Shun had absolutely no idea about the place Shuu-sensei was describing; it had never appeared in any storyline.
Shuu-sensei continued, "Exactly because it's extremely dangerous and unknowable, the IGO long ago designated it as one of the most dangerous zones in the Human World. Rumor has it that special predators live there—beasts adapted to the eternal fog. They hunt using senses far beyond sight and are ferocious beyond measure."
"Over the years, plenty of confident Gourmet Hunters have gone in teams to explore it. The result… most never returned. Bit by bit, it became a truly 'forgotten land,' one few dare to approach anymore."
Perpetual mist, and mysterious, vicious beasts.
If a place like that didn't hide special ingredients, that would be the real surprise.
Shuu-sensei shifted the topic, his gaze settling on Shun. "But, 'Seven-One-Three,' danger often walks hand-in-hand with opportunity. An environment so unusual must have birthed an ecosystem unlike anything outside it. I can say with one hundred percent certainty: inside that fog belt there are ingredients that have never been recorded—maybe never even imagined. Some may have adapted to the mist itself… some might even be part of the mist's very cause…"
"…" Shun stayed silent, listening to Shuu-sensei lay things out.
"I'm recommending this place because you've already mastered Food Honor. In that absolute fog that robs you of vision, ordinary five senses are greatly dulled—sometimes even become a burden. But the essence of Food Honor is perception that pierces appearances; it's listening to the breath of all things, feeling the flow of life."
"With vision shut down, your Food Honor may grow even sharper. You can read terrain and obstacles through the tiniest movements of air, judge a beast's distance and species by its breath, and even—by sensing where 'life energy' gathers—track down potential top-class ingredients."
"For you, this is both an extreme adventure and a deeper training of Food Honor itself. Whether you gain something there—or even return safely—depends on how you understand and wield the 'Way' you've grasped."
Shuu-sensei's words were earnest and weighty.
After hearing him out, Shun pondered for a long time. He felt some pressure—but also a strange excitement.
A land unknown even to the IGO, a world where one relies entirely on Food Honor!
It was, without a doubt, the perfect place to test his strength and search for high-tier ingredients.
"That really does sound irresistible. In that case… let me go pay this mist a visit!"
Decision made, Shun bowed deeply to the mentor before him. "Thank you for pointing me in the right direction, Shuu-sensei. I've decided to challenge that place and break through my limits!"
Seeing the fighting spirit blazing in Shun's eyes, Shuu-sensei nodded with satisfaction. He said no more, but carefully passed along the fog zone's approximate location and some outer landmarks to use as references. He reminded him once again: "Shun, you're the third person of this temple to grasp the Ultimate Food Honor (Shoku-metsu). In comprehension, you surpassed me long ago… but remember: act within your limits, perception first, survival above all. If you encounter something you can't handle, withdraw in time. The path ahead is long."
His concern for Shun was plain to hear.
"The disciple will keep it in mind."
—Time Skip—
Three mornings later, Shun took his leave of Shuu-sensei and Miyoko Hojo and set out alone.
From Shuu-sensei he had learned that this land of mist lay upon a vast island to the southeast of the Wu Jungle.
After several more days of travel, Shun finally reached the region.
"So this is it?"
He studied the distant sea of fog.
From afar, heaven and earth seemed split by an endless gray wall.
The fog wasn't white; it carried a heavy, oppressive gray-white tint.
Just as Shuu-sensei had said, the fog was so dense it was like a colossal mass of cotton candy.
Around him, the vegetation grew sparse and strange. The air held a dampness mixed with a faint mustiness and the scent of unknown minerals.
Shun had been to the Baron Isles, the Tree Sea, and the IGO's biotopes. Those were all dangerous places—but this one was palpably different.
Drawing a deep breath, he raised his Food Honor to its peak state…
He didn't rush into the thick fog. Instead, he paced the boundary, closed his eyes, and relied entirely on Food Honor to "touch" the area.
The acuity of Food Honor was astounding; everything within range unfolded in his heart's eye—becoming clear.
He could "hear" the low, threatening bellows coming from deep inside the fog, and the frantic scurrying of smaller creatures fleeing.
"As expected, sight is useless here—worse, it misleads," Shun realized, firming his resolve to rely on Food Honor alone.
"Hoo…"
He drew a long breath and stepped into the fog.
In an instant, the world turned utterly gray-white.
Visibility plunged—ten meters, five, three… until even his own fingers waving before his eyes blurred into nothing.
Sounds grew muffled and warped. A crushing sense of isolation and lost direction pressed in. An ordinary person might already have snapped.
But Shun's heart was still as a calm lake.
His Food Honor perception spread like radar in every direction.
He "saw" the uneven ground beneath his feet; sensed a shallow marsh to his left, dampness rising faintly; to his right, a zone of jagged boulders—he could even tell some slick moss clung to the stones.
Even with perception clearing his path, he dared not relax for a moment.
He walked for a long time without encountering any predators.
"This place really is different… Then again, that makes sense. Very few beasts could survive this mist," he murmured.
After several more hours, he met the first truly threatening lifeform—the Mist-Hidden Lizard.
About the size of a cheetah, its skin tone blended perfectly with the fog until it was practically one with the environment.
It didn't hunt using sight, but by reading the slightest tremors of the ground and shifts in air temperature.
Shun still couldn't make out its exact form, but his Ingredient Encyclopedia supplied the details he needed.
…
(End of Chapter)
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