Cities could be utterly wiped out.
Listening to Klein, Toriko and Komatsu both looked dumbfounded.
"This has got to be a joke, right?"
"Our world is merging with another world?"
Toriko felt like he was dreaming.
Wasn't this too absurd?
"But the truth is right in front of you."
Mobius chimed in at that moment.
Toriko fell silent.
Yeshe couldn't deny what was plainly visible.
"My boss sent me here with a task, I'm not sure exactly what it was... something about Gourmet Cells."
"Toriko-san, you're from that world."
"So could I ask you to cooperate with some research?"
"I've already collected the Gourmet Jellyfish."
"But I need samples to make comparisons for better research."
"And then you showed upperfect timing."
Mobius beamed with joy.
Toriko's sudden appearance was like a gift from heaven.
Wasn't this the perfect lab rat?
Hearing this, Toriko was left speechless.
Wait... boss?
He was confused.
This woman had a boss?
And she wanted to research Gourmet Cells?
Her boss must really know a lot about his world...
Was the research for the sake of humanity here?
"Alright."
"If it's to help the people of this world, then I'll cooperate."
If that was all, he had no reason to refuse.
Although the IGO also had Gourmet Cells, they were rare treasures.
Given how many people lived in this worldbillions,
it was worth contributing.
He wasn't fond of meaningless killing anyway.
And if Mobius just wanted cooperation for research,
there was no harm.
He couldn't go back to his world for now,
so he might as well take it one step at a time.
Mobius, seeing his agreement, nodded.
That made things easier.
If Toriko had refused,
she would've had to use powerful anesthetics.
Whether he'd survive being drained drywho knew?
Mobius and the others' ship soon returned to the Nakiri estate.
It landed directly at the mountain gate near the Nakiri household.
Nearby was Ttsuki Academy.
Although it was break season now,
students who could go home had already left,
and those who couldn't were staying in the dorms.
Due to the outbreak of Gourmet Beasts,
transportation in many places had broken down.
These creatures had begun to seriously disrupt everyday life.
Remaining at the academy was currently the safest choice.
Some students saw the descending spaceship with wide-eyed curiosity,
but no one dared approach.
Who knew what kind of big shots were inside?
As Mobius disembarked,
she noticed clear signs of battle nearby,
as well as remnants like stone spears.
No doubta Gourmet Beast had shown up here.
"Gentlemen, please follow me."
Klein spoke up,
prompting Toriko and Komatsu to follow.
She then walked behind Mobius and Velvie,
heading toward the main Nakiri residence.
As they neared it,
Mobius felt a surge of Honkai energy from within.
"That guy again... what's he up to this time?"
Mobius raised an eyebrow.
Her curiosity was piqued.
What was Takumi doing now?
Releasing such terrifying Honkai energy...
Toriko felt it tooan ancient, monstrous aura.
He instinctively swallowed.
Who or what was inside?
Still, they had no choice but to follow.
At that moment, Takumi was finishing up his work.
He had successfully created the weapon he envisioned.
Now, he was completing the final step.
Mobius and Velvie returned to find Takumi toying with a strange object.
They were both startled.
Especially Velvie.
"A God Key?"
She saw the cube, resembling the Void Archives.
Takumi was modifying a God Key?
"Miss Velvie, Miss Mobius, Miss Klein!"
"You're back!"
Seeing Mobius and Klein,
Alice's eyes lit up.
She quickly ran over.
"Perfect timingwe were just about to eat."
"You guyswait..."
"Blue hair... Toriko and Komatsu?"
Nakiri Alice instantly noticed the new arrivals Mobius had brought.
Others in the courtyard turned to look as well.
Seeing Toriko,
Kato Megumi and the others were stunned.
So people from another world were already showing up?
"We encountered them, so we brought them along."
"What's Takumi doing?"
Mobius gave a simple explanation,
then immediately asked the question on her mind,
her eyes fixed on Takumi's movements.
Right now, he was embedding his Authority Core into that cube.
What the hell?
Was he trying to forge the End God Key?
Chapter 171: Take It Away, Its Draining Me Dry!!
Takumi stuffed all of his Authority into the weapon in his hands.
Only after completing the final sealing process
did he finally consider the weapon finished.
Staring at it, a slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
With a thought, the weapon transformed into the form of the Void Archives.
Then it shifted againinto various other God Keys.
It even morphed into a Kamen Rider belt.
As long as the data was recorded, it could take any form of weapon imaginable.
"You crammed all your Authority cores into that thing?"
Velvie couldn't help leaning in.
Her eyes sparkled as she stared at the weapon.
In her eyes, it was nothing short of perfection.
She was practically drooling.
( ) Want!!
This weapon was simply too amazing.
"A weapon that can bear all my Authority."
"No one else can use it."
"Don't believe me? See for yourself."
Takumi handed the weapon to Velvie.
Curious, she took it
and instantly dropped it.
"()/"
"Who could possibly handle this?!"
Just holding it drained a tenth of her Honkai energy?
She wouldn't last more than a few seconds before being completely wrung out!
Takumi retrieved the weapon and grinned:
"After all, this thing contains all my Authority."
With that, he put it away.
Maybe someday, he'd embed a sentient cute girl inside.
Or toss Prometheus in there.
Then she'd essentially wield his full power.
A pseudo-Herrscher of the End.
Totally doable.
But Prometheus had other tasks.
Better to find a girl who could become a weapon herself.
Someone like Esther or Restia.
We'll see if the opportunity comes.
If not, he'd just keep using it like this.
Takumi stowed the weapon.
Then his eyes turned to Toriko.
"Huh? Toriko and Komatsu?"
"So people from the other world are showing up already?"
Seeing Mobius bring them in,
Takumi was surprised.
Toriko had already appeared?
"They suddenly manifested along with an island."
"I needed to study Gourmet Cells,"
"and he conveniently had them. So I brought him along."
Mobius explained with a cheery smile.
Takumi nodded.
Makes sense.
To Mobius, Toriko was prime research material.
A lab rat!
"Toriko, Komatsu, good to meet you."
"I assume they've already explained this world to you?"
Takumi greeted them.
Toriko looked at the man before him.
Honestly, that weapon from earlier had already shaken him.
He'd never seen something so terrifying.
Even the Gourmet God might kneel before this guy.
"H-Hello!"
Toriko was visibly tense.
Who wouldn't be?
This was his first time facing such an overwhelming powerhouse.
If it were someone he could eventually catch up to,
he wouldn't feel nervous.
But his instincts told him
this man was someone he could never reach,
not even in a lifetime.
Which made facing him even more daunting.
"You've realized this is another world, right?"
Hearing the question, Toriko and Komatsu nodded.
"Miss Klein explained everything when we arrived."
"So we understand the current situation."
As he said this, Toriko felt a bit helpless.
He never imagined their worlds would merge.
"Since you get it, I won't repeat myself."
"We need to study the nature of Gourmet Cells."
"So, Mr. Toriko, I'll need your cooperation shortly."
Takumi turned serious.
Now he understood why Mobius brought Toriko back.
Having someone with Gourmet Cells
would make her research a lot more efficient.
"Alright."
He had no intention of refusing.
So all he could do now was obediently comply.
"I need more equipment!"
"Get it ready now. I'll take him for blood tests."
Mobius immediately turned to Takumi with demands.
He shook his head.
"No rush."
"Let's eat first."
"The food's already prepared."
"And now that Toriko and Komatsu are here,"
"they should get a taste of this world's culinary skills."
"This world has plenty of cooking competitions too..."
"Though it's different from yours, it's still impressive."
One world was a normal Earth,
the other, a paradise of top-tier ingredients.
They were different,
but there was overlap.
Maybe they could exchange culinary knowledge.
Who knows?
He might even find some top-tier chefs here.
Mobius, thinking it over, agreed.
Let's eat first.
She was curious about the special ingredients too.
Takumi invited Toriko and Komatsu to join.
Seeing the dishes prepared, Toriko looked surprised.
They were beautifully crafted.
But upon smelling them, he raised an eyebrow.
Most were made from ordinary ingredients.
Only a few came from his world.
"Grilled Garlic Bird?"
"And that's Almond Cabbage?"
"Looks decent, though the seasoning could use work."
With just a whiff, Toriko understood the menu.
Alice knew Toriko came from another world,
and took his judgment seriously.
"Toriko-san, I look forward to learning from you."
"And Komatsu-san as well."
Toriko was a Gourmet Hunter,
but his sense of smell was absurdly sharp.
And he'd eaten countless ingredients.
This feast might not mean much to him,
but Alice still hoped to learn.
The world had changed drastically.
Perhaps a new era of gourmet cooking was dawning.
Hearing Alice, Komatsu quickly spoke up:
"N-No need to be so formal!"
"Let's just share culinary ideas."
"From the looks of it, everyone put a lot of heart into this meal."
As a Six-Star Chef,
Komatsu's skills were extraordinary.
But he never looked down on others.
Especially not in a different world.
Since cooking was respected here too,
it had to have its own merits.
Maybe this was a place for him to learn and grow.
"Komatsu is a Six-Star Chef in their world,"
"and a formidable one."
"If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask."
Takumi reminded everyone at the table.
Chapter 172: At Most Just a Blood Draw, Don't Be Afraid!
Komatsu is an incredibly skilled chef.
If you all aspire to become chefs, why aren't you taking this chance to ask him questions?
Use this opportunity.
Ask him anything you've been wanting to know.
It's a great way to improve your cooking skills.
Hearing Takumi's words, Nakiri Senzaemon's eyes immediately lit up.
If someone earned Takumi's praise, they must be truly exceptional, right?
Another extraordinary chef from another world?
Then they absolutely must seek his guidance.
Moreover, when it comes to these new-era ingredients, people from that world are more experienced.
Everyone sat together and began to enjoy the feast.
It must be said, the dishes prepared from these ingredients were genuinely delicious.
During this time, Toriko was eating with unstoppable enthusiasm.
He never wasted food!
So he single-handedly cleared nearly everything on the table.
In the end, Komatsu personally cooked up quite a bit more to finally satisfy Toriko's hunger.
And because of this, everyone got a real glimpse of Komatsu's remarkable cooking prowess.
These rare ingredients were like putty in Komatsu's hands.
Alice, Erina, and the others were left in awe.
Mobius even handed the Garara Gator over to Komatsu for cooking.
When she tasted that grade of ingredient, Mobius could instantly feel the benefits it brought.
The energy within her body was replenished.
"This stuff really is valuable!!"
"I've got to research it thoroughly."
"Toriko-san, are you full?"
"If you are, could you come with me to the lab?"
Mobius could hardly contain her excitement to examine Toriko.
Toriko didn't refuse.
He had already agreed to cooperate.
Might as well get it over with quickly.
Besides, after spending time with them, he understood that these people weren't bad.
They just wanted to learn more about Gourmet Cells.
No big deal.
Toriko didn't mind.
He was ready to cooperate fully.
"Alright!"
He agreed without hesitation.
Seeing this, Mobius immediately took Klein and headed for the ship.
Takumi had already handed her some equipment.
It was stored in her spatial gear.
Once they left, Takumi and the others continued enjoying the feast.
Komatsu glanced toward Toriko's departing figure, feeling a bit uneasy.
"Don't worry."
"Mobius is just going to draw some blood and extract a bit of genetic material."
"It's not a big deal."
Mobius only wanted to see how Gourmet Cells behave inside a human.
So she wasn't planning to do anything excessive.
She'd probably just draw blood, scan his body with a machine, and then send Toriko on his way.
It wouldn't take more than a few minutes.
Hearing this, Komatsu still looked worried but said no more.
After dinner, Nakiri Senzaemon immediately dragged Komatsu off to discuss cooking techniques.
Even started recording the session.
Alice and Erina followed along.
Only Takumi and the others remained in the courtyard.
Bronya and the others sat near Takumi, sipping drinks Komatsu had prepared.
Bronya glanced at Takumi.
"So we're just relaxing here like thisis that okay?"
"The old man's working, and here we are lounging around."
These points were too easy.
Show up and boompoints.
"It's fine."
"Things are stable for now."
"It's only the initial arrival phase."
"Or rather, things haven't really started yet."
"The group quest didn't give a time limit."
"We just wait it out."
"As long as we ensure this world's population isn't decimated, we're good."
That was their mission:
Prevent large-scale casualties in this world.
Frankly, the task was quite simple.
Takumi had already arranged everything he needed to.
Now, it was just a matter of waiting.
Until the two worlds fully merged.
