Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The Gourmet Colosseum
Chapter 31: The Gourmet Colosseum
"Wait, Chief, the IGO has a Biotope 0?" Toriko asked, surprised. As far as he knew, the IGO's biotopes started from 1. How did a Biotope 0 suddenly appear? He knew a lot about the IGO, but he had never heard of this.
"Of course you don't know about it. Biotope 0 is located in the Gourmet World," Mansam said with a grin. He was strong enough to enter Biotope 0 himself, but as the Chief, his responsibilities were important, and his main focus was here in the Human World.
"The Gourmet World?!" Toriko's breath hitched. It was the place he had always longed for and looked forward to visiting. It was countless times more dangerous than the Human World, but the delicious ingredients there were diverse and innumerable. To think that there was a Biotope 0 in the Gourmet World that he had never even heard of... it was fascinating. He had to go see it for himself one day.
Kenji knew just how difficult it was to become a member of Biotope 0. It was located in the Gourmet World, and besides researching and developing Gourmet World ingredients, it was also responsible for monitoring creatures like the Nitro. The staff there was small, but each member was powerful enough to be a force to be reckoned with. They were all personally invited by President Ichiryu. Zebra, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, had been arrested by a member of Biotope 0, Yosaku.
However, he also knew that several members of Biotope 0 were already working for Joie.
"To celebrate your joining, Kenji, my treat tonight. My Full Course Menu," Mansam said happily. As the disciple of the great Master Jiro, his background was impeccable.
Kenji smiled and nodded. Although Mansam's Full Course Menu was all alcohol-related, the taste was still excellent.
"Hey, Chief Mansam, I want to eat too!"
Hearing that there was good food to be had, Toriko naturally sidled up. They were old acquaintances, so there was no need to be shy.
"I know, you glutton," Mansam laughed. "But we still have some time. Let's head to the Colosseum first. Today's match is going to be a real spectacle," Mansam said meaningfully.
"Are you still doing that stuff? What kind of creature is appearing this time?" Toriko pouted.
The Gourmet Colosseum was a place to measure the combat power and Capture Levels of beasts. But in Toriko's eyes, it was just an amusement park for the rich and powerful. He had fought there before, using the beasts to hone his skills, so he was no stranger to it.
"A Battle Wolf."
"What?"
Toriko was stunned. He never thought they could create such a creature. That would definitely be worth watching. A legendary beast.
Hearing the words "Battle Wolf," Kenji smiled faintly. His master, Jiro, had a deep connection with the Battle Wolves. He had been raised by the Wolf King Guinness, one of the Eight Kings.
The Gourmet Colosseum.
As far as the eye could see, the seats were packed. The sound of the crowd rose and fell like a tidal wave. Kenji didn't recognize anyone, but Komatsu and Toriko knew some of them were high-ranking officials from various countries.
"I've saved you the premium seats. Just waiting for you to arrive," Mansam laughed, leading the way.
The premium seats were right on the edge of the Colosseum, offering the best view. This wasn't a place you could sit just by having money; it was a privilege of his position as Chief.
The Battle Wolf hadn't appeared yet. Kenji wasn't interested in the preliminary fights, so he turned his attention to the chat group.
[Star Forger]: "Daigo, have you opened that meteorite yet?"
[Crash-Test Pilot]: "We have. It was a machine from the super-ancient civilization. The projected image said it was a time machine."
[Miss Pink Elf♪]: "Oh, is it the kind that can travel through time?"
[Crash-Test Pilot]: "I'm not sure. But the projection mentioned that Golza from before, and that a new monster called Melba will appear soon."
[Crash-Test Pilot]: "She said that to fight the monsters, we need to awaken the giants in the pyramid. We're currently analyzing and searching for the pyramid's location."
[Miss Pink Elf♪]: "Is it the pyramid in the desert?"
[Crash-Test Pilot]: "Perhaps. Mr. Kenji, do you have any information you can provide?"
[Star Forger]: "Your team can analyze the location of the pyramid. I could tell you, but how would you convince the others? How would you explain how you know? You should think about that first."
Daigo wasn't a researcher. If he claimed to have figured it out on his own, the GUTS team would likely be suspicious.
[Crash-Test Pilot]: "I understand."
Daigo thought about it. He was right. If he knew some information in the future, he would need to prepare an excuse. Suddenly, an idea came to him—"A Friend From Nowhere." Kenji was from another world. He could use his name and tell the captain that Kenji had told him. While it wasn't a perfect solution, it was something they couldn't disprove. Of course, this was a last resort.
The battle between the Troll-Kong and the Galala Gator ended with the Troll-Kong as the victor.
"The Battle Wolf is up next."
Mansam sat up straight. He knew the order of appearance. The Battle Wolf's fight would be brief but spectacular.
Kenji and the others perked up, having been eagerly awaiting the Battle Wolf.
Gate 1: An Elephant-Dragon, Capture Level 17.
Gate 2: A Tiger-Striped Walrus, known as the amphibious demon, Capture Level 13.
Gate 3: A Silverback Troll-Kong, Capture Level 10.
Gate 4: The monstrous bird, Gerold, known as the reaper of the skies, Capture Level 15.
Four beasts appeared in the Colosseum, staring at each other with murderous intent.
"Oh, it's a lively one. Four beasts at once," Toriko said in surprise.
"It's not over yet. The audience here today is all waiting for the main event from Gates 5 and 6," Mansam said with a smile.
"The Battle Wolf and the Devil Serpent. They are the stars of today's show."
Toriko grinned. "The two creatures that fought for the title of the strongest in ancient times?"
"I really want to fight them."
"I never thought I'd get to see the legendary, extinct Battle Wolf. This trip was worth it."
Mansam roared with laughter. "Toriko, you've grown a lot, but you still don't stand much of a chance against a Battle Wolf."
Kenji was also interested. This was his first time seeing a Battle Wolf. The proudest and strongest of wolves, one of the creatures at the top of the Gourmet World's food chain.
Amidst the crowd's anticipation, Gate 5 slowly opened. A giant white wolf walked out slowly. The mere sound of its paws hitting the ground made the other beasts in the arena tremble. The Battle Wolf exuded a natural kingly aura.
With its appearance, the atmosphere in the arena ignited. The crowd erupted in cheers. They had come here today for this very reason—to see with their own eyes the strongest wolf of ancient times, the Battle Wolf.
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