With the Silverback subdued, Shun stood before it, looking down over the gathered Doro Kingkong.
The troop stared back, big eyes filled with wary pleading.
Shun knew these high-intelligence beasts could grasp the gist. He pointed toward the central grove where the Iridescent Fruit grew, then at the Silverback and its troop, and finally waved his hand in a gentle, stay-your-ground motion.
"I get it. You're not guarding that tree just for the fruit itself, right? When the Iridescent Fruit ripens, the fragrance draws a lot of powerful predators. For you, those fragrance-lured intruders are the real food."
The Silverback's pupils tightened. It clearly understood.
"If I pick all the fruit, I cut off a major food source for your troop."
Shun wasn't a butcher, and he respected ecological balance. "So let's trade. I only want part of the fruit. The rest stays, to keep serving as bait. In exchange, you will stop harassing IGO researchers and allow me to safely harvest my share."
Not only the Silverback—every Doro Kingkong here seemed to follow his meaning.
Shun looked toward the near-blinding cluster of Iridescent Fruit and said, "I'll take three."
He glanced—pointedly—at the Silverback.
As the troop's leader, its answer would settle everything.
Those golden eyes locked on Shun, weighing gain and loss. It was obvious Shun could erase the entire troop if he wished—but he hadn't. Instead, he'd offered a condition that helped them survive.
To the Silverback's willful, intelligent mind, bending to a stronger being in order to ensure the troop's future wasn't unacceptable.
At length, the savagery faded from the leader's gaze. It let out a low, submissive rumble and dipped its massive head.
Seeing the leader yield, the others fell silent, gazes toward Shun a blend of fear and awe.
Shun nodded and lifted the pressure-point lock.
The Silverback rose, flexed as feeling returned, then barked a command. The troop parted, opening a clear path to the central grove.
Shun strode forward to the miraculous Rainbow Tree.
Six fruits hung there, each glowing with a prismatic sheen and near-unbearable allure.
"So… this is the Iridescent Fruit?"
Even prepared as he was, standing beneath the Rainbow Tree at arm's length left Shun genuinely spellbound. Six gleaming jewels—pure as crystal, each naturally shimmering with the seven hues of the rainbow.
Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, violet—arrayed in perfect harmony across the boughs.
They swayed faintly, as if liquid light coursed beneath their skins. Sunbeams threaded through the leaves, refracting across the rinds in dreamy halos—beauty like a waking dream.
"No wonder they call it the 'Dreamfruit'… it's breathtaking. And that aroma…"
It wasn't a simple sugary sweetness. It felt like the distilled essence of a hundred top-tier fruits—layers upon layers. Strawberry's candy brightness, melon's mellow richness, citrus's clean lift, grape's heady perfume—all fused into something irresistible that went straight to the heart.
Just from the scent, saliva pooled in his mouth, and his Gourmet Cells rang with joyous resonance.
He pressed down the urge to bite in right there, then carefully picked the three most plump, most vividly colored fruits.
To avoid drawing attention later, he took out a special preservation container he'd prepared in advance. The IGO's latest tech, it could resize at will—something Johannes had provided earlier. Honestly, he didn't need the hassle; his System's pack space would have done—but discretion had its uses.
"Ding! Host has successfully captured rare high-grade ingredient [Iridescent Fruit] (IGO-improved).
Long-Term Quest Become a Gourmet Hunter progress updated: 2/5. Please continue your efforts to locate the remaining three high-grade ingredients."
The System chimed right on cue. Target two, secured.
Under the complex, unreadable stares of the Silverback and its troop, Shun left the Eighth Courtyard at an easy pace.
At the exit, Minister Johannes and several IGO staffers were already waiting anxiously. The moment they saw Shun safe—and especially the container in his hand—Johannes's face lit with unrestrained joy.
"Mr. Shun! You did it! Wonderful! We're so grateful!"
Shun passed the container over, calm as ever. "Happy to deliver. As agreed, two of them are yours."
He kept one for himself.
Each Iridescent Fruit bore a different color—beyond that, there was no difference in taste. As for why the colors varied, even Shun didn't know.
Johannes cradled the container like a treasure, voice shaking. "Two are more than enough! Enough for in-depth research and cultivation. Mr. Shun, you didn't just recover the fruit—you saved years of our research! The IGO will not forget your contribution!"
After a brief exchange—and politely declining Johannes's celebratory banquet—Shun set off for the Food Temple.
He'd been away for over a month. He missed the place—and, more precisely, he missed Miyoko, his childhood friend… and girlfriend—and wondered how her Food Honor training had progressed.
Unhurried, he took a week to travel. At last, the Food Temple's gate came into view.
He'd told Miyoko and the others he was on his way back; they were already waiting at the gate when he arrived.
"Shun-kun!" Miyoko greeted him with a bright smile.
In just over a month, her aura had grown calmer and deeper; clearly she hadn't slacked on her Food Honor practice—and her progress showed.
Hands clasped behind his back, Shuu-sensei regarded Shun with a gentle smile. "Your steady aura says it all—you've done well this trip. Your food fortune is flourishing."
Shun grinned and, with a thought, pulled out the massive Galar Gator essence-meat and one gleaming Iridescent Fruit from his storage.
"Shuu-sensei, Miyoko—picked up some fine ingredients. Let's all have a taste."
Even at a glance, the surging energy of the gator meat and the dreamlike fruit left Miyoko breathless; even Shuu-sensei's eyes flashed with surprise and approval.
Just the look of them told the tale—these were no ordinary ingredients.
(End of Chapter)
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