"Golden lobster fish."
"Kaizen, you're really lucky."
"I didn't expect you'd actually catch one of those."
There was a hint of envy in Menchi's eyes.
"Is it rare?" Kojiro asked, clearly intrigued.
"Very. Golden lobster fish are completely golden in color. They look like fish but taste just like lobster—hence the name," Menchi explained. "And they're delicious."
She added, "You used that URL I gave you last time, didn't you, Kaizen?"
Kaizen nodded.
"In the Gourmet Hunter circle, every ingredient has a capture level," he said. "Love sardines, for example, are level three. But golden lobster fish are level eight."
"Extremely rare," Menchi confirmed. "Only a handful are caught each year. It's all luck."
Kojiro's expression turned serious.
"Kaizen, would you let me cook it?"
"Of course."
Kaizen wasn't a chef himself. It would be a waste to try and cook such a high-level ingredient on his own.
In Gourmet Paradise, there are both Gourmet Hunters and chefs. The two roles often overlap—like Menchi, Buhara, and Kojiro—but everyone leans more one way than the other. Menchi and Buhara are more focused on hunting ingredients, while Kojiro is clearly more devoted to the culinary side.
No matter who cooked it, Kaizen didn't mind. Since all three were present, if Menchi or Buhara had an opinion, they'd say so.
"Thank you," Kojiro said, eyes shining with gratitude. For chefs, cooking rare ingredients was a deep honor—especially something this rare. In normal circumstances, you'd never even encounter it.
"I'll get started right away," he said, heading into the cabin to grab his cooking tools.
"Golden lobster fish is great as sashimi. I brought just the right ingredients this time. Half raw, half fried. I'll use the bones and head to make soup."
Kaizen waved his hand.
"It's all up to you. I'll just be here waiting to eat."
...
The boat sailed steadily across the open sea, slowly putting distance between them and Gourmet Paradise. They could still see the island's lights flickering in the far distance, but the ocean around them was vast and restless.
Still, everyone on board was in good spirits—especially Kojiro, who had to prepare the meal while adjusting to the rocking of the ship.
Soon, the rich aroma of cooked fish began to waft through the air.
Kojiro brought out the first plate and set it on the makeshift dining table.
"Sashimi's ready."
Kaizen stepped forward, picked up his chopsticks, and took a slice. He dipped it in a little mustard and seasoning, then popped it into his mouth.
The flavor exploded on his tongue.
"Delicious!"
Sashimi doesn't leave much room for technique—it's mostly about the ingredient quality. And this fish was on another level.
Warmth radiated through Kaizen's body as the flesh slid down his throat. He could feel even his cells cheering.
The second bite had slightly less of an effect.
The third, even less.
By the fourth, the effect had almost disappeared.
Still, Kaizen turned to the others.
"You've gotta try this. It's amazing."
Tessia and the others stepped forward, each taking small portions.
The golden lobster fish wasn't enormous, but it was enough for everyone on the boat to get a taste. And with Kaizen and Sally both fishing, there were plenty of ordinary fish to go around too.
...
Kojiro's second dish was soon ready.
"Here—try this one."
Again, Kaizen tasted first.
Then came the third course: a soup made from the fish's head and bones.
Just a single sip warmed him from the inside out. Even with the ocean wind blowing, he didn't feel cold at all—just comfortably full and content.
"Kaizen, your luck's unreal today," Menchi laughed. "Catching a level eight ingredient like that's no small feat."
Buhara rubbed his belly. "As expected of golden lobster fish. That really hit the spot."
Kojiro looked over with a grateful smile.
"Kaizen, thank you again for letting me cook it."
"You're being too polite," Kaizen replied. "I should be the one thanking you. If I'd cooked it myself, it definitely wouldn't have turned out this good. That would've been a waste of a rare ingredient..."
...
Just then—
"What's that?" Tessia pointed toward the sea.
Kaizen looked.
A figure floated in the water, surrounded by red streaks. Beneath the surface, something appeared to be tearing the body apart.
"That's a person!"
Everyone rushed to the side of the boat.
Buhara stood up, bracing himself. The hull rocked slightly as he drew in a breath and slammed his palms into his stomach with tremendous force.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
A shockwave rippled through the water, blasting away the creatures beneath the surface.
Kaizen picked up his fishing rod, flicked his wrist, and cast. The hook latched onto the person's clothes, and with a sharp pull, Kaizen dragged the body closer.
Kojiro leapt forward and caught the injured person as they neared the boat.
"Their condition's critical," Menchi said, face serious. "If we don't act fast, they'll die. The lower half is... too damaged. Amputation is the only option."
"And they're poisoned, too."
"First, we need to suck out the poison," Kaizen said, gesturing toward Shizuku.
"Shizuku, you're up."
Shizuku nodded, her aura flaring slightly.
"Blinky."
The vacuum cleaner appeared, attaching itself to the wound. With a faint gurgling sound, it began drawing out the poisoned blood—dark, almost black at first. She stopped only when the blood began to flow clear again.
Menchi took out a clean kitchen knife and didn't hesitate.
Crack!
The injured person jolted awake, then quickly passed out again.
Kojiro moved in with the onboard medical kit and started stopping the bleeding.
...
Clink!
A silver coin fell from the person's clothing and rolled across the deck.
It was identical to the one in Menchi's hand.
Another cursed silver coin.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (1047 chapters in total)