“Don’t be afraid.”
Hong Yi stood behind薙切绘里奈, one hand resting on her delicate shoulder.
He could clearly feel that薙切绘里奈 was afraid, her petite body trembling.
“Hong Yi……”
She turned her head and looked at Hong Yi.
She didn’t know why, but seeing her partner and hearing his voice,薙切绘里奈 unconsciously felt a surge of courage, as if she wasn't as afraid of Nakamura薊 anymore.
Taking a deep breath,薙切绘里奈 confidently snapped, “Nakamura薊, what do you want?”
Nakamura薊 looked at薙切绘里奈, his gaze sweeping over Hong Yi.
His brows furrowed.
He needed薙切绘里奈, to be precise, her God's Tongue, and her culinary talent.
Only by utilizing this amazing talent could he crush the Food Demon King, or even change the whole world.
But at this moment, Nakamura薊 realized that薙切绘里奈, who had been under his influence, seemed to be breaking free from his control.
Because of the Ninth Seat?
It seemed he couldn't let her stay outside any longer!
Nakamura薊's heart sank, weighing his words before ignoring薙切绘里奈 and greeting Hong Yi instead.
He extended a hand, forcing a false smile onto his face: “Nice to meet you, I'm Nakamura薊. As you can see, I'm薙切绘里奈's father.”
Hong Yi didn't shake Nakamura薊's hand, standing still, unmoving, and coldly uttered four words: “Don't want to know.”
“Uh…”
The false smile on Nakamura薊's lips froze.
He knew the young man was “tough.”
But he didn’t expect him to be this tough.
He was his partner’s father, after all.
“He’s… got personality, hahaha. A genius should have personality.”
“I’m not that stubborn old fogey,薙切Senzoemon. My attitude towards geniuses is completely different. I believe geniuses should be fully respected, not interfered with, and allowed to develop freely.”
Nakamura薊 awkwardly withdrew his hand, placing it on his chest, slightly bending over, making a gentlemanly gesture.
Then.
He spoke again with eloquent passion: “Only geniuses can change the world, only the strong can drive the world forward.”
“This is true for chefs, and it’s also true for Gourmet Hunters.”
“The operation and teaching of Totsuki Academy have gone wrong. It's lagging behind the times, so we should let talented chefs create menus, have mediocre chefs divide the work for each dish, forming an assembly line, and then efficiently produce delicious food.”
“Then feed these delicious dishes to Gourmet Hunters who have talent and gourmet cells.”
“This way, we can mass-produce powerful Gourmet Hunters.”
“And then, those Gourmet Hunters can hunt for even higher-grade ingredients, which are cooked by talented chefs and offered to the strongest beings!”
“Stop, I'm not interested, and I don’t have the time to listen to your long-winded speech.”
“Just say what you need to say. If it’s more of this nonsense, then get out of my sight quickly.” Hong Yi spoke indifferently.
Upon hearing this, Nakamura薊's expression froze, his lips twitching.
“Alright, no more nonsense. Let's talk about something practical.”
Nakamura薊 pulled at his glove, his narrow and cold eyes narrowed slightly.
“Hong Yi, I know you’re unhappy with薙切Senzoemon, and we have a common enemy.” “How about this? Let's join forces, utilize the authority of the Totsuki Ten, and even remove薙切Senzoemon from his position as Headmaster!”
薙切绘里奈 snorted: “Removing Grandpa's position as Headmaster, are you planning to become the new Headmaster?”
Nakamura薊 smiled: “Is it wrong to want to be the new Headmaster? I can bring new life, new changes to the decaying Totsuki, a better future…”
“Alright, you've said enough nonsense. I don't want to listen anymore.”
“绘里奈, let's go.”
Hong Yi took薙切绘里奈's hand and turned around, ready to leave with her.
“Did the talks break down?”
“Since that’s the case… 绘里奈, please be obedient and come back with me.”
“I don’t want to go back!”
“I’m going to recommend you to a great person, he’s the only one worthy of being your partner, not this dimwit…”
The smile on Nakamura薊's face gradually disappeared. He extended a hand, reaching through the iron gate, and grabbed薙切绘里奈’s slender arm.
At that moment.
Another hand, moving even faster, grabbed his wrist.
The other hand's fingers were stronger, like iron bars, tightly gripping his wrist, as if they were trying to squeeze charcoal into diamonds, unleashing terrifyingly overwhelming force.
What kind of terrifying grip strength was this?
Nakamura薊’s face changed drastically. The moment Hong Yi grabbed his wrist, he felt like his wrist was about to break. His bones made a faint cracking sound.
“You dare to lay a hand on her!”
Hong Yi turned his head abruptly, looking at Nakamura薊 under the dark night.
In an instant.
Nakamura薊 seemed to see that fierce tiger again.
“Boy, I’m taking my daughter away, and it’s none of your business!”
Cracks appeared on Nakamura薊’s face, as if his gourmet cells were about to break free. A wisp of black smoke rose from his body, clad in a pinstripe suit, like a burning flame, a white ghostly gourmet demon rose behind him.
“WHOOSH!”
A fierce and powerful aura erupted from both of them, forming two surging, white currents of air, colliding with each other, fiercely battling.
“Crack”, “Crack”, “Crack”
The hard ground beneath their feet began to crumble, splitting open with spiderweb-like cracks.
Should he make his move?
Take薙切绘里奈 away by force!
Offer her to that person!
The muscles under Nakamura薊’s suit began to swell. Powerful force gathered from his limbs and bones.
At that moment.
A sharp and clear hawk cry echoed through the night sky.
Nakamura薊’s expression slightly changed upon hearing the cry. He immediately withdrew the gourmet demon he had released, a false smile appearing on his lips again.
“绘里奈, I have something to do today. I’ll come back another time.”
Then.
Nakamura薊 looked at Hong Yi, his voice slightly low: “Boy, aren’t you going to let go? There’s no need to fight to the death in front of my daughter.”
“……”
Hong Yi released his grip on Nakamura薊’s wrist, expressionlessly looking at him.
Nakamura薊 shook his wrist, immediately turning and leaving without hesitation. His tall, suited figure quickly disappeared into the shadows outside the streetlights.
“Gourmet Association.”
“Nakamura薊, didn’t expect you to be working with the Gourmet Association.”
“But… your personality and thoughts, you’re like the Gourmet Association.”
Hong Yi watched Nakamura薊 leave, his gaze flickering slightly.
薙切绘里奈 grabbed Hong Yi’s hand, her pretty face filled with worry: “Hong Yi, you almost fought Nakamura薊 just now.”
“Haha, didn’t we not fight?”
“No, you would have fought if he hadn't suddenly decided to leave.”
“Sigh… from the way he spoke, he’s coming to find me again. When will I be able to escape from Nakamura薊's ‘clutches’?”
“If it doesn’t work out, I'll go home. I don't want to cause you any trouble.”
薙切绘里奈's eyes darkened with a gloomy shadow.
Hong Yi spoke indifferently: “No trouble. I don't think he’ll come back next time.”
“What do you mean?”
薙切绘里奈 was stunned.
A faint smile appeared on Hong Yi's lips. He took薙切绘里奈's slender, cool, white hand and walked toward the villa, casually explaining: “Nothing, I just think that you clearly rejected him this time, and he should be smart enough to not bother you anymore.”
“Let’s go back. I smell the aroma of ham.”