Toriko: Gourmet Chat Group

Setsuno's Shokudo.

Jiro and Setsuno were carefully and seriously examining the strange, giant egg. When Kenji and the others had brought it to find Setsuno, Jiro just so happened to be there, not out on one of his quests for alcohol.

"Jiro-kun, do you remember that creature Lady Froese once spoke of?" Setsuno asked, her expression deeply moved. If she wasn't mistaken, this had to be it.

"I remember. In the ancient past, the Eight Kings were the apex predators of the world, but there were other creatures that could contend with them. One of them was the Cryophoenix," Jiro nodded.

Setsuno then explained to Kenji and the others.

In ancient times, there existed a mythical bird known as the Cryophoenix, hailed as the sovereign of frost. It was a powerful being whose strength could rival the Eight Kings, with breath that could freeze stars and a form of unparalleled magnificence. However, the Cryophoenix was said to be a peaceful creature. To put it simply, it was a bit of a recluse. As long as it wasn't disturbed, it would not actively participate in any conflicts.

Neither she nor Jiro had ever seen the creature with their own eyes—it was too reclusive. They never imagined it would appear in Ice Hell.

There was only one Cryophoenix, or at least, only one had ever been sighted. In the last several hundred years, there have been no new sightings, and those who knew of it believed it had departed for space.

Kenji had considered a dragon egg, but he had never imagined it would be the egg of a phoenix. Since only one had ever been seen, the one inside the egg was likely the one. After all, phoenixes could undergo nirvana. It had probably turned into an egg as part of its rebirth.

Atashino had really hit the jackpot, finding a king from an ancient era. The only question was whether the Cryophoenix, upon hatching, would see them as enemies.

"Atashino, since your Gourmet Luck guided you to it, that means it has chosen you. Nurture it well, and it will become a wonderful partner for you. This is your destiny," Setsuno said with a warm smile. Atashino nodded, accepting the responsibility.

Kenji immediately thought of the rejuvenating soup jelly. Now, everything made perfect sense. The reason the soup could make one younger was because of nirvana—a rebirth of the cells. The red, amber-like gel must have been the blood of the Cryophoenix, which had aged and solidified over countless years.

"Atashino, how about we make this our shared soup dish? You haven't decided on your soup yet, have you?" Kenji asked with a smile.

"Is that really okay?" Atashino asked, a bit surprised. Kenji was the one who had discovered the ingredient; she hadn't even noticed it at the time.

"Of course! If your Gourmet Luck hadn't led you to this egg, we probably would have missed the ingredient hidden underneath it."

"Now, we just need a name... Cryophoenix... Amber... Soup..."

"I've got it! For our soup dish: Cryophoenix Amber Soup."

Since no one had ever discovered it before, the right to name it naturally fell to them.

"Yes, that's a good name."

Cryophoenix Amber Soup was officially confirmed as their shared soup dish.

Cryophoenix Amber Soup

Capture Level: Predicted 5000 (Due to the extreme rarity of the Cryophoenix and its power rivaling the Eight Kings, acquiring its blood is of the highest difficulty. It also possesses an exceptionally rare effect.)

Effect: Promotes the evolution of Gourmet Cells and induces nirvana in aging cells, causing rejuvenation and a return to youth.

"Master, Master Setsuno, you should try some too," Kenji said, offering the soup.

When Jiro fully released his seals, he could revert to his youthful prime, but Setsuno had never appeared young in the present day, only in flashbacks. Even at the end of the series, she remained an old woman. Kenji had a few theories: maybe because Jiro maintained the appearance of a little old man, Setsuno did too. Or perhaps her mindset was simply no longer that of a young person.

"With pleasure."

"Thank you."

The two masters happily accepted and tasted their disciple's menu item. A rich, wild flavor exploded in their mouths, even more impactful than the Century Soup. What an astounding presence! Their Gourmet Cells cheered, an experience they hadn't felt in hundreds of years.

"Hm?"

"This is..."

Jiro was astonished to find that while his seals were still active, his body was becoming younger. This wasn't something he was controlling; it was a change originating from his cells. What a miraculous dish.

"Jiro-kun, you're so handsome~"

Setsuno covered her face, blushing like a young girl. And she truly looked the part now. Her signature bun hairstyle had transformed into youthful pigtails, and her stooped back was now perfectly straight. They had both transformed into their younger selves, brimming with vigorous life.

"This is..." Atashino's jaw dropped. It was too amazing. She had drunk it before, but since she was already young, the change hadn't been significant. For Jiro and Setsuno, however, it was a true return to their prime.

"Setsu-chan, you've become so young too," Jiro said with emotion. This rejuvenation was a completely instinctual change in their cells, a process of nirvana that they would have to forcibly stop if they wanted to prevent it. They hadn't cared much about being young before, but now that it had happened, it felt wonderful.

"Granny Setsu..." Atashino started, but found it a bit awkward to use the old address while looking at the youthful Setsuno.

"Hoh hoh hoh, you can call me what you've always called me. It's fine," Setsuno said, unconcerned. Their bodies were young, but their minds were not.

"Thank you, Kenji."

Right now, she and Jiro-kun had the same thought: to put on the clothes they wore hundreds of years ago and go hunting for ingredients, reliving their past.

Kenji smiled and nodded, leading Atashino away to give the two of them their private time.

[Monkey D. Kizaru]: "Kenji, here's that Devil Fruit you wanted. A standard Paramecia... the Coffee Candy Fruit?"

Devil Fruits were hard to come by. Unless they were being auctioned off, most people ate them immediately upon finding one if it was suitable or powerful. Kizaru had to "source" it from several pirate crews before he found this ordinary Devil Fruit. When eaten, it allowed the user's body to turn into coffee candy. While it offered no real combat advantage, it was still a Devil Fruit.

[Star Forger]: "Perfect, thanks a lot. Send it over."

Kenji wasn't after a specific ability; he wanted to study the structural nature of Devil Fruit powers, so any type would do.

[Dian Mei Ruan]: "Kenji, send me half. I'm a bit interested in this Devil Fruit."

[Star forger]: "No problem."

An uneaten Devil Fruit could be cut up without any issue, anyway.

[Star Forger]: "Kizaru, just a heads-up. In a few years, the World Government is going to make a move against Vegapunk. And you're going to be part of the operation."

[Monkey D. Kizaru]: "...I see."

The light glinted off Kizaru's sunglasses, making his expression unreadable, hiding the change in his eyes.

"Haaa..."

He let out a long breath, having seemingly made a decision. Kizaru took out a Den Den Mushi and dialed a number he hadn't contacted in a very long time.

Puru puru puru...

Gacha.

"Dragon, I need to talk to you."

"Oh? Borsalino. It's been a few years since we last spoke. How nostalgic."

"I'll cut to the chase. In a few years, I need you to save someone. Someone your Revolutionary Army would be interested in: Vegapunk."

Kizaru knew that once the World Government put someone on its death list, it was nearly impossible for them to survive. Knowing Dragon and the Revolutionary Army, he was certain they wouldn't be uninterested in a genius like Vegapunk. As a Marine Admiral, his hands were often tied, but now that he knew what was coming, he had to do something. Since it was a future event, he had time to make arrangements.

"...I understand. We can discuss the details when we have the chance."

Dragon's reply was brief. He then hung up the Den Den Mushi. The longer the call, the greater the risk of exposure.

~~~

We cross the 1950 power stone goal and as promise here the bonus chapter

Next goal 2100 power stone, good luck guys.

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Every 150 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter