Chapter 5: Toriko
[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "Was it worth it?"
Even the usually stoic Madara Uchiha couldn't help but ask. Having lived through the wars of the ninja world, he had seen the ugliest, most disgusting depths of human nature. To see someone as pure as Elysia was a first for him.
[Miss Pink Elf♪]: "If my sacrifice can change the Herrschers who come after me, and inspire them to fight for all that is beautiful in the world, then yes, it's meaningful."
[Miss Pink Elf♪]: "But for now... this chat group is so miraculous! Maybe I can find the power to defeat the Honkai without having to sacrifice myself."
If she could live and still defeat the Honkai, she wasn't foolish enough to choose death. There were still so many things she wanted to do.
[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "Do you have any information about my world?"
[Star Forger]: "Of course. In the world of shinobi, you, Madara Uchiha, are known as the 'Ghost of the Uchiha.'"
[Star Forger]: "You and the 'God of Shinobi,' Hashirama Senju, were the best of friends. In the end, you left the village you co-founded, Konoha, because of a difference in ideals."
[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "Hashirama and I were rivals who shared a mutual respect. We were not 'best friends.'"
Madara was seeing red. That was a blatant slander. Besides, Hashirama was a married man.
Known as a legendary 'Ghost,' his composure was naturally strong. He quickly calmed himself. It was true that he had left Konoha because of his disagreements with that fool, Hashirama.
[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "Do you know the origin of my nickname in your world? I have never once danced."
Madara had been in the chat group for a while but could never figure out the reasoning behind his strange title in Kenji's world.
[Star Forger]: "In a future battle, you will grab a weak-willed ninja by the throat and ask him, 'Will you dance, too?' The line is so iconic it became your thing."
Madara was speechless. That did sound like something he would say. It had a certain flair. Well, at least he finally knew where the nickname came from. It could have been worse.
[Star Forger]: "We'll have plenty of time to chat later. Something's come up on my end, so I'll be logging off for now."
"Master, I'm planning to leave tomorrow," Kenji said, having sought out Jiro to announce his decision.
"Are you ready?" Jiro asked with a smile.
Kenji nodded. Having awakened his incredibly powerful Gourmet Cells and possessing the golden finger of the chat group, he was filled with confidence.
The three-year pact is fulfilled. The Dragon King rises.
"Go on, then," Jiro said. "If you run into any trouble you can't handle and can't find me, go find your Master Setsuno, or your Grandmaster Ichiryu."
Jiro's whereabouts were always uncertain; he wandered wherever the finest sake could be found. He had only stayed put for the last three years to teach Kenji, only venturing out when his liquor supply ran dry.
Kenji nodded. His master's partner and senior were both titans in their own right.
"Here, take this unlimited black card. Your Grandmaster Ichiryu gave it to me. I have no use for it, so you can spend it however you like," Jiro said, pulling out a sleek black card. When Jiro wanted a Knocking tool, he just asked Ichiryu. When he wanted a top-tier ingredient, he went and caught it himself in the Gourmet World.
Kenji accepted it. He would definitely need money, and this would save him the time of having to trade ingredients for cash.
"As for your graduation gift, I've left it with Setsuno. I'll let her know. If you run into her, she'll give it to you."
…
The next morning, Kenji left the mountain range he had called home for three years, heading toward the city in the direction Jiro had pointed out.
At the entrance to Gourmet Town, a hub of culinary architecture, Kenji had a chance encounter with someone he hadn't expected to see so soon.
It was one of the Four Heavenly Kings—Toriko.
His physique was immense, standing at 2.2 meters tall. He had short blue hair and three distinct, claw-like scars running from the corner of his left eye to his ear.
This was the protagonist of Toriko, a man with three demons residing inside him, the son of the Gourmet God Acacia.
Although Toriko held the renowned title of a Heavenly King, his current power level was still a far cry from the world's top-tier fighters. His Gourmet Cells hadn't evolved much yet due to a lack of high-level ingredients. At this stage, a beast with a Capture Level of 20 or 30 could still give him a tough fight.
He's strong.
As Kenji noticed Toriko, Toriko certainly noticed him. Instinct told him that Kenji was no simple passerby; he radiated a dangerous aura.
"Nice to meet you, Toriko," Kenji said with a friendly smile.
If he had to fight Toriko right now, he wouldn't even need to use his full strength. Following his master's example, Kenji had used his Knocking skills to seal a significant portion of his power. The strength he left unsealed was enough to handle beasts up to Capture Level 40 or 50. He could always release the seals when he faced a truly strong opponent. For now, he could enjoy the fun of playing the underdog.
"And you are?" Toriko asked, searching his memory. He didn't recognize Kenji, and he figured he would have at least heard rumors about a powerhouse like him.
"Kenji. Just a passing-by Gourmet Hunter."
Kenji introduced himself. As Jiro's disciple, "Gourmet Hunter" was certainly one of his titles.
"Kenji, huh? I'll remember that."
Toriko nodded. It was always wise to remember the names of the strong. Making a new friend couldn't hurt.
Kenji had wanted to meet the Four Heavenly Kings eventually, and Toriko's bold and straightforward personality seemed perfect for a friend.
"So, Kenji, what brings you here?"
"I need to find someone to build me a house. I don't have a place to live yet."
"Is that so? I know a reliable architect. Come with me," Toriko said with a grin.
Kenji agreed. Toriko would definitely have better connections.
…
Smile's Food Architect Firm.
"Toriko, is that you?" a woman with her hair in a bun asked, rolling her eyes as she saw him. "Is your house gone again?" Toriko was a regular customer, but the man with him was a new face.
"Is Smile around? My friend needs a house built," Toriko called out.
"Yo, Toriko! Long time no see. It's been a while," a man said, stepping forward.
It was Smile, a First-Class Gourmet Architect. He was surprised to see Toriko. It was the first time Toriko had gone so long without needing a rebuild. Given Toriko's appetite, his Candy House was usually eaten into oblivion in no time.
"Hello, sir. Where would you like to build your house?" Smile asked Kenji.
"Hey, Kenji, there's nobody living near my place. Want to set up shop there?" Toriko offered.
"Sure."
Kenji nodded. The scenery in the wilderness was nice, and getting into the city wasn't too much trouble. Having a neighbor he knew meant he could drop by from time to time.
"Are you sure you want to build near Toriko's place?" Smile asked. He had built Toriko's house countless times and knew the area was in the wild, teeming with Gourmet Beasts. It wasn't exactly a low-risk neighborhood.
"That's the spot."
"Alright, if you're sure. As for the architectural style, would you like a Candy House? It's Toriko's favorite."
Smile figured that since Kenji was friends with a glutton like Toriko, he might share similar tastes.
"No, thanks. A Candy House isn't durable enough. Use the strongest building materials you have," Kenji said, not wanting to have his house rebuilt every other week. "You can use food-based materials for the interior decorations, though."
"No problem!" Smile's face lit up with a grin, and his gaze toward Kenji became much friendlier.
Now this is a proper client!