Chapter 189 - Knocking Master Jiro
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---Several days later---
As days passed by, Supears coming from Lev's Beta Infinity World were now ready as they were finally available in Infinity Castle Restaurant. Such high-level drinks were very well sought after and were getting popular among the masses. The cost of the fruit was also quite expensive, but everyone thought that it was worth it.
This time, however, was a day to be excited for since today was the day the special preparation ingredient 'Puffer Whales' would resurface after ten years of waiting. Preparing such fish was something every chef hoped for despite knowing its difficulty since there were only five people who could prepare the fish in the Human World.
Bishokuya's living in the Human World were also excited for this day seeing them all heading to a particular location which the Puffer Whales would resurface, the Cave Lagoon, a lagoon located at the deepest part of the labyrinthine tunnels where high capture level Devil Phytons were residing.
Just like any other food seeker, Lev together with Erza and Mirajane were also heading to this place to join the hunting since these ingredients really were rare. Also, it was a perfect place to see the person Lev wanted to meet the most, the Knocking Master 'Jiro', a person having the power of the same level as Ichiryu.
"Master, is there really a person capable of doing that?" Erza suddenly asked while riding on Ruffrunner as they headed to the place where the Puffer Whales would resurface. They were actually having a conversation about Jiro who they would soon meet if nothing changed in the timeline.
"Yeah. That person was a human who was being raised by one of the Kings, 'Guinness', White Fang's race." Lev replied as he rode on White Fang's back. He really wanted to see him more than any person in this world because aside from the fact that he had a very important role in the future, he was the only person who could greatly help him improve his knocking techniques or to be precise the Martial Sage skill.
Mirajane and Erza then looked at Lev seriously since they were not talking about a person capable of destroying a continent but a person who had the power to destroy the planet if willed with nothing but Knocking. To think that they would meet the person soon was making them nervous and excited at the same time.
Following that, Lev and the others then increased their speed since there might already be hundreds of people in there. With the lead of White Fang, the group smoothly flew in the sky unhindered and feared by the flying beasts blocking them.
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Labyrinthine Tunnels,
Not long after that, Lev and the others finally were inside the tunnel seeing them walking casually while looking at the area. There were actually beasts coming to greet them but were being eaten by the three Night Lights making Lev and the others continue without worrying about any danger.
They have also encountered a number of Bishokuyas inside and even helped some to escape their deaths. Furthermore, they also plucked out any edible plants inside while they were on the way to the Cave Lagoon before they started running after hearing a very loud explosion.
After minutes of looking, Lev finally arrived at the source of the explosion for which he saw a giant muscular old man doing something to none other than Komatsu who most likely used the explosion that he got from Toriko that made him unconscious after that. It was also a sign that the timeline didn't change that much after his coming to the world.
"Oyaaa. Aren't you the Chef who replicated Century Soup. Hikk…That really was delicious. Are you also…Hikk…. here for Puffer Whales? Hikkk. You are in the right place. You just have to pass here before you see the Cave Lagoon." The giant muscular man, who was none other than Jiro, who just used Knocking on Komatsu to revive him, looked at Lev with a silly smile.
"Wahhhhh. It's a giant old man monster!!!!!!" Komatsu who just woke up immediately screamed after seeing a giant man in front of him. He even hurriedly stood up and started running to save his life from being eaten.
"Who are you screaming monster at!! I'm the one who saved your life." Jiro was shocked and felt wronged after hearing his words.
Komatsu. who was running, suddenly stopped after remembering what happened. He then just wanted to talk to him, but his attention then went in another direction after he saw Lev in the area with his eyes then started sparkling with excitement.
"Now then...Hik. Be careful." Jiro then didn't want to stay anymore as he held onto the container full of Puffer Whales to leave the place.
"Knocking Master Jiro. I did not come here seeking Puffer Whales. In fact, I have come here to meet you. Then, if you excuse me." Things actually happened to how it was before Lev suddenly butted in as he moved at great speed right in front of Jiro who was about to leave with the intention of attacking.
"Sorry, Erza. Mirajane. There are no puffer whales for us this time around. Leave and get Komatsu out of here." Lev said via telepathy as he faced the gigantic Jiro nervously but excitedly. He knew the risk of what he was doing but he was not that worried since if things got worse, he could just call out White Fang to help him, but he was not doing it to lose but to learn and see how he was fairing against him.
Immediately after that, Dart swiftly grabbed Komatsu and let him ride on her back before leaving the place. It was also the same with Erza and Mirajane as they didn't want to be a burden during his fight, but they could not help but feel nervous about what Lev was planning on since there were so many risks with it.
"Boy. I don't know what was running on your mind right now. If you don't move, I might beat you up for real." Jiro, who was a little drunk, immediately felt sobber as he looked at Lev seriously. He has only known him as a world-class chef but seeing him wanting to fight him knowing who he is makes him seem that he was not just an ordinary chef. He also considers the fact that he might be controlled. Thus, it was only natural to subdue him now and let the IGO deal with him.
"Don't hold back, old man." Lev smiled and was provoked as he dashed forward without drawing out his sword since he was planning on fighting Jiro with nothing but Martial Arts planning on making them ascend to another level if possible. That is, however, if he survives.
Following that, Lev then didn't waste any second as he took the first move fully knowing how dangerous it was. He even goes all out as he transforms into a five-tail fox state immediately since he would not let any mistake that may cause his immediate defeat wanting to make this fight as long as he could.
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Outside the tunnel,
After Lev started fighting against Jiro, the tremors of their fight reached outside the labyrinthine. All of the people who wanted to hunt down Puffer Whales could not help but stop what they were doing as they immediately headed out for fear that the place was going to crumble.
However, even after going outside, they still weren't safe after all the creatures living in the labyrinthine also came out with fear making the two sides start fighting after meeting outside while some were already running for their lives.
The situation of the place was already reported back to the IGO since it was the first time it happened in many years. Meanwhile, as Toriko and Coco, two of the known Heavenly Kings were present, added by the fact that there were hundreds of Bishokuya around, they were doing their best to stabilize the situation since they had been stranded in the area.
Furthermore, Erza, Mirajane, and the three Night Lights also made their debut upon showcasing what they were made of by killing or subduing some beasts after they started swarming to their location. Everyone was taken aback since no other person knew who they were aside from Komatsu who knew them as Lev's companion.
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---Two hours later---
The fight only took two hours before everything stopped. In those two hours of intense fighting, it was evident that a hard fight happened seeing the destruction that took place in the area to the point that the whole labyrinthine was almost destroyed in the process.
Deep inside the Labyrinthine, Jiro could be seen standing with his upper body naked. His muscles were bulging, and anyone would think that he was no longer a human anymore, however, those muscles also had cuts and injuries that he took from the fight since there was even blood flowing all around his body that was slowly healing.
"Ichiryu. Now that you're here. Do you have any idea what kind of person this chef is?" Jiro suddenly asked while looking seriously at Lev who was lying on the ground. He could not imagine that a young man like Lev would give a fight that would make him feel serious a little and even manage to give him an injury.
"This is the first time in a while I saw you having an injury, Jiro. Looks like Lev might be powerful enough to manage this feat from you." Ichiryu, who just arrived, after the sudden emergency looked at Jiro's injured body. He actually didn't want to head to this place, but the situation had become special upon knowing the source of the commotion from a particular person.
Following that, Ichiryu then looked at Lev with mixed emotions. He now knows that Lev is much more powerful than he thought he would be from the fact that he survived fighting with Jiro for two hours and even managed to injure him. However, there was still a frown on his face as he looked around the place looking for something since, he recalled Lev was more threatening when was holding a sword and yet he didn't see anything in the area.
"What regeneration speed." Jiro commented while looking at the unconscious Lev. As much as he had injuries, the state Lev was in was way more critical than he had but seeing how it heals at an imaginable speed was something he was not capable of.
"Jiro, Lev actually came from Gourmet World more or less ten years ago. At that time, Mansam was beaten to a pulp by him. I actually wanted to take him down that time, but I stopped, do you want to know why?" Ichiryu said while asking a question as he looked at Lev who aside from being unconscious as Jiro might also use knocking on him. He then just raised his hand, and a sudden large chopstick came out from him and picked up Lev's body.
"That is because my inner demon warned me about his sword. I'll take care of him. You should come and visit me sometime. I'd like to eat a meal with you once in a while." Ichiryu followed and was about to fly away with the unconscious Lev. He planned on getting him back to the headquarters thinking that any prison would probably not contain him, thus, getting him near him would be safer.
However, before they could even fly up. Ichiryu dropped Lev on instinct after he perceived something from him. Jiro, on the other hand, also frowned while looking at Lev warily and that was when the surrounding area slowly turned into ice.
Meanwhile, Ichiryu and Jiro were the most surprised by it. Seeing a sudden overwhelming outburst of icey energy leaking from Lev's body, they could not help but move back a little as they observed what was happening, especially the ice coming from him.
Meanwhile, Lev, who was on the ground, suddenly woke up and started moving with difficulty from the Knocking used upon him however, it didn't take him long to stand up as he looked at himself with a smile before he undone all the knocking on his body.
"T-That felt better." Lev stretched out his shoulders before looking at Jiro and the newly arrived Ichiryu with a smile. He knew from the very fact that he had lost the fight and was only saved by transforming into Ninth Tails Unleashed mode in the nick of time. He would not make any excuses for his utter defeat since a loss is still a loss and there's nothing more to it.