Chapter 4

Narration: It has been said that there is ice cream made out of a special kind of a sweet nectar. The nectar stabilizes the ice cream to an extent it will never melt. And one lick of it is cold like the artic. Artic Ice Cream. And that there is coal mines where miners would dig constantly for fossils filled with exotic pieces of caramel. Caramel Fossils. This is the Gourmet Age. Where people hunt for culinary delights.

Last Time: Zoltik finally went face to face in the clutches of the dreaded Rainbow Snake. Nearly losing his life, Zoltik was able to defeat the beast. After enjoying a victory feast with Ryou, Zoltik suggests that they partner together. Now a new threat awaits them as they work together.

The Mysterious Hunter. His Trophy

Ryou and Zoltik were at the market looking for rare and exquisite foods. At least they were supposed to be looking together. Ryou was looking while Zoltik was eating. Zoltik feasted on a giant hamburger topped with fish, chicken meat, and giant pepperoni slices.

" Hmmmm." Ryou pondered while he tapped his chin looking at all the food displayed in front of him—goat cheese, avocadoes, wheat bread—their exterior's looked good on the outside but it was the taste and how it savored that mattered. " I wonder what I should get."

" Hey, Ryou, look at this," Zoltik said behind. " Check this out. It's so convenient."

Ryou looked behind and saw Zoltik standing in front of a fish restaurant. Zoltik walked into the fish restaurant without haste. Ryou followed Zoltik and walked into the fish restaurant. Ryou shrugged and walked into the restaurant after Zoltik.

Inside he saw Zoltik sitting by a counter where bowls of fish moved on a conveyor belt. Zoltik grabbed pieces of fish and swallowed them whole in one gulp. After swallowing the fish, he then turned his head around and waved to Ryou.

" Hey, get over her and dine with me. This stuff is great."

" Ah, okay."

Ryou slowly walked to the counter of the fish restaurant preparing to join Zoltik eating. By the time he reached the counter Zoltik had already ate over fifty fish dishes. When Ryou finally reached the counter he saw Zoltik with a giant piece of fish in his mouth and a pile of plates.

" He is such a glut," Ryou thought after watching Zoltik eat. " Isn't he afraid of getting fat? Then again, he did look fat a couple of times but every time he just lost all that weight. How does he do it?"

" Mmmmmmmm." Zoltik rubbed his stomach savoring the fish. " That was good."

" So I guess you're done now?"

" Nope. I haven't even begun to start eating."

One Minute Later

Ryou's eyes bulged out as he stared at Zoltik. He only had two plates of fish, but Zoltik had over one-hundred 'n' fifty plates of fish. Just like every other time Zoltik's belly was bulged and he licked his lips. And just like every other time, his belly returned to normal.

"What is that?" Zoltik said out of nowhere.

" Huh? What is what, Zoltik? I don't hear anything."

" There's something coming outside. I got to go!"

Zoltik quickly turned around and ran out of the restaurant. As he left, Ryou went to chase after him. " Zoltik, wai—"

" Hold it!" The chef behind the counter shouted. He quickly ran in front of Ryou with the bill in his hands. " You still have to pay for your one-hundred 'n' fifty-two pieces of fish."

" WHAT?! HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO PAY FOR THAT?!"

Outside

Zoltik had a very powerful nose. He could smell anything from nearly fifty miles away. And his ears were as powerful as his nose. Zoltik ran too where the sound was coming from. He heaved while running, stopped to catch his breath, then ran back to where the noise was coming from.

Zoltik finally reached the spot where the sound was coming from. Before him he saw an animal on a stick being spectated by a group of men. It was cultivating how they had such a creature. It was a boar, its fur was black, had four horns for tusks, was the size of a large house, and had eight eyes. Zoltik recognised it now. It was a creature from the Gourmet world.

Mountain Boar

Capture Level: 55

Status: A large warthog stronger than a mountain and has skin stronger than iron. It lives in rainless terrain and lies alone. Most who go searching for one die of dehydration.

" Look at that," one man said. " What is it?"

" It's so big," a woman gasped while looking at the giant boar.

" Who could have stumbled on something so big?" A second man said.

" Woah," Zoltik awed at the giant boar. " Whoever got this must be very strong."

" Or maybe he just got lucky," someone said behind Zoltik. " How else can you find such a beast if you didn't have any luck?"

Zoltik turned around and saw a man standing behind him. Not much could be said about him, he had a black raincoat over his face, and the only thing that could be seen was his nose. The man intrigued Zoltik. Everything about him was intriguing.

" Hey, do I know you?" Zoltik asked.

" I highly doubt it. But I can tell just by looking at you that you're a Gourmet Hunter. Here's a little advice: don't go into the Gourmet World until you've learned what your one weakness is."

" Weakness? What do you mean by weakness?"

" Goodbye."

The man disappeared in front of Zoltik's eyes. Zoltik blinked seeing the man disappeared, then he looked at the boar and saw it being carried away by a bunch of men. What just happened confused Zoltik, but he just shrugged at it.

" Okay. So what is this weakness he was talking abou—"

" Zoltik!" Ryou shouted. " Zoltik, hey!"

Zoltik turned around and saw Ryou running towards him. He was panting, grabbed his chest, and wheezed through his mouth. Zoltik had no understanding of his previous actions and just blinked looking at Ryou.

" Oh hey, Ryou. I was wondering where you went off too. What took you so long to get here?"

" You left me with the bill!" Ryou shouted. " How am I suppose to pay off 5389 Yen? I'm going have to sell everything that I own!"

" Tough noodles, bro. What are we going to do no—"

" Zoltik." Both Zoltik and his partner Ryou shuddered at the sound of another man's voice. They turned around and saw a man wearing a black suit with short brown hair and was wearing black sunglasses over his eyes. " Zoltik, I'm here from the IGO Corporation. We want your help finding a rare and eatable silk from a Sixteen-Legged Spider. What do you say?"

" Forget it. I'm on vacation right now. Give me one good reason why I should go after this thing?"

" Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you failed to deliver that Rainbow Snake. If you don't get the silk from that spider, I'm leaving both of you on probation. So, what will it be, Mr. Zoltik?"

" Hmmmm. Well, I don't like it when people ruin my vacation, but I guess I can't help it if you put me on probation. Okay, I'll apprehend with your request. But can I bring my partner Ryou along with me?"

" Sure. But be warned. The catacombs where the sixteen-legged spiders live is treacherous. We dispatched fifty IGO mercenaries in the cave looking for the silk, but only two made it out alive. Do you still want to go, Zoltik?"

" Z-Zoltik?" Ryou stuttered. " A-are y-you still going to go, Zoltik."

With that said, Zoltik's eyes beamed up, he smiled, said, " Nothing would make me happier than to go on an adventure. And when I get back, I'm going to have something to add on my Full Course Menu of Life."

End of Chapter 4