[135] - President Ichiryu's Invitation, A New Fishing Haul (BONUS)

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As the Cell Activation subsided, the swollen muscles on Yuuki's body began to recede—Soon, his physique returned to its original state, and his aura was instantly drawn back within him.

"Not only has he mastered Food Honor, but he's even trained his Enbu to a certain level… at his age… IT'S UNBELIEVABLE!"

Watching Yuuki's display, even Ichiryu was astonished. He had seen geniuses before—the Four Heavenly Kings he had raised were prime examples.

To allow for their proper growth—Ichiryu had deliberately refrained from using the IGO's vast resources on them. When Toriko first appeared in the original story, his cell level was likely only in the teens—an incredibly low level.

But because his fundamentals were so solid, his and the others' growth rates later skyrocketed.

This was Ichiryu's goal. He saw their potential and had them build a strong foundation, allowing them to develop on their own.

The results proved he was successful.

With Yuuki's current cell level, Ichiryu could easily mass-produce individuals of similar strength. The difference was, Yuuki had no powerful backer before this; he had raised his cell level entirely on his own...

Then there was Food Honor and Enbu.

There were no shortcuts for those two—even Toriko and Komatsu were no exception. They mastered Food Honor quickly only because they possessed an innate and profound gratitude for ingredients.

This gratitude made them perfectly suited for the Food Honor of the Food Honor Temple. Had it been any other version, their progress would have been much slower.

Their time at the temple was spent learning how to channel their existing gratitude to master the technique.

It could be said that both of them already had the potential to master Food Honor from the start; all they had to do was convert it.

The other people at the Food Honor Temple were the classic example of the difficulty. Even after decades of training, they remained mere Vice Masters.

Take Chiru, one of the top-ranked chefs. While that ranking was a bit inflated, the chefs at the top were genuinely strong—

—Chiru was no exception!

After Granny Chiyo left, she single-handedly supported the Disappearing Cuisine Restaurant, preventing it from dropping its ten-star rating.

That alone was proof of her considerable skill—but in Chin Chinchin's eyes, she was still not worthy of recognition because he knew she had not mastered Food Honor.

People like the Four Heavenly Kings and Komatsu were the exceptions. Everyone else truly demonstrated how difficult mastering Food Honor was.

Ichiryu knew this well. Yuuki was only a teenager—yet at his age, he had already reached a masterful level of Food Honor, learned Food Immersion, and even studied Enbu.

This series of accomplishments left even Ichiryu wide-eyed. A high cell level could be brute-forced with enough ingredients, but the comprehension of Food Honor and Enbu could not.

....

"It is indeed unbelievable... His growth rate is absolutely beyond your imagination."

As someone who had taught Yuuki, even if only for a short time, Jiro knew just how unreal Yuuki's talent was—Not only was his comprehension off the charts, but his Cells' ability to adapt and recover was also on another level.

"THIS FEELING… IT'S AMAZING!"

Yuuki savored the terrifying power coursing through him. The sensation of Cell Activation was truly incredible. It was just a shame that triggering it wasn't so easy.

"Your cell level has risen considerably, and the degree of improvement is also quite strange. But it's a good thing. With this boost, even though your cell level isn't a hundred yet, your actual strength is enough for you to enter the Gourmet World!"

Setsuno said with a smile.

She was well aware that Yuuki's combat power far exceeded his cell level. Now, after this increase, he could be considered a powerhouse capable of entering the Gourmet World.

"I think I'll pass for now. I know my own limits. While I might be qualified to enter the Gourmet World, the consequences of going in now wouldn't be pretty…"

Yuuki shook his head.

According to the rules of the Human World, one could enter the Gourmet World after reaching level 100—

—This was set for two reasons.

One, the dividing line between the Human and Gourmet Worlds was indeed level 100. Aside from a few special areas, no creatures above Capture level 100 would appear in the Human World.

Two, once one's cell level broke one hundred, it was nearly impossible to continue improving with ingredients from the Human World, necessitating a trip to the Gourmet World.

Others who didn't know the depths of the Gourmet World would rush in as soon as they reached that level.

Toriko was a prime example.

Ichiryu probably never imagined that Toriko would be so bull-headed, daring to run off to the Gourmet World so early. With no intelligence and an insufficient cell level, Toriko just charged right in. Yuuki had no idea where he got that confidence.

Yuuki, however, knew just how terrifying the Gourmet World was. He would absolutely not enter without being certain of his chances.

....

"You're right. Many people head straight for the Gourmet World once their cell level is high enough. Some even go before they're ready. This results in a situation where entering the Gourmet World is almost a death sentence."

"Now that your strength is up to par, I would like to invite you to join Biotope 0th."

Ichiryu suddenly said.

"Biotope 0th?"

Yuuki knew what Biotope 0th was, of course, but he feigned ignorance.

"You should know that the IGO has established multiple ecological areas. Beyond those, there is Biotope 0th, but it's located within the Gourmet World."

"Only members with a combat power of level 100 or higher can enter."

Ichiryu explained simply.

"I see. And what would I have to give to join Biotope 0th? What would I get in return??"

Yuuki continued his inquiry.

This was something he really didn't know much about. In the original story, Biotope 0th only appeared once for a meeting before heading off to a decisive battle with the Gourmet Corp.

"What you get is protection. Biotope 0th was established to increase the survival rate of new members. The Gourmet World is a land of opportunity, but it's also a land of crisis."

"Surviving in the Gourmet World is no easy task. Biotope 0th was created to escort newcomers."

"As for what you have to give, members of Biotope 0th don't need to contribute to the IGO. They need to contribute to the Human World. When necessary, you must stand at the forefront."

As he said this, Ichiryu's expression turned serious.

Since Biotope 0th provided help, those who benefited from it naturally had to give something back. Ichiryu didn't need them to give him anything, but they had to contribute to the Human World. In times of crisis, the members of Biotope 0th had to be the first line of defense.

....

Hearing Ichiryu's description, Yuuki understood. This man had no personal desires. He hadn't formed Biotope 0th to build his own power base.

He did it for the newcomers, and for the entire Human World. He hoped these people could become pillars of the Human World, just like him.

Yuuki considered it for a moment, then made his decision.

"I think I'll pass. I'm not at that level yet!"

Yuuki refused.

On one hand, the benefits of Biotope 0th were of little use to him. He had many methods at his disposal and knew the risks of the Gourmet World. He would only enter when he was confident.

With enough caution, he wouldn't need Biotope 0th's help.

On the other hand, he wasn't as virtuous as Ichiryu. While he might step in if the Human World was in trouble, he would never put his life on the line for it.

Yuuki was a person with selfish desires; he couldn't be like Ichiryu. In fact, the vast majority of people in Biotope 0th were the same. But because they had joined and enjoyed the conveniences provided, they had to obey Ichiryu's commands.

Moreover, the people who joined Biotope 0th were all of good character. Ichiryu only invited those he deemed worthy.

He had invited Yuuki directly because of Setsuno and Jiro. Their glowing recommendations made him trust that they wouldn't be wrong about him.

"I see. That's a shame. However, the gates of Biotope 0th will always be open for you. You can join whenever you wish."

Ichiryu said with a smile. Yuuki's refusal was fine by him. He wasn't like some brainless villain who would try to kill someone for not joining their organization.

"Thank you, President Ichiryu!"

Yuuki nodded. He had refused so bluntly because he knew Ichiryu's character. If it had been someone he didn't know, Yuuki would have stalled for time—after all, if he refused an unfamiliar party, he couldn't be sure they wouldn't try to cause trouble.

Stalling was the best option in that case.

As they were talking, Nono's transformation also returned to normal. Her figure was now even more toned and defined. Unfortunately, Gourmet Cells didn't have a height-increasing effect, so she was still a bit short.

....

After they finished eating, President Ichiryu left. He had many things to attend to. After all, the IGO had hundreds of member nations—and many major issues required his oversight.

It was a good thing his strength had peaked many years ago. Otherwise, spending so much time on work would have led to a situation like Gin Dojima's in Food Wars—a waste of his talent.

After Ichiryu left, Jiro also departed. He had to go find some wine. Setsuno was long used to it.

Yuuki, however, remained to continue his studies. Nono also stayed to learn with him. Although studying alongside Yuuki was demoralizing, she converted that pressure into motivation.

It had to be said, she was worthy of being someone Setsuno favored. Nono's potential and character were both top-notch.

Given enough time, she could definitely grow to Setsuno's level.

—

The next morning, the news about the Century Soup was officially announced. The company under Setsuno began to sell it.

For her, making the Century Soup was now a simple matter. And when it was announced, Setsuno had Yuuki's name printed in the creator's section as well.

Yuuki knew she was building up his reputation. The conditions for entering the official Chef Rankings were not simple; one needed sufficient contributions.

Komatsu was able to join because he made the Century Soup, simplified the Medicinal Mochi recipe, and discovered Mors Oil.

Of course, you could also be like Otake and use money to pave the way. As long as your culinary skills were high enough, you could bypass the need to accumulate contributions.

Unfortunately for the Otake of the original story, he was captured by the Gourmet Corp not long after making the list. But it was a blessing in disguise, as he awakened his Gourmet Cells because of it.

Otherwise, if Otake had continued on his original path, he would have been nowhere to be seen when it was time to cook GOD.

Setsuno was building up Yuuki's reputation in the hopes that he could also make it onto the list. While the list was somewhat inflated, anyone who was anyone in the culinary world was on it. So, despite the inflation, it still held considerable weight.

The outside world was rife with speculation about Yuuki, this figure who had appeared out of nowhere. But since Yuuki didn't exist in this world before, he had left no traces.

And now, he was always at Setsuno's Diner, so the outside world knew next to nothing about him.

This baffled them, and they started calling him the "Mysterious Man." There was nothing for it; to the outside world, Yuuki was indeed a great mystery.

Yuuki himself paid no mind to any of this. He continued to learn, not only from Setsuno but also from Jiro.

During this time, he also ate the Tundra Dragon meat.

It tasted good and raised his cell level a little, but unfortunately, the Tundra Dragon wasn't a special ingredient, so while his level increased, his cells didn't activate.

Just like that, Yuuki spent a full month there and then received a new Large Bait. Yuuki was very curious about what the Large Bait could catch now.

As the Large Bait was consumed, a ball of light was soon pulled from the water...

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