"Yes, his biggest issue now is low strength. Once his Gourmet Cells level increases, he'll quickly master advanced Knocking techniques—maybe even surpass us."
Jirō spoke highly of Zed. Given his rapid growth, surpassing his mentors seemed inevitable—so long as he stayed alive.
"What an incredible young man. His two partners are promising too. They're inexperienced but progressing fast. With his help, their future looks bright."
Granny Setsuno also admired Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato, whose system-assisted Gourmet Cells made them highly compatible with this world. Their potential was immense.
"It's one thing that Zed is a freak, but even his companions are remarkably gifted."
Jirō and Granny Setsuno concluded that not only Zed, but his three companions were top-tier talents—an extremely rare phenomenon.
Meanwhile, Zed was unaware of the conversation as they traveled toward the Healing Town.
"Tatsu gets bigger every time we see him!" said Erina, perched atop his head. By now, Tatsu stretched several hundred meters long and was steadily approaching a kilometer.
Zed didn't know his pet's limit, but as Tatsu grew, so did his power.
Thanks to that power, they reached the Mother Wood in the Healing Town quickly.
After intense training, some rest was overdue. Zed planned a few days of relaxation and recovery before exploring more of Healing Town.
While Mirajane and the others went shopping, Zed visited Yosaku's revival institute, where Toriko was still healing and coughing blood.
Despite Granny Setsuno having made the Century Soup, she hadn't announced it—wanting instead to see if Komatsu could create the 337th version.
"Zed, you're back. How is your training with Jirō?"
"I've learned everything I needed. Let's check on Toriko—looks like he's at the final stage."
Zed observed Toriko's body.
"His healing speed is unreal. Regrowing that arm should've taken 20 years—it's almost done in months. But the speed comes at a cost."
Yosaku shook his head. Toriko's recovery was extreme, but unstable. His body could collapse before treatment was finished.
"Ahem… I can still handle it!" Toriko gasped, bloodied but resolute. He needed to hang on—for the Century Soup.
Truly, Toriko was the apex foodie.
"I'm back!" came a familiar voice—Sunny had arrived.
Though they often bickered, the Four Heavenly Kings were like brothers. Sunny had stayed here for months, catching all the Medicine Bees Toriko needed.
Though non-lethal, Medicine Bees were notoriously hard to catch. Through this, Sunny honed his control, evolving beyond basic attacks or nets. His hair techniques became precise and refined.
Zed greeted Sunny, then assisted in Toriko's treatment. Examining him closely, he marveled again—this self-recovery speed was monstrous. Anyone else would've died from it.
Despite minor improvement today, Toriko would likely worsen again by tomorrow. Without a constant intake of Medicine Bees, his body couldn't cope.
Finishing up, Zed went to find Mirajane and the others. Next stop: the Gourmet Shrine.
While partly for relaxation, the trip was mainly about Food Luck. In the original story, Toriko and Komatsu gained Food Luck there. Zed wanted to see if they could do the same.
He already had strong Food Luck, but more wouldn't hurt.
Without that factor, Zed wouldn't even consider visiting the Gourmet Shrine, given his awareness of Acacia.
Though Acacia's actions were aimed at saving NEO, his sacrifices were devastating—his wife, disciple, even nearly his own son.
The odds of his plan succeeding were abysmal. He knew it too. That's why he asked Ichiryu to kill him beforehand.
But Ichiryu couldn't strike down his master. So the plan went forward—disastrously.
Truthfully, the whole scheme spiraled beyond Acacia's control. Toriko, its most vital piece, wasn't even born when it began and he was never part of the original plan. By all logic, the operation was doomed from the start.
After a few days of rest in the Healing Country, Zed took everyone on a short tour. A week later, they arrived at the Gourmet Shrine.
"Hard to believe a shrine is this huge," Erina muttered while climbing the stairs. At 80,000 square kilometers, the shrine was over a fifth the size of their previous homeland.
"It's filled with scenery," Zed explained. "Without transport, it takes months to walk through."
Thanks to their Gourmet Cells, climbing the stairs was effortless. For ordinary people, it'd be exhausting.
Inside, food stalls lined the entrance—understandable, given the shrine's 9 billion annual visitors. Even average food could earn a fortune here.
While the group explored the snack street, shrine staff approached Zed, bringing two Taxeep. Due to shrine restrictions, Tatsu couldn't enter, so they rented the Taxeep instead.
Though costly, the Taxeep were necessary. Most visitors had to walk because few could afford them.
"What a big, cute sheep!" Everyone admired their calm behavior. Each sheep could carry two passengers.
Zed rode with Mirajane, while Erina sat with Sako.
"They even have seat belts!"
"Of course. These sheep hit 150 km/h—highway speed. Not everyone has our durability," Zed said. Ordinary folks without Gourmet Cells would be in danger without protection.
With a dedicated runway, the sheep dashed safely, avoiding collisions.
Thanks to the ride, the group reached the Gourmet Main Shrine easily, where Acacia's statue was enshrined.
Honestly, Ichiryu should be honored instead. Though Acacia ended the war, Ichiryu was the one who preserved peace and prepared humanity's survival path with his Full Course Menu.
His contributions over centuries made him saint-like in the world of Gourmet Hunters.
Upon entering the hall, Zed sensed something unusual—not the statue, but Food Luck.
Using his soul power, he detected faint, ethereal traces—this was his first time sensing Food Luck. It hadn't happened before likely due to his lower affinity. But the strong aura here made it clear.
"This is... Food Luck coming to me."
The energy steadily gathered around Zed. He had only hoped to try, but now it was clear—his visit was worth it.
Blessed with high Food Luck, Zed didn't know why he was favored, but his affinity allowed him to absorb far more than anyone else.
He also noticed a small portion of the energy drift toward the others. Though small compared to his, it was still impressive by normal standards.
After about three minutes, the flow stopped. The remaining Food Luck seemed reserved for future visitors. Without a way to absorb more, Zed took the group and left.
With this goal achieved, it was time to focus on raising his Gourmet Cell Level.
His next destination: the Former 1st Biotope. With his current strength, it posed no real threat—not to him, nor to the others.
The beasts there largely ignored humans. That's how Ayame, despite the surrounding danger, survived in the Former 1st Biotope.
While called a caretaker, Ayame was more of a recluse. Though a veteran chef, her combat ability is adequate—allowing her to survive in the Former 1st Biotope unaided.
But Zed was determined. That area housed rare ingredients and the Sealed Wolf Fire Dragon—a key to unlocking greater Cell Growth.