The next morning, when Zed woke up, the three were already busy in the kitchen. Mirajane, bolstered by her Gourmet Cells and restored magic, could now assist—though her cooking skills still lagged behind Erina and Hisako, limiting her to minor tasks.
They prepared breakfast as Zed received a system notification: Hisako 's chef star rating had risen to Two Stars. Erina Nakiri, however, remained distant from Three Stars.
In truth, if the pair focused solely on honing their culinary skills, their ratings would skyrocket to Five or even Six Stars within months. But adhering to Chef Sumire's advice, they prioritized foundational knowledge for smoother long-term growth. Their skills still progressed steadily, and Hisako's upgrade to Two Stars unlocked a reward.
"Food Honor (Shokugi) has slightly improved… So, this is the star-upgrade reward!"
Zed marveled at the system's gift: heightened control over energy, a direct boost to his Food Honor. The system also classified Mirajane as a Combatant, rewarding power mastery instead of Cell Level increases.
This thwarted Zed's hopes of rapid strength gains for partners, as power control required gradual practice, not just Gourmet Cell enhancements.
The system tiered power control into ranks. For Mirajane to grant rewards, she needed perfect mastery of her current strength. Further rewards would require her to comprehend Food Honor.
With this clarity, Zed finalized his plans: Erina and Hisako would return to Nakaume Gourmet School for foundational training, while he supplied Gourmet Cell-boosting ingredients.
For Mirajane, classified as a Combatant, Zed planned a trip to the Heavy Hole. Though its crushing gravity posed risks, her Demon Soul form could withstand it, accelerating her adaptation to surging power.
But first, they'd scour the Biotope 1 Zone's remaining areas: the White Forest and Devil Athletics. The White Forest housed Obasaurus—Capture Level 27-28 beasts, notorious for their ferocity and odd loyalty. Once subdued, they obeyed commands unless a stronger master intervened.
"Ugly? Perhaps. But they are a good body guard." Zed smirked. In the original timeline, Toriko had struggled against them. Now, they'd serve as bodyguards for Erina and Hisako, whose low Cell Levels left them vulnerable.
At the White Forest, the group located a den of five Obasaurus. "We need two," Zed declared.
The beasts charged, but halted mid-lunge as Zed unleashed his Gourmet Demon aura—a shadowy, towering presence that crushed their will. Within seconds, the Obasaurus knelt, docile as trained hounds.
"Just his aura…!" Mirajane whispered, awed. Even in her Demon Soul form, she couldn't subdue foes through presence alone. It reminded her of Fairy Tail's legendary wizards, whose mere magic pressure could paralyze adversaries.
"Obasaurus—Let call them 'Lubu' for their stubbornness—are loyal once broken," Zed explained. "They'll guard Erina and Hisako at Nakaume Gourmet School."
The creatures' grotesque faces—ridged skulls, serrated fangs—earned grimaces from the group. But their utility outweighed aesthetics.