A Father's Duty

Komatsu then took off with the ingredients and brought out a chopping board on his backpack and started cutting the ingredients carefully and started prepping the other ingredients. He then took out the seasonings on his back and Toriko stopped him.

"Komatsu, Aimaru is a gourmet knight, they don't approve man-made seasonings, its against their docrine." He said while Aimaru gave him a nod as thanks for reminding the young chef.

Meanwhile Noctis is on the branch he slept and watched Komatsu prepping the ingredients.

'He's quite fast. Good foundation. Fast but not hurried. Its like he calmed down when holding a knife. Looks like he's going to grind the other ingredients to powder and become the seasonings.' Noctis thought as he watched Komatsu prepare the ingredients. Komatsu then went to his huge backpack and took a pan.

'Is he a mobile kitchen? Seriously?' Noctis thought.

Komatsu is in a dilemma since he can't find a substitute for oil and that's when Noctis threw a pouch towards Komatsu. The contents of the pouch was the leftover meat from the beef jerky he made yesterday that was resting in his storage space.

Komatsu was surprised about the incoming pouch but he caught it but almost fell to the ground. He was about to thank the one who threw it but when he saw that it was Noctis who threw the pouch he became afraid. He then promised himself to make a breakfast to the best of his abilities so that Aimaru won't eat him or won't be killed by Noctis.

Komatsu then started focusing as he used his knife and separated the fats from the meat and threw it into the pan, soon the meat got dehydrated and the fats dissolved and turned into oil. Komatsu then removed the fat and started stir-frying the ingredients.

After an hour, Komatsu made a hotpot for everyone and invited them to eat. He was shaking because he fears that they won't like his dish. Before eating Toriko said his trademark phrase.

"I give thanks to all of the ingredients in this world, Ittadakimasu!"(or thanks for the food.)

They started eating their share while Toriko demolished the hotpot. Noctis didn't need to eat much and Aimaru only ate a little and Toriko took the rest for himself.

Komatsu waited for their reaction and he could only see Toriko's reaction as he happily ate the food in quick succession while Noctis and Aimaru were taking their time. Soon the breakfast was finished and Komatsu is still waiting for their reactions but didn't get one and became afraid that Aimaru will really eat him.

"Don't take what they said seriously. Aimaru won't eat you, he's a bean stalk." Toriko said as he fired off a cheap shot revenge for earlier.

"As for Noctis... Good luck, man." Toriko said and Komatsu became pale as if he lost his life. And Toriko laughed seeing Komatsu's reaction.

"I don't take life without a reason, same as you. If I'm not mistaken based on Aimaru's description of you, you don't kill things if you're not going to eat them." Noctis said as Komatsu finally calmed down while Toriko just rubbed his nose with a finger.

"Of course, what's the point in killinGif you're not going to eat them." Toriko said with a grin on his face.

"Now that that's out of the way, shall we get going?" Noctis said as Toriko gave a small nod and Komatsu started packing his stuff.

Since Noctis has a storage space, he didn't have to rely on bags since he could just store them in there.

Noctis then took the reins on one of the girapple while Toriko and Komatsu took the other one. Toriko then took the lead as Noctis followed them.

It took them 30 minutes before they got out of the forest. Toriko and Noctis jumped down from the girapple and removed their reins before letting them go back to the wild.

"I owe you both a favor and consider this as part of my thanks." Noctis said and threw a syringe to Toriko containing the Honeyblood. Toriko caught the syringe and was confused why the syringe but when his keen sense of smell picked up the faint sweetness from the syringe, he immediately started drooling.

"Toriko-san what's that in the syringe?" Komatsu asked and Toriko is about to answer but was cut off by Noctis.

"Its a honeyblood from the Honeybear." He said and Komatsu's eyes widened hearing the words out of his mouth and understood the reason why Toriko is drooling.

While they were talking, a car pulled up and men in black suits arrived and blocked their path.

Toriko, of course knew who they were. They were from the IGO.

"Toriko-san, we would like to employ you to fetch an ingredient in one of our biotope." The man said and it confused Komatsu while Noctis is intrigued.

"What ingredient is it?" Toriko asked.

"Rainbow fruit has m.a.t.u.r.ed." Was all he said and it shocked Komatsu nearby.

"Rainbow fruit?!" He said in surprise and looked over to Toriko who's drooling like mad.

"Rainbow fruit! Let's get it!" He said enthusiastically.

"May I know who they are?" Asked the man in black while looking at Noctis and Komatsu.

"Don't worry Johannes, there with me." He said. Noctis was about to separate from them but thought about scanning the rainbow fruit after all, its a legendary ingredient and is only grown inside the IGO's garden or so called biotopes.

The nectar of the rainbow fruit is said to be so concentrated that just a single drop could turn a whole 25-meter pool into a huge bowl of fruit juice. Combined with alcohol, Rainbow Fruit juice is called "Rainbow C.o.c.ktail", and it is widely revered and sought after by bartenders far and wide

"I guess I'll tag along. Hey, Komatsu. Do you think honeyblood would complement the rainbow fruit?" Noctis asked, he needs to intake the honeyblood as soon as possible so that he'll experience the evolution of his cells and was curious about his gourmet demons. He hasn't been able to project his gourmet cells at all and could only use its aura as intimidation

"Y-yes! I think they are pretty suitable with each other." Komatsu said after thinking about it.

"Then what're we waiting for?! Let's go!" Toriko exclaimed after wiping the drool off of his face.

They then went to the car and started going on a journey. It took them two hours in car ride before they reached a big wall with number 8 on it.

"We're here on the 8th biotope." Johannes said as they stared at the huge wall blocking their path.

On the way, Johannes explained why they need Toriko's service. The rainbow fruit is guarded by a gorilla type species, the king of gorillas, Troll kong. The troll kongs are carnivorous so they won't eat the rainbow fruit but they use it as bait for the animals unlucky enough to be charmed by the rainbow fruit's enchanting aroma.

'How presumptuous to be calling itself a king. I'm pretty sure Irene in her dragon form would use those guys as snacks.' Noctis thought.

They got down from the car and Johannes was about to ask for permission from the top heads of IGO when a loud thundering sound could be heard from inside the wall.

"Drumming huh. An act of intimidation from the Gorillas." Noctis said and Toriko nodded. He couldn't wait for the pass from the heads of IGO so he stood in front of the wall and used 3-hits Kugi punch in it. The wall got pierced by the strength of his punch and collapsed as they went inside.

Toriko took the lead since he knows the way around like his own backyard and slid down when he fell in the sandpit before a troll kong appeared with boulders in its hands and threw it to Toriko who's stuck in the pithole.

Komatsu got scared when he saw it as he couldn't move.

Not wasting anymore time, Noctis took the wooden katana in his storage and struck the Troll kong with its tip. He then followed up by knocking the troll kong but since its his first time using knocking on this one he used it to get a feel on its points and he struck once more with the wooden sword and hit the nerve of the Troll kong to paralyze it.

Toriko then jumped from the pithole with knocking gun on his hand but found that the troll kong is already paralyzed. He then stared at Noctis in amazement.

'He knows knocking, huh. A sword user as well? I could feel he is strong but I felt that what he showed just now is just the tip of his skills.' Toriko thought.

If Noctis was about to hear what's on Toriko's mind he would reply that it wasn't even the tip yet.

"Let's go, that guy won't be able to move for a while. And I can see that it's not strong. So much for calling himself the King of Gorilla." Noctis said in disdain.

"Its just the scout of the pack." Toriko said and Komatsu widened his eyes.

"Scout?! This guy is only the scout?!" He shrieked which annoyed me a little bit.

"You'll know when we get there." Toriko said as they continued walking on their path.