Chapter 15: Tina
Chocolate Cicadas chirped incessantly from the tree trunks, adding a layer of buzzing noise to the hot, humid air.
"Today's breakfast is... Hot Dog Caterpillars... and Sandwich Flowers..."
Every day, Kenji's meals were a gift from nature. It was like opening a blind box; he ate whatever he came across. Many of the ingredients required no cooking and could be eaten raw. For anyone with basic survival skills, the wilderness provided an endless buffet.
The only catch was the danger. If an ordinary person couldn't handle the powerful Gourmet Beasts, they risked becoming an appetizer themselves.
The Hot Dog Caterpillars were as long as his forearm, and the flowers blooming on the ground were literal sandwiches. Although his Food Immersion ability allowed him to go for long periods without eating or drinking, having regular meals had become a cherished habit.
"Kenji, want to go to the Gourmet Central Wholesale Market?"
Toriko, dressed in shorts, a t-shirt, and a pair of sandals, strolled over and extended an invitation.
"Sure, let's go," Kenji agreed, quickly finishing his breakfast.
The two set off immediately. Along the way, each of them captured a beast to trade once they reached their destination. Toriko caught a 1.5-ton Sharcle, a species of pterosaur-like beast with a Capture Level of 4. Kenji snagged a juvenile Terror Bird, weighing around 2 tons. It was an avialan beast with a Capture Level of about 8; a fully grown adult could weigh up to 9 tons.
"A Terror Bird, eh? Looks delicious," Toriko said, already drooling. But Kenji had no intention of handing this prize over to the glutton.
"It's just a juvenile. There's bound to be an adult nearby," Kenji said with a smile. "I've heard that Terror Bird eggs make an exceptionally good omelet."
"That's true," Toriko agreed.
Chatting and laughing, the two arrived at the Gourmet Central Wholesale Market. This massive marketplace was a confluence of delicacies from all over the world. Most of the ingredients were from the Human World; ingredients from the Gourmet World were incredibly rare and highly sought after, almost never seen. On the rare occasion a powerful Gourmet Hunter brought something back from the Gourmet World, it would be snatched up in an instant.
The market covered an area of 3,000 hectares, filled with warehouses and stalls of all sizes. Every day, 900,000 tons of ingredients were traded, with a daily transaction volume exceeding a trillion yen.
"Step right up, step right up! A Ground-Dragon Turtle! Bidding starts at 100,000!"
Excellent ingredients were everywhere. The highest bidder took home the prize. Most of the shoppers here were either rich or noble; an ordinary person couldn't even afford a fraction of the cost.
"It's so lively. This truly is the age of gourmet," Kenji remarked, amazed by the sheer volume of people.
THUD!
They dropped their captured beasts on the ground. The weight, several tons in total, made the ground tremble, instantly attracting the attention of nearby vendors and buyers.
"It's one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Toriko!"
"Is that a Sharcle? Amazing! As expected of Toriko!"
A crowd of onlookers quickly gathered, their faces filled with excitement. In this great age of food, the status of a Gourmet Hunter was incredibly high. Many of the people here were Toriko's fans.
"Who's that next to Toriko? I don't recognize him, but he captured a Terror Bird."
"Must be a friend of Toriko's. He looks so young. I've never seen him before."
...
Soon, people began to notice Kenji. However, since he had no reputation to speak of, he didn't cause a major stir. His handsome face did, however, earn him more than a few second glances from the women in the crowd. Good looks were a form of justice, and they were a valuable asset wherever you went. Thanks to Gourmet Cells, many Gourmet Hunters were quite attractive, with a few notable exceptions.
"Mr. Toriko! Mr. Kenji! You're here too!" Komatsu squeezed through the crowd with great effort and appeared before them.
"Komatsu! Are you here to buy ingredients?" Toriko asked, surprised to run into him here.
"...Johannes? Looks like this is IGO business," Toriko muttered, recognizing the man in the suit who had appeared with Komatsu. He was an old acquaintance of the man with the sunglasses and black suit.
"Mr. Toriko, what a pleasure to see you," Johannes said with a nod. Compared to the other three Heavenly Kings, Toriko at least did some actual work, having discovered many new ingredients over the years.
"A Sharcle, and a Terror Bird! And there, the Heavenly King Toriko, a powerful Gourmet Hunter, and his Gourmet Hunter friend! What an explosive scoop!"
As they were talking, a woman rushed toward them, followed by a man with a large camera.
Kenji watched the female reporter with interest. She wore a pink ladies' suit, had long chestnut hair, and wore a light pink lip gloss, giving her an air of elegance.
It was Tina. In the manga, this character didn't exist, but in the anime, she had a significant role, often acting as a narrator and appearing frequently, making her a well-known supporting character.
"Toriko! My name is Tina, and this is Kuruppo! Meeting you is such a bowl—no, a super-sized bowl of luck!"
"I'm a gourmet reporter for [Gourmet TV], introducing ingredients from all over the world! Toriko, please grant me an interview!" Tina said excitedly.
With Toriko's fame, an interview with him would undoubtedly send their ratings through the roof.
Toriko scratched his head. Unlike the reserved Komatsu, this woman was incredibly forward. He didn't even know her, and she was already getting in his face. Still, he nodded. It was just an interview, and he wasn't busy. He didn't mind.
Kenji sweat-dropped. Is this the price of fame?
"No interviews at this time." Johannes stepped between them. The light glinting off his narrow sunglasses, combined with his stern, unapproachable face, was incredibly intimidating.
"IGO?!"
The cameraman recognized the men in black suits and gasped in shock.
"I am Johannes, Director of the Food Development Department in the IGO's Development Bureau," Johannes said, pushing up his sunglasses with a smirk.
"Tina, let it go. These are IGO agents. If they say no, we can't interview him," the cameraman whispered urgently. They couldn't afford to offend the IGO. A single word from them could cost them their jobs. That was the best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario was that they could be made to disappear.
"On what grounds?! Toriko already agreed! Let me go! Hey, wait a minute!"
Tina protested stubbornly, but it was no use. She was unceremoniously escorted away by two of the suit-clad thugs. Her cameraman scurried after them, not daring to say another word. The IGO's status was simply too high.
Anyone with a bit of sense, especially in their line of work, knew who you couldn't afford to cross.