Chapter 110
Haruto watched Toriko’s battle without moving any closer.
His gaze swept across the surroundings and soon found Komatsu hiding behind a large tree.
Despite his youthful appearance, Komatsu was actually the same age as Toriko.
Haruto studied him for a few moments before shifting his attention to a strange device hovering in midair.
After briefly examining it, he looked back toward the center of the clearing.
Toriko’s entire body radiated an overwhelming presence.
A terrifying figure seemed to loom faintly behind him, while a metallic sound rang out as he rubbed his hands together.
He was clearly preparing to use his real strength and finish the Garara Gator.
The beast, however, remained completely unaware of the danger.
All eight of its massive legs pushed against the ground at once, their thick muscles tightening as its enormous body exploded forward with a speed that seemed impossible for something so large.
Like a dark-red cannonball, it launched itself at Toriko and opened its gigantic jaws, rows of pale fangs ready to swallow him whole.
Toriko remained perfectly calm.
Without the slightest trace of panic, he spoke in a low, solemn voice.
"Thanks for the meal!"
The instant the words left his mouth, Toriko stamped against the ground and slipped to the side, avoiding the Garara Gator’s charge.
In the next moment, he appeared beside it.
Before the beast could react, Toriko curled the five fingers of his left hand and drove them deep into its abdomen with all his strength.
"Fork!"
The impact erupted through the Garara Gator’s body and launched the massive creature into the air.
Toriko immediately brought the fingers of his right hand together and raised his arm high above his head, the muscles swelling before he slashed downward.
"Knife!"
The Garara Gator’s enormous body traced an arc through the air before crashing into the ground with tremendous force.
It did not move again.
"That was incredible!"
Komatsu stared at Toriko in astonishment.
He already knew Toriko was powerful, but seeing him defeat such a colossal Garara Gator so easily still felt almost unbelievable.
The fierce presence surrounding Toriko gradually faded.
He walked over to the motionless beast, pressed his hands together, and bowed slightly, offering the ingredient his purest gratitude.
"Thank you for the meal."
Only then did Toriko turn toward Haruto, who had been watching from the edge of the clearing.
He had noticed Haruto’s scent some time ago.
However, Haruto had merely observed the battle and shown no intention of interfering, so Toriko could tell he meant no harm.
The fact that he had stayed instead of leaving still made Toriko curious.
"Who are you?"
It was only after Toriko spoke that Komatsu belatedly noticed Haruto’s presence.
Haruto glanced at the fallen Garara Gator before returning his attention to Toriko.
"I’m Suzuki Haruto, a chef. I also work as a Gourmet Hunter when I’m searching for ingredients."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"And you must be Toriko, one of the Four Heavenly Kings. You captured that Garara Gator with incredible ease. You’re even stronger than the stories say."
The enormous Garara Gator before them was the finest ingredient on Baron Archipelago.
Most of the other creatures had either been devoured by the island’s ruler or driven to the outer regions.
Haruto could still gather a few things if he remained here, but the rewards would not be especially great.
He had already decided to hitch a ride away from the archipelago.
"A chef and a Gourmet Hunter?"
Toriko rubbed his chin and nodded in understanding.
That combination was hardly unusual.
Plenty of chefs possessed strength equal to that of professional Gourmet Hunters, while many powerful Gourmet Hunters were excellent cooks themselves.
"But why did you come all the way to Baron Archipelago alone?" Toriko asked.
The archipelago lay far out at sea.
Garara Gator meat was certainly delicious, but plenty of ingredients elsewhere could rival it, so few Gourmet Hunters normally bothered traveling this far.
"I heard that the ecosystem on Baron Archipelago had changed, so I suspected a rare ingredient might have appeared and came to investigate. I didn’t expect to arrive just as you were hunting the Garara Gator."
Haruto’s explanation mixed truth with fiction, and he delivered it naturally enough to leave no obvious flaws.
Toriko did not doubt him. It was a perfectly reasonable motive for a Gourmet Hunter.
He immediately burst into hearty laughter.
"So you came here for the Garara Gator too!"
Toriko looked over the beast’s mountain-like body, then warmly extended an invitation.
"Since we happened to meet, why don’t you taste it with us? You don’t get the chance to eat something this good every day!"
Haruto blinked, not expecting Toriko to invite a complete stranger to share such a valuable ingredient.
His surprise lasted only a moment before he nodded without hesitation.
"Then I’ll gladly accept. Thank you for the invitation."
There was no reason to act overly reserved around someone as straightforward as Toriko.
Besides, Haruto had been dying to learn what Garara Gator tasted like.
He might not be able to claim the creature for himself, but tasting it would still make the journey worthwhile.
"Hahaha! Food always tastes better when you share it with other people!"
Toriko laughed loudly and slapped Haruto on the shoulder.
Komatsu, who had been listening nearby, hesitantly tugged at Toriko’s sleeve.
"Toriko-san, is this really all right?"
"The IGO hired us to capture the Garara Gator for a banquet. We can’t just eat it here, can we?"
Komatsu looked deeply conflicted, unsure what they were supposed to do.
Toriko glanced at him and waved dismissively.
"Relax, Komatsu. There’s no way we could transport a Garara Gator this large in one piece anyway."
In truth, an organization as powerful as the IGO would hardly struggle to obtain ingredients for a banquet.
Toriko believed the real purpose of the assignment was to investigate the strange changes occurring across Baron Archipelago.
He had only accepted because he wanted to taste the Garara Gator.
What he did not know was that one of the mission’s main purposes was to arrange his first meeting with Komatsu.
Komatsu looked up at the enormous carcass, which resembled a small hill.
Its thick legs, heavy armor, and densely packed muscles made its tremendous weight obvious at a glance.
Toriko was right.
They could never carry the entire creature away as they were.
In that case, eating a small portion should not interfere with completing the assignment.
Once Komatsu reached that conclusion, the conflict in his eyes disappeared, replaced by a chef’s enthusiasm for the ingredient.
"Then I’ll help prepare it!"
"I’ll lend a hand too," Haruto said.
The three of them began dismantling the Garara Gator, removing its scales and organs before cutting the carcass into manageable sections.
Once the butchering was finished, Komatsu sliced off a large piece of tail meat, its delicate marbling resembling fresh frost, and placed it over the campfire.
The flames crackled brightly, casting an orange glow across the forest at night.
Moonlight slipped between the branches and coated the roasting meat in a gentle silver sheen.
Before long, the Garara Gator tail was fully cooked.
Komatsu handled his kitchen knife with practiced skill, cutting the roasted meat into evenly sized steaks.
Clear fat shimmered throughout the tender pink flesh, giving each piece a smooth, jewel-like appearance.
Toriko picked up one of the steaks and held it beneath the moonlight. His eyes shone, and drool slowly ran from the corner of his mouth.
"Look at this! The marbled fat sparkles under the moonlight!"
"It’s like a sky full of shining stars," Komatsu said, staring at the translucent steak in admiration.
Meat of this quality was extraordinarily rare.
"It really is beautiful," Haruto agreed.
"Just looking at it is enough to make me hungry."
The rich fragrance of grilled meat curled around his nose, completely awakening his appetite as his stomach gave a faint growl.
"Thanks for the meal!"
Toriko could no longer restrain himself.
He shouted eagerly and bit into the entire steak, devouring the massive slice within moments.
Then he narrowed his eyes in bliss.
"Delicious! That chew, that texture... It’s incredible!"
Haruto and Komatsu each picked up a steak of their own.
"Thanks for the meal."
Haruto took a large bite.
An overwhelming flood of juices burst across his tongue and flowed smoothly down his throat.
The meat had a satisfying bite without the slightest trace of dryness.
Its rich fat melted across his tongue, carrying the deep, luxurious flavor of the finest marbled beef along with the delicate sweetness and freshness of deep-sea crab.
The layers of flavor seemed almost endless, making every bite an extraordinary pleasure.
Haruto could feel every Gourmet Cell in his body cheering.
Komatsu looked just as delighted.
"It practically melts in your mouth. It’s so tender, juicy, and flavorful... This is outstanding!"