A Deadly Guest

Camping in Wu Jungle...

Naruko solely wants the best for her cooking, after having tasted the whole land of the human world in her travels.

Her vegetables and some spices come from the Wu Continent and Vegetable Sky. For her its ridiculously easy to go up to, the problem was environment.

Going through a literal storm cloud, nasty winds strong enough to blow away heavy creatures she knew, lightning freaked her out up close and even got struck but survived it...even freak hailstorms and rain that goes sideways, and 'fake beanstalks' out to eat her.

But up above is veggie paradise that contributed to her good looks and she hid various pickle barrels she created to harvest at a later date for use.

'Maybe I should relax in a nearby restaurant...oh yes, Bar Meria is near here.' she mused. 'One of my customers too.'

Bar Meria.

Located in an IGO Restricted Danger Zone.

Normally, nobody'd build a business in an out-of-the-way place here.

But for those who do not want to be 'overheard', they can do business here without getting the law on their ass.

She froze a path she quickly had to walk on because the lake is extremely hot because its underneath a lava vein that boils the black lake and made it very toxic.

'Eh?'

She heard Toriko and Komatsu thanking food.

"Nanda, they're here too." she mused as she went in. 'Meria-san! I got your requests!'

'Oh, wonderful, I was about to run out.' Meria said gratefully. 'Please go to the back room.'

'K~!'

'Naruko!' the two men exclaimed.

'Whatever happened to Seafood Only?!' Komatsu squawked as Naruko has rules to her hunting.

'Oh that? That's my only rule for selling stuff in Gourmet Wholesale.' said Naruko. 'Sometimes, I get requests from others who want high-class but troublesome ingredients to get.' she explained. 'And considering what kinda place this is, CLVL 60-80 has to be sold here. Those guys and their bodyguards eat a damn lot with ahem, refined palates.'

'That's the problem.' Meria sighed.

'What do you usually order from Naruko-san, Meria-san?' Komatsu asked the chef.

'Well, typical bar food and drink, but she recently discovered a new species of wheat that becomes beautiful white flour so white and when baked they never brown, the texture is also so fine, fluffy and sweet and crumbs never fall off so its not messy. Its also just as wonderful and silky if made as noodles. I tried it out at home I just have to absolutely have it...and my patrons demand it so much.'

'I just found it last month, and its already in IGO Database.' Naruko quipped. 'Capture Level 79 considering what I had to put up with. I call it Jotei Konayuki(empress powder snow) Wheat due to its beauty and texture if made into flour. The best part is because its so white fussy eaters who want beautiful ingredients have no need to refine it, you can eat it wholewheat so its healthy while still beautiful it puts all chinaware to shame. Its the ultimate pristine whiteness. Its also easy to tell even a baby can tell if somebody made fakes because no tech in the world can ever hope to make fake imitations of its beauty, texture and taste. The problem is, its too much for ordinary humans. They contain enough nutrition several times that of even Golden Wheat so humans who aren't bishokuya can only eat it every two months...or die from too much of the good thing if they ate more than seven days' worth.' she said grimly. 'Bishokuya can eat it freely with no consequence though.'

'That's something Sani-san would definitely go for.' Komatsu sweatdropped.

'Ohh? I want to try it out!' Toriko cried excitedly. 'Meria, anything to do with Jotei Konayuki!'

'Hai.'

'Let us process it into flour first, Toriko!' Naruko yelled in a bighead. Toriko laughed jovially at that.

'Ooh, as a chef I want to see it too!' Komatsu cried in glee.

'Sure.' said Meria. 'Toriko-sama please wait here.'

'Ou!' Toriko grinned as the chefs left. 'I can't wait already!'

'Hooo?' a newcomer's voice spoke too. 'I'd like some as well.' heads turned to see a brunette, long-haired man in a dark purple suit.

Toriko, Naruko and Komatsu froze.

'T-that voice...' Komatsu gulped as he knows full well where he heard it.

'That black guy from the Regal Mammoth!' Naruko quickly got in front of the two chefs.

'I never thought you'd be here...' Toriko swore to their still unknown enemy, 'Were you in the middle of a meal?'

The man just sounded amused.

'I'm looking for a particular ingredient.' said the man. 'I'll remember if I eat it though.' he said as he played with the candle flames before getting up to face them. 'Even for a bishokuya. Even for a chef. You seem to have grown in these past few months.' he told Toriko and Komatsu as he looked at Toriko. 'Its more evident in person. You're a good Combo.'

'Are you looking for a fight?' Toriko asked him warily.

'That'd be nice...'

'Cool it, you boneheads!' cue splash of water.

'COLD!' Toriko freaked as the water, was freezing! 'What's the big idea Naruko?!' he cried as Naruko was holding the bucket of water that's making 'white fog' due to cold. Even the water on them is STILL fogging! The man, being a fire-user, dried himself off instantly.

'We're in a public establishment so if you want to play, play outside!' she snapped. 'Preferably a mile away from here!'

'Heh, this place is so public even I can step in here.' said the man, raising his arms in surrender out of amusement at her. 'By the way. 0.5 seconds.' he told Toriko. 'You're slow in getting ready to fight. I could have killed you ten times by now.'

That pissed and vexed the blue-haired man.

'Ma, don't worry. I'm not here for a fight. I really only came here for a meal...but in the distant future, a war is sure to happen.' he said, turning his back on Toriko. 'At the time when God itself, has announced its birth with a mellow cry. And at a time when Acacia's Full Course is fully-revived...I'll take you on, Toriko!' he challenged, flaring his fighting spirit before leaving.

'Naruko, I've done the training you asked while doing old man's training.' said Toriko.

'Glad to hear but I will test you still.' said Naruko. 'I will test you tomorrow in the rocky crags not far from here, that way we won't damage ingredients. If you pass the training wheels I gave you, you can prepare for the Intermediate Level. The Bishokukai...it must be one hell of an organization. Dog eat dog world wherein staying in shape is a must where the weak die and only the strong live unless said weakling is useful. That man must be all alone in there so he did what he could. He is constantly surrounded by hostiles. But I pity him for gaining strength in a sad way.' she frowned. '0.5 seconds to get ready in battle...what a monster.' she shook her head. 'Takes me 0.6 to react to his fist back in the Regal Mammoth but at least we were equal in fighting skill...'

'Unreal...' Komatsu shuddered.

'Pity him, huh?' Toriko frowned.

'Yeah. Bishokukai's clearly no IGO. No support and no one to turn to. You're all by yourself.' Naruko gave a forlorn nod.

The man's eyes reminded her of Gaara and anyone of similar background. Including herself!

'Well, shall we prepare Konayuki Flour?' she wanted to change the topic.

xxx

Bar Meria, Kitchen...

Naruko took out a Gourmet Sack of white wheat grains so white Komatsu had trouble seeing them by individual. As a Gourmet Rucksack can contain 10000 liters of liquid but in this case, Naruko used it for the grains!

'I-incredible...so white I think I'm going blind...and they don't even shine like Golden Wheat but the whiteness is so white it might as well shine!' Komatsu exclaimed in amazement.

'So white right? More lovelier than jewels.' Meria purred. 'The flour is even whiter that everything else really stands out, making for a beautiful pastry or noodle dish. The challenging part, was balancing it out so its not an eyesore product in the end.'

'Yeah, its pretty hard we have to bring out our inner artisans.' Naruko chuckled.

They proceeded to use a Gourmet Electric Mill the size of a small tank to pour the grains in, and set the blades to work in maximum power, and the machine set to work.

'We wait for about half an hour to achieve ideal powder snow state.' said Naruko. 'In the meantime I have to unload all my other stuff...'

She unloaded things necessary for Bar Food production. By the bulk there's a ton each of everything and she got paid for it.

When the flour's done, Komatsu marveled at the flour that was whiter than Konayuki as a grain!

'I think I'll go color blind at this rate...' Komatsu sweatdropped. 'Its whiter than it was as a grain! I can already see how I'll have a hard time with this for cooking!'

'See?' Naruko then did a once-over on Komatsu. 'Komatsu, remember the day you ate this ingredient because you can only eat this every two months, and avoid foods that contains vitamins and minerals found in wheat.' she warned him. 'And by your height, body size and weight...its three rice bowls' worth for a full day.'

'Maa maa, I'll just taste it so one bowl of noodles and hamburger patties is probably OK...' Komatsu sweatdropped.

'Yeah, because you'll need to eat and swallow a lot in our job. A day's worth of Konayuki for a normal person provides two months' worth of Protein, Potassium, B-Vitamin Complex, Vitamin E, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Selenium, Copper, Manganese and Calcium and Phytochemicals.' Naruko told him. 'The body can only handle so much, so its six days' worth to complete a year's worth of nutrition.'

xxx

Soon...

'Here you are...Vegetable Pizza and Hamburgers.' the meal using Konayuki, is served. As burgers, chips and noodles.

'Ohhh! Its really white!' Toriko gasped out at the dishes before him. 'I can't believe it!'

'I can't believe it either.' said Komatsu. 'But it really happened! Its whiter as a flour than as a grain!'

xxx

'So since discovering this flour, have you many requests about it?' Toriko asked her as they left Bar Meria on foot.

'Like you wouldn't believe...and last I checked, there's many idiots in LIFE right now for treatment, not believing the precautions that hospitals are so full they even have to set up tents outside!' Komatsu went blue at the idea. 'Rich people sure are both stupid and reckless. Only Bishokuya can afford to eat Konayuki products every day harmlessly.'

'Heee...'

'Well, I'll test your progress. I can see that you evolved, Toriko.'

'Yeah...Mansam made all three of us eat high-class goods you caught from the ocean and cooked right after you guys left.' said Toriko. 'I hunted and trained hard since.'

'I see...well, time to see your progress.' Naruko took to the trees, making Toriko grab Komatsu and jumped after her. Its definitely a faster way to travel...

To the rocky crags...

Naruko made two clones for Komatsu.

'Komatsu, you will watch my two clones fight in various degrees of speed. You will train your eyes to get used to fighting speed and speed will increase every two hours. Incase someone tries, you can at least dodge safely.' Naruko instructed Komatsu before looking at Toriko. 'Toriko will fight with me. For a week. He will go all out full-offensive while I'll just defend. That way I can determine his fighting level and teach him how to be battle-ready in a shorter time than that guy but its something his body and instinct must do, no formal lecture can teach that.'

'Yeah, but I'll still do it anyway!' Toriko grumbled. 'I'll have to learn to be ready in 0.3 and move just as fast!'

'If you pass the training wheels I gave you you can go to my next homework.'

"Well, for now I can't see Toriko-san's level-up since I have to train too..." Komatsu gulped as the clones got ready...at first he can see it but the speed gradually increased...

Toriko fought for seven days straight without sleep, rest and eating. At least he was able to conserve energy as first, Naruko only wanted his pure physical prowess for a week, before going all out on her with his techniques for as long as he could, nonstop.

'Phew...that was exhausting...' Toriko sighed as he got a giant Tonjiru pot full of calorie-high ingredients to recover.

'I'm mentally-tired.' Komatsu moaned as he ate Kesshoumen(crystal soumen) Noodles with a medicinal broth for stress. 'I have to watch it for a week...'

'Its a necessity.' said Naruko. 'That way you can dodge low-level flunky attacks until rescue. My assignment for you at home, is accuracy training.'

'Accuracy training?'

'Cutting techniques at a high speed, at 1mm thickness. 5000 times per cutting technique.'

'EHHHH?!'

'I already gave Toriko homework, so go with him for this one before you go home to the hotel.'

xxx

LIFE, Onsen Shark...

'I can't believe this is homework.' Komatsu sweatdropped,

Toriko has to endure Diet Fish treatment while Komatsu just recently endured the Cactus Beds because he has severe stress. Toriko was neck-deep in water with fish all over him chin-down. Komatsu cannot count all the fish but he sure as hell dreaded the price. Just ONE Diet Fish that stuck to you, costs 1,250,000 yen! And HOW MANY FISH are there?!

It also astounds him that Toriko has an unlimited Debit Card so he doesn't care how much everything cost.

'Yeah, something about fat being extra baggage.' Toriko sighed because for the life of him, he can't understand HOW is this related TO fighting. 'This way I'll be necessary fat and pure muscle, the unneeded fat and extra weight gone so I'll be faster for my next training level before I tackle old man's next job. What about you?'

'Cutting Speed and Accuracy Training, assuming I don't accidentally lop off my fingers first...what's next for you?'

'Surviving in Ice Hell all by myself, naked. For a week.' Toriko shuddered.

'EHHHHH?!'

Komatsu knew that if he alone would be human popsicle, what could happen to Toriko?

'And after that, Wu Continent's hellish hot springs! All that while doing my combat training! What a mean teacher, meaner than dad!' Toriko complained.

xxx

Jidal Kingdom...

Naruko found Coco.

'So, have you done my homework?'

'Yes...it was terrible in those hot and cold vacations and quick weapon formations with my bodily fluids and training my poison increase and consumption. The only easy part is studying poisons in a lab and adaptation to create and synthesize poisons.' Coco shuddered as he remembered what he had to put up with. 'Then the President had me get used to terrible Electromagnetic Waves here for a month while doing combat training.'

That, and he learned how to cook the natives of Ice Hell for his survival.

'I see...fight me so I can see if you're ready for Intermediate Homework. I gotta find Sani after you. Considering he has twenty mistakes due to his vanity when normally he has 5 mistakes...I do hope he rectified them.'

'Ahahaha, that'd be quite the effort...I heard he went to Sanzu Road to train under somebody.'

xxx

Sanzu Road...

Sani was...putting up with monsters with Gourmet Ex-Yakuza Banchou Guemon.

'Mm...nice movements...you did my homework then, Sani?' Naruko asked him.

'Ah! Naruko!' Sani squawked while ducking from a flying sawtooth shark. 'Yeah! I did your homework! It ruined my hair and cuticles! My poor skin got rough with weird bumps!' Sani cried unhappily. 'But yeah, I can endure hot and cold now and learnin' how to fight under this spacey-faced dude...'

'I'm teaching him intuition.' said Guemon. 'His fighting style requires concentration which means a lot of stress and overthinking, impeding his potential. And he has vanity issues.'

'Doesn't he~?'

'Don't you agree with each other!' Sani yelled.

'Mm, then I'll give Guemon-san your homework then. He'll make sure you do it for me.' said Naruko, giving Guemon a sheet of paper. 'Have fun~' and she left them.

As she walked away, she heard Guemon said, 'You sure have a good teacher if her instructions are like this...'

'Now what nightmares has she got for me this time?!'

'This.'

After a moment of silence...

'UWAAAAA! NARUKO! YOU CRUEL TASKMASTEEEER!' came Sani's freakout.

She just gave him the finger and the last she heard was Sani's yell of indignance and the banchou's laughter.

xxx

Come December...

'...I'm 26 this year...I never notice October whizzed by until its Christmas due to my busy schedule.' Naruko frowned when she got a phone call. 'Hello?'

/Yo! You available for Christmas?/ Mansam was the caller.

'Yeah, no parties on schedule since my usual clientele disappeared on me.' said Naruko. 'Probably cuz' I snubbed Colonel Mokkoi.' not that she cared. As a Bishokuya, she still earns.

/Ah, well, will you help us on Christmas? Can't talk about it on the phone because its Top Secret so I'll send a long mail! Send me your reply if you'll accept the job!/

She had to wait ten minutes to get the reason why.

The IGO secretly gives free food to poor, Non-IGO Countries every Christmas in secret to conceal from Gourmet Taxpayers. The funds for this secret operation apparently came from the bettings in the Coliseum.

'Heee...I'm hardly in civilization so I could care less but this is kinda nice...I just wish there was a Santa for me years ago.' she sighed. 'Its one week away so I'm gonna borrow your best helicopter!'

She got a Jet in response.