Toriko: Gourmet Chat Group

The bald chief, Mansam, came looking for them.

"Yo, Atashino! Long time no see. You've gotten stronger," Mansam said with a broad grin.

"Chief Mansam, I still have a long way to go to match your strength," Atashino replied humbly.

Very few people on Earth had eaten Acacia's Full Course Menu. The world's top powerhouses had all built their strength through time and talent, and their Gourmet Demons had not yet fully merged to become one with their hosts.

"What's that? Did you say I was handsome?" Mansam asked, his face lighting up with feigned surprise.

"No, I did not."

Atashino's eye twitched. Yep, that was the same Chief Mansam she'd always known. The same old routine.

"Chief Mansam, is there a reason you've come to see us?" Kenji asked.

One doesn't just drop by for a casual visit. For a man as busy as him to seek them out, it certainly wasn't for a simple social call.

"Haha, well, I heard you found an ancient book in the Gourmet Pyramid..." Mansam said, rubbing his large, bald head.

"You heard about that fast, Chief. Will a picture of it do?"

"Of course! That would have immense research value," Mansam nodded.

"I'll send it to you later. Was there anything else?"

"Yes, yes. President Ichiryu asked me to pass on a message. Toriko and the others are currently capturing their training ingredients. You are not to help them. This is a necessary trial they must overcome before entering the Gourmet World."

"No problem. Atashino and I will be heading to the Gourmet World soon anyway."

Kenji understood Ichiryu's intentions. If the others didn't level up during this time in the Human World, they would get beaten so badly in the Gourmet World they wouldn't know which way was up. Most of the ingredients in the Human World no longer provided a significant boost for him and Atashino. They could just hunt for things occasionally while they took a break here.

"OK. I'll be on my way, then," Mansam nodded, turning and leaving with a confident swagger.

The Bacchus Islands.

The archipelago consisted of several large and small islands, each shaped like either a wine glass or a liquor bottle. The surrounding sea was called the Sea of Alcohol, formed by distinct, unmixing layers of red wine, whiskey, beer, and other spirits.

It was a paradise for drunkards, but entry was forbidden to anyone under the age of twenty.

"The air itself smells of fine liquor," Kenji noted, his nose twitching. If you stayed here too long, you'd probably end up getting pickled by the aroma alone. He had wanted to come here for a long time and was glad to finally have the chance.

"It certainly is a paradise for drinkers," said Tom, their guide, with a smile. "But even the most seasoned drunkard will die from alcohol poisoning if they overdo it here."

If he weren't so busy, Tom would have loved to come here and experience what it's like to live and die in a drunken dream.

"Thanks, Tom."

"Haha, don't mention it! You take such good care of my business, my wife has even been a lot gentler with me," Tom laughed.

Kenji had provided him with some highly sought-after Gourmet World ingredients, allowing his business to grow bigger and bigger. His status at home had shot up, and the number of times he'd been in the doghouse had decreased significantly.

"I'm heading out now. Have a great time drinking! Just contact me if you need anything."

Tom sped away in his motorboat.

"The Bacchus Islands... Drunken Frenzy Island... What a chaotic scene," Atashino said, pressing a hand to her forehead in exasperation.

Just as she'd heard, the place was swarming with drunk beasts on a rampage. Since she wasn't much of a drinker, she had never visited the Bacchus Islands before.

"It's not all just liquor... Crunch... This Crispy Potato Chip Tree isn't half bad," Kenji said, casually plucking a few chips from a nearby tree.

"Kenji?!"

A young man with a black pompadour haircut walked toward them. Kenji froze for a moment.

Isn't my master supposed to be in the Gourmet World?

"Master? Didn't you and Lady Setsuno go traveling in the Gourmet World?"

For most Gourmet Hunters, the Gourmet World was a place of extreme danger. But for Jiro, it was like visiting family back home.

"We came back ten days ago. After seeing my old man, I visited a few places I used to go to back in the day."

The Wolf King had been thrilled to see him and had immediately caught some small snacks (Nitro) for Jiro to munch on.

Kenji was speechless. His master truly was the fixed, daily-spawning NPC of the Bacchus Islands.

"Oh, right. This is for you," Jiro said, holding out a bottle containing about 200ml of a clear liquid. "It's Healing Water. You'll probably have a use for it later."

With his level of strength, obtaining Healing Water was laughably easy. This special liquid had powerful restorative properties, capable of healing even severed limbs. Jiro himself had used it after one of NEO's monsters had torn off his hand; Setsuno had simply poured the Healing Water on the wound, and it had healed in an instant. The effect was even more potent on those with Gourmet Cells, but it worked on normal people too.

To acquire Healing Water, one had to face its powerful guardian. It probably wasn't the Dragon King Derous himself, just another of its kind. Otherwise, a much younger Midora would never have been able to get it and survive. Of course, at his current level, Jiro could stroll right up and take the water even if the Dragon King was standing guard. The Dragon King's individual attacks were powerful, but Jiro was a man who defied all logic.

"Thanks, Master," Kenji said as he carefully stored the bottle. This was good stuff.

"Hic... I'm heading out," Jiro said with a wave. He left the Bacchus Islands, his daily check-in complete.

"He's so carefree," Atashino remarked with a sigh. Jiro's retired lifestyle seemed pretty nice.

"With Master's power, he can capture any ingredient on this planet, except for the ones he can't find."

[Star Forger]: Anyone who wants a drink, come on over. Anyone under eighteen has to sit at the kids' table.

He remembered that in Japan, the drinking age was twenty, unless you drank in secret and didn't get caught.

[God's Tongue]: In that case, please send some fine wine over for my grandfather.

[The Champion]: I think I'll pass on the alcohol.

[Gudako]: I'm still one year short! Chikusho!

[Galactic Baseballer]: Chikusho! You're short by one year, I'm not even one year old!

Stelle was salty. She was a Stellaron spirit who was less than a year old. Even if Honkai: Star Rail updated to its final version, she would probably still be a minor. Is the Amber King around? Come and fix this dimensional wall!

[Stank]: Did someone say drinks? I've gotta try some. Is it an open bar?

[Star Forger]: The drinks are on me, but be prepared to pass out here.

"Ah, delicious! This is truly paradise for adults! So satisfying!"

Tony, Tsukasa, Daigo, and Kizaru sat together, raising their glasses and drinking heartily. The liquor here was truly exquisite. All of their faces were flushed, a clear sign that the alcohol was getting to them.

"I really envy you, Mr. Stark. You're your own boss. Unlike me, I'm just a corporate drone," Kizaru grumbled.

"I may not have to worry about money, but you've got the Glint-Glint Fruit. I still have to run around in this iron can."

"This red wine is excellent. Most of the wines sold on the market can't compare to this," Atashino said, taking a sip from her glass. Her eyes lit up. The alcohol content wasn't too high, and it was incredibly smooth and delicious.

"There's no good rice wine or sorghum liquor though..." Kenji shook his head, sipping an Amber Whiskey. The drinks on the Bacchus Islands were genuinely top-notch.

He considered trying the Emerald Wine, one of the finest liquors on the islands, but decided against it. Since Jiro had just left, he had almost certainly been bathing in the pool where the wine originated. It wasn't that he couldn't drink it... he just couldn't get over that mental hurdle.

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Guys We cross the 300 power stone goal and as promise here the bonus chapter

Next goal 450 power stone,come on guys you'll can do it, good luck.

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