Chapter 12: Time to Eat
BANG!
Startled by Toriko's Intimidation, the Galala Gator seemed to fly into a rage. It slammed its powerful tail against the ground, cracking the earth beneath it. Despite its enormous size, the gator was incredibly agile. It launched itself into the air, lunging toward Toriko, its cavernous maw wide enough to swallow him whole.
"Mr. Toriko, look out!" Komatsu screamed.
Kenji already knew the outcome. From their earlier spar, he had a good grasp of Toriko's current strength. He could handle beasts up to Capture Level 30 or 40. A Capture Level 8 Galala Gator was an easy opponent. There was no need to worry.
"...I give thanks to all the ingredients in this world."
Toriko brought his hands together, his aura becoming perfectly calm as he offered a prayer to his food.
"Itadakimasu."
"Fork!"
Schlick!
Toriko's left hand, shaped like a fork, effortlessly pierced the Galala Gator's thick scales. The beast's eyes bulged in pain.
"Knife!!"
With another shout, Toriko's right hand became as sharp as a fine dining knife, chopping down on the gator's neck.
SLICE!
The Galala Gator's head was cleanly severed, and blood gushed out like a fountain. The light in its eyes quickly faded.
"A-a demon..." Komatsu stammered, so terrified by the Red Demon aura radiating from Toriko that he was frozen in place.
Clang!
Toriko clapped his hands together, once again producing the sound of metal on metal. He slowly retracted his aura and brought his hands together again.
"Thank you for the meal."
"You'll see this a lot if you hang around Toriko," Kenji said to Komatsu, his tone fatherly. "You'll need to toughen up."
"But I have a job..." Komatsu mumbled, scratching his head. He had to admit, though, a part of him was thrilled. Seeing all these ingredients in their natural, powerful state alongside Mr. Toriko was incredibly exciting.
"Komatsu, it's all yours now!" Toriko said, turning around, his face a mask of pure anticipation.
"Hey, Mr. Toriko... you're drooling," Komatsu pointed out, deadpan. A literal waterfall of drool was pouring from Toriko's mouth. Komatsu was shocked. Is he even human?
"Mr. Toriko, please leave me 500kg of the meat first. I need it for the commission."
"Right, no problem," Toriko nodded, carving off a large chunk and setting it aside.
With their simple setup, grilling was the only option. But with Komatsu's skill and seasonings, the flavor was guaranteed to be top-notch.
The portioned crocodile meat sizzled over the fire, releasing a tantalizing aroma as the fat rendered. Toriko's drool never stopped flowing.
"It smells amazing! The marbled fat is glistening like snowflakes," Toriko exclaimed, picking up a piece. Just admiring its beautiful color made him swallow hard.
"Let's eat!"
Toriko took a bite of a palm-sized steak. As he chewed, he let out a euphoric cry: "Soooooo delicious!"
Since the portion for the banquet was already set aside, Komatsu also began to eat, his expression of pure bliss mirroring Toriko's.
"Delicious."
Kenji grabbed a piece of roasted meat and devoured it. As he chewed, the sweet, rich fat melted in his mouth, yet the meat itself was perfectly chewy and firm, leaving a fragrant aftertaste. The flavor of the 300-year-old Galala Gator was incredibly deep and complex, refined by time.
[Star Forger]: "Galala Gator steak. Still hot."
Kenji sent a piece of the steak to each of his three chat group members. Good food was meant to be shared.
[Miss Pink Elf♪]: "This is more fragrant than any beef I've ever had!"
Elysia licked her lips as the steak appeared before her. She was facing a new dilemma: after getting used to the incredible food Kenji sent, the meals in the Fire Moth cafeteria now tasted bland and uninspired. Her palate had been hopelessly spoiled.
Oh well, eat first, worry later. Elysia took a bite, and her blue eyes immediately sparkled. So delicious! This is amazing!
[Lady Justice]: "Wow, this is so good! It's even tastier than fowl!"
Furina and Madara were both extremely satisfied. They had never tasted an ingredient so exquisitely delicious.
The entire Galala Gator, except for the portion set aside, was devoured down to the bone. Toriko leaned back, his stomach bulging, yet he still looked unsatisfied. His eyes drifted toward the meat reserved for the Gourmet Hotel.
"Mr. Toriko, you can't eat that piece!" Komatsu cried, quickly standing in front of the meat to block it. If that was eaten, he would have nothing to deliver for the commission, and finding another Galala Gator wouldn't be easy.
"These leeches were in the gator's mouth. Maybe you can take these back instead," Toriko said, casually picking up a disgustingly squirming leech from the ground.
"That's definitely not going to work!" Komatsu's eyes went wide as he shook his head vigorously. What kind of suggestion is that?! If he served those disgusting things, his career as a head chef would be over.
"Alright, fine," Toriko conceded. He could live without a few hundred more kilograms. He lay back down, and his bulging stomach visibly shrank back to its normal size at a rapid pace.
Komatsu was stunned. The elasticity was astonishing. How could someone eat so much without their stomach bursting, and then digest it all so quickly?
"Kenji, the Galala Gator was pretty good, right? Are you going to add it to your Full Course Menu's meat dish?" Toriko asked.
"The flavor is decent, but the Galala Gator is still too common. You probably wouldn't choose it either, right?" Kenji replied. He was sitting calmly, having eaten just as much as Toriko, but his stomach showed no signs of bloating. The Food Immersion skill, which could store vast amounts of energy, was incredibly convenient.
"You're right. It's good, but it's missing that special something," Toriko laughed, sitting up. "There are so many delicious ingredients out there, I can't make a decision so rashly."
"Exactly," Kenji agreed. "The dishes on my menu must be made from ingredients that are so delicious, you'll never forget them after a single bite."
"For example...?" Toriko's interest was piqued. He seemed to guess what Kenji's future goals were.
"I have to taste Acacia's Full Course Menu, to see if it's as amazing as they say," Kenji began, looking up at the vast, starry sky with anticipation. "And beyond this planet, in the great sea of stars, there are countless other delicacies waiting for us."
In this world, Earth's volume had expanded by 659 times. Even Acacia had likely not explored all of it, let alone the boundless universe.
Toriko followed his gaze and smiled. "Beyond Earth... that's an incredible ambition. But it does make you wonder, doesn't it? Just how delicious would food from other planets be?"
Kenji just smiled. The food in outer space had Capture Levels that started in the tens of thousands. Even the Eight Kings of the Gourmet World would likely struggle to survive out there.
To even think about venturing into that cosmic dining hall, the most basic requirement would probably be to eat Earth's entire Full Course Menu and fully unlock the power of one's Gourmet Demon. Anything less would be a suicide mission.