Chapter 18: The Troll-Kongs
A deep, wide moat surrounded the entire biotope. Aside from flying creatures, most beasts were unable to cross it to get near the concrete walls.
Toriko skillfully lowered the drawbridge. With a bridge available, there was no need to take a more difficult route.
After crossing, Kenji glanced up. On a cliff face stood a four-meter-tall ape with four arms and fur as hard as steel needles. It was holding a massive boulder.
Kenji flicked a Knocking Needle with a casual raise of his hand, and the Troll-Kong immediately fell into a deep sleep.
"A Troll-Kong?" Toriko’s head whipped around, alerted by the sound of the beast falling. "So they know how to set an ambush. Cunning creatures."
"Just a small fry. Anyone want some brain?" Kenji asked.
The meat of a Troll-Kong was tough and full of sinew, but its brain was said to be a unique delicacy, favored by a niche group of foodies.
"No, thank you," Elysia said, shaking her head. She had no interest in such peculiar cuisine.
"I’ll pass," Toriko added. The only edible part of a Troll-Kong was its brain. Compared to the Rainbow Fruit, its culinary value was mediocre at best.
The ingredients growing in the biotope were all of exceptionally high quality.
"Try this," Kenji said, picking a Banana Cucumber and handing it to Furina.
"A cucumber that tastes like a banana? It’s so crisp and refreshing!" Furina took a bite and froze, stunned by the bizarre ingredient. Did a banana and a cucumber have an affair?
After passing through a cave, they were greeted by a field of bones.
A troop of Troll-Kongs appeared before them, surrounding the Rainbow Fruit tree. They snarled and bared their teeth, giving the unwelcome guests a fierce display of intimidation.
The sound of a hundred Troll-Kongs beating their chests was like thunder. The very air vibrated. Komatsu and Tina trembled, a primal fear seizing them. We’re going to die.
Furina retreated behind Elysia, using her as a shield.
"The Rainbow Fruit... its fragrance is so rich. I want to eat it," Toriko drooled, his waterfall returning. His incredibly sensitive nose could fully appreciate the complex, sweet aroma—a mixture of many different fruits.
"What a beautiful Rainbow Fruit," Elysia’s eyes lit up. The juice evaporating from the fruit created a seven-colored rainbow, a dazzling and vibrant sight that perfectly matched its name.
"Kenji, I’m going in," Toriko said, wiping his drool. He charged forward, Knocking Gun in hand, taking down the Troll-Kongs that blocked his path.
President Ichiryu probably didn’t teach him much about Knocking, Kenji observed. Toriko’s Knocking skills were mediocre at best. His usual method was to overwhelm his prey with brute force.
"Toriko! To catch a thief, first catch the king!" Kenji shouted.
Hearing this, Toriko nodded and began scanning the troop. He finally spotted a silver-furred Troll-Kong. It was a different color and stood a full meter taller than the others.
"Heh, found you. The Silverback Troll-Kong."
Toriko grinned savagely. Wasting no more time on the grunts, he charged straight for their leader.
Seeing Toriko approach, the Silverback let out a loud roar, issuing a command to the others.
At their leader’s order, a large group of Troll-Kongs charged toward Kenji’s group. They were intelligent enough to try and use hostages.
The ferocious aura washing over them made Komatsu and Tina feel like their lives were flashing before their eyes.
"Waaah... I knew I shouldn’t have come," Furina whimpered, her body trembling. Any one of these Troll-Kongs could crush her with ease.
"Don’t be afraid, Furina. I’ll protect you," Elysia said, drawing a breathtakingly beautiful bow—the Whisper of the Past, Sonnet of Love. A pink crystal arrow was nocked on its string.
"They’re underestimating us," Kenji muttered.
Kenji’s brow furrowed. He slammed his right fist into the ground. An invisible force radiated out from him in all directions.
The charging Troll-Kongs froze in place as if someone had hit a pause button, their bodies locked in various dynamic poses.
It was a scaled-down version of Earth Knocking, capable of affecting all creatures within a certain range. The energy cost was a tiny fraction of the real thing.
"All quiet now," Kenji said. "Toriko, hurry it up over there."
Toriko was stunned. That god-like Knocking technique... Kenji’s master had to be that legendary figure. This wasn’t just an ordinary Knocking move; it was on a completely different level, conducted through the ground itself.
"A-amazing..." Furina peeked out from behind Elysia, her face a mask of shock. So many huge monsters, and Kenji had stopped them all just by hitting the ground. He really is a big shot. Maybe he really can create stars in the future. I wonder what he thinks about Fontaine’s prophecy. Elysia and Madara had both gotten information about their worlds from him. Maybe she could ask too.
With the Troll-Kongs collectively Knocked, the group walked unimpeded toward the fruit tree.
"The Rainbow Fruit. It hasn’t even been cooked yet, but the aroma is already so rich," Komatsu marveled.
As they got closer, the fragrance intensified. Toriko’s drool waterfall made a reappearance. If not for his self-control, he probably would have lunged forward and taken a bite right off the tree. Komatsu and the others were no different, their mouths watering uncontrollably. It was a primal, instinctual reaction.
Kenji felt his own mouth water, but it wasn’t as exaggerated as Toriko’s. Among the Four Heavenly Kings, Toriko was the acknowledged glutton. His appetite was immense, and the three demons residing within him likely amplified his hunger.
On the massive tree hung several fruits, each enveloped in a rainbow-colored mist, emitting an incredibly alluring, sweet scent. The Troll-Kongs had claimed this area as their territory, using the fragrance to lure in other prey.
It was the first time Furina and Elysia had ever smelled something so fragrant. Nothing in their own worlds could compare.
"I wonder what a natural Rainbow Fruit looks like," Kenji said with a smile.
"You probably can’t find a natural one in the Human World anymore," Toriko said, wiping his drool. Even if some still existed, they would be hidden away in some forgotten corner of the world, which is why they were rumored to be extinct.
"There are probably some in the Gourmet World," Kenji said. "You can find the original species of many Human World ingredients there."
"That’s very likely," Toriko agreed.
A single Rainbow Fruit weighed over a ton, more than enough for all of them. For ordinary people, the juice was too concentrated. Ingesting too much at once could cause nosebleeds and a dangerous spike in blood sugar.
"Um... please, allow me to cook it!" Komatsu requested earnestly. For a chef, the satisfaction of preparing such a magnificent ingredient was even greater than the pleasure of eating it.
Kenji handed the Rainbow Fruit to Komatsu without hesitation. He was the only professional chef among them.