Hearing Brunch's words, the Daruma Hermit shot him a helpless look. Didn't he realize how much they'd benefited this time?
The problem wasn't whether they'd gained something. It was how they were supposed to repay Kael.
If this had happened before, he could've offered some rare ingredients. But now? Kael had brought out Century Soup and even something like Ogre Shell, and he was willing to share them with everyone in the Bewitching Food World.
There was no way someone like him lacked ingredients.
For the first time, the Daruma Hermit found himself troubled over how to return a favor.
"You don't need to worry about that," Kael said, shaking his head. "The reason I gave you so much is because you were taking on real risk. If I failed to gain the Horse King's approval, I wouldn't be the only one in trouble. The Bewitching Food World would've suffered his wrath too."
He wasn't being generous for no reason. He understood exactly what kind of impact his actions could have here. The chance of failure might've been slim, but if it happened, the consequences would've been devastating.
They had effectively gambled with their lives. Given Kael's personality, he never would have been so generous unless the stakes were this high.
"No, no," the Daruma Hermit insisted. "There was some risk, yes. But based on what we know of the Horse King, his approval was almost guaranteed. We really did come out ahead this time."
He sighed.
"The problem is, there's only so much the Bewitching Food World can offer. We genuinely don't know how to repay you."
"In that case," Kael said calmly, "once I obtain the right to cook AIR from the Horse King, you can help me transport ingredients to Slow Rain Hill and accelerate AIR's growth."
"Accelerate AIR?" The Daruma Hermit blinked. "Does AIR even need that?"
Despite living in Area 8, the people of the Bewitching Food World had never actually seen AIR. They had no idea about its specific conditions.
"Yes," Kael replied. "AIR grows at Slow Rain Hill. The air around it is extremely dense—so dense that it slows its own development."
"Judging by the current timeline, even by the time of the Gourmet Eclipse, AIR might not fully mature. But AIR has an incredible ability to absorb nutrients. If we supply it with large amounts of ingredients, we can drastically speed up the process."
He paused, then added seriously, "There's one thing, though. You must not let AIR fully ripen on its own. I'll inspect it first. Before it matures, I'll return."
Kael understood the crucial detail: the moment AIR ripens is the only window to cook it. If it falls to the ground before being prepared, everything fails. No AIR for anyone.
Timing had to be exact.
"No problem," the Daruma Hermit said immediately. "As long as you earn the Horse King's recognition, we'll handle it."
In the past, he wouldn't have dared promise something like that. But Kael's dishes had strengthened the entire Bewitching Food World. More people could now leave to hunt. Their food reserves would naturally increase.
With enough ingredients, accelerating AIR's growth was entirely possible.
If things went as planned, AIR would ripen earlier than it had originally. That was excellent news for Kael. In the original timeline, Toriko and the others had barely made it in time.
Kael had no intention of cutting it that close.
The sooner he secured the ingredient, the better. And if he cooked it himself, he could keep the majority of it—just give Toriko and the others a small portion.
He wasn't Toriko. He had no plans to distribute AIR to the entire Human World.
Which meant no one else could cook it.
Except… Monkey King Bambina was still a problem.
In terms of raw power, Kael wasn't Bambina's match. If he wanted PAIR without relying on brute strength, he'd have to use the Monkey Dance.
Dancing wasn't the issue.
The kiss at the end was.
Kael seriously considered whether he could convince Jiro, Ichiryu, or Midora to eliminate the Monkey King instead.
Among them, Midora seemed the most likely.
Ichiryu lacked desire—and Kael owed him nothing. Asking him to kill one of the Eight Kings? Impossible.
Jiro had a good relationship with Kael, but not enough to provoke Bambina.
That left Midora.
If Kael revealed the truth about Frohze and Joie, Midora would chase Joie to the ends of the earth. In exchange, asking him to deal with Bambina wasn't unreasonable.
Of course, Midora would need to eat AIR first.
Once he did, he'd surpass Bambina. In this world, battles between beings on the same level could end in an instant. A gap of one tier? Even more decisive.
Just like Bambina could swat aside ordinary monkeys with a single blow.
With his plans laid out, Kael had the residents of the Bewitching Food World escort him to Horse King's Hill.
This time, both generations of the Three Beast Warriors accompanied him. Technically, one representative would've been enough to show sincerity and avoid angering the giant horses. But the Daruma Hermit sent all six.
The new generation looked… surprisingly good.
Brunch, despite being a tengu, had a well-proportioned build. Dina, though one-eyed, somehow looked striking rather than strange. As for the small-framed Nosh, he gave off a friendly air without the slightest hint of creepiness.
Compared to them, the older generation was… hard to describe.
Strength aside, they couldn't compete in any other aspect.
Before long, they reached Horse King's Hill.
Aside from the Horse King himself, countless giant horses roamed the land. Most looked bizarre, but nearly all radiated overwhelming presence.
Honestly, they would've made excellent mounts—if not for their absurd size.
Zebra had once ridden a Daruma Demon Horse while chasing the Four Beasts, and even then he'd needed to protect Gourmet City with sound waves to prevent total destruction.
Something like a Battle Wolf was ideal. Large, yes—but not catastrophic.
Kael still hadn't found a suitable partner mount. Terry Cloth belonged to Toriko, and Kael had no interest in raising one from scratch.
If only there were a ready-made option.
"That's him," Mappy said quietly. "That's the Horse King. Pretty obvious, right?"
Even lying down, the Horse King's massive body resembled a mountain range sprawled across the earth.
And though his aura was completely suppressed, his presence was overwhelming. Kael spotted him instantly.
Compared to him, the other giant horses felt insignificant.
The moment the Horse King noticed them, Kael didn't hesitate. He activated his power and began cooking the nearby Air Trees.
Horse King's Hill had no shortage of Air Trees. The giant horses fed on air itself. Especially the Horse King—one breath from him could drain the entire hill of oxygen.
But that single breath sustained him for a year… and powered him in battle for a full month.
Whenever he inhaled, the other giant horses left the hill. Not just because of the risk of suffocation.
No one dared remain while their king was eating.
Kael's actions immediately drew attention.
The fruits of the Air Trees gathered together, merging into a single massive fruit. The air output increased severalfold.
If every Air Tree were enhanced like this, the total air supply of Horse King's Hill would multiply dramatically.
Even the giant horses could finally feast without restraint.
The Horse King rose.
His colossal body lifted like a moving mountain. The ground trembled as if struck by a magnitude twelve quake.
Tens of kilometers in size—every motion reshaped the land.
Yet Kael and the others felt no fear.
If anything, they were pleased.
The more attention he gained, the better his chances.
"Horse King," Kael said clearly, "my name is Kael. I've come to make a deal."
Though he spoke in human language, the Horse King understood perfectly. At that level, words were unnecessary. Intent and emotion carried meaning. A single sound could convey entire thoughts directly into another's mind.
Kael explained everything.
He could hear the voice of ingredients.
He could cook AIR while releasing the air contained within it.
The proof was all around them—the transformed Air Trees.
The Horse King fell silent.
He weighed the gains and losses. Could this truly help him produce a healthy heir?
In the end, he decided.
If Kael succeeded, he would teach the people of the Bewitching Food World how to cook air. With them handling the Air Trees, the air supply of Horse King's Hill would multiply.
His breathing would become easier.
And if he refused?
The Blue Nitro would likely intervene anyway. Why gamble on that tiny chance of failure?
Better to let Kael try.
The decision was made.
Kael and the others saw it clearly—and smiles spread across their faces.
Especially Mappy and the Three Beast Warriors. Even though the Daruma Hermit had said success was almost certain, no one could guarantee it.
If things had gone wrong, the entire Bewitching Food World would've paid the price.
But now—
It was settled.
Next step: accelerate AIR.
And before that—
Cook these Air Trees properly.
Because for the horses of Horse King's Hill, that was the most immediate reward of all.