"We're finally here… Toriko Harbor."
Akira stood at the edge of the cliff in his human form, arms crossed as he looked down at the sprawling city below.
The sea glittered under the sun.
Massive ships lined the docks.
Even from this height, the wind carried the rich, mouth-watering scent of countless foods being prepared.
Erika leaned forward slightly, her shoulder brushing against his.
"It's huge…"
Nakiri Erina stood a step behind them, arms wrapped around herself in silence, thinking how this bustling city from another world looked strangely modern yet completely alien.
Akira stretched his arms once.
"Anyway, let's go. I can't waste too much time here."
Erika glanced at him.
"Are you not turning into your wolf form?"
"Can't just transform in front of random people," Akira replied with a shrug. "We'll have to do this the normal way."
Erika raised an eyebrow.
"So… we're walking?"
"Not necessarily."
Akira spotted an incoming truck loaded with crates of ingredients.
He waved it down with casual confidence.
"Excuse me, sir! Can we get a ride?"
The kind-hearted ingredients truck driver, after a quick explanation, let them hitch a ride on the back of the truck.
As the vehicle rumbled down the winding road toward the harbor, Akira pulled out his phone and began typing rapidly.
Erina noticed immediately.
"…Your phone works here? Mine has no signal."
Akira didn't look up.
"Mine's special. I made it with advanced science, magic, and custom hardware. Connecting to another world's network is a basic function."
Erina blinked.
"What else can it do?"
Erika smiled softly and leaned her head against Akira's shoulder.
"Does it turn into a robot and attack?"
Akira chuckled.
"Not yet. But it's basically a compact supercomputer. I can hack into almost any high-tech device or network with it."
Erika asked,
"So what are you doing now?"
"Trying to hack into their network to set up some identification and bank accounts for us," Akira replied. "But it looks like it's going to take some time."
Erika tilted her head.
"Is there a problem?"
"Basically, to create anything official, you first need a Gourmet ID," Akira explained. "Without it, it's really hard."
Erina frowned.
"Gourmet ID? Seriously?"
Akira nodded.
"Yeah. In this world, the Gourmet ID is basically like DNA verification held by the IGO. It records everything from birth to the present—every ingredient you've eaten, even how many bites you took. It's all recorded there. It's important here."
Erina looked skeptical.
"Is it even possible for something like that to exist?"
Akira answered,
"Apparently, when they update it, they scan the details stored in your brain…"
Erina still looked doubtful.
"Can you even make that?"
"I could," Akira said, "but it would take a while. Not sure I want to waste that much time here."
Selena's voice suddenly echoed in their minds.
"Brother, you can just buy them in the store, you know?"
Akira blinked.
"Really?"
Selena replied,
"Yes. Utilities section. I added it for situations like this."
Akira opened his system and checked.
Sure enough, there it was.
[Utilities]
Gourmet ID – 10 Star Credits
He muttered,
"It says it will connect us to IGO data and fill in the missing information with random but authentic details… That's convenient. But why 10 Star Credits?"
Erina asked,
"Is 10 Star Credits expensive?"
"Not really," Akira replied, "but Star Credits are hard to earn. With 80, I could get a Kyber Crystal, and 15 gets me Silphium seeds."
Erina's eyes widened.
"Wait—you can got Silphium?"
Akira casually pulled out a small bottle from his inventory and tossed it to her.
"Actually, I already revived it yesterday. I even gave some to your grandfather as a gift today. Here, you can have this one."
Erina caught the bottle, staring at it like a holy relic.
"…I can't believe it's real."
Akira shrugged.
"Anyway, about the Gourmet ID… guess we have no choice. I'll just buy them for us."
Erika smiled.
"I'll buy mine myself."
Akira started to protest, but Erika gently squeezed his hand.
"I haven't used any of my Star Credits yet. Let me do this."
"…Fine," Akira said. "Then I'll buy it for me and Erina."
Erina immediately shook her head.
"I don't need it. Don't waste it on me."
Akira raised an eyebrow.
"What, you want to go to jail in another world?"
Erina opened her mouth to argue, but Akira cut her off with a casual wave.
"Don't worry. You're here because of me, and you're technically my fiancée, so I have to take responsibility."
That single sentence made both Erika and Erina freeze for a moment.
Akira, completely oblivious to the weight of his words, simply completed the purchase and handed Erina her card.
"Here. Your Gourmet ID."
Erina took it hesitantly, cheeks slightly flushed.
"…Thanks."
Akira had already gone back to his phone, as if nothing had happened.
"…Now let me see if I can fix these account settings."
Erika looked at him for a moment.
"Why is this idiot always like this…"
She sighed.
Then, without saying anything, she leaned closer and slipped her hand into his.
Akira absentmindedly held it back while continuing to work.
Erika's expression softened slightly.
Erina looked between them—
And for some reason, that bothered her.
Just then, the truck passed through the gates of Toriko Harbor.
The truck passed through the harbor gates and continued straight into the busiest district of the city.
The Central Gourmet Wholesale Market—
More commonly known as World Kitchen.
A massive bazaar covering a total area of 3,000 hectares, where ingredients from all over the world were bought and sold.
Rows of warehouses, stalls, auction halls, and open markets stretched in every direction.
Workers pushed carts loaded with giant vegetables.
Weird beasts the size of carriages were dragged across the stone pavement.
Spice smoke filled the air.
The truck finally stopped beside a loading platform stacked with crates.
The driver hopped down and waved toward a large man checking inventory sheets nearby.
"Tom! Delivery's here!"
A tall, muscular man in a yellow GOURMET cap looked up.
"Took you long enough."
Tom adjusted his purple-rimmed glasses above the scar over his left eye.
"Road was crowded," the driver replied with a laugh.
Workers began unloading the cargo.
Once the last crate was down, the driver turned and pointed toward Akira's group.
"Oh, and one more thing."
He grinned.
"Picked these three up on the road. They're new here and looking to sell ingredients."
Tom looked the three of them over.
"…Kids?"
Akira stood between Erika and Erina, completely unbothered.
"Not exactly."
He folded his arms.
"But don't worry about that. I've got ingredients to sell. Will you buy?"
Tom grinned.
"If the quality's real, I'll buy it."
Then he looked Akira over once more.
"So… you a new Gourmet Hunter? You look awfully young."
Akira nodded once.
"I am Hoshino Akira. A researcher and a Gourmet Hunter."
He gestured to the girl on his right.
"That's Sendo Erika. My assistant and girlfriend."
Then to the girl on his left.
"And that's Nakiri Erina. A novice chef… and my fiancée."
Tom nodded automatically.
"Yeah, nice to mee—"
He froze.
"…Wait."
His eyes widened.
"…What did you just say?"
CRUNCH.
Both girls stomped directly onto Akira's feet.
"Ouch… why am I being punished?"
Akira winced dramatically, rubbing both feet as if the stomps had crushed them.
Both girls glared at him.
Akira coughed.
Then straightened immediately and forcefully changed the subject.
"But don't worry about that, anyway. About the ingredients."
Tom looked at the trio for a moment longer, then sighed.
"Kids these days…"
He folded his arms.
"Fine. Show me the goods."
Akira nodded once toward Erika.
Erika stepped forward calmly.
Then, with a small motion of her hand—
With a shimmer of light, a spatial gate opened above them, and a full Flyer Duck dropped neatly onto the ground.
The nearby workers froze.
Several people turned to stare.
Tom's eyes narrowed.
"…How did you store something that large?"
Akira answered casually.
"One of her techniques. Don't worry about it."
Tom gave him a long look.
Gourmet Hunters often had strange abilities.
And asking too deeply about another hunter's secrets was poor manners.
So he crouched beside the Flyer Duck instead.
He checked the feathers.
The eyes.
The flesh.
Pressed the meat once.
Then paused.
"…Even though it's dead, this thing is still incredibly fresh. And it's barely damaged too."
He stood up.
"At this quality… I'll pay 35,000 yen per 100 grams."
The nearby workers froze.
Erina blinked.
"…Per 100 grams?"
Tom nodded.
Akira looked at the giant Flyer Duck.
Then smiled.
"Sure."
Then he added,
"So… what about the rest?"
Tom frowned.
"…Rest?"
Akira glanced at Erika again.
She raised her hand.
And more things dropped from the inventory.
Then the market floor began filling with ingredients.
More Flyer Ducks.
Crab Pigs.
White Apples.
Sharkenodons.
Five-Tailed Giant Eagles.
And stacks of even rarer produce.
A growing pile of beasts and ingredients formed a small mountain.
The entire loading area went silent.
Someone dropped a crate.
Tom stared.
"…What kind of monsters are you kids?"
A short while later—
Akira walked through World Kitchen with Erika and Erina at his side.
He looked at the total in his account and grinned.
"Hehehe… we got rich in this world too."
As they walked through the crowded lanes of World Kitchen, Erina leaned in, staring at the number on the account display.
"I still can't believe it… those ingredients were worth that much."
Akira shrugged.
"In this world? Food is everything. The tastier and rarer something is, the more expensive it is."
Erika looked at the balance and was also stunned, but at this point, she was already used to absurd things like this.
Akira clapped once.
"Alright. We split it three ways."
Both girls stopped.
"…What?" Erina asked.
Erika frowned.
"But you hunted everything yourself."
Erina nodded reluctantly.
"She's right. You did all the work."
Akira looked offended.
"What do you mean I did all the work? It was teamwork."
He pointed at Erika.
"Erika stored every catch perfectly. No bruising, no spoilage, no damage. That alone raised the value."
Erika blinked.
"…Oh."
Then Erina crossed her arms.
"And me?"
Akira looked at her.
"You were bait."
Silence.
"…I beg your pardon?" Erina said dangerously.
Akira continued calmly.
"If you weren't screaming that loudly the whole ride, how would we have attracted so many beasts?"
Erina's eye twitched.
"…You."
STOMP.
Her heel slammed into the pavement.
Akira waved it off.
"Anyway, teamwork."
Then he transferred the money equally between the three accounts.
Erika glanced at him, but said nothing.
She already knew this was exactly the kind of thing he would do.
Erina stared at the new balance in disbelief.
"…You're seriously giving me this?"
Akira shrugged.
"It's just money. We can earn more."
Then he stretched and looked deeper into the market.
"Now, we need ingredients that can be replanted back home. Some useful gadgets. And definitely a car."
Erika tilted her head.
"…A car?"
Akira nodded seriously.
"Yes. I refuse to keep being public transportation."
Erika hugged his arm closer.
"But I like riding you though."
She smiled sweetly.
"You're big and fluffy."
Akira coughed.
"…I don't mind for short distances."
Then his expression turned serious.
"But Biotope 8 is far."
"…Biotope 8?" Erina asked.
Akira nodded as they walked.
"That's where Rainbow Fruit is."
Before she could ask more, the market crowd thickened around them.
Workers rushed past with carts.
Merchants shouted prices.
A giant fish tail nearly smacked someone in the face.
Erina hesitated for one second—
And was immediately swallowed by the moving crowd.
Then a hand caught hers.
She looked up.
Akira had grabbed her without even slowing down.
"Stay close," he said casually.
"I'm not searching the market for you if you get lost."
Erina stiffened for a second, surprised by the casual protective gesture.
She almost pulled away…
But didn't.
After everything that had happened, the small act felt strangely reassuring.
"I wasn't going to get lost… I'm not a child," she muttered, though her voice lacked its usual sharpness.
Akira just shrugged.
"Never said you were. Just making sure we don't lose you."
Erika glanced back at them with a sigh, but didn't comment.
She simply leaned a little closer to Akira as they continued walking through the bustling market.
Akira walked while holding Erika's hand in one and Erina's in the other.
Some bystanders gave them strange looks—
But he didn't care.
World Kitchen only became more chaotic the deeper they went.
Rows of ingredient stalls stretched endlessly in every direction.
Silver King Crabs the size of trucks.
Huge shrimp-fish.
Countless strange ingredients everywhere.
Akira looked around with obvious excitement.
"Alright," he said. "We've got money now. Let's see what this place has to offer."
Even Erina slowed down for a moment.
Stacks of Cream Mushrooms towered beside baskets of Peach Potatoes.
Golden Carrots gleamed under the market lights.
Strawberrice gave off a warm, sweet fragrance.
Rows of Almond Cabbage, Cabbecheese, and Cartilage Cabbage filled entire stalls.
Nearby, Soda Watermelons fizzed softly in crates while Soft-Boiled Eggoes rested in padded trays.
Produce she had never seen in any kitchen, market, or research text.
"…What kind of place is this…?"
Akira immediately reached for the nearest Almond Cabbage.
"Not that one."
Erina slapped his hand away and pointed at another.
"This is better."
Akira frowned.
"They all look the same."
"They do not."
She lifted another one from the pile.
"Oh, heavy… anyway, this one has tighter layers, better weight, and fresher moisture retention."
Akira stared.
"…You have the God Tongue, right? Help me smell better ones here."
Erina crossed her arms.
"I have the God Tongue. Not the God Nose."
Akira pointed at the stall.
"You still know more than me about ingredients and food, so help me out."
Erina looked away.
"…Fine. But I'm only helping because I feel bad eating low-quality things."
She huffed.
"Don't get the wrong idea!"
Akira looked at her.
"Wow… that's a perfect tsundere line."
From then on, she took over half the shopping.
They stopped at the first promising stall.
A large basket of pale, glossy mushrooms caught Akira's eye.
"These look good," he said, picking one up. "Cream Mushrooms?"
Erina leaned in despite herself.
She took the mushroom from his hand, examined it carefully, and gave a small, reluctant nod.
"…This one has better balance. The texture looks firmer. It'll hold up better when cooked. The one next to it is slightly overripe."
At the Peach Potatoes, Erina picked the ones with the deepest color, saying they would have better sweetness when baked.
At the Golden Carrots, she rejected several bundles, pointing out ones with brighter, more uniform gold.
At the Strawberrice, she smelled a handful and nodded.
"These have a stronger aroma. Better for desserts."
Almond Cabbage, Cabbecheese, Cartilage Cabbage, Soda Watermelon, Soft-Boiled Eggoes—
Erina gave short, professional comments on each, even while clearly overwhelmed by the sheer variety and absurdity of the market.
Even if some of it was mostly educated guesswork.
Thanks to her, Akira managed to get some great ingredients.
Meanwhile—
Erika had discovered the dessert lane.
She returned with a cup of chilled cream pudding and held out a spoon.
"Say Ahh."
"Ahhh." Akira did without question, letting her feed him.
A moment later, he came back with an oversized milkshake, took a sip, then offered it to her.
Erika smiled and drank from the same straw.
Then she noticed cream at the corner of his mouth.
Without hesitation, she wiped it away with her thumb.
A few stalls later, the two of them were leaning shoulder to shoulder while choosing fruit.
Erina's eye twitched.
"Why are they like this in public? Do they not feel embarrassment?"
And for some reason, looking at them made her feel strangely irritated.
Akira and Erika continued without noticing her mood, making her feel like an official third wheel.
But she said nothing.
Arms full of ingredients, bags, and snacks, the three continued through the market.
For a moment—
It almost felt like an ordinary shopping trip.
Then—
From somewhere in the distance—
A frantic voice shouted,
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?! RAINBOW FRUIT?!"