**********
—Six Months Later—
Wul Jungle,
Several thousands of kilometers west of the Central Human World, Lev and his companions arrived at a forest on the Northern Wul Continent known as the Wul Jungle, or the Hell Plant. As its ominous nickname suggested, the jungle was dominated by carnivorous plants, with only a small number of beasts inhabiting the area.
The purpose of their visit was to search for one of the rare Gourmet World ingredients that had been successfully cultivated in the Human World: BB Corn. This giant breed of rare corn had once been enjoyed as a snack by Gourmet Nobility long ago, earning it the name Blue Blood Corn.
"Master, is this the Wul Jungle? It looks eerie, yet beautiful. I never imagined it would look like this," Cha Hae-In remarked as she gazed at her surroundings.
Dressed in casual clothes, she followed the others through the jungle as though they were on a vacation. However, she was far from unprepared for any unexpected danger, as all her equipment was safely stored inside the Storage Ring Lev had given her.
"Hmm. This place looks completely different from what I've read about it," Nico Robin commented, studying the scenery before her. Aside from eating, she spent most of her time reading and gathering information about the places in the Human World, making sure she knew as much as possible about their surroundings.
"Are there any delicious ingredients here, Master?" Lee Sujin asked, her attention already focused on the ingredients they might discover and taste during their expedition.
"Sujin, is eating all you ever think about? Hahaha!" Retsu Unohana chuckled as she looked at the younger woman. As the oldest among the group, she often treated the others like her own little sisters.
Meanwhile, Android 18 remained quiet, simply observing their surroundings without saying a word.
"We're here to look for a specific ingredient. You'll be surprised when we finally see it," Lev explained. He then glanced toward the Fire Dragon they had ridden to reach the jungle. "For now, go ahead and explore the area."
Upon hearing this, Retsu and the others eagerly ventured farther into the jungle, while Lev followed at a leisurely pace alongside the Fire Dragon.
As they traveled, the group also searched for other ingredients they could collect. After all, BB Corn wasn't the only item on their list. They were also looking for the Wulstar Sauce Fruit, a special fruit found exclusively in this region that was used to produce one of the finest, highest-quality sauces.
Throughout their journey, Lev's group encountered several dangerous creatures, including Seedrops, Aloe Frill-necked Lizards, and numerous species of carnivorous plants. Dealing with these threats was hardly a challenge for them. Nevertheless, rather than killing the creatures, they simply used temporary Knocking to immobilize them. There was no need to take their lives when they posed so little threat.
The Fire Dragon, on the other hand, seemed fascinated by its unfamiliar surroundings. Rather than remaining close to Lev, it spent much of the journey playing around the jungle and pulling pranks on the local beasts, seemingly enjoying itself far more than a creature of its stature should.
Before long, Lev and his companions ventured deep into the Wul Jungle. Surprisingly, they had yet to encounter a single Goblinplant, an enormous, semi-sentient plant beast known to inhabit the jungle's deeper regions.
With nothing else standing in their way, the group continued onward until they finally discovered a gap in the sky. Without hesitation, they began climbing toward it.
*****
Above the Trees,
After following the enormous roots upward, Lev and his companions finally emerged from the dense canopy, revealing what appeared to be an entirely different land above the trees.
They stepped onto the gigantic leaves that stretched across the area, their eyes immediately drawn to the countless towering corn plants surrounding them. However, they paid little attention to the smaller specimens, focusing instead on the largest corn plants that stood out among the rest.
"T-This is my first time seeing corn this big! Master, is this BB Corn?" Lee Sujin asked, her mouth hanging open in astonishment as she stared at the peculiar plants. Although she already had a general understanding of this world , seeing such an extraordinary ingredient with her own eyes was an entirely different experience.
"They say that a single kernel of BB Corn can produce enough popcorn to feed a hundred people. It looks like that wasn't an exaggeration," Nico Robin remarked as she examined the enormous corn, recalling the information she had read about it.
"Master, these corn plants are incredibly tough," Android 18 finally commented.
She had attempted to pull out a corn plant that was considerably smaller than the largest specimens, only to discover that it felt as though she were trying to uproot an entire mountain. Although she was confident that she could pull it out if she exerted herself, she decided to stop after realizing that the plant was one of the smaller ones.
"That's right. They're not just enormous; they're incredibly sturdy as well." Lev smiled as he gazed at the largest corn plant in the area. "Well, why don't you take that one down?"
He was actually quite excited about harvesting BB Corn himself. During his time in the Gourmet World, he had never really had the opportunity to examine these extraordinary ingredients up close. Now that he had finally found them, he intended to bring some back to the Infinity World and see if he could mass-produce them by cultivating them there.
Upon hearing Lev's words, Cha Hae-In immediately retrieved her sword from her Storage Ring.
At the same time, Retsu Unohana also prepared her weapon. The two women exchanged glances, silently understanding what the other intended to do.
Without wasting any time, Retsu Unohana and Cha Hae-In dashed forward, rapidly closing the distance between themselves and the enormous corn plant.
Meanwhile, Android 18, Lee Sujin, and Nico Robin remained where they were, watching the two women in action. Lev, on the other hand, simply smiled as he observed them with interest.
This would be his first time witnessing their abilities in a situation like this, and he was looking forward to seeing what they could do.
A moment later, Retsu Unohana suddenly accelerated, rushing past the enormous corn stalk before coming to a stop beyond it. She swiftly turned around and swung her sword backward, aiming to cut through the stalk from behind.
At almost the same moment, Cha Hae-In increased her speed and swung her own sword toward the opposite side of the stalk, coordinating her attack with Retsu's.
Whoosh!
Their blades sliced through the enormous stalk, cleanly severing it from its base.
Having completed their task, both women immediately retreated to a safe distance to avoid being caught beneath the falling corn. After all, the enormous plant was roughly the height of a thirty-story building. Its sheer size meant that even a simple fall could cause considerable damage to the surrounding area.
"Gigantesco Mano!"
Seeing the massive corn begin to topple, Nico Robin immediately activated her Devil Fruit ability. Two enormous hands sprouted from the surrounding vegetation, reaching out to support the falling plant before it could crash into the ground.
She had no intention of allowing such a valuable ingredient to suffer unnecessary damage. More importantly, she couldn't imagine the destruction that something of that size would cause if it were allowed to fall unchecked.
With Robin's assistance, the giant corn was carefully lowered until it rested safely on the ground.
Once it had settled, Lev and the others gathered around it, eagerly examining the enormous ingredient up close.
"Master, should we open it?" Android 18 asked, unable to contain her curiosity about what lay beneath the thick outer husk.
"Go ahead. Before we return, we'll try cooking some of it. Fortunately, there's a suitable place nearby where we can prepare ingredients like this," Lev replied with a smile.
Judging by his expression, he was just as eager as the others to discover how BB Corn tasted.
With Lev's permission, Lee Sujin was the first to step forward. She planted both hands against the thick husk before gripping it firmly. After feeling how tough the outer layers were, she wasted no time and began tearing them apart with her considerable strength.
As the thick husk gradually peeled away, Lev and the others finally caught sight of the golden kernels hidden within.
However, the sight alone wasn't what excited them the most.
A rich, enticing aroma wafted from the freshly exposed corn, immediately capturing their attention and making them even more eager to taste it.
After a short while, Android 18 reached forward and pulled out a single kernel.
"It's so big!" she exclaimed, examining the enormous kernel in her hands.
"Master, can we go and cook this now?" she asked, turning toward Lev with an expectant look.
Retsu Unohana and the others also looked at him hopefully. Their appetites were growing by the second, and the irresistible aroma of BB Corn was making it increasingly difficult for them to wait.
Even without tasting it, they could sense that this extraordinary ingredient would be incredibly satisfying to eat. And if the quality of the ingredient was anything to go by, they couldn't help wondering just how much stronger they might become after consuming it.
"Not so fast. Let's take two more of the largest ones with us first," Lev said with a smile as he looked at his companions.
Although one giant corn would have been more than enough for their immediate needs, he figured that since they had already come this far, they might as well collect a few more. After all, he wanted to bring some back to the Infinity World for cultivation and further experimentation.
Whoosh!
The moment Lev finished speaking, Android 18 and Lee Sujin sprang into action, flying toward two other enormous corn plants.
BOOM!
Android 18 brought down her target with a single punch, while Lee Sujin used a powerful kick to sever the stalk of the corn plant she had chosen.
Both attacks were swift and decisive, demonstrating just how easily they could handle the enormous plants.
"Well, it looks like everyone can hardly wait to eat," Lev muttered with an amused smile as he watched the two women return.
He was satisfied with their performances, particularly those of Android 18 and Lee Sujin, whose raw physical strength had made short work of their targets.
With all three giant BB Corns secured, Lev stored them inside his inventory. Having obtained what they came for, he and his companions immediately set off toward the nearby location where they could prepare the BB Corn and finally discover how this legendary ingredient tasted.
**********
—One Hour Later—
Wul Volcano,
Located in the Northern Wul Continent, the Wul Volcano was a volcanic region known for its extreme temperatures. The area was often referred to as a "hotspot" because of the constant flow of magma beneath the ground, which caused the surrounding temperature to rise to such unbearable levels that the entire region felt like a gigantic sauna.
At present, Lev and his companions could be seen surveying their surroundings as they arrived at the area.
"Just so you know, preparing this thing will take at least a day and a half, so get yourselves ready. We'll be staying in this hot place for that long," Lev announced with a smile.
Truthfully, he could have shortened the preparation time considerably by using his abilities. However, he had no intention of doing so. Their journey was an adventure in itself, and he wanted them to experience the process of preparing BB Corn the traditional way rather than simply rushing through it.
"Master, I think we forgot someone," Nico Robin suddenly remarked as she glanced around the area, seemingly recalling something important.
Upon hearing her words, Lev and the others paused before realizing what they had overlooked.
They had forgotten the Fire Dragon back in the Wul Jungle!
Just as they turned to look back in the direction they had come from, a familiar sound echoed through the sky.
"ROOOAR!"
The unmistakable roar of a dragon rang out, prompting everyone to look upward.
There, flying toward them, was the Fire Dragon. It appeared to be rushing toward the group with a rather pitiful expression, causing everyone to smile awkwardly as guilt washed over them. They had completely forgotten about their companion after getting caught up in harvesting the BB Corn!
Swoosh!
Before long, the Fire Dragon descended and landed near them before immediately hurrying toward Lev and the others.
It was clearly upset about being left behind. After failing to find the group in the Wul Jungle, it had apparently assumed that they had abandoned it. Fortunately, it had managed to pick up their scent and follow their trail, eventually leading it to the Wul Volcano.
"We're sorry for forgetting about you, Fire Dragon! Hahaha!" Lev said with an amused smile, reaching out toward the dragon. "Anyway, look at where we are. Isn't this a nice place?"
As he looked around the volcanic region, Lev couldn't help but consider the possibility of making this place a suitable residence for the Fire Dragon.
After all, the environment seemed almost perfectly suited to the creature's nature.
Hearing Lev's words, the Fire Dragon turned its attention toward its surroundings. It quickly noticed the intense heat permeating the area and seemed to realize that the temperature was exactly to its liking.
After sniffing around for a while, it settled down on a nearby platform, appearing completely satisfied with its new surroundings.
"Looks like the Fire Dragon likes this place," Retsu Unohana remarked with a smile.
"Probably because of the temperature," Nico Robin added, nodding in agreement.
"Since everyone's finally here, let's get started on preparing the BB Corn," Lev announced before taking the lead.
With that, Retsu Unohana, Cha Hae-In, Nico Robin, Android 18, and Lee Sujin followed him toward their designated preparation area.
Despite the intense heat surrounding them, none of them complained. They had come all this way to obtain the legendary BB Corn, and the prospect of finally tasting such an extraordinary ingredient made the scorching environment seem like a small price to pay.
After all, if the rumors surrounding BB Corn were true, then enduring a day and a half in this volcanic sauna would be well worth the effort.