Chapter 49: A Warning for Jiro
Kenji put down his chopsticks and stroked his chin thoughtfully. The Gourmet World wasn't that far off for him. Besides the beasts with high Capture Levels, the more dangerous aspect was the various extreme and harsh environments. To survive in the Gourmet World, one had to have the ability to adapt to or overcome those environments.
"Master Setsuno, do you want me to enter the Gourmet World now?" Kenji asked curiously.
He should be fine exploring the outskirts of the Gourmet World as long as he was careful. If he encountered something he couldn't handle, he could just retreat.
"Ichi asked me to pass on a message. He's been very busy lately, otherwise he would have come to meet you this time," Setsuno said, shaking her head. She knew Kenji was strong enough, but before entering the Gourmet World, he should at least get used to some of the harsh environments in the Human World that were similar to it.
"Oh? Grandmaster Ichiryu had you and Master Jiro give me a message?" Kenji's interest was piqued. As his current superior, he was very curious about this legendary figure.
Toriko and the others pricked up their ears. The old man wants Kenji to enter the Gourmet World?
"It's nothing major. He just wants you to go pick up a member of Biotope 0," Jiro said, glancing discreetly at Toriko and the other two.
Picking someone up was the main objective. The secondary objective was to give Toriko and the others a little push. After all, if a peer of theirs could enter the Gourmet World, they would naturally be more motivated.
Jiro sighed internally. Ichiryu has worried so much about these four young men. Even though they're not his own, he treats them like his sons.
"Master, hold on a second. Are you sure about this? I'm a complete newbie in the Gourmet World. You want me to go and welcome a Biotope 0 member who can operate there?" Kenji couldn't help but look astonished.
He knew that those people were incredibly strong, all powerhouses handpicked by Ichiryu from all over the world. His experience in the Gourmet World was definitely inferior to theirs.
Jiro just smiled without saying anything. Kenji fell into thought and roughly guessed who he was supposed to meet. But he would only know for sure when he saw them. As for why Ichiryu wasn't bringing them out himself, it was obviously unnecessary. The members of Biotope 0 were all people who could adapt to the Gourmet World's environment, and Ichiryu, as the President of the IGO, was a very busy man.
"Master Jiro, when can we go to the Gourmet World?" Toriko asked curiously. The alluring Gourmet World had always been a place he longed to go.
"You guys?" Jiro observed them for a moment, then shook his head. "You're still a bit lacking in strength. The Gourmet World isn't a place you can conquer with strength alone. Just follow Ichi's arrangements. Entering the Gourmet World recklessly will... get you killed."
Toriko clenched his fist. He felt like he was ready. If it had been someone else saying it, he might have doubted them, but a figure like Jiro had no reason to trick them. However, he wouldn't be satisfied until he had tried it himself and gotten a taste of the harsh reality of the Gourmet World.
"Where do I need to go?" Kenji asked nonchalantly. He probably didn't need to go deep into the Gourmet World.
There were three main, relatively easy routes into the Gourmet World: the Life Waterfall Basin on Zepel Island, the Port of Ghosts on Yutou Island, and the Sanzu Way on the Wak Continent. All three paths led to the Gourmet World, but survival beyond that point depended entirely on strength and luck. The other routes had an extremely high mortality rate.
"You're going to the 'Life Waterfall Basin' on Zepel Island," Jiro said.
The so-called three routes were only for most Gourmet Hunters. For a super-powered individual like him, he could enter the Gourmet World from anywhere.
Kenji nodded. The Life Waterfall Basin was also where the Air Fruit Tree was, related to the ingredient AIR, but it couldn't compare to the real thing. It was like the difference between a subject and a king.
"I see. When do I need to be there?"
"Three days from now. You can just wait there. Of course, if you want to go and explore a bit beforehand, that's fine too," Jiro said.
"Kenji, this is your ID. With this, you can enter many of the IGO's facilities," Mansam said, handing him a black ID card. The cover was emblazoned with the three golden letters "IGO," and inside was Kenji's position information.
Kenji glanced at it and put it away.
"Toriko, want me to bring you back some ingredients from the Gourmet World to try?" Kenji teased with a smile.
Toriko swallowed hard but shook his head. "No need. I'll be entering the Gourmet World myself soon enough. I'll get them myself then." He was indeed curious about the taste of the ingredients there, but there was a greater sense of accomplishment in capturing and tasting them himself.
"Master Jiro, do you have any information about EARTH?" Sunny asked. He had originally planned to ask the Gourmet Reviver, Yosaku, but now that Jiro was here, he couldn't contain his curiosity.
"I do. I know where all of Acacia's Full Course Menu items are. But even if I told you, you couldn't get them with your current strength," Jiro said with a smile. Although those ingredients were indeed delicious, Jiro wasn't that passionate about them. He preferred the ingredients on his own Full Course Menu.
"Heh, young people. Don't be too ambitious. To capture ingredients of that level, strength is an essential component."
"Do you have the resolve to face the Eight Kings right now?"
Toriko and the others were stunned. The Eight Kings were super-beasts with Capture Levels of over six thousand. Was Acacia's Full Course Menu located near their habitats?
"If you become worthy, I don't mind telling you."
"Kenji, Setsuno and I are leaving now," Jiro said, standing up. He and Setsuno left, and Kenji quickly went to see them off.
"Kenji, come to my diner next time. I'll cook for you. If you want to eat Jiro-kun's Full Course Menu, I'll have him go to the Gourmet World and catch it for you," Setsuno said with a cheerful laugh.
"Either is fine with me, but that would require some preparation time," Jiro said, his expression unchanged. A trip to the Gourmet World was nothing to him; he would just treat it as a bit of exercise.
"Master Setsuno, do I need to make a reservation?" Kenji joked.
"Ho ho, you're Jiro-kun's disciple. You don't need a reservation," Setsuno said with a smile, giving Kenji a playful look. They were family. Unlike Ichiryu's other disciples, Kenji's relationship with them was closer, so he could come whenever he wanted, as long as she was at the diner.
"After I get back from the Gourmet World, I'll visit your diner, Master Setsuno," Kenji said with a smile.
"By the way, there's one more thing."
"Master, the Damage Knocking you taught me is very useful, but if you keep sealing damage in your body, it will accumulate over time. If it's all released at once, your body won't be able to withstand the massive amount of accumulated damage, right?" Kenji decided to give Jiro a heads-up. That guy Acacia had held back when he taught Jiro the Knocking technique.
"Master, you should have a lot of damage sealed in your body. You should find a way to release it to avoid this hidden danger."
Acacia, when you see Jiro in his peak condition, with no damage in his body, you should be so happy you could 'fly'.
"..."
"You're right."
Jiro's expression changed slightly. He knew all too well how much damage had accumulated in his body. If it were all released at once, even someone as strong as him would instantly explode and die. Since it was a Knocking technique, there had to be a way to release it.
For all these years, because there had been no one strong enough to threaten him, not even those little lizards, the Blue Nitro, Jiro hadn't paid them any mind. So he had never even thought about the problem of Damage Knocking; he had subconsciously ignored it.
Setsuno knew how much damage Jiro had sealed away over the years. The thought of it all being released was enough to make one's scalp tingle. It was enough damage to destroy a planet.
"The hidden danger of Damage Knocking is indeed fatal. Thank you for the reminder, Kenji."
Jiro had to take this seriously. He couldn't keep the sealed damage in his body. He had to release it, little by little. He definitely wouldn't release it all at once; not even a god could save him then.
~~~
We cross the 1500 power stone goal and as promise here the bonus chapter
Next goal 1600 power stone, good luck guys.
~~~
Every 5 new reviews = 1 extra chapters
Every 100 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter