Chapter 318

Haruto ladled a bowl of Slowpoke Tail sweet soup for everyone.

Toriko immediately scooped up a spoonful and put it into his mouth, his eyes widening at once.

The soup carried the naturally clean sweetness of Slowpoke Tail together with the mellow fragrance of rice. Its texture was soft, thick, and creamy, sweet without being cloying.

As the warm soup slid into his stomach, a pleasant warmth spread throughout his entire body.

Toriko could also feel his Gourmet Cells becoming remarkably active.

"Delicious!"

He held the bowl in both hands and began drinking in huge mouthfuls.

Beside him, Kagura and Kanna were equally satisfied as they enjoyed their own portions.

Haruto smiled at their reactions.

Still, the sweet soup was only an appetizer.

He immediately began preparing the next dish.

This time, the main ingredient was Sea King meat.

Haruto took out a large piece of belly meat. Its marbling was as beautiful as polished stone, with fat distributed evenly throughout the flesh.

He cut one portion into slices about two centimeters thick and seasoned them to marinate.

The rest was cut into smaller chunks and threaded onto bamboo skewers.

Haruto placed the skewers directly over the charcoal fire, brushing them with a sauce made from soy sauce produced by Soy Sauce Octopus, Diamond Garlic, Pagoda Ginger, and Sweet Honey.

As the meat roasted, fat sizzled and dripped onto the charcoal, causing tiny flames to flare beneath the skewers.

A rich meaty aroma quickly filled the air, mingling with the fragrance of the sauce until everyone’s appetite surged.

Once the exterior had turned crisp and golden, Haruto sprinkled the skewers with Nut Cumin Powder and Tomato Chili Powder.

The aroma instantly became even more intense.

"They’re ready."

Haruto gestured to Toriko and the others.

Toriko had been waiting impatiently for those words. He grabbed a skewer and immediately tore into it.

The surface was crisp and lightly charred, while the inside remained astonishingly tender and juicy.

Meat juices burst across his tongue, carrying the distinctive savoriness of Sea King flesh together with layers of seasoning.

Toriko followed it with a large drink of Mellow Cola.

His face flushed with satisfaction.

"Delicious! This is incredible!"

He barely managed to speak around the food in his mouth.

"It’s tender and juicy without being dry at all. And it goes perfectly with Mellow Cola!"

Haruto nodded in agreement.

While eating skewers and drinking his own cola, he placed the marinated slices of Sea King meat onto stones that had been heating beside the campfire.

Ssshhh—

The flesh changed color instantly.

Its edges curled slightly as the intense heat rendered out the fat, releasing another wave of rich fragrance.

Once the slices were cooked, Haruto picked up a piece of stone-grilled meat and took a bite.

He nodded in satisfaction.

The outside had developed a beautiful sear, while the inside remained tender. The marinade contributed only a light saltiness, allowing the natural flavor of the Sea King meat to remain the star.

It also paired extremely well with Mellow Cola.

Toriko immediately grabbed a slice for himself.

"Delicious! Haruto, cook more!"

Despite already eating a considerable amount, he somehow felt even hungrier.

"Haha! Relax, Toriko. There’s plenty more."

Haruto laughed and brought out a Golden Treasure Chest Mimic.

He had only managed to obtain a few of these inside the Ruins of the King’s Tomb, so they were among the rarer ingredients in his collection.

He removed the mimic’s tongue and lowered it into a pot of prepared braising stock.

The stock had been simmered with more than a dozen spices, including star anise from Star-Anise Cattle, Explosive Peppercorns, and Wuu Star Fruit sauce, giving it an exceptionally rich fragrance.

While the tongue braised, Haruto cut the remaining mimic meat into pieces, gave them a light marinade, coated them in batter, and began deep-frying them.

The finished pieces had a crisp coating surrounding firm, chewy meat.

Paired with Mellow Cola, they were almost impossible to stop eating.

By the time everyone finished the fried mimic meat, the tongue had finished braising.

Its surface had turned a deep brown and gleamed with oil, while a mouthwatering spiced aroma drifted from the pot.

Haruto removed the tongue, sliced it thinly, and arranged the pieces on a plate.

He picked up one slice and placed it in his mouth.

It was springy and firm, with a wonderfully satisfying chew.

The salty richness of the braising liquid had completely penetrated the meat, blending perfectly with the mimic tongue’s natural savoriness.

The more he chewed, the more fragrant it became.

Next, Haruto brought out meat from the giant centipede yōkai he had captured in the Inuyasha world.

He cut it into thin slices, mixed it with Butt Salt and Ten-Yolk Egg, then set it aside to marinate for ten minutes.

While he waited, Haruto took out some Cheese Cabbage he had collected earlier and shredded it.

He also prepared Natural Pickled Chilies, Diamond Garlic, and Pagoda Ginger.

Haruto heated a wok, added oil, then stir-fried the Diamond Garlic, Pagoda Ginger, and Explosive Peppercorns until fragrant.

Next came the shredded Cheese Cabbage and Natural Pickled Chilies.

He poured in a stock made earlier from Red Mirror Dragon bones, Puffer Whale bones, and several other ingredients.

The marinated centipede slices went into the broth next.

Haruto reduced the heat and simmered them for two minutes before finishing the dish with a generous handful of Jewel Scallions.

The sourness of the Cheese Cabbage blended beautifully with the savory fragrance of the centipede meat, creating an aroma that instantly awakened the appetite.

Toriko picked up several slices and shoved them straight into his mouth.

A burst of sour heat spread across his tongue.

The centipede meat was delicate and silky, carrying a mild savory sweetness beneath the seasoning.

The fragrance was sharp and appetizing, while the heat remained pleasantly stimulating without becoming harsh.

Every bite only made him want another.

By the time the feast finally ended, Toriko leaned back and patted his round, swollen stomach before releasing a deeply satisfied burp.

After eating so many ingredients he had never encountered before, he could feel that his strength had improved again.

"Haruto, your cooking has gotten even better."

Toriko sounded genuinely impressed.

"Of course, the ingredients themselves are incredible too."

Almost everything Haruto had served had been completely new to him.

That was precisely why Toriko’s Gourmet Cells had responded with such enthusiasm.

"Your Mellow Cola was pretty amazing too."

Haruto smiled.

It had strengthened him considerably as well.

Unfortunately, it had not been enough to trigger another evolution in his Gourmet Cells.

Even so, Haruto could feel that he was close.

All he seemed to lack was the right opportunity.

After resting for a while, Toriko sat upright and looked at Haruto with a more serious expression.

"Haruto, there’s actually another reason I came looking for you besides bringing the Mellow Cola."

"I want to invite you along to capture a certain ingredient."

"Oh?"

Haruto immediately became interested.

"What ingredient?"

"Surprise Apples."

Toriko grinned.

"Surprise Apples!"

Haruto’s eyes lit up.

Of course he knew about them.

They could be considered a type of Special Preparation Ingredient, though in a very unusual sense.

"Surprise Apples are a really strange ingredient," Toriko explained, unaware that Haruto was already familiar with them. "Their flavor changes depending on how badly you scare them when they’re harvested."

"The greater the shock, the more delicious the apple becomes."

His explanation immediately caught Kagura and Kanna’s attention.

They had already encountered countless bizarre ingredients while traveling with Haruto, but even they had never heard of apples that became more delicious the more frightened they were.

"Thanks for inviting me, Toriko."

Haruto agreed without hesitation.

"I don’t have anything urgent to deal with anyway, so this is the perfect chance to see Surprise Apples for myself."

They were a rare and fascinating ingredient.

There was no reason to miss the opportunity.

Kagura and Kanna were clearly interested as well.

"Great!"

Toriko jumped to his feet.

"Then let’s leave now! I already arranged to meet Komatsu at the harbor!"

Haruto nodded.

After packing up their equipment, they first stopped by Toriko’s home to pick up Terry before heading to the port.

Some time later, the group arrived at a bustling harbor.

Massive tuna taller than a person lay stacked along the docks. Silver Octopuses shimmered inside enormous water tanks, while workers in heavy uniforms struggled to move crates of ingredients and cargo from place to place.

"Mr. Toriko! Mr. Haruto!"

Komatsu rose onto his toes and waved enthusiastically before hurrying over.

"It’s been a long time, Mr. Haruto!"

His attention then shifted curiously toward Kagura and Kanna standing behind Haruto.

"Are these two your companions?"

"Good to see you again too, Komatsu. And yes, they’re traveling with me."

Haruto smiled.

Kagura gave Komatsu a small nod in greeting, lightly fanning herself as the sea breeze curled around her.

Kanna stood beside her, quietly taking in the unfamiliar sights of the busy harbor.

After exchanging a few words, the group headed toward the boat.

Tom was already waiting aboard a speedboat and waved when he saw them.

"Everyone here? Then get aboard. The Surprise Festival is about to start."

One by one, they climbed onto the speedboat.

Plenty of food had already been prepared for the journey, ranging from whole roasted pigs to piles of fresh fruit.

Once everyone was aboard, Tom started the engine.

With a powerful roar, the speedboat surged forward, throwing up white spray as it raced across the brilliant blue sea.