Chapter 6: Sharing is Caring
The environment around Toriko's home was pleasant. There were no extreme climates or difficult terrains. While it was far from the hustle and bustle of the city, it was a perfectly habitable place.
Kenji casually captured a few delicious ingredients and, using the chat group's sharing function, sent them to Elysia and the others.
[Miss Pink Elf♪]: "Potato chips in the shape of butterflies... and they can fly?!"
Elysia was stunned. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed such a creature was real. A certain someone immediately came to mind. Grabbing the butterfly chips, Elysia went to find her. She would definitely be interested in this.
...
"Elysia, you'd better have a good reason for bothering me, or you won't like the consequences," Mobius said, her tone sharp as she glared at the annoying pink-haired woman.
"Hee hee, Mobius, look at this," Elysia chirped, not bothered in the slightest as she presented the Potato Chip Butterfly.
"?"
Mobius rubbed her eyes. What was she seeing? Flying potato chips? Had all the recent all-nighters finally made her lose her mind? She had seen plenty of Honkai Beasts, but a butterfly made of potato chips was a first.
This demanded immediate research.
"Elysia... this is mine now."
Mobius snatched it and began to dissect it in an instant, but she quickly froze.
Where are the organs? The tissues?
This completely upended Mobius's understanding of biology. Even Honkai Beasts had organs, but this strange butterfly chip had no such structures. It was composed entirely of food. Its wings were potato chips, and its core was a ball of dipping sauce, yet it could fly. It was a puzzle that she, a genius in the field of biology, couldn't begin to solve.
So what the hell is this thing?
"Elysia, where did you get this?" Mobius demanded. She had a strong feeling this wasn't a creature from Earth. No matter how a creature evolved, it couldn't possibly evolve into literal food.
"Hmm-hmm ♪, You'll have to guess~"
Elysia said, putting on an air of mystery. A dark expression crossed Mobius's face. Guess my foot.
So you won't tell me? Just wait. I'll pry that mouth of yours open eventually. The allure of such a unique creature was irresistible to Mobius.
Meanwhile, Madara Uchiha stared at the Mushroom Pudding in his hand, momentarily stunned. Was his Rinnegan playing tricks on him? Could mushrooms really evolve into something like this? What a truly bizarre world.
"Th-th-this is..."
In the Palace of Mermonia, Furina's jaw dropped as she looked at the cloud of cotton candy that was as tall as she was. She had never seen such a massive piece of cotton candy in her life. Her curiosity about Kenji's world grew even stronger.
"Ooh, it feels so nice."
Unable to resist, Furina hugged the giant confection. The texture wasn't sticky at all; it was perfectly dry and incredibly soft, like the highest quality down feathers.
"It's so sweet and delicious!"
Furina loved sweets, and the taste of cotton candy from a naturally grown Cotton Candy Tree was simply divine. She took a bite, and a blissful smile spread across her face.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Lady Furina..."
The "Prime Minister"—no, wait—Neuvillette knocked before entering the room. The stoic Iudex's brow furrowed slightly. Furina hadn't gone out, so where did this enormous cotton candy come from? Furthermore, he was fairly certain that you couldn't buy cotton candy of this size anywhere in Teyvat.
"Oh, Neuvillette! Would you like a bite? It's very sweet," Furina offered.
"I shall pass, Lady Furina. Please, enjoy yourself," Neuvillette replied, shaking his head. He preferred to savor fine waters; his interest in desserts was minimal.
"Kenji! I caught lunch! Want to eat together? It's a Crab Pig," Toriko called out, a plump pig with six legs and striped markings slung over his shoulder.
"Sounds great," Kenji replied, nodding. He wouldn't have to prepare his own lunch. He saw no reason to be polite.
The Crab Pig had a Capture Level of 8. It was named for the distinct crab-like flavor found in its meat.
After cleaning it out, they didn't use any seasoning. They simply hung the entire pig over a fire to roast. A mouth-watering aroma soon filled the air as glistening fat dripped into the flames. They ate it layer by layer, carving off the cooked outer meat as it crisped up.
"As expected of a Crab Pig! The sweet flavor of high-quality crab meat and the delicate taste of pork are perfectly fused. The texture is so rich and complex. This is delicious!" Toriko declared, devouring a steak-sized piece in a single bite, displaying the voracious appetite of a true glutton.
"It really is good. Pork that tastes like crab..." Kenji agreed, impressed.
"So Kenji, I'm curious. Who are you affiliated with?" Toriko asked between bites. He had wracked his brain, but Kenji didn't seem to be connected to anyone he knew. Was he some kind of independent powerhouse?
Toriko was well aware of his own current strength. Among the powerhouses of the Human World, he probably wouldn't even rank in the top twenty, let alone in the brutally dangerous Gourmet World. The masters who could survive there had to be terrifyingly strong.
"I have ties to the IGO," Kenji said with a smile. His Master Jiro was the disciple-brother of Ichiryu, the President of the IGO. So, by extension, Kenji was naturally connected to them.
"The IGO? Are you a Gourmet Hunter they raised?" Toriko's eyebrow shot up. He knew a bit about the IGO's inner workings, having spent part of his childhood in one of their Biotope gardens. However, despite his close ties, his knowledge wasn't comprehensive, mainly because he was too lazy to look into it. He much preferred the life of a Gourmet Hunter and wasn't a fan of the IGO's research divisions.
"I'm not an IGO member myself, but my master has deep roots with them," Kenji clarified.
"Haha, I see! Well, if you're connected to the IGO, then I can relax a bit," Toriko said with a laugh.
Kenji's mouth twitched slightly. If only you knew. Many of the IGO's top executives were already under the control of NEO and Joie, including the Vice President. Of course, the situation wasn't quite as bad as some fictional spy agencies where nearly everyone was a double agent working for a different country. The IGO was compromised, but not a complete farce.
Ichiryu knew there were moles, but even he probably couldn't identify all of them. Joie's food-based mind control was terrifyingly effective; almost anyone weaker than him fell victim to it. Teppei was one of the few who had somehow managed to break free. Midora's Gourmet Corp was also riddled with NEO agents. They were hidden perfectly because many hadn't started as spies; they were turned by Joie, making them impossible to predict.
For now, none of this is my problem, Kenji thought. He was still flying under the radar. The only people who knew of his existence were Toriko and Smile. Unless Jiro had mentioned him to Ichiryu, even the IGO President was unaware of the Rampaging Beast's new disciple.
I can give Ichiryu a heads-up when I meet him later, Kenji mused. That should give Joie a nice headache.