In to the Gourmet World (Toriko)

Ch 30

Three Appetite Demons were now on full display. 

"FLYING FORK!" Toriko sent his attack at Tommyrod. At the same time, Tommyrod sent a swarm of bugs towards Toriko. Several bugs collided with the attack.

Mari sliced at the few that came near her. She saw Toriko looking towards her, and she knew that look in his eyes.

'Please don't try to protect me. Worry about yourself in this fight, please!' She ran forward to try and kill more of the bugs.

"SPIKED PUNCH!" Toriko attacked more bugs and tried to get closer to Mari. Why did she keep moving? She was gonna get hurt at this rate. More bugs buried themselves in his back. 

"Mari, please, stay near me. These bugs are getting worse!" Toriko said and finally managed to get next to her again. Tommyrod released another swarm that surrounded them both. 

"Now, now. That won't do." Tommyrod said. "I've still got plenty of bugs left." He cackled as he watched the two hunters. Toriko looked at his hand, it wasn't good. 

'He's losing his arm little by little.' Mari thought as she looked at Toriko. 'I hate to see him getting hurt, but it's crucial to getting the soup in the end. I hate this, and these damn bugs!!'

"CHEETAH SPEED!" As fast as anyone could blink, Mari ran through the swarm, slicing as many bugs as she could. She managed to get most of them, but they were relentless. Tommyrod released even more bugs at the two of them.

"Toriko! Mari!" Match yelled to get their attention. The saw that they both had bugs on their bodies.

"Are you kidding me!?" Mari exclaimed as she swiped at the bugs on her and Toriko.

"Switch on!" Tommyrod said as he destroyed an orange bug nearest to him, causing the other insects to go off like bombs.

Everyone was caught in a cloud of black smoke.

"Where's Toriko and Mari?" Match asked as he coughed through the smoke. 

As the smoke cleared, the two hunters could be seen, both looking worse for wear. Toriko's entire top part of his suit was gone. The sleeves and legs of Mari's suit were mostly gone, leaving majority of her arms and legs exposed.

"So, you threw it off, along with the bugs just before the explosion, huh?" Tommyrod laughed. "But can you fight without arctic clothing?"

"Don't worry about us." Toriko said. "Because I'll be beating you in a second."

Mari let a growl emit from her throat, a sign that she was ready to fight.

"That's reckless." Match said as he took off his shirt. "In these below zero temperatures...you can't fight without a lighter suit. Use mine, Toriko."

"Match." Toriko said as Match started to lean a bit.

"I'd like to fight with you." Match said. "But it looks like I'll just get in your way. It's pathetic, but this is all I can do, forgive me." 

Looking around, Takimaru and Match's men were down and out, unable to fight anymore. 

"I see your fights are over." Toriko said.

"Toriko, Mari. The bugs are coming!" Match said. "Watch out!"

"Match...you fought well. Thank you, you can use the lighter suit. I don't need it." Toriko said.

"Then, Mari please use it." Match tried to give her the suit, but she shook her head and gave him a small smile. 

"I appreciate it, Match. But I'll be fine. I've got all the animals of the arctic on my side." Mari had recalled all of her knowledge of arctic animals, and applied that to make sure she didn't freeze with all the ice around. Her feet, hands, arms, and legs were all exposed. If she lost her concentration of her arctic animals abilities, she would start to freeze.

The bugs stopped for a moment, since they weren't being attacked. 

'The bugs aren't attacking?' Match thought.

"The fuck?! You guys lost?!" Tommyrod exclaimed at his two fallen cohorts. His eyes started to glow red. "I don't need you guys anymore but at least you can be food for my bugs." He released a huge swarm. "Lay your eggs in those two, my bugs!"

"Hey! Stop! They're not dead yet!" Match yelled. "Stop! They're your comrades, aren't they?"

At that, both Toriko and Mari unleashed a burst of energy from their bodies, one red and one orange, that sent the bugs smashing into the walls.

"What was that?" Match said.

"Give your comrades a little thanks for the fighting they did." Toriko said.

"It's hot. Their bodies are giving off an immense heat." Match said.

"What kind of childish crap are you spouting?!" Tommyrod exclaimed. "Anyone that can't serve their purpose is garbage, so it's okay to kill them! Toriko, why don't you...hurry up and die!" He spit out another swarm.

"Tommyrod, you're the kind of vulgar bastard one rarely ever sees." Toriko said. "You can be sure I'll exterminate you!" He felt another intense heat next to him, Mari.

"That makes two of us." She growled. "Don't be too confident that your gonna just walk out of here." 'He's not gonna die because of the plot, but what's some extra damage gonna hurt. Consider it payback for Toriko's arm.'

"Well...aren't you a brave one." Tommyrod smirked at her. "And Toriko, you were shivering awhile ago."

"But to do something like that, must consume a considerable amount of calories." Match said. 

"And you, girlie, to have so many animals summoned at once, a brave but stupid move on your part. You'll be weakened in no time." Tommyrod smirked. "Both of you, such childish tricks."

"Now, come at me yourself without relying on your bugs!" Toriko yelled.

"I don't wanna." Tommyrod said. "YOU IDIOT!" He spat out the bugs. Toriko sent out his Fork attack, defeating every bug that neared them.

"Mari, I want you away from here. Away from this fight." Toriko said.

"Sorry, Toriko, but that's not happening." Mari said as she steeled herself and got ready to attack.

"I don't want you to get hurt!" He exclaimed. "Please, just get somewhere safe!" He ran towards Tommyrod. "Now I can get close to you, Tommyrod!"

Mari felt her eye twitch in annoyance, but got an idea with both men now distracted with each other.

'He's protective of her...' Tommyrod smirked as he watch the blue haired hunter run at him. 'Hehe I have an idea...wait, where did she go?' As if like a ghost, the woman had disappeared.