The air in the IGO's grand culinary stadium thrummed with a different energy than the Pioneer Medal ceremony. That had been formal, awe-filled. This was warmer, richer—a gathering of kindred spirits. The stadium's central arena had been transformed. Instead of combat zones or display tables, there were long, interconnected tables grown from living Sonic-Wood, shaped by Rias's harmonics into a graceful, spiraling pattern that symbolized an infinite journey. At the center stood a kitchen complex that was less a workstation and more a monument to culinary art, forged from Trench-Metal, World Tree heartwood, and embedded with acoustic crystals that would broadcast the cooking's resonant quality to all present.
Indra and Rias stood at the heart of this kitchen, performing their final preparations. They weren't cooking for fame or recognition now. They were cooking thanks.
Indra: He was reducing a sauce in a pan carved from a single Heracles' Tear. The viscous liquid, a blend of Portal Vintage, Melancholy Bay syrup, and shavings of Eternal Diamond, bubbled with tiny, shimmering portals that opened and closed with popping sounds. "The temporal reduction is critical. We need it to evoke memory, present joy, and future promise simultaneously."
Rias: She was orchestrating a forest of side dishes. With gentle hums, she coaxed Starlight Silkworm cocoons to unravel into noodle-like threads, which she then wove into edible baskets. She filled them with roasted Chrono-Scarab legumes and whispered harmonies that made the baskets themselves emit a soft, finishing aroma of rosemary and stardust. "The containers should be as meaningful as the contents. A meal that teaches from the first glance."
They were preparing a banquet for three hundred of the Gourmet World's most significant beings. The guest list was a testament to their journey:
The Four Heavenly Kings (Toriko, Coco, Sani, Zebra), now visibly older, taller, and thrumming with even greater, more focused power. Komatsu and a select group of the IGO's top Chefs, including the legendary Chef Yosaku. Director Helia and the IGO's senior scientific council. Envoys from the Gourmet Nobility, including the eccentric billionaire Livebearer. And, most importantly, emissaries from their true mentors: a fragment of Heracles' tusk, pulsing with earthy energy; a single, playful hair from Bambina that kept trying to steal ingredients; a shimmering atmospheric phantom from the Sky Deer; and a globe of pressurized water containing the resonant voice of the Ocean King.
The stadium began to fill. The Kings arrived with typical bombast.
Zebra: "SO THIS IS THE SEND-OFF FEAST! BETTER BE FILLING, OR I'M EATING THE TABLE!" His voice shook the acoustic crystals, which Rias calmly re-tuned with a wave of her hand.
Sani: "Zebra, your vulgar decibels are disrupting the aesthetic flow! Look at the table spiral! It's a visual representation of a universe's breath! Have some respect!" His hair strands reached out, delicately adjusting the placement of a sonic-wood blossom centerpiece.
Coco: He adjusted his glasses, his poison needles tucked away. "The probability of this meal inducing a collective spiritual epiphany is currently at 87%. The presence of the Beast Kings' fragments raises it to 99.3%."
Toriko: He just grinned, his nose twitching. "I don't care about epiphanies. I smell things I've never smelled before. Things that smell like... the inside of a black hole and the first cry of a baby universe. My appetite's howling!"
Komatsu approached the kitchen boundary, bowing deeply. "Chef Indra, Chef Rias! Is there anything I can assist with? Even just washing the cosmic vegetables!"
Rias: She smiled warmly. "Komatsu-san, your presence is assistance enough. But perhaps you could help ensure the Harmony Water is perfectly chilled?" She gestured to barrels of water she had harmonized to the frequency of peace and digestion.
Komatsu: "Leave it to me!" He scurried off with tearful enthusiasm.
Director Helia approached, her data-coral pad in hand. "The biometric and spiritual sensors are active throughout the stadium. We will be recording the effects of this meal on such a diverse physiological range. This data will be... priceless."
Indra: He gave a curt nod. "Record freely, Director. Consider it part of our final contribution to the IGO's archives. But I would advise the sensors to have their own 'digestive' protocols. Some of these flavors may be conceptually challenging."
Finally, the guests were seated. The Beast Kings' emissaries took positions of honor at the spiral's head. Indra and Rias shared one last look.
Indra: "The first symphony of our farewell."
Rias: "Let's make it a masterpiece."
They moved.
________________________________________
The Banquet of Gratitude: Twelve Courses of Legacy
What followed was not merely a meal service. It was a performance, a narrative, and an act of profound, shared alchemy.
Course 1: Welcoming Aperitif - "The First Bite of the Unknown."
Servers, trained by Rias's sonic commands, brought forth small crystal flutes. Inside, a fizzing, silver liquid swirled with tiny, glowing dots.
Rias (her voice amplified gently by the crystals): "A blend of Sky Deer's first-spring rain and the effervescence found at the edges of a newborn dimensional rift. To awaken the palate to wonder."
The drink was chilling, electric, and tasted like the thrilling, terrifying moment of first falling into the Gourmet World.
Course 2: Salad of Foundations - "The Teachers' Garden."
A plate holding seven distinct, tiny salads. A cube of compressed, moss-like herb from Heracles' territory (unyielding patience). A spiral of razor-leaf green from Bambina's domain (chaotic energy). A cloud of frozen air from the Sky Deer (elevated perspective). A gel sphere of abyssal water from the Ocean King (profound pressure). A shaving of Lawstone tuber (Indra's discipline). A petal of Sonic-Wood blossom (Rias's harmony). A single seed of the Next World Tree (collective future).
Indra: "Each element, a lesson. Consume in any order, and let them synthesize within you."
The table fell silent as everyone tasted the foundational truths of the Sovereigns' training.
Course 3: Soup of Resilience - "Distortion Consommé."
A deep, black bowl where the soup was invisible. Only when a spoon passed through it did it briefly glow with anti-light, revealing chunks of vegetables that phased in and out of existence.
Indra: "A broth simmered in a controlled spatial anomaly. The vegetables are from the Distortion World's fringe ecosystems. It teaches the body to find nourishment in adversity."
Eating it was a bizarre, wonderful experience—flavors that disappeared and reappeared on the tongue, a lesson in persistence.
As the meal progressed, the effects became more pronounced. The dining hall filled with a tangible aura of shared experience and deepening connection.
Course 6: Fish Course - "The Depths' Truce."
A whole, gem-like fish from the Ocean King's realm, poached not in liquid, but in a resonant sound wave emitted by Rias's ring. The sound gently vibrated the fish to perfect flakiness without any direct heat. It was served with a sauce of crushed acoustic crystals and Mangrove syrup.
Ocean King's Emissary (voice echoing from the water globe): "You have cooked my anger into understanding. You have made a peace treaty taste delicious."
Course 8: Meat Course - "The Hunt's Covenant."
This was the main event. Not the Devourer, but a majestic, CL 2800 "Thunder-Plume Phoenix" that Indra had hunted in the Celestial Canopy with a single, space-folding arrow. It was roasted whole over a fire made from burning "Forgotten Stories"—scrolls of tasteless history from the Planet Devourer's glass plains, which produced a clean, narrative-less heat. Toriko carved it with a knife made from Bambina's gifted hair, which sliced effortlessly.
Toriko: As he took a bite of the breast meat, his eyes shot wide open. For a moment, his Gourmet Demon, a spectral beast, flickered visibly behind him. "IT'S... IT'S NOT JUST THE FLAVOR! IT'S THE RESPECT! You didn't just beat this thing. You honored its life, its flight! I can TASTE the wind under its wings!"
His reaction sent a wave of empathetic flavor perception through the connected diners. Everyone tasted not just the sublime, electrically-tinged meat, but the story of the hunt: the pursuit, the moment of perfect, respectful strike, the gratitude.
The banquet reached its emotional peak with the final savory course.
Course 10: The Unified Course - "Sovereign's Pledge."
A small, open-faced tart. The crust was woven Starlight Silkworm thread, baked to crispness. On it rested a creamy pâté made from the collaborative cells of the Four Beast Kings' gifts (tusk, hair, air, water), harmonized by Rias's song into a cohesive, powerhouse flavor. Topping it was a thin slice of the Crown Berry and a dusting of powdered Eternal Diamond.
Indra: "Strength, chaos, wisdom, depth. Harmonized by will, crowned by sovereignty, made eternal by commitment. This is the essence of what you have taught us. We pledge to carry it forward."
The Four Kings' emissaries reacted. The tusk fragment rooted itself into the table, sprouting a quick, beautiful flower. Bambina's hair stood still for a full minute. The atmospheric phantom wept a small, delicious rain. The water globe glowed with intense blue light.
Komatsu: He was sobbing openly into his napkin. "It's too beautiful! The flavors are having a conference on my tongue and they've all decided to be friends forever!"
After two dessert courses of breathtaking sweetness and temporal playfulness, the final offering arrived.
Course 12: Parting Digestif - "The Road Between Worlds."
A simple, warm tea served in cups made from the clay of the Human World and the Gourmet World, fused. The tea leaves were a blend of herbs from both their home in Kumogakure and the Whispering Mangroves.
Rias: "A bridge of steam and scent. Wherever our roads lead, they will always be steeped in the gratitude we feel in this moment, for all of you."
It was a calming, unifying flavor. The taste of bittersweet departure and enduring connection.
________________________________________
The Gifts and Promises
As the diners sat in a state of post-meal euphoria, a profound contentment hanging over the stadium, the gift-giving began.
The Four Heavenly Kings approached first.
Toriko: He slapped a massive, calloused hand on Indra's shoulder. "When you said you were from another world, I thought you meant like, another continent. Not another universe. That's a whole new menu!" His grin was fierce. "You've got a standing invitation. Any time. And we're cashing in on that visit. A world with its own flavors? Its own battles? We'll be there. Might take a few years to get strong enough to make the trip you described, but we'll manage."
Coco: He presented a carefully sealed vial. "A toxin refined from my latest discoveries. It doesn't kill the body; it induces a state of 'absolute, impartial hindsight' in the target, forcing them to review all their life's choices with perfect clarity. For your... political enemies." He said it with a dry smile.
Sani: With a flourish, he produced two magnificent cloaks woven from his own hair, now infused with strands of Starlight Silkworm thread and Sonic-Wood fiber. "Travel cloaks. They adjust to any environment, repel mundane filth, and will always, always drape in a way that emphasizes your sovereign silhouettes. Aesthetics are a universal constant."
Zebra: He just grunted, then unleashed a short, controlled "VOICE: SEAL!" The sound wave compacted itself into two tiny, hovering, constantly vibrating spheres of solid sound. "TAKE THESE. SMASH 'EM WHEN YOU NEED A GOOD, LOUD DISTRACTION. OR A WARNING SHOT THAT'LL SHATTER MOUNTAINS."
Indra & Rias accepted each gift with deep bows of gratitude.
Next came the Beast Kings' Emissaries.
Heracles' Tusk split, revealing a single, potent seed. "The seed of a World Tree from my back. Plant it in your home. It will grow according to the spiritual soil of your world. It will be a bridge between our realms, and an anchor of life." Bambina's Hair plucked itself and tied into two intricate, unbreakable bracelets. "A piece of my chaos. Wear it. It will keep your reflexes sharp, your laughter quick, and remind you that not all order needs to be rigid." The Sky Deer's Phantom condensed into a pair of earrings made of solidified aurora. "The winds of your journey home will always be favorable. You will never lose your way in the storms of any world." The Ocean King's Water Globe divided, half merging with the aurora earrings, half forming a necklace for Indra. "My depth guards you. Pressure will strengthen you, not crush you. The abyss will be your ally."
Director Helia then stepped forward, accompanied by a formal IGO procession.
Director Helia: "By the authority of the International Gourmet Organization and with the blessing of Ichiryuu-sama, we hereby confer upon Indra and Rias Uzumaki Permanent Honorary President status." She presented two badges, shaped like the World Tree, that pulsed with gentle life energy. "This grants you unlimited access to IGO resources across all dimensions, should you find a way to connect them. It also places upon you the responsibility of being ambassadors of the Gourmet Spirit, in whatever universe you reside."
Finally, the system chimed in their minds, a final, resonant note for this world.
[ Alert: Gourmet World Symbiosis Complete. ]
[ Template Synthesis Finalizing... ]
[ Victor Von Doom Template: 100% - Sovereignty, Technological Supremacy, Unyielding Will. ]
[ Indra Ōtsutsuki Template: 100% - Chakra Potency, Spiritual Legacy, Dimensional Affinity. ]
[ Pokémon Creation Triad Template: 100% - Mastery of Space (Palkia), Time (Dialga), Antimatter/Distortion (Giratina). Unified Expression: Arceus Proto-Form (Stable). ]
[ Rias Uzumaki Synchronization: Banshee Bat Gourmet Demon & Wood Goddess Synthesis: 100%. Designation: 'Sovereign of Life & Song.' ]
[ New Unified Template Available: 'Dual Sovereigns' - Activates upon formal marital union. Capabilities: Locked. ]
The completion was a physical sensation. For Indra, it felt as if a final, perfectly fitted piece of cosmic machinery slid into place in his soul. The separate templates—the dictator's will, the progenitor's power, the dragon's authority—were now a seamless, indissoluble whole. He was not one or the other. He was the convergence. Rias felt a similar totality, her connection to life and sound becoming as fundamental as her heartbeat.
Ichiryuu appeared then, as if materializing from the contentment in the air. He carried no physical gift. His presence was the gift.
Ichiryuu: He looked at them, his eyes holding the warmth of a sun that nourishes all life. "You came as hungry students. You leave as fulfilled teachers. You took the worst hunger this world could offer and turned it into a lesson in care." He placed a hand over his own heart, then extended the open palm toward them. "You have my gratitude. And you have my friendship. The road between worlds is long, but for hearts like ours, it is but a step. Farewell, Kindred. Until the next feast."
It was the ultimate benediction.
________________________________________
The Last Goodbye
The following morning, at the same remote platform on the World Tree, a smaller, more intimate group gathered to see them off: the Four Kings, Komatsu, and Director Helia.
The preparations were complete. All discoveries logged. All gifts stored in specially prepared spatial capsules. The Genesis Marble with the Starlight Garden rested secure. Rias's engagement ring gleamed.
Indra held Rias's hand. Before them, space began to fold not with the wild tear of their arrival, but with the smooth, authoritative grace of his now-100% mastery. A doorway of golden light, edged with the green of life and the blue of deep water, spiraled into existence. Through it, they could sense the familiar, sharp, electric-charged air of Kumogakure.
Toriko: "Don't you dare let your skills get rusty! We're going to have the ultimate cross-universe cooking contest one day!"
Komatsu: (Weeping) "Please be safe! Send a message if you can! I'll name the first new dish I create after you both!"
Director Helia: "The IGO's data—and our hearts—are always open to you."
Indra: He bowed deeply to them all. "You have given us more than power. You have given us perspective. Thank you."
Rias: She curtsied, her voice thick with emotion but her song clear. "This world's song is forever in our hearts. We will hum it always."
With one last, shared look at the friends they were leaving behind, at the impossible, beautiful, dangerous world that had forged them into Sovereigns, they turned.
Hand in hand, they stepped through the gateway.
The light enveloped them. The sounds of the Gourmet World—the distant roars of beasts, the sigh of magical winds, the chatter of their friends—faded, replaced by the rising, familiar cacophony of a hidden village preparing for war, unaware that its greatest protectors had just returned from a feast of gods, engaged to be married, and ready to rewrite the very rules of their world.
The gateway spiraled closed behind them, leaving only the faint, delicious scent of a transcendent meal and the promise of a future reunion hanging in the Gourmet World's air.
Their expedition was over. Their reign was about to begin.
End of Chapter – 69.