Chapter 13: The Disciples of Acacia
The next day, sensing that the Galala Gator's presence was gone, the beasts that had been forced to the outer edges of the archipelago began to cautiously return to their former territories.
"I'm sorry to trouble you, Mr. Toriko."
Komatsu's small frame was no match for the half-ton slab of meat, so he had no choice but to ask Toriko for help. Kenji didn't offer to assist. He felt it was unnecessary; better to let Toriko and Komatsu strengthen their 'best bro' bond.
Who would have thought, Kenji mused, that Toriko would end up marrying Sunny's sister, Rin, in the end? Although Rin's feelings for Toriko were obvious to anyone with eyes, she had surprisingly little screen time in the grand scheme of things.
"What a shame... that I can't eat it," Toriko said with a look of pure regret. His incredibly sensitive sense of smell allowed him to pick up the special, tantalizing aroma wafting from the Galala Gator meat.
"Dame! You can't eat it," Komatsu said with a sigh.
When they reached the shore, Tom was already waiting for them in his small boat. After their feast last night, Toriko had contacted him to arrange for a pickup this morning.
"Toriko! I'm surprised you captured the Galala Gator so quickly. Is there any extra?" Tom asked hopefully.
"Sorry, Mr. Tom. Aside from the portion for the Gourmet Hotel, the rest has been eaten," Komatsu explained, shaking his head.
Tom wore an expression that said, I knew it. Toriko's appetite was legendary.
"Alright then..." he sighed. "Next time you get a good ingredient, don't forget my share!"
Gourmet City, the Capital of Cuisine.
This bustling metropolis, home to ten-star hotels, saw a daily foot traffic of over 25 million people. It was a sea of people, a torrent of humanity so dense you had to rub shoulders just to walk normally.
Next to a luxurious, castle-like building stood a low, single-story bungalow. It looked old and worn, a stark contrast to the grand structure beside it. But anyone in the know understood that this unassuming little shack was infinitely more prestigious than the castle. As the saying goes, a mountain's fame isn't in its height, but in the immortal who resides there.
A simple sign above the door read [Setsuno's Diner]. The name of the Living National Gourmet Treasure, Setsuno, was enough to make this diner extraordinary. If you wanted to eat here, even if you made a reservation right now, you'd be waiting at least ten years unless you had serious connections. Setsuno only opened her diner whenever the mood struck her.
Warm light spilled from the windows, carrying with it an intoxicating aroma. A crowd of people had gathered outside, their faces filled with blissful satisfaction from just smelling the air.
The interior was simple and rustic, creating a warm and inviting dining atmosphere.
"Jiro, what did you call me here for this time?"
The few people currently sitting in Setsuno's Diner were individuals who could make the world tremble with a single word.
The one who spoke was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties. He had bronze skin and was wearing a simple plaid shirt made of what looked like cheap fabric. He had short yellow hair and a peculiar mustache, with ends so long they drooped past his chin and twitched on their own.
This was the President of the IGO, Ichiryu, the first disciple of Acacia and one of the most powerful beings on Earth.
At the dawn of the Gourmet Age, Ichiryu founded the IGO to regulate the distribution of ingredients among nations. In the beginning, the IGO was under the jurisdiction of the United Nations. But within a decade, Ichiryu had led the IGO to independence, its influence and comprehensive power making it the de facto ruler of the era. He was responsible for establishing the Eight Gourmet Principles, the Gourmet Police, the isolation of the Gourmet World, the "Capture Level" system, the Gourmet Research Institute, and the Gourmet ID system, among other beneficial measures.
Even without using the power of his Gourmet Demon, Ichiryu was a top-tier global powerhouse. He stood at the pinnacle of the world, yet his diet was simple, often more modest than that of an average person.
Right now, he was heartily eating a meal prepared by Setsuno. Sitting beside him was a short old man, his junior disciple, the Knocking Master Jiro. Both were disciples of Acacia, each a legendary figure with monstrous strength.
"That's right, Little Jiro. You seem awfully happy," Setsuno commented. Having been Jiro's partner for so long, she could read him like a book, and her curiosity was piqued.
"My disciple, Kenji, has graduated. And he's learned almost all of my skills," Jiro said with a wide, toothy grin.
His words struck Ichiryu and Setsuno like a bolt of lightning. Jiro's strength was undeniably at the highest tier. If his sealed power were fully unleashed, there were few on Earth who could defeat him. In the field of Knocking, Jiro stood at the absolute apex of the pyramid. For someone to master nearly all his techniques, even if they hadn't reached Jiro's current level of power, they had to be a genius of staggering proportions.
Ichiryu suddenly understood. Jiro had called him here just to show off. The thought made him chuckle. He felt no jealousy. While his relationship with their other brother, Midora, was currently hostile, the bond between the rest of them remained strong.
Ichiryu hadn't taught the Four Heavenly Kings many of his own advanced techniques. He didn't want them to become clones of himself; that would be a disservice to their potential. Furthermore, some of his skills, like Minority World, were simply too difficult for them to learn at their current level. Jiro's Knocking and his other powerful moves were equally difficult to master. He was now intensely curious about this disciple of Jiro's. What kind of genius was he?
"Congratulations, Little Jiro," Setsuno said, genuinely happy for him. Their "grandson," Teppei, had started learning from Jiro but then ran off to become a Gourmet Reviver, which had infuriated both of them. To this day, she still gave Teppei the cold shoulder whenever she saw him. The thought that someone was now carrying on Jiro's legacy filled her with joy.
"Jiro, when did you get a disciple? How come I never heard a thing about it?" Ichiryu asked curiously.
"Ichi, never mind you. Even I, his partner, never heard a word from Little Jiro," Setsuno laughed. Little Jiro's disciple... She was quite curious about this Kenji. To receive such high praise from Jiro, he must be someone special. I wonder when I'll get to meet him. How exciting.
"About three years ago," Jiro explained. "For the past three years, I've spent most of my time teaching Kenji. That's why I didn't tell you."
Setsuno understood now. That was why Jiro's visits had become less frequent over the last few years. He was busy training his student.
"It seems you're very pleased with this young man, Kenji," Ichiryu said.
"Kenji will definitely surpass me," Jiro stated with a proud, confident nod. "It won't be long before you all hear his name."