had been months since she last tasted Chef Yuna's cooking. Back then, she had assumed they could always teleport back for a meal, but they'd been too busy since.
Now, she could finally indulge in a proper feast!
Ayato chuckled softly. "Then I won't keep you. It's a pity I have pressing matters here at the estate, or I might have shamelessly invited myself to this meal."
He wasn't joking—he genuinely wished he could join them.
Yuna had never been a private chef; even when she occasionally cooked out of interest, her creations were invariably snatched up by the Shogun and Lady Guuji...
-
After leaving the Kamisato Estate, Lumine and Paimon hurried toward the Arataki Gang's headquarters.
Paimon was at her most energetic during these times, flying at top speed.
Lumine was also delighted, but her joy was tinged with worry.
Unlike Paimon, she knew about Silaya. For the sake of Silaya's Pure Soul, the Abyss had dispatched three of its top God-level warriors in one go.
The Abyss was overwhelmingly drawn to Pure Souls, making it crucial to keep Yuna's Pure Soul a secret.
If discovered, even Ei might struggle to withstand the Abyss's assault.
"Lumine, hurry up! I can already smell the delicious food!"
Seeing Lumine standing frozen in thought, Paimon rushed over and nudged her from behind.
At the Arataki Gang's headquarters, in Yuna's private kitchen:
Yuna wiped the sweat from her cheek and carried out another dish.
"Clay-Baked Poultry. We'll open it when Lumine and Paimon arrive."
The dish was encased in a hard layer of yellow clay. Itto carefully carried it to the table outside.
The table was already laden with seven or eight dishes, each a grand feast. The aroma permeated the air, causing the Arataki Gang members' mouths to water.
No matter how much of Chef Yuna's cooking they ate, they never grew tired of it—each bite only made them crave more!
"Yuna, we're here!"
Yuna first heard Paimon's voice, followed by a full-body collision.
"Yuna, Paimon missed you so much!"
"You mean you missed my cooking, right?" Yuna teased. "It's been so long since you visited. If you really missed me, where's the proof?"
Paimon's chubby cheeks were plump with collagen. Yuna desperately wanted to pinch them, but her hands were a bit dirty, so she refrained from teasing the little one.
"Yuna!"
"Lumine, come sit! Look at all the delicious food I made for you both!"
Yuna stepped aside, revealing a table laden with culinary delights behind her.
"Wow—!"
Paimon floated over, her little nose twitching, circling the table and growing even hungrier.
Yuna tilted her head slightly, a smug expression playing on her face.
Paimon: "Yuna, you're amazing! Did you make all this just for us? How did you know we were coming?"
Yuna feigned annoyance. "My Second Sister saw you! You came all the way to Inazuma and didn't visit me first? Tell me, did you forget about me?"
"No, no! We went to sign up for the Test of Courage first, but we definitely didn't forget about you, Yuna!" Paimon hastily explained, completely missing the act.
"Hehe..."
Yuna couldn't help but giggle, gently flicking Paimon's nose.
Spending so much time with Yae Miko is starting to rub off on me, Yuna thought. Is this 'bad woman' attribute contagious?
Yuna, whose skills paled in comparison to Yae Miko's, marveled at this realization. She found teasing Paimon genuinely amusing!
"Since you're both here, let's eat!"
"Yay! Time to eat!"