Chapter 10: Yosaku – “Did You Find a Wife?”

"The work has been completed. The Whispering Forest was polluted by a Millipede Worm. As for the missing Saiseiya… if nothing goes wrong, he should be gone."

Zed delivered his report briskly, his tone clipped but respectful. He stood straight-backed in Yosaku's cluttered regeneration center, the air thick with the scent of medicinal herbs and the faint hum of bioactive equipment. Behind him, Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato hovered nervously, their eyes darting between the bizarre specimens floating in glass tanks—a two-headed snake, a plant with pulsing veins, a claw preserved in amber fluid.

Yosaku, his burly frame hunched over a microscope, grunted without looking up. His workspace was a chaotic symphony of science: petri dishes stacked like precarious towers, scrolls of plant genomes unfurled across the floor, and a simmering cauldron of greenish broth that bubbled ominously. "Millipede Worms," he muttered, adjusting the lens. "Filthy creatures. Their toxins rot the soil for decades. But—" His head snapped up suddenly, rheumy eyes narrowing at Zed. "Partners?! Two?!"

"Temporary partners," Zed repeated, holding up a placating hand. His voice carried a hint of exasperation, though his lips twitched in amusement. He'd anticipated this reaction.

Yosaku ignored the distinction entirely. His beard twitched as a grin split his weathered face, revealing yellowed teeth. "You left for a routine mission and came back with two wives?!"

Erina and Hisako turned scarlet, their faces matching the crimson leaves of the Blood Blossoms curling around the Mother Tree's windows. Erina stiffened, her regal composure fracturing, while Hisako ducked her head, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. Zed sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Master, focus. They're chefs, not—"

"Bah! Partners are partners!" Yosaku slammed a calloused fist on the table, rattling a tray of delicate cell cultures. A vial of fluorescent blue liquid teetered dangerously, but he paid it no mind. "At least you won't die alone like me and Teppei!"

Zed smirked, seizing the chance to redirect. "Teppei's got Pukin chasing him. She's Mohyan Shaishai's apprentice. Four arms, relentless."

"Pukin?!" Yosaku's bushy eyebrows shot up, nearly vanishing into his wild mane of hair. "That little terror? And Teppei's too dense to notice?!"

"Exactly. He's convinced she's just 'helping with research.'"

Yosaku groaned, rubbing his temples with ink-stained fingers. "Idiots. Both of 'em." He then swiveled his chair toward Erina and Hisako, scrutinizing them like rare ingredients. His gaze lingered on Erina's hands—pale, smooth, but with faint calluses along the fingertips. "Call me Master. And—" He rummaged through a drawer overflowing with rusted tools and crumpled maps, finally producing a clinking pouch. "Buy 'em Melk Knives—my treat. Chefs need proper blades."

Erina blinked, caught off guard. "How did you know we're chefs?"

Yosaku sniffed loudly, nostrils flaring like a bloodhound's. "Kitchen calluses." He pointed a gnarled finger at the faint ridges on Erina's palms. "Lingering scent of Rainbow Fruit and Dragon Tail Pepper—low-tier spices, but distinct."

Hisako gaped. "But we haven't cooked since arriving here!"

Zed stepped in, his voice calm but edged with pride. "Gourmet Cells heighten senses. Master's Cell Level exceeds 1,000. He can smell ingredients you handled weeks ago."

Erina stared at her hands, her God Tongue tingling with a strange mix of awe and envy. In the Shokugeki world, her palate had been unmatched—a weapon honed to dissect flavors with surgical precision. But here, even a Saiseiya's nose outclassed her greatest strength. The realization stung, sharp and sudden.

"Melk Knives it is," Zed said, pocketing the pouch. The leather creaked softly, the weight of Yosaku's generosity—or mischief—settling against his hip. "Let's—"

"WAIT!" Yosaku bellowed, leaping to his feet with surprising agility for a man his age. His chair clattered to the floor, forgotten. "Where's my gift? New partners mean Celebration Sake!"

Zed groaned, shoulders slumping. "Master, it's 9 a.m.—"

"Sake o'clock is any clock!" Yosaku thundered, already yanking a dusty cask from a sagging shelf. Cobwebs clung to the wood as he slammed it onto the table, sending a cloud of spores into the air.

Erina coughed, waving a hand in front of her face. Hisako edged closer to the door, as if contemplating escape.

"This," Yosaku declared, prying open the cask with a rusty dagger, "is Thunderbrew—fermented in a Storm Squid's bladder! Burns like lightning!" He sloshed the murky liquid into cracked clay mugs, splashing droplets that sizzled where they landed.

Zed accepted his mug with a resigned sigh. Erina peered into hers, recoiling at the acrid fumes. Hisako's hand trembled as she raised the drink to her lips.

"To partnerships!" Yosaku roared, downing his sake in one gulp. His face flushed crimson, veins bulging at his temples. "May they last longer than my last marriage!"

Zed choked mid-sip. "You were married?!"

"Once! To a woman who loved Volcanic Eels more than me!" Yosaku wiped his mouth with a sleeve, belching loudly. "Now drink!"

Erina hesitated, then took a tentative sip. The liquor seared her throat, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Her eyes watered, but she forced a smile. "It's… bold."

Hisako whimpered after a tiny taste, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Tastes like… burning rubber… and regret…"

Yosaku roared with laughter, slapping his knee. "That's the spirit! Now—" He jabbed a finger at Zed, his expression suddenly serious. "Explain this 'temporary' nonsense."

Zed set his mug aside, the humor fading from his eyes. "Partnerships here are lifelong bonds. I proposed a trial period—to see if we're compatible."

"Compatible?" Yosaku snorted, crossing his arms. "Kid, you fought a Level 35 Millipede for them. That's compatibility."

Erina's cheeks warmed, though whether from the sake or his words, she couldn't tell. Hisako stared into her mug, suddenly fascinated by the swirling dregs.

"Master's right," Zed admitted, his voice low. "But this world… it's brutal. I won't bind them to me unless they choose it freely."

Yosaku grunted, unimpressed. "Sentimental hogwash. But fine. Train 'em. Keep 'em alive. Then decide."