Chapter 3: The Dragon King
Gourmet Cells. Discovered by the Gourmet God Acacia within a deep-sea creature called the Gourmet Jellyfish, these extraordinary cells were named for their unique properties.
Gourmet Cells form a symbiotic relationship with their host. By consuming delicious food—specifically, high-level ingredients packed with immense energy—the cells evolve, granting the host superhuman strength, speed, and regenerative abilities. They can even trigger the evolution of the host's body.
Gourmet Demons are entities formed from highly evolved Gourmet Cells that reside within the host, often possessing their own independent consciousness. As the host consumes enough high-level ingredients, the Gourmet Demon gradually awakens, bestowing powers that defy common sense. A perfect example is the Red Demon, which grants Toriko his superhuman sense of smell.
In Kenji's view, they could also be called Gourmet Cell Spirits—souls dwelling within the cells themselves. He had no idea how he'd gotten them. He hadn't been soul-transmigrated; his entire body had been brought over. They must have been a bonus prize from his trip to this world.
But Gourmet Cells weren't all benefits. They came with a dangerous side effect. If a host failed to satisfy the cells' craving for delicacies, especially after long periods without eating, they risked being consumed from within, leading to madness or complete physical collapse. When ordinary food no longer suffices for evolution, one must hunt rare, high Capture Level ingredients. If that endless appetite isn't controlled, the host becomes a slave to their desires, a monster that knows nothing but eating.
Still, there was no denying the massive power boost that Gourmet Cells provided in this world. Not everyone was like Ichiryu, who possessed the monstrously powerful Gourmet Demon Don Slime but chose not to rely on its power, achieving world-class strength on his own.
"Strawberry flavored. A little sour, a little sweet... not bad."
Kenji uncorked the Potential Awakening Potion and downed it in one go. The red liquid had no strange medicinal taste; instead, it was refreshingly strawberry-like. He smacked his lips, wishing there was more.
"Whoa... Burn, my Cosmo!"
A few breaths later, Kenji felt his entire body ignite. A staggering amount of energy erupted from within him, like a violent volcano on the verge of blowing its top. His blood began to boil, feeling like molten lava coursing through his veins. The sweat that beaded on his skin evaporated instantly from the intense heat.
"Pfft—!"
A sweet taste filled his throat, and he coughed up a mouthful of scorching hot blood. An excruciating pain shot through every part of his body, as if thousands of ants were tearing at his flesh and bone.
But through the agony, he could feel a transformation taking place. His entire being was evolving. This had to be the reaction to his Gourmet Cells activating.
"Kenji?"
"Huh? Could this be... a Gourmet Cell awakening?"
Jiro rushed over at the sound of Kenji's pained cries. Seeing his disciple kneeling on the ground, his brow furrowed. He hadn't expected the awakening to be so sudden. He didn't leave, instead choosing to observe the situation closely. If things went south, he would have to step in and use his Knocking to seal the awakening process. Kenji could always try again later when he was stronger.
"Urrgghh—"
After half an hour, Kenji's powerful, well-defined muscles began to wither, shriveling up as if all the moisture had been sucked out of them. He was reduced to a horrifying, skeletal figure. The energy stored by his Food Immersion ability wasn't enough. Like a bottomless pit, the Gourmet Cells devoured his reserves and immediately started consuming his physical body.
If this continued, he would be eaten alive by his own cells.
"Kenji, can you hear me?! You need to eat, now!" Jiro's voice boomed. Moving with lightning speed, he gathered a massive pile of ingredients. He knew exactly what Kenji needed most right now: a colossal amount of food. If he could survive this initial onslaught, he should be fine.
"I... can hear you..."
Kenji lifted his head, his body trembling violently. He reached out a quivering hand, grabbed a slice of mousse cake, and shoved it into his mouth.
As the food entered his system, a jolt of life shot through him. He began grabbing food with both hands, stuffing it into his mouth with the desperation of a starving ghost. He knew, with absolute certainty, that if he didn't eat, he would become a real one.
The enormous pile of food vanished at a visible rate. Jiro continuously brought more, gathering these relatively common ingredients with ease.
…
"I'm alive..."
"So full... that was amazing."
Kenji finally stopped eating. His Gourmet Cells had reached a point of saturation and were no longer consuming his body.
After the awakening, the most noticeable change was his aura; it was significantly stronger than before. His muscles regained their mass, now gleaming with a healthy sheen, and his eyes sparkled as if tiny stars were twinkling within them.
"Congratulations. You've awakened your Gourmet Cells," Jiro said with a smile. Now that they were active, Kenji could grow stronger continuously by eating high-energy ingredients and would eventually be able to tap into the power of his Gourmet Demon.
"Thank you for everything, Master," Kenji said gratefully. Jiro had been working tirelessly to feed the bottomless pit of his newly awakened cells.
Jiro simply waved it off, picked up his booze bottle, and turned to leave. Kenji was his disciple; of course, he would look out for him.
Left alone, Kenji began to carefully sense his new inner state. Soon, a look of utter shock appeared on his face.
He could see his Gourmet Demon. Though calling it a "demon" didn't feel quite right.
Before his inner eye was a majestic, mysterious, and impossibly vast Star Dragon, radiating an overwhelming pressure. Its long, serpentine body was covered in deep blue scales that shimmered like the night sky, with starlight peeking through the gaps, as if the endless river of the cosmos flowed between them...
Having played League of Legends, he recognized it instantly.
This was Aurelion Sol, the Star Forger, one of the cosmic creators of the universe, capable of forging stars and manipulating celestial bodies... a being of unimaginable power. The version in the game was a heavily nerfed shadow of the real thing; if the original lore version were put into the game, almost no one could beat him.
His Gourmet Demon was the legendary Aurelion Sol. The realization made him exclaim out loud:
"Woot! Time to fly!"
Upon closer inspection, he noticed something strange. This dragon spirit had no will of its own. It was a manifestation of pure power, unlike other Gourmet Demons, which possessed their own consciousness.
This meant that if Kenji could master the dragon's power, he could become a being like Aurelion Sol himself. He was, in essence, the Star Forger's successor.
Unlike Toriko and the others, the level of this Dragon Spirit was simply too high. On Earth, the only ingredient that might unlock even a fraction of its power was probably the final ingredient, GOD. A normal Gourmet Demon could be fully mastered by eating Acacia's Full Course Menu. For him, that same menu might only unlock the power of a single arm.
He thought about the White Ogre within Toriko, which, with a single finger, completely obliterated Acacia after he had fused with NEO. The terrifying power of Aurelion Sol far surpassed even that of the White Ogre; it had no upper limit.
For now, Kenji couldn't use the Star Forger's power. Just as Toriko's body couldn't handle the White Ogre's full strength, his own was far too weak. Eating Acacia's Full Course might allow him to use a portion of it.
No matter, he thought. The universe is full of high-level ingredients. And besides, I have the chat group.