“What a bunch of adorable little kitties.”
Hong Yi withdrew his intimidation, his head swaying left and right, a series of “crackling” noises emanating from his neck.
He then glanced at the azure sky.
Several drones had been hovering in a certain spot for a while now.
Besides that.
A magnificent and vibrant rainbow arched over the lush, verdant forest, like a sea of emerald green.
The air deep within the forest exuded a sweet and savory aroma.
“Rainbow Fruit?”
“This Ruiyama Shizune has found the Rainbow Fruit!”
“It seems I can't afford to waste any more time.”
Hong Yi's eyes narrowed, his expression turning serious.
He crouched slightly, then his legs exploded with power, propelling him “whoosh” into the air, soaring over ten meters high. He reached the forest's canopy, and darted towards the rainbow.
At the same time.
The students and teachers of Totsuki Culinary Academy were in an uproar.
“This freshman is too strong, isn’t he?”
“He actually knocked out the Trumpet Lion with a single roar.”
“Whoa whoa whoa, he scared away so many high-capture-level beasts like that?”
“Hong Yi definitely has the strength of a Silver-ranked Gourmet Hunter.”
“He wouldn’t be a natural talent with Gourmet Cells, would he?”
“I have a feeling Totsuki Culinary Academy is about to change.”
The students and teachers buzzed with discussion.
Some of the female students were even holding their cheeks with both hands, their eyes sparkling with admiration.
“Hong Yi is so handsome, I want to be his partner.”
“Doesn’t he already have a cooking partner? The second-year ‘Meat Cooking Master’ Mido Iori?”
“What does it matter? A powerful Gourmet Hunter can have multiple cooking partners.”
“I’m willing to cook for Hong Yi with Mido Iori.”
Hearing this, Nakiri Erina crossed her arms and muttered with disdain: “Just you guys? Are you even worthy?”
On the other side.
Ruiyama Shizune’s supporters began to sing a different tune:
“Heh, our great ‘Alchemist’ can do the same, right?”
“Scare away a few small fry and you’re all blown away? What a fuss!”
“Wait a minute, that…that couldn’t be the Rainbow Fruit, could it?”
“Damn, when did our Ninth Garden get the legendary Rainbow Fruit?”
“Hahaha, Ruiyama Shizune-sama will win!”
Rainbow Fruit!?
Everyone’s eyes immediately focused on the drone footage.
In the depths of the forest, on a clearing devoid of any other vegetation, stood a solitary tree, seemingly made of vines.
This strange tree lacked a traditional trunk and branches. Its thick, verdant vine-like trunk extended to the top, where it split into several slender vines, hanging down with fruits that resembled rainbow bubbles.
At first glance.
It was like the vine tree had produced a bunch of rainbow-colored lightbulbs, shaped like tomatoes, emitting a captivating sweet aroma.
The unique scent compelled nearby creatures to be reflexively dominated by a desire to “eat!”
“The Rainbow Fruit, it’s really the Rainbow Fruit!”
“Oh my god, the legendary Rainbow Fruit, which was thought to be extinct, has been successfully cultivated, and planted in our Totsuki Culinary Academy’s Ninth Garden.”
“The Rainbow Fruit is a dream fruit whose flavor changes with the temperature and humidity, giving it seven different colors. It is said that a single drop of its juice can transform a 25-meter swimming pool into a thick, rich and flavorful fruit juice. One fruit could give someone enough wealth to eat for a lifetime.”
“One Rainbow Fruit is worth 500 million yen.”
“There are…one, two, three…a total of five Rainbow Fruits on this tree, worth 2.5 billion yen!”
The students and teachers outside the Ninth Garden erupted in excitement.
Compared to the legendary fruit appearing on campus, Hong Yi’s little spectacle was nothing special.
The Ten Masters Council.
Eishi Tsukasa, Kobayashi Rindou, Nakiri Azami, Isshiki Senri, and the others were not in the Ninth Garden, but they were still watching the Shokugeki.
After all…
The outcome was directly related to the emergence of the new Ninth Seat.
“So this is the Rainbow Fruit?”
“Haha, so dreamy, so beautiful. I want to cook it!”
Kobayashi Rindou sat cross-legged, one hand holding her phone, her eyes, not obscured by her bangs, gleamed with intensity, as she stuck out her tongue and licked her sharp canines.
Isshiki Senri pushed his glasses up, whispering, “I suspect the person who wants to cook it the most is the Fourth Seat, ‘Dessert Master Soul’, Aokubu Momo.”
That’s right.
Aokubu Momo, who was in the Ninth Garden, already had stars in her eyes.
If not for Nakiri Erina and Shinomiya Kurisaki holding her back, she would have probably rushed into the Ninth Garden with her teddy bear in hand.
Nakiri Erina whispered, “Momo! Calm down!”
“Hong-kun will successfully capture the Rainbow Fruit, and bring it back for you to cook!”
Aokubu Momo pointed at the giant television screen, worriedly saying: “But…Ruiyama Shizune found the Rainbow Fruit.”
“And there are a bunch of powerful beasts around the Rainbow Fruit.”
Hearing this, Nakiri Erina’s brows furrowed tightly.
She didn’t expect Ruiyama Shizune to stumble upon the Rainbow Fruit.
He clearly didn’t have any information about the Rainbow Fruit.
“Could it be ‘Food Luck’?”
“This annoying guy has incredible ‘Food Luck’!”
Nakiri Erina let out a sigh, searching for Hong Yi in the giant television.
However, the drones had already lost sight of Hong Yi.
“Hong-kun, you have to hurry!”
Nakiri Erina thought anxiously in her heart.
…
Ninth Garden.
Near the Rainbow Fruit.
Ruiyama Shizune, who had originally planned to capture the Uni-Horned Gray Bear, walked through the lush bushes and tall trees to the clearing.
He saw the seven-colored, dreamy Rainbow Fruit, and froze for a moment. Then, he raised his right hand, cupped it over his forehead, inserted his fingers into his spiky hair, swept it back, and tilted his head back, laughing: “Heh…hahahaha!”
“Heaven is on my side! Truly, heaven is on my side!”
“Rainbow Fruit, Capture Level 12 Rainbow Fruit!”
“How could I possibly lose?”
“You stinky brat, blame your bad luck.”
“Since you dared to covet my position among the Ten Masters? Heh, you better just quietly get out of Totsuki Culinary Academy.”
“Roar——”
A deafening roar pulled Ruiyama Shizune back to reality.
Rainbow Fruit, Capture Level 12.
Higher than the Uni-Horned Gray Bear.
It wouldn’t be easy to obtain, of course.
Surrounding the Rainbow Fruit tree, were a group of four-armed giant apes, over four meters tall, covered in bluish-green fur, with incredibly muscular, rock-hard bodies, fierce faces, and four arms.
【Doro King Kong】
【Capture Level: 9】
These are a pack-dwelling beast, born with four arms, possessing the strength to flip over a forty-ton tank, and intelligence rivaling that of chimpanzees.
Behind the dozen or so Doro King Kong, beneath the Rainbow Fruit tree, stood an even taller giant ape, six meters tall, its body covered in long, silver hair that hung like a curtain.
【Doro King Kong · Silver-Back Elder】
【Capture Level: 10】
Facing off against the Doro King Kong pack, were two giant bears, each with spiral horns, bat-like wings on their backs, incredibly muscular bodies, and gray fur.
【Uni-Horned Gray Bear】
【Capture Level: 11】
Without a doubt.
They were fighting over the Rainbow Fruit!
“Heh…”
“If I hadn’t prepared a secret weapon, I really wouldn’t have been able to capture the Rainbow Fruit.”
Ruiyama Shizune pushed up his rimless glasses, a confident smile curling his lips.
He tossed the silver metal cabinet he had been carrying on his back onto the ground, and pressed the red button in the middle of the cabinet with the heel of his shoe.