Shun held Miyoko's hand as they finally "broke through" the human tidal wave pouring out of the Central Station of the Bellyfull Gourmet City.
Outside was even noisier, but the air carried crisper, more alluring layers of aroma that wiped away the fatigue of being crushed on the train.
"Way too many people~~" Shun couldn't help sighing—then he took a deep sniff, and his eyes lit up in an instant.
There it was: the punchy scent of some kind of grilled meat! And the savory perfume of rich ramen broth.
"Hahaha, this smell is criminal… Come on, Miyoko—our mission today is—" he flung an arm grandly, "—to eat from one end of the street to the other!" They couldn't waste this chance.
"Okay!" Miyoko laughed. For her, exploring food with Shun was pure happiness.
They'd barely gone a few steps when a row of glowing, star-graded vending machines snagged Shun's attention.
The more stars, the rarer (and pricier) the drinks—a signature of the Gourmet City.
"I'm parched. Let's get something to wet our throats!" Shun strode to a three-star machine. "Miyoko, what do you want?"
"Let me see…" She scanned the dazzling options and decided quickly. "Ten bottles of 100% Fresh-Pressed Lemon-Peach Juice!"
[Lemon-Peach 100% Fresh-Pressed Juice]—a three-star vending-machine exclusive in the Gourmet City.
The "lemon-peach" looks like a lemon outside but holds sweet, juicy peach flesh within. The juice is bright and refreshing—sweet with a spritz of tart—an acid-lover's favorite and wildly popular here.
Shun chose a glass of fizzy Fresh Orange Cola for himself.
He fed coins into the slot—"clunk, clunk"—and the drinks thumped down.
With icy bottles in hand and buoyant moods, they plunged deeper into the Gourmet City.
Everywhere they looked was food and fun; the whole city felt like a colossal theme park for cuisine.
A roller coaster coiled like a giant donut. A Ferris wheel with gondolas shaped like pizza slices. Even the benches along the roads looked like huge chocolate wafers.
"These look so fun—though they might be more for kids," Miyoko said, smiling at the joyous rides.
They kept walking until a barked hawker's call hooked Shun by the appetite.
"Step right up! Fresh-roasted Oddbird Gerard on the spit! Smells divine!"
The booming pitch rolled in with a gale of spice-laced roast aroma that nailed Shun's taste buds to the spot.
A spit more than a meter wide turned slowly, skewering a sizable bird. Its skin was lacquered gold and shatter-crisp, the fat hissing down to the coals with a mouth-watering sizzle.
[Oddbird Gerard]—Capture Level 15, avian.
An ostrich-like body with five heads—hence "oddbird." Each head has its own command system, enabling mixed attacks like eye-pecking with sharp beaks and strangling with long necks. It can also wing up out of reach when threatened. Famous in the IGO Gourmet Arena for hit-and-run "box-and-dash" tactics—annoyingly hard to fight.
Naturally, when turned into roast, it's delicious.
Shun was already hooked.
"That looks way too good!" His eyes locked on, and he swallowed involuntarily.
The pitmaster spotted him and waved. "Yo! Young man! Wanna try my roast? Great flavor, great price—how about a skewer to start?"
"Absolutely! One extra-large—and one small!" Shun nodded without hesitation.
Soon, one giant and one small skewer of sizzling Oddbird Gerard were in Shun's hands.
He lifted the extra-large—bigger than his face—and took a ferocious bite.
"Mm!" His eyes fluttered in contentment, cheeks puffed full. "S-so good! Charcoal roasting really teases out that wild, gamey Gerard aroma. The marinade's spot-on—tight bite, juicy finish. Perfect!"
Miyoko nibbled her small skewer and nodded. "It really is good. The heat is perfect!"
By now Shun's appetite was monstrous—his Gourmet Cells were awakened, and on top of that, he'd mastered advanced Shokugi. He could store the energy from food—another high-level technique of Shokugi known as Food Cache.
Yes: he could convert what he ate into energy reserves in his body. The reservoir had an upper limit—roughly the capacity of one hundred average adults' meals—and that cap would rise as Shun grew stronger.
Munching as he walked, Shun's attention jumped to the next stall.
Its banner read: "Charcoal-Grilled Boneless Pacific Saury."
On the brazier, a dozen silver-bright saury crackled and smoked, sending up pure, irresistible char-aroma.
[Boneless Pacific Saury]—Capture Level 2.
Common across many seas, but boneless throughout like a soft-bodied creature. Exceptionally tender and delicious.
Char-grilled and edible from head to tail—fantastic flavor. Widely hailed as one of the best companions to beer.
For Shun's stomach, that giant roast skewer was just an appetizer. He promptly bought out every saury on the rack.
He ate with deep satisfaction while strolling on—and grabbed a few slices of free "palate-cleansing ginger" from a public box so he wouldn't dull his tongue for the next stall.
Then came ramen, giant sushi, lava-bursting takoyaki…
Shun carved a path through stall after stall, his appetite astonishing.
Miyoko, meanwhile, kept to tasting portions, soaking up the atmosphere more than stuffing herself.
No one knew how many vendors "fell" that day before Shun finally patted his belly and sighed in contentment. "Mm. About half full. Perfect time to walk it off through the department district—digest a bit and stock up on supplies."
Hitting the department stores was on Shun's agenda from the start—he planned to buy gifts to bring back for everyone.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 500 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]