It was with deep regret that the Shokugeki battle was postponed once again due to the simultaneous intoxication of Zhang Wei and Mr. Kurama.
Three days later, the two men finally awoke from their snoring slumber.
"This wine is intoxicating, but it doesn't give you a hangover. After waking up, I feel refreshed both physically and mentally. I dreamt of traveling through countless mountains and rivers, yet I feel no fatigue."
"There's no headache from a hangover, and my mood has brightened considerably."
During these three days of revelry, they had engaged in many enjoyable conversations.
They spoke of their personal experiences, the wonders of the gourmet world, Kurama's culinary insights, and Zhang Wei's precise techniques. Neither held back, and both learned a great deal from each other.
The most significant change was that Kurama shed his prejudice against Zhang Wei's "equation cooking" and began to humbly accept this cutting-edge theory.
"It seems the Shokugeki has been postponed for many days now."
"To be honest, I've lost some of the excitement. The tension and thrill before a competition are gone."
"How about... we try a different approach?"
After deliberation between Zhang Wei and Kurama,
The Shokugeki battle was canceled.
The stakes of both parties were transformed into a transaction.
Kurama presented twenty-two Knocking Turtles and four Leo Dragons, totaling 425 billion Berries!
Zhang Wei produced 120 sliced Dionysus's Gifts, totaling 30 liters, a staggering 300 billion Berries. The remainder was supplemented with high-end ingredients not found in the Gourmet Bank.
These included 400 ordinary Ozone Grass, twenty peeled Bronze/Silver Apples, 20 portions of Yin Yang Soup Base, and one 1200-ton BB Corn, among others.
In terms of value, it even surpassed Kurama's contribution.
However, the cancellation of the Shokugeki battle meant that the attending chefs, merchants, and gourmet hunters had essentially been tricked.
Therefore, there was still something to look forward to.
Kurama and Zhang Wei decided to collaborate on a world-shattering dish using the endless supply of perfect-quality ingredients from the Gourmet Bank.
Everyone could participate in the research and development process, and record it.
Witnessing the fusion of the two chefs' ultimate culinary creations up close?
This was far more interesting than a Shokugeki!
This was also a benefit Zhang Wei was extending to the teachers and students of the Gourmet Treasure Academy. Zhang Wei personally appointed Tang Zhihun and Shao An from Juxia Tower as his assistants.
After much discussion among everyone, the new collaborative dish was finalized!
Its name would be kept a secret for now.
The primary cooking method would be provided by Kurama, based on the "Great Cooking Technique" prevalent in the gourmet world!
Kurama stated, "To make this dish perfect, some ingredients still need to be supplemented!"
High-quality water.
Various high-quality meats.
Various fruits and vegetables.
Oils.
Condiments.
"Zhang Wei, I have some experience in hunting ingredients, I'll go out..."
Zhang Wei waved his hand, "I have transportation. I'll be faster."
As he spoke.
Thick fog erupted.
The mountainous body of the Warm Harbor Toad appeared.
Kurama chuckled, "Camping beast, you think I don't have one?"
"Come out!"
"Bus Jellyfish!"
A shadow appeared in the sky!
A jellyfish of similar immense size slowly swam over. Its tentacles swayed gently in the air, seemingly generating buoyancy on its own.
Its large head was transparent, allowing one to see the internal structure and furnishings from the outside.
Kurama proudly declared, "This is a super camping beast that can travel on sea, land, and air. Its retractable gelatinous matter forms various furniture and cooking utensils, making it an excellent choice for kitchens or travel."
The jellyfish had three layers internally.
The first layer contained a toilet, shower, and massage bed.
The second layer was a leisure area resembling a living room, furnished with bookshelves, a billiards table, and dartboards.
The third layer housed the dining room and kitchen, and even a small refrigerator.
One of the jellyfish's tentacles extended downwards, with stairs and railings growing on it. Kurama walked up and said, "How about this, I'll leave my apprentices here, and we can go explore for ingredients together?"
Zhang Wei nodded, "I think that's a good idea!"
Kurama added, "Speaking of which, I have a few rather good gourmet production points that I haven't had a chance to visit yet. The things inside are what I've wanted for a long time. Do you want to go with me?"
"Of course!"
Speaking of which, he still had the Gravity Well map that Lan Yun Dao Sheng had given him, which he had yet to use. He might as well get it done this time.
Zhang Wei said, "If we're moving across continents, Warm Harbor is faster."
With that, Warm Harbor opened its mouth and swallowed the Bus Jellyfish whole.
Immediately after, thick fog rose.
Zhang Wei instantly teleported to the Southern Continent!
The Bus Jellyfish emerged from Warm Harbor's belly, oriented itself slightly, and with a simultaneous wave of dozens of tentacles, shot out like an arrow!
"So fast!"
"I thought its movement would be slow and drifting!"
"The instantaneous acceleration just now must have been close to 10g! For an ordinary person, there's a high probability of cerebral hemorrhage and death due to gravitational overload."
Zhang Wei continued to ask, "Then, where is our first stop?"
"The Gourmet World, of course."
The Gourmet World!
Kurama actually wanted to take him to the Gourmet World?
In the original work, the Gourmet World was a very dangerous place, but it also held irresistible delicacies!
Toriko and Sunny, around level 75, had challenged the Gourmet World separately. Sunny was saved by the Blood Regeneration Family member, Gittar, and Toriko was saved by the Anesthetist Master, Jiro.
Without their intervention, neither would have had a chance to return.
The Gourmet World possessed vast, undeveloped lands and an inexhaustible treasure trove of ingredients. Some also called the Gourmet World the "Paradise of Food," and countless people considered setting foot in it their lifelong pursuit.
In later satellite imagery, the Gourmet World was about three times the size of the Human World, but due to a special magnetic field, its full extent could not be captured.
Entry into the Gourmet World could be achieved through sea, land, or air. The sea route flowed through the poison nests of the Dead Sea Current, and the air was blocked by hurricane-formed wind barriers. Only the land route was the safest.
The Life Waterfall of Saber Island.
The Ghost Port of Yuto Island.
The Three-Way Path of Waak Continent!
These three routes were the most famous, though other smaller passages existed, such as the underground tunnels of the Hunger Road, which also led to the Gourmet World.
It was rumored that the pool beneath the Life Waterfall on Saber Island was the most convenient and least obstructed route of all.
On Saber Island, there was a significant altitude difference between the Human World and the Gourmet World, so ferocious beasts from the Gourmet World would easily climb up. After all, there was nothing in the Human World that they would particularly covet.
Even knowing that the scene below the Life Waterfall was a hellish one, countless gourmets ventured there every year, yet fewer than one out of ten returned alive.
They went as if sacrificing their lives without hesitation.
Hence, it was called the Life Waterfall Pool.
"So, where is our destination this time?"
"Saber Island!"
As expected! Kurama's chosen route was also Saber Island!
Zhang Wei spread out the map and was surprised to find that the location of the Gravity Well given by Lan Yun Dao Sheng was precisely beneath the Life Waterfall Pool of Saber Island!
Coincidence?
Or, all exploration journeys began from Saber Island.
In the original work, Saber was guarded by officials from IGO. This organization did not exist yet, so compared to five to six hundred years ago, the number of gourmets who came to their deaths daily was excessive.
As Zhang Wei flew over, he saw a campsite, resembling a small town, in front of the majestic cliffs.
Looking at the Bus Jellyfish, which was above level 130, in the sky, he couldn't help but show a look of envy.
"We're about to reach the Life Waterfall Pool. Let's go down here."
Camping beasts were not invisible; it was just that special factors reduced the hostility of ferocious beasts towards them. Once a camping beast trespassed into the territory of some ferocious beasts and angered them, the large, defenseless camping beast would become the best target.
Zhang Wei and Kurama disembarked from the camping beast, drawing the admiring gazes of the surrounding gourmets.
Smoke curled upwards, and as far as the eye could see, there were rows of tents. The aroma of food wafted from simple cooking pots.
These were relatively powerful gourmet hunters and chefs, but exploring the Gourmet World with less than level 100 strength was no different than seeking death.
A group of gourmet hunters gathered around, enthusiastically inviting Kurama and Zhang Wei to their table.
The wooden long table could accommodate at least a hundred people eating simultaneously, and many chefs were busy serving dishes, the taste of which was surprisingly good.
Zhang Wei's eyes gleamed, "If I could recruit these chefs and gourmet hunters, the development speed of the Gourmet Bank would increase significantly."
"Allowing them to die like this is a complete waste."
At the table, several gourmet hunters couldn't help but ask, "Your mounts are Camping Beasts, aren't they? As far as I know, there are no Camping Beasts below level 100. You two must be extremely powerful gourmet hunters!"
"You flatter us, we are..."
The man continued, "Gentlemen, you must have explored below, right? Can you tell us about the situation down there?"
They were very eager.
Everyone here was filled with curiosity about the situation below.
Although the chances were slim, they were still willing to increase their chances of survival by a little.
Zhang Wei glanced at Kurama, who remained silent for a moment before saying, "I have two answers..."
"One of the answers is that if we jump down, we will definitely die."
"Precisely. With your current strength, going down is still too difficult. Your average strength is around level 70. You need to cooperate to set up ambushes to deal with level 80 beasts. I don't understand... the waterfall is full of level 100 beasts, what are you going down there for?"
Pure suicide!
Everyone who dared to come here was an elite among gourmet hunters and chefs, individuals who could challenge higher-level beasts on a daily basis. Perhaps a long-standing illusion of invincibility had made them overlook the cruel and realistic gap.
"We... each of us has hunted level 100 beasts, otherwise, we wouldn't have the right to be here!"
As if provoked, everyone present began to boast of their past exploits.
Even the taciturn ones casually pulled open their collars to reveal souvenirs made from the limbs of high-level ferocious beasts.
Kurama's foul mouth acted up again, and he immediately said without reservation, "Don't you know how you captured those beasts?"
"Setting traps, gathering intelligence, detecting weaknesses, understanding behavior patterns, poisoning, teaming up... hunting is an ambush. But down there? Where is there space for you to set traps? Instead, even if you stepped into a beast's trap, you might not even realize it!"
"And how many level 100 beasts have you hunted? Do you know the difference between level 100 and level 130?"
"Do you know that beasts above level 130 down there travel in packs?"
"You can't even defeat the most basic wandering monsters, let alone find your way back home. Once you go down, the only thing you can rely on is luck, hoping you're one of the incredibly rare lucky ones!"