Food Wars: Inheriting the Dark Culinary World from the Start Chapter 209: The Old First Biotope — Gathering Ingredients

After wrapping up their affairs, Setsuno and Kael set out together for the Old First Biotope, traveling aboard Setsuno's jellyfish camping beast. Honestly, camping beasts like this were absurdly convenient.

According to Setsuno, she had tad this jellyfish camping beast in the Gourt World, and it had followed her ever since. While it wasn't considered especially powerful by Gourt World standards, it was more than sufficient in the Human World.

The Old First Biotope was located within the Hungry Triangle, an area perpetually shrouded in a terrifying, ultra-colossal Hungry tornado. Under normal circumstances, no one dared approach this place—getting too close was basically a death sentence.

Even truly powerful individuals had little interest in coming here. The area bordered the Gourt World, aning so marine creatures from the Gourt World would occasionally wander in. Their strength wasn't outrageous—usually just over capture level 100—but that was still more than enough to deter most people.

All things considered, the Gourt Corp had seriously underestimated the situation.

The Seven Gourt Miracles all possessed unique qualities. Take the Gourt Pyramid, for example. On the surface, it looked like nothing more than a pyramid, with no obvious features at all. In reality, however, it had once been a gathering place for the Red Nitros.

The so-called pyramid was rely the tip of the tallest structure in their city—the vast majority of it had long since been buried underground.

The value of the Gourt Pyramid went without saying. Not only were there many Red Nitros in suspended dry sleep, but there was also a cookbook left behind by the Gold Chef, Jiji.

It recorded countless preparation thods for rare and ultra-rare ingredients. For any chef capable of understanding it, that book was nothing short of a supre culinary grimoire.

As a Red Nitro, Gold Chef Jiji possessed astonishing culinary skill—likely second only to Frohze. Given how long he had lived, it stood to reason that he shouldn't have been inferior to her by much.

Unfortunately, whether Red Nitro or Blue Nitro, the Nitros' growth ceiling was fixed.

Unlike humans, they couldn't rapidly improve their abilities. As a result, Jiji's cooking remained perpetually one step short of Frohze's level. Still, with sheer ti and experience, he had developed preparation thods for countless ingredients.

Before Komatsu learned to hear the voices of ingredients, nearly all thods for preparing the Eight Kings' ingredients were based on Jiji's notes. Frohze was the lone exception—when she forcibly prepared GOD, she relied on sothing else entirely.

That woman was an absolute monster. Even without hearing the ingredient's voice, she used her divine cooking techniques to force GOD into submission. The price she paid was her life.

Everything inside the Gourt Pyramid was undeniably priceless. And if that was the case, what about the other Gourt Miracles? Naturally, most of them were connected, in one way or another, to the Nitros.

The Old First Biotope that Kael and Setsuno were heading toward was no exception. Although Acacia had shalessly renad it "his kitchen," the place had originally been constructed by the Nitros.

It had once been a settlent of Red Nitros, and this particular group had been far from weak. The massive do that enveloped the entire Old First Biotope was crafted from a type of shellfish native to the Gourt World.

Its hardness surpassed even diamond, yet the Nitros had used it to construct a do of such staggering scale.

More impressively, the do could mimic weather patterns, perfectly reproducing external climate changes.

Riding the jellyfish camping beast, Kael and Setsuno plunged straight into the raging storm. Though terrifying in appearance, the storm posed little threat to true powerhouses—and even the jellyfish camping beast was unfazed. After all, it was a genuine creature of the Gourt World.

In truth, the storm itself wasn't the most dangerous aspect. The real danger ca from the ferocious beasts caught up and hurled into the air by the tornado.

Many beasts, once swept inside, ford bizarre and deadly ecological niches. Even if an intruder managed to withstand the storm, they could still be torn apart by the creatures lurking within it.

Fortunately, the jellyfish camping beast could conceal its presence. In no ti at all, the two of them slipped through the storm's outer barrier.

"I really don't get what the Nitros were thinking," Kael said. "Wrapping their own ho in a storm like this—was that really necessary?"

Back when Kael had asked about the Old First Biotope, Setsuno had explained its situation in detail, including the fact that it was built by the Nitros.

In her eyes, Kael was already strong enough to learn about the Nitros. He was bound to encounter them eventually, so it was better to prepare him in advance rather than have him caught off guard later.

"Maybe it was just so strange hobby of theirs," Setsuno replied.

She thought it was overkill as well. Any creature too weak to pass through the storm wouldn't even make it close before being devoured by sea beasts.

As for those strong enough to cross the storm, the tornado served little purpose beyond being mildly annoying. Its defensive value was practically nonexistent.

In the end, Setsuno could only chalk it up to the Nitros' peculiar tastes. Hearing that, Kael nodded in agreent. The Nitros were an intelligent race, but they were nothing like humans.

If he rembered correctly, the Nitros were obsessed with building labyrinths. The Gourt Pyramid was the pri example—turning your own ho into a maze wasn't sothing most people would ever consider.

Yet the Nitros had done it. And not just once.

As the two chatted about the Nitros, they made their way toward the entrance. Setsuno had been here before, so she naturally knew where it was.

Neither of them had any intention of breaking the do. They weren't Girm, after all. That guy had shattered it simply because he found it troubleso—but this wasn't his mont.

Right now, Grim was still suffering undercover within the Gourt Corp, waiting for a chance to obtain the Infernal Bee.

After Kael and Setsuno entered the passageway, a streak of red light suddenly shot out from deep within. Kael noticed it instantly and caught it in his hand.

"This is a Infernal Bee," Setsuno explained. "They're drawn to bright places and extrely rare. This one should be a guide bee—it travels back and forth between the island where Golden Wheat lives and the Old First Biotope."

They knew about this place because of their connection to Acacia. For outsiders, the only way to locate it was by following a Infernal Bee.

Kael glanced at it briefly, then used Knocking to immobilize it before slipping it into his pocket.

"I'll ta the Infernal Bee later. For now, it can help keep this place hidden."

Setsuno understood imdiately. She knew others were keeping an eye on the Infernal Bees as well. She and the others wouldn't kill them outright—but Kael didn't need to.

By taming it, he could have the Infernal Bee remain in the Old First Biotope for the ti being, cutting off the Gourt Corp and Girm at the root.

Kael was actually curious how long Girm could continue staying with the Gourt Corp if he never got what he wanted. When the final war began, Kael wondered which side he would ultimately choose.

"That's a pretty good idea," Setsuno said with a nod.

As the Gourt Eclipse drew closer, massive changes were about to shake the world. The last thing Setsuno and the others wanted was to be distracted by matters like this.

If Kael could temporarily prevent anyone else from discovering the area, that was more than welco.

After securing the Infernal Bee, the two of them—and the jellyfish—continued deeper into the passage. The Nitros' hobbies might have been strange by human standards, but there was no denying their talent for creating wonders.

The shell forming the do was over a kiloter thick. It was an absurdly extravagant construction—truly befitting the Nitros.

The passage itself was beautiful as well. It was easy to see why this shell could simulate weather.

Soon enough, they erged from the tunnel, and an overwhelming sight greeted them—ingredients, everywhere.

Within the Old First Biotope, four distinct regions representing different seasons were clearly visible, each filled with its own natural phenona.

It was essentially a miniature super-ecosystem.

Beyond that stood a colossal structure—the device sealing the Gerold(Inferno Dragon Wolf).

The device was connected to an enormous altar, covered in Corona Sunflower. These sunflowers contained imnse energy, which powered the seal.

If the altar were destroyed and the energy supply cut off, the seal would break.

Granny Aya, the guardian of this place, was tasked primarily with tending to the Corona Sunflower and ensuring the seal remained intact. She had been chosen because the Sun Crown Sunflower was part of her Full Course nu.

No one understood those sunflowers better than she did. And after being deeply hurt by Grim, she had grown disillusioned and chosen to co here of her own accord.

In the end, she beca the guardian of the Old First Biotope. Setsuno hadn't seen her old friend in a very long ti.

"Aya's presence is over there," Setsuno said. "Let's go see her first. You can gather ingredients later. None of the ingredients here will give you much trouble—but don't touch the sealing device. What's inside is still far beyond you."

Kael nodded imdiately. This place was an unquestionable treasure trove. So of the ingredients here were ones he hadn't obtained before—like the Puffer Whale.

The capture season for the Puffer Whale had already passed by the ti Kael arrived, so there were none available. Toxic ones, however, were still on the market.

He wasn't particularly attached to the Puffer Whale anyway. At his current level, it couldn't activate his Gourt Cells. And there was no rule stating it had to be captured in a seaside cave.

After spawning, Puffer Whales returned to the deep sea. With enough strength, venturing into the depths wasn't impossible.

That said, Kael still preferred capturing one here. The Puffer Whales in this biotope lived in rivers rather than the sea, making them much easier to deal with.

Before long, the two of them found Granny Aya. She hadn't restored her youth yet. In the original story, she only used Knocking to rejuvenate herself because outsiders had invaded.

Uncertain of their strength, she had needed to ensure she was at peak combat power.

Now that there were no intruders, there was no need.

"Aya!"

As Granny Aya busied herself cooking, a familiar voice suddenly rang down from above. She looked up in confusion—and then her expression transford into pure joy.

She saw her old friend descending toward her.

Aya had chosen to co here to avoid dealing with people after being hurt by Girm. But after so long without seeing anyone, the sudden appearance of her friend made her genuinely happy.

"Setsuno!"

She shouted back, and the jellyfish camping beast descended smoothly to the ground.

Kael and Setsuno stepped down along the staircase ford from the jellyfish's body.

"It's been so long, Setsuno. I never thought you'd co all the way here. I'm really glad to see you!"

Aya imdiately took Setsuno's hand. No matter how much ti passed, the bond between old friends remained.

"It really has been a long ti, Aya…"

They chatted for a while before Aya finally noticed Kael standing beside Setsuno.

"And who is this?"

"That's my apprentice, Kael," Setsuno said frankly. "Besides visiting you, he also wants to gather so ingredients here."

"So you've taken on a disciple," Aya said with emotion. "I can't believe it."

When Aya had first co here, Setsuno hadn't had any apprentices yet.

"This is my second one," Setsuno said with a smile. "Kael has an older senior sister nad Nono. She just didn't co along this ti."