Leo competed with Michael bit by bit. Neither gave an inch; if one took a big bite, the other did too. Clearly just two kids, but their speed could rival a squad of ten soldiers eating at once.
Michael's mouth opened wider and wider, swallowing larger and larger pieces of meat. Leo, limited by his body, couldn't eat such large pieces.
Since quality couldn't match, he used speed to get ahead. His small hands kept grabbing meat, so fast they left afterimages.
Leo's expression now showed tension, but Michael still pressed forward without retreating. At this point, they barely chewed, just biting a few times then swallowing whole.
Of course, this bizarre competition couldn't escape Raphael's notice. He originally didn't care, but Michael's oddity made him pay attention.
Hiding in the tree leaves, his gaze fell on the 'little monster' he had misjudged earlier.
"Thought this guy was useless, but I was wrong. What kind of heaven-defying talent is this? His physique will definitely improve extremely quickly. Later, if he can contract something of high quality, he'll definitely become an incredibly powerful contractor."
He muttered, using his own experience to assess the potential of this child he'd just met.
In this world, people who eat a lot aren't necessarily strong, but strong people definitely eat a lot. Eating here isn't just about the amount of food consumed, but the ability to convert food into energy for rapid recovery.
Suddenly he sighed, shook his head, and returned inside to continue healing.
So what if he's a genius? What does it matter to become a master revered by the world? Astrid won't come back to life. Revenge or whatever, forget it, he just wants Leo to keep living now. Later if his son seeks death, he'll try to save him anyway.
Originally a high-ranking member of The Great Sun temple, he understood better than anyone the strength of this organization. While their military might is nothing compared to the two great empires, in terms of demigod-level masters, both empires combined can't match The Great Sun temple.
The two 'little food gods' ate from when the sun was overhead until it dipped below the horizon and still hadn't stopped. Of course, they had slowed down a lot compared to the beginning.
Michael originally thought his body could eat any amount, but his hard, distended stomach now told him the limit was near.
'System, does my eating capacity have a limit?'
[It depends on your strength. The stronger you are, the more you can eat, because only by eating more can you recover the stamina of a stronger body.]
'I see. Ultimately, it's because I'm weak. But I have a feeling that once I digest all this stuff, my body will be stronger, right?'
Suddenly thinking of digestion, Michael's expression turned sour. So much food... what would the scene be like when going to the bathroom?
'System, there won't be a problem, right?'
[Don't worry, this body of yours, once it digests food, leaves no residue. After all, matter can be converted into energy and vice versa.]
Receiving confirmation from the system, Michael could finally discard this worry. If there really were waste, the amount he had eaten up to now would probably be larger than his current body.
That giant goat actually got eaten down to the white bones by two kids, leaving only the parts too disgusting for anyone to want.
"Burp... let's call it a draw."
Leo let out a huge belch like a roar, his gaze bleary, unable to see anything clearly. Now he couldn't even walk normally, let alone lie down.
"Draw it is... But soon, I will always be the winner."
Michael knew his own limits, so he didn't object to this result. But his eating potential was clearly greater than Leo's, so he couldn't forget to show off. After all, besides eating, he had no other advantages to boast about.
"Tsk, who can win against a monster like you? I'm going to sleep."
As soon as he finished speaking, Leo ignored everything around him and sat down to sleep right by the fire. With his current round belly, lying down to sleep was an impossible task.
As for the fire, not long ago Raphael had come out to help the two kids because he knew today they absolutely wouldn't sleep inside.
"Huh, sleeping that easily? Should I sleep too?" Michael mumbled, then closed his eyes and imitated.
But he hadn't closed them for more than a few minutes when he frowned. The cold wind blowing past, the sound of insects flying around made it impossible for him to sleep.
A vein bulged on his forehead, a feeling of irritation suddenly washing over him. Right now, he just wanted to curse the entire mountain for not letting him sleep peacefully.
'System, is there any way to help me sleep easier?'
[Sorry, I don't have one either. Sleeping is a skill, it requires your continuous effort. Good luck.]
'Damn it!' Michael screamed inwardly.
At this moment, he discovered he had a sense of foreboding. He predicted that when the sun rose would be the moment he turned into a 'panda' with two dark-circled eyes and a weary spirit.
Then, earth-shattering snoring rang out again. The owner of the snoring was none other than Leo.
Michael gritted his teeth with a creaking sound, what was already hard to sleep now became completely impossible.
---
The first rays of morning sunlight covered the entire high mountains and long rivers, including the two kids.
Leo slept quickly and woke up just as fast. As soon as the sky brightened, he immediately woke up. No alarm needed, no one to wake him, truly the child many parents wish for.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he startled awake, raising a fist towards the 'enemy'.
"What monster is possessing my comrade's body, making him broken and battered like this? Get out right now! Otherwise, I won't be polite."
His appearance didn't look like a joke. If Michael didn't respond, he might really attack.