The Undying Mecha Emperor

Deep in my heart, I was actually extremely impressed. What an awesome system! The Whitefrost Clan truly had extremely deep roots. In fact, what they hid underneath might well be much bigger and stronger than what was visible.

But all I could think of at that moment was… What an awesome looking stuffed duck! The cook must be really talented! In fact, what they hid within the duck might well be much more delicious than what was visible.

I swallowed my saliva and forced my brain to focus on the old man's words.

"There are no negatives to being a Black Dragon of our Whitefrost family unless you consider being secretly affiliated with us a negative." The old man said. "So, what do you think? Good?"

"Good!" I shouted immediately. "Very very good! Excellent in fact."

Before today, only God and I knew that I was actually referring to the Three Layered Pork when I shouted out those words.

"Very good! I admire your decisiveness and enthusiasm. So from today onwards, you're one of us. Welcome to the Whitefrost family!" The old man smiled at me warmly and raised his teacup.

"YESS!" I thought. "The meal is finally about to start!"

I quickly raised my teacup as well and smiled widely in anticipation.

"It's so close. Be patient stomach. Be patient tongue! Just a few more seconds, once this toast is over… What are we toasting to again?" My brain asked. But before it could search itself for answers…

"DRY THE CUP!" The old man shouted as gulped his tea down.

"DRY THE CUP!" I immediately shouted after him, eager to move things along.

GULP!

I drained my own teacup like a man. A very, very hungry man.

"Well done. Now, on to the feast! Dig in!" The old man beamed at everyone present.

"HERE WE GO!!!!!" I shouted excitedly in my heart.

Om nom nom nom.

For the next few minutes, I was in heaven.

My brain decreed that it was entering closed-door cultivation with his new friends and refused to entertain anything apart from my sense of taste. Well, except for sight as well, but that was auxiliary. I only needed them to pile more food onto my plate and make sure my chopsticks laden with food entered the right hole.

All the sound of the world suddenly receded into the background and everyone else sitting around the table seemed to disappear.

The only things that exist are my chopsticks, all my friends on the table and my mouth.

… … …

"Ahhhh." I let out a deep breath filled with incredible satisfaction. I was finally done making friends.

"Chicken, Beef, Pork, Duck and Fish! Although our friendship was short, I will never forget you!" I vowed as I rubbed my belly fondly.

Blink.

My brain exited its closed-door cultivation and beamed at the world in happiness.

My hearing and sight returned.

"Huh? Why are you all staring at me?" I asked.

"Hahahaha! He's a growing boy! Eating a lot is good! Good! Very good!" The old man laughed awkwardly. "The rest of you, if you're still hungry, go tell the servants to make supper for you later! Hahaha! Ok I have to go for a meeting. You kids enjoy yourself!"

With that, the old man stood up and quickly left the room.

Emma, who was seated next to me, leaned to her side slightly to peek at my tummy.

"How big is it?" James asked Emma curiously.

"It's not even bulging." Emma replied with a slight frown.

"Impossible. He must be sucking in his stomach." Julie said firmly.

"Justin, can you stand up for a moment?" Emma asked me.

"Uhhh. Sure." I stood up and stretched my body slightly. "Uwahh."

* B U R P P! ! *

"That was a really good meal. Do you guys eat like that everyday?"

"It's really flat." Julie mumbled in disbelief. "Where did all the food go?"

The rest ignored my question as well and merely stared at me as though I was a freak.

"Huh?" I looked at Emma questioningly. "What's happening here?"

Emma pointed to the table with its empty plates. And then she pointed at my beyond messy plate. And then she pointed at all the other places with barely any food stains.

"You ate almost all of the food on the table." She said.

"What? Impossible! I don't remember doing such a thing!" I replied defensively.

"Hahahahaha!" James burst into laughter. He found it ridiculous that I could deny something that everybody had just seen with their own eyes.

"Well maybe I might have eaten a little more than I usually do…" I conceded as I stared at the mess that surrounded my plate.

"A little bit more? More like ALL! I barely had a bite!" James said indignantly.

"Why didn't you?" I asked him with a frown.

"I was… too busy looking at you gobble up everything." He said sheepishly with a laugh.

"Me too." Julie laughed along with James.

Margaret remained silent, but there was a trace of a smile on her face.

"Heheheheh… Sorry guys. I didn't even realize I was cleaning up the whole table! I totally lost myself in the awesomeness of the meal. I never, NEVER had such an epic meal before in my entire life! Ha ha ha!" I scratched my head and laughed loudly.

"Well, that's okay. I think I'll just have dessert. I'm not that hungry today anyway." Julie said. "What about you guys?"

James, Margaret and Emma quickly nodded in agreement. Not wanting to be left out, I nodded enthusiastically too. "Dessert sounds good!" I agreed. "I need something sweet to wash down all the -"

"Not you!" James cried out. "You've had enough to eat already. Leave some for us!"

"I need dessert! I am a growing boy, grandpa said so himself!" I argued.

"No you don't! You just ate everything on the table!"

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Liar!"

"... YOU'RE THE LIAR!"

"Hahahaha!" Julie burst out laughing at the absurdity of what was happening. Two boys arguing about who gets dessert in the beyond affluent Whitefrost Clan. The rest stared at James and me incredulously before joining Julie in laughing at us.

We had a great time that evening, just talking and getting to know each other. James, Julie, Emma, Margaret and I.

We laughed together for quite some time and the pain from the day's events slowly receded.

It was the first of many, many meals we would share together.

The first of countless laughter we'd share.

It was the beginning of the group the world would eventually call "Shadows of the Blood Moon".

Oh yes. That's us.