The path to Honey Prison was long and freaky. Honestly, you thought you were walking among the dead. And the fact that Toriko was currently conversing out loud with someone that wasn't either you or Komatsu, it didn't help in easing your mind. Weirdly, the Gourmet Hunter was following the instructions of this unknown...voice? Invisible Person? And was now dragging behind him more meat and beasts than what was inside his bag previously.

"Toriko-san...For a while now, have you, um, been talking to yourself?" Komatsu was unsure how to bring this up.

"Huh? Yeah, he's my partner. A chef named Komatsu. The woman is (y/n), a friend of ours" Toriko continued to talk alone, pointing behind him. "...What? Hell no! They are not presents, and certainly not (y/n)! Wanna eat her or somethin'?"

"GYEH?!" you shouted, mortified.

"Who on earth are you talking with?!" cried out your friend."Can you see a ghost or something, Toriko-san? I've definitely had chills ever since we went through those gates"

"This atmosphere is so spooky, it feels like we've actually walked into the realm of the dead" you added, shivering lightly. "Why did I accept to come here?"

"Skyawk!"

You watched as Dino ran forward and passed Toriko, who blinked at the beast. The wyvern did a sudden stop, sniffing the air as he threw his head back. You were caught by surprise when Dino returned to your side while whining, clutching your back as if something scared him.

"What's wrong, Dino?" you frowned, petting the wyvern on the head. "Did you see a ghost too?"

"Oi, we're here!" Toriko called at the front. "That's the Gourmet Prison, Honey Prison"

At the end of the road stood some sort of beehive-looking thing hanging from the side of the cliff. Now you understood the whole meaning of its name. Upon arriving at the prison, you were greeted by officers who were waiting for your arrival. One of them had a pink coat and looked a bit weird for your tastes.

"I am the vice warden of Honey Prison, Ohban" the man with the stitches introduced himself. "I've heard about everything from the warden"

"I-I knew this place was scary! It's not cute at all even with its name!" cried out Komatsu.

"What gives? If you heard from old man Ichiryu, couldn't you have just come to meet me back there?" wondered Toriko.

"Are you familiar with the seasons of this area? In light of the danger, we cannot carelessly wander outside. Now then, the warden awaits" told the vice warden, walking back toward the prison with Toriko.

"This whole time we've been walking on a road a guy like that says is dangerous..." sweated Komatsu. "That's really something spooky..."

"Komatsu-kun, I want a raise after this..." you mumbled tearfully, and your friend shot you a look of disbelief.

"E-Eh?!"

Suddenly, the ground under your feet started to shake and a platform appeared. The hatch opened and went down like an elevator. The vice warden turned to face Toriko, giving a slight bow:

"Without further ado, I'll guide you through Honey Prison. Gourmet Prisons are establishments scattered about the world that house criminals whom have broken the Eight Gourmet Laws laid down by the IGO. But for incarcerating those whom have been convicted of committing the particularly heinous A-Class Food Crimes, there are only three prisons the world over" he stated, and you raised a brow at this.

"Three prisons? Which are?" you questioned.

"One established on land, one in the sea, and one in the air. The World's Three Great Gourmet Prisons. The first drifts 10,000 meters in the sky, the airborne gaol, Sky Prison. Tornadoes frequently form nearby and hungry mystery birds inhabit the air around it making escape impossible" Ohban explained. "The second is sunken 2,000 meters into the deep sea, the gaol in the sea, Prison Submarine. Four hundred atmospheres of pressure bear down upon it and monstrous, carnivorous fish swim around it in droves. That place, as well, is outright inescapable"

"They sure sound like it..." you sweated at his explication.

"And the final one is here. The land gaol, Honey Prison. The number of prisoners it can house is roughly just over 100 million. It is undoubtedly the largest Gourmet Prison in the world. At the end of the perilous road starting from the Gate to Hades, hundred of vicious criminals from all over the world are transported here daily. A-rank Execution Beasts roam the road to keep guard. Giant kilometer long drawbridges are placed in a total of 12 locations"

"Only after a strict check of credentials like Gourmet ID is crossing them allowed. Depending on the season, even the mighty Convoy Beasts are attacked by the Demon of the Forest"

"D-Demon of the Forest?" Komatsu stammered.

"If you're lucky, you may get a glimpse of it. Or perhaps, I should say if you're unlucky...Now then, we've arrived"

Both you and Komatsu screamed your heads off at the sight of a huge eye glaring right at you through the glassed window as the elevator continued to descend. There were lots of Execution Beasts around the place, all looking pretty much terrifying. All tamed by Warden Love, from what the vice warden told you.

The platform stopped and you exited the elevator to arrive in some sort of reception area. Another weird man was standing behind a desk, a grin plastered on his face.

"Chupaly, have there been any changes?" inquired Ohban.

"No, vice warden" the bearded man answered creepily through his gritted teeth. "Though it seems about 20 prisoners have been attacked"

"He's getting violent again, huh?"

"Getting violent? Who?" you wondered.

"It's all right. He's calmed down a bit so he's in a better mood" chuckled the receptionist, sending chills in your back.

"Geez, that Zebra" mumbled Toriko, exasperated.

"Zebra-san was getting violent?" asked Komatsu.

"It's a frequent occurrence. Is the warden in the office?" said the vice warden.

"Yes. It's actually the warden who's in a bad mood"

"Even now, the warden is completely opposed to Zebra's release. And not for the reasons you would think"

The vice warden guided you through the prison where you witnessed the Food Theft Full Course, each levels represented with its own unique food depriving punishment to inflict true pain on the criminals. The deeper the level, the more cruel the punishment is.

[ Hors d'oeuvre ]

The inmates see their favorite foods taken away from them and will be unable to taste those foods. This punishment was for those who have greedily devoured food in public.

[ Drink ]

Inmates are burned, and if for some reason they are still alive, they are dropped outside of the prison to be killed by one of the four seasons, or simply devoured by the Execution Beasts.

[ Fish Dish ]

Inmates receive no food

[ Main Dish ]

Execution or solitary confinement.

[ Dessert ]

The inmates are boiled alive.

[ Meat Dish ]

The inmates receive no food or water.

[ Salad ]

Inmates are cut.

[ Soup ]

The inmates are fed soups with unbelievable stenches and irregularly horrible tastes.

You being a chef, this sight and reality of the Gourmet Prison made you a bit uncomfortable. This place was the exact opposite of what you thought the world should go: people that would always be able to eat delicious meals. A dark spot in the Human World. Your group finally arrived at the warden's office, to which you gaped at the mere size of it.

"I-It's huge!" cried out Toriko. "Is the warden a giant like Melk the First?"

"Warden, I've brought them" told the vice warden.

The door opened and everyone held their breath back. You blinked as you gazed to not at some kind of giant, but a short woman wearing a yellow and black coat with the word 'LOVE' spelled on it. She looked like a bee, if you were honest to yourself. On her chubby cheeks were adorned two pinks hearts, and she pouted as she glared at Toriko:

"Don't lump me into the same category as Melk the First" spoke Warden Love. "How rude"

"A-A kid?!" shouted Komatsu.

Once inside her office, Warden Love took a seat in a small, pink couch standing next to a table with a bottle of wine prepared. The short woman scrutinized each one of you before she began to speak:

"My name is Love. Warden of Honey Prison. And I'm not a kid! Look closely!" she spat.

"Whichever angle I look from, all I see is a young child..." you said, a bit puzzled.

"Wh-what a beauty!"

"Eh?"

You stared at both Toriko and Komatsu, flabbergasted. The two men were practically drooling at the short woman, eyes turned into hearts. You looked between Warden Love and them, back and forth numerous times. Yet, you couldn't understand what they were seeing in her. She was normal to you, and here they are staring at the warden like a goddess has just fallen from the sky.

"Uh...I seriously don't understand..." you blinked. "What's going on?"

"That sure was simple" giggled Warden Love, before snapping her fingers.

Whatever spell the two were pulled under was broken, leaving the men to blink a few times and stare dumbfounded at the warden. The short woman sighed, leaning on one hand as she gazed at Toriko and Komatsu:

"I'm not into guys like you"

"A-An illusion? No, it's not that kind of simple hypnotism" Toriko shook his head wildly. "It attacked the instincts directly. Like a command. It's like I was given order to love her...Could this be the work of pheromones?"

"I knew you'd figure it out, Toriko-chan" nodded Warden Love with a smile. "I can freely control pheromones. What I just released at the two of you were sex pheromones"

"That pheromone is secreted in order to attract the opposite sex" told the vice warden, and you hummed in understanding.

"I see...So that's why I wasn't affected like Toriko-san and Komatsu-kun..." you mused.

"I'm able to use several hundred different types of pheromones. Like a queen bee, I issue orders to the staff and wild beasts to run Honey Prison" she told.

"So even those powerful Execution Beasts could be controlled by pheromones?" breathed in shock Toriko.

"In humans, pheromones are said to be sensed by the vomeronasal organ in the nose. That connects to the brain's hypothalamus. In other words, directly to the instincts. They enter without taste or smell, and they are something that cannot be blocked by anyone"

"So you can make any living thing do whatever you want?" you asked, surprised. You nearly fell on your butt when she appeared right in front of your face.

"THERE'S ONE CHILD I CAN'T CONTROL!" Warden Love spat angrily, flailing her little arms. "Just one that won't obey, even in the slightest!"

"Uh, that person...Don't tell me..." trailed Komatsu.

"Zebra-chan!" her eyes turned into hearts as she thought about the Heavenly King. "The perfect strike to my tastes! The down-the-line fastball, Zebra-chan!"

"The reason the warden opposes Zebra's release is...Well, frankly...She wants her beloved Zebra near her at all times" sweated the vice warden.

"WHAT KINDA REASON IS THAT?!" yelled your friend.

"H-How romantic!" you blushed, gazing with starry eyes at Warden Love who nodded eagerly at your words.

Once more, both Toriko and Komatsu along with the vice warden stared at you as if you grew up a second head. Against her will, Warden Love led you to the deepest parts of the prison to where Zebra was confined in. The place was dark and not aerated, a musky and disgusting scent feeling your nose.

You stifled a cough behind your hand as you moved behind the group, taking a closer look at your surroundings. It was barely believable that some inmates were held here.

"I get it. It's the president's orders, so there's nothing I can do. The crimes Zebra-chan committed are heavy, but he discovered even more of ingredients than even Toriko-chan has so far. He's a truly accomplished Bishokuya" told Warden Love. "Well, most of them were unofficial though"

"KYAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" you shrieked when an Execution Beast made a sudden appearance in front of you.

ORE ARMOR FANG PIG (MAMMAL) CAPTURE LEVEL - 45

B-RANK EXECUTION BEAST

"That is a B-Rank Execution Beast, the Ore Armor Fang Pig" told the vice warden.

"Then this place is..." trailed Toriko.

"The execution grounds. The main dish floor. All prisoners with the harshest sentences are led directly here, past the other floors. In other words, all of the prisoners here have death sentences" stated Warden Love. "Besides them, we also have dangerous wild beasts and isolated creatures that are being held here temporarily. A little while ago there was a small weird looking bird-man sorta thing thrown in here"

"That was quite ferocious. Though it was probably still a child" said Ohban.

"Just what Zebra-san did to be on this floor too?" you demanded, earning a look from the vice warden and warden.

"...He ate too much food" she answered simply.

"....He ate too much? And he got a death sentence for that? This problem child...is really just a glutton?" you blinked.

The five of you continued on your way to Zebra's cell, opening gates along the way and encountering a few Execution Beasts who were roaming around.

"Is old Zebra in a special cell?"

"No, he's at one of the execution grounds" replied the vice warden.

"Eh?! Is he being executed?!" demanded Toriko.

"Ever since he came here, he has constantly been having his execution performed onto him"

"Seriously? Might that have been his idea?"

"You know him too well"

"Getting executed is perfect for Zebra-chan" giggled Warden Love, earning a deadpan from both you and Komatsu. "C'mon, this is Zebra-chan's room"

On a wall was three windows covered with frames made of bronze. You stepped forward and took a look inside to see a man sitting on the ground a few meters below, held by chains from each limb. Zebra was an incredibly large and muscular man, with dark slicked red hair. Toriko gripped the edge, leaning down to shout at Zebra:

"Zebra! We came to get you" he said, earning no answer from the Heavenly King. "Oi, Zeb...Now that I think about it, he hasn't said a word since we arrived. Could he be...recharging?"

"Recharging?" you echoed as the four Execution Beasts that were holding the chains roared.

GROWSAURUS (MAMMAL) CAPTURE LEVEL - 57

A-RANK EXECUTION BEAST

"The A-Rank Execution Beast, the Growsaurus has started moving. It's going to pull the chain, get away!" the vice warden narrowed his eyes. "In these execution grounds, Zebra has both arms and legs attached to one execution beast each by a chain. If all four of them pull at the same time his body will not come out unscathed"

"Zebra!!" yelled out Toriko.

However, the Heavenly King simply stood up and remained cool about the situation. In fact, he was holding back the Execution Beasts just by stopping the chains from extending any more.

"It looks like my playtime with you guys ends today, too" a gruff voice echoed from the execution grounds. "So long"

"This is bad. Cover your ears, Komatsu! (y/n)!" the Gourmet Hunter ordered.

"Huh?"

"Hurry, cover your ears right now!"

"SOUND BAZOOKA!"

You covered your ears at the same time Zebra let out a booming cry that shook the whole building and cracked the walls. You fell on your knees, bracing yourself as the sound continued on and on until the Execution Beasts were knocked out unconscious.

"OI, ZEBRA! ARE YOU TRYING TO DESTROY US, TOO?!" snarled Toriko once it ended.

"How was that, Toriko?" laughed loudly Zebra. "Did my voice wake you up? You've got an idiotic peaceful look on your face..."

"Huh?!"

"It looks like the world was pretty boring without me" the Heavenly King scoffed.

"Warden Love! It seems that the situation with Zebra has already leaked to the public" told a prison officer, saluting the short woman.

"It was supposed to be top-secret, but what do you expect..." she sighed. "Zebra-chan's release is more than just a simple exception being made, after all"

"You wouldn't happen to mean that...you've manipulated the incredibly self-centered Zebra into making him reciprocate your feelings for him?"

"Hell no!" she snapped at the officer. "An old woman's love is pure, after all!"

You brought in the trays of foods in the dining hall where Komatsu, Toriko and Warden Love was waiting. It was somewhat a release party taking place inside a jail, which sounded a bit weird considering the situation.

"You'd better pay for this meal, Toriko-chan" warned Warden Love.

"Make Zebra do it himself. Well, he'll probably say 'This all ya got? What kinda shabby release celebration is this?' or a bunch of other complaints like that...Even though we had two chefs to work on that" chuckled Toriko.

"How much can he eat?!" sweated Komatsu.

"Where is Zebra-san, anyhow?" you inquired, looking around the dining table to see no sign of the Heavenly King.

"He went to where the other prisoners are"

"Ah, is he going to say goodbye to everyone?" wondered naively your friend. "Aw...He looks so scary, but he's really a very loyal and good person, isn't he?"

"Not quite. He's saying goodbye in his own way...To the prisoners who were sneakily complaining about him" told the Gourmet Hunter.

"Is that much different...?"

Your face paled as you heard from the distance some inmates screaming in horror and pain. Whatever was happening, you were pretty sure they preferred to face the punishments instead of Zebra's wrath. Toriko chuckled at the expression you and Komatsu were making:

"He's got some damn incredible Hell Ears, you see"

"And they say Zebra-chan has the shortest temper and is the fastest to pick a fight of the Four Heavenly Kings" added Warden Love, before turning to the officer in the doorway. "Don't just stand there, put a stop to it!!"

"EH?!"

"I don't know any living creature that likes to fight more than him"

You started to tremble when a shadow fell upon you and your friend. You slowly looked up to see Zebra glaring down at you. He was covered in blood and physically the largest of the Heavenly Kings, towering easily over Toriko. Due to wearing a constant frown, his forehead harbored a large number of vertical wrinkles, and a ragged tear from his lips all the way to his left ear, exposing the teeth.

You let out a shriek, falling backward as the man let out a booming laugh:

"That's because there ain't anything in this world more stimulating than a fight. Don't get so flustered, kids. Or I'll eat you" spoke Zebra, sending another set of chills in your back.

"Oi. Don't you dare touch my partner and friend, you delinquent" stated Toriko, grabbing onto Zebra's head.

"Whose head do you think you're grabbing, bastard?" growled darkly the huge man.

"Your hair sure has grown"

"Don't screw with me, you asshole"

"I came all this way to get you, man, So calm down a bit"

"Don't wanna" replied bluntly Zebra, gripping hard Toriko's wrist. "If you don't like it, Toriko, then why don't I let my stress out on you?"

The two Heavenly Kings faced each other in an intense death stare battle, veins appearing all over their faces by how ticked off they were. This was going to end up in a fight until Warden Love stepped between them, using her pheromones.

"I sure am jealous. Two friends so close that they even fight each other. Tranquility Pheromones" she stated sweetly with a wink. "Now, let's all get along and have a nice meal!"

"A-Aye..." blushed Toriko, a tipsy look making its way on his face.

Only Zebra didn't seem affected by the pheromones, staring at the woman completely uninterested. Warden Love huffed indignantly, bringing her hands on her hips:

"Why doesn't it work on Zebra-chan?!"

"What doesn't?" he asked with a raised brow.

"The Pheromones!"

"What's that? Can you eat them?"

"Oi, Zebra. Come on, let's eat" Toriko dismissed.

"Okay. Then we'll fight later"

"NO, WE'RE NOT!"

After the prayer, everyone dug inside the food served on the table. All the while Warden Love explained the conditions of Zebra's release: he must arrest 500 wanted criminals and discover 100 species of new ingredients. She kept repeating herself since the Heavenly King wasn't listening to a single word she was saying, too preoccupied in eating.

The dishes you and Komatsu cooked earlier had disappeared in an instant. Zebra was an incredible eater alone, just like Toriko.

"Oi, was that cooking really all made by you two?" Zebra demanded gruffly.

"U-U-Uh, yes?" you gulped, with Komatsu nodding wildly beside you.

"I-It was a great honor to cook for you! Was it to your liking?" Komatsu asked while trembling slightly.

"Don't get cocky" he warned to the both of you. "There's nothing I hate more than people that're cocky. Just lookin' at 'em makes me want to squash'em between my fingers until there ain't a single damn one left"

"A-Ah..." was all that came out from your mouth. "I hope I didn't s-sound cocky?..."

"So you did get cocky, little rabbit?!" the man snarled in your face and you started to cry.

"NO, I DIDN'T!! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T GET ONE BIT COCKY!!" you panicked, tearing up.

"Warden" the vice warden called the attention of everyone in the room. "The Demon of the Forest has appeared"

"I see. That'll be trouble" she said gravely.

"What is it exactly? Ohban-san did mention its name back then" said Komatsu.

"It's a turtle that appears once a year during Monster Season. In this area we have a forest of deadly seasons called 'Death Season Forest'. It's one of the few environments that is no less harsh than the ones in Gourmet World. The seasons are split into Melt, Mist, Freeze, and Beasts" Warden Love explained.

"The season of lave and melting, Magma Season. In this season lava spurts from below. The season of mist and fog, Mist Season. In this season, a mist of poison gas envelops everything. And in the season of freezing, Freeze Season. Everything is frozen by blizzards. The season we're in now is the Monster Season. The season when ferocious wild beasts awaken. The average capture level is 60"

"60?!" you breathed in shock.

"And the strongest among them is a turtle known as the Demon of the Forest. It's generally known as the Magma Tortoise"

"Would it not be wise to wait until the end of the season to release Zebra?" the vice warden suggested.

"It's true that it's dangerous..." frowned the warden.

"That thing's getting cocky" growled Zebra, chest rumbling.

The others found it useless to try and stop the Heavenly King from going outside and deal with the Magma Tortoise. Gazing out of the window, you saw many beasts fighting each other down below. Monster Season was utterly chaos, and you understood why it was dangerous to venture in the world in such a season.

That's when you saw it, the Magma Tortoise. Lava was erupting from its shell, engulfing anything that dared approach it.

MAGMA TORTOISE (REPTILE) CAPTURE LEVEL - 70

Zebra went out there alone, stating that he could easily take care of this. He was standing on the roof of the Honey Prison, facing the wild beasts with a smirk on his lips. Toriko took this time to explain the crime he committed.

"Zebra possesses a sense of hearing that can even perceive the sound of a coin falling dozens of kilometers away. He also has the power to freely manipulate his voice and destroy everything around him with the vibrations"

"So what destroyed the execution grounds...It was all with his voice?" you raised a brow in astonishment.

"Yes. His power and destructive force is greater than me, Coco, or Sunny's. The problem is his appetite and his tendency to quickly get into fights"

Zebra inhaled with all his might, taking as much air as he could. He then released a loud cry, to which you quickly covered your ears to avoid becoming deaf. The vibrations and sound power created a sphere that flew up in the sky, hovering above the wild beasts.

"When he's got prey that he's interested in or pissed off by, he'll devour that species until it's entirely extinct" continued Toriko.

"Extinct?" squeaked Komatsu, blinking rapidly.

"So far he's driven 26 different species to extinction. That's Zebra's big crime. That's why he's been labeled as a first-class dangerous creature. Among the monsters outside right now, Zebra is the most dangerous one"

The sphere shifted rapidly and transformed into thunder, striking each wild beasts and electrifying them until they were dead. The Magma Tortoise received no damages from this attack, and Zebra opened his mouth. You didn't get to see his next move that Toriko gathered you and Komatsu in his arms to brace yourselves as the Heavenly King's voice boomed violently.

He used it as some kind of missile, annihilating the Demon of the Forest in one hit. The Honey Prison shook under his attack.

"That guy..." breathed Toriko. "He sure has grown"

"He finished off Capture Level 60 beasts in an instant" stated Warden Love.

"Oi, Toriko. Once I eat these guys, I wanna wet my throat a bit" spoke Zebra, his voice sounding lower.

"So you're going? To drink the cola with us?" grinned the Gourmet Hunter.

After Zebra had his fill of the wild beasts he killed, your group departed from Honey Prison with a tearful goodbye from Warden Love's part (mostly because she was still against the idea of her Zebra-chan leaving her). In order to get to Sand Garden where Gourmet Pyramid was located, you had to use a Lift House to go back and forth to pass Sand Cloud Valley. Going one way took a month, with a trip on a giant lift. The one you were using didn't have much people in it, and some houses were broken.

You spent must of the time gazing out of the window, with Dino laying on stop of your head. Your pet brought a bit of comfort, knowing that you would have to share this lift with a man that could easily snap your neck if he wanted to...or if you acted 'cocky'.

"Oi, little rabbit" spoke a voice behind you, and you froze on the spot. You looked over your shoulder to see Zebra's face. "I'm hungry"

"R-Right!" you panicked as a bit of drool fell from the tear he had on his left cheek. "J-Just give me a minute!"

"Stop scaring her already" complained Toriko while Zebra finished a whole bottle of rich alcohol. "And is that my booze?!"

"Pickin' a fight, Toriko?" wondered darkly the Heavenly King, lifting his fists in a fighting position.

"You're the guy who's picking one!" snapped back the blue haired man.

"I'm delighted"

"And why's that?!"

"I've been wondering if there's still anybody that can go toe to toe with me..."

Komatsu quickly hid behind the fireplace as the two began to fight and wrestle around. Soon enough the walls were filled with holes and most of the furniture got destroyed by standing in the Heavenly Kings' path.

"What is it with you and meaningless fights?!" Toriko barked, avoiding a table that Zebra threw at him.

"Fighting is what I'm about!" replied the other, throwing a cabinet.

"You think I give a damn about that?!"

"And just when we'd paid the rent for the expensive pension type" sweated Komatsu, watching as the intensity of the fight climbed up. "They're going to bill us a fortune for the repairs"

"C'mon, gimme all you've got!" demanded Zebra after a short pause in their fight.

"Zebra-san is such a handful. I think I understand why Coco-san and Sunny-san turned us down" mumbled the young man.

"Coco and Sunny did what?" growled darkly Zebra.

"No, n-nothing!"

"Will you stop a goddamn minute?! You're going to destroy the lift if we continue like that!" Toriko demanded, taking refuge behind the couch who suffered a bit.

"As if-"

"Enough you two!"

Both men blinked when they heard your sudden shout. Komatsu fidgeted on his spot while the Kings slowly turned to see you standing in the doorway of the kitchen, holding a tray filled with homemade pastries. You had an angry pout on your face, cheeks puffed red. Dino was next to you, wings folded across his belly and staring at the two in disappointment.

"I won't tolerate any fighting from both of you!" you continued, not changing your tone. "You're acting like children!"

"What did you say, little rabbit-"

"My name is (y/n). Not 'little rabbit' " you cut the Heavenly King rudely, ignoring how his forehead twitched and veins started to appear. "For the rest of the trip, I will ask you to stay put. I don't want this place to crumble down before we arrive!"

You walked to the table that was thrown earlier, flipping it so it could stand the way it was. You delicately pulled down the tray, and faced the two muscular men with a firm expression. From Komatsu's point of view, you looked like a mother who was scolding her children from misbehaving at the table.

"You both are grown men, right?!" you demanded.

"Y-" started Toriko, but stopped the moment your eyes landed on him.

"I want you two to apologize to each other. Now" you ordered, pointing at Zebra and Toriko.

"E-Eh?! B-But..." trailed the Gourmet Hunter while Zebra rolled his eyes at you trying to be intimidating. A kitten acting like a lion. "Oh, alright. I'm sorry, Zebra. Happy?"

"Zebra-san. Aren't you going to say anything?" you put your hands on your hips, glaring at the Heavenly King in question.

"Acting cocky, aren't you? Didn't I tell you what happens to cocky people around me?" he growled, baring his fangs at you.

"(y/n)-chan!" panicked your friend. "P-Please don't anger him!"

You narrowed your eyes at Zebra, before taking a few steps forward to stand in front of him. It hurt your neck to stare at him, because of how tall he was. You almost didn't reach his waist, and his strong stature dwarfed your own. Frowning, you momentarily walked away to come back with a chair.

You climbed on top of it, now matching height with the giant man. Zebra looked a bit amused at your attempts to stand at his level, finding it both cute and stupid. However, he soon changed his mind when you snatched his ear and pinching it hard.

"GNG!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Zebra's voice boomed with a snarl.

"I won't let go until you apologize for this mess" you stated calmly, closing your eyes as you continued to hold his ear.

"Oi, oi, oi, oi, (y/n)!" it was Toriko's turn to worry for your safety. "Are you sure-"

"Now you're asking to be-" the Heavenly King cursed when you twisted his ear, bending it at a painful angle.

To ease it, the male had no choice but to bend his knees and lower himself on the ground while for the first time you finally hovered him in power. Zebra scowled deeply, but was still too stubborn to apologize.

"......Gng...rry..." mumbled incoherently after a moment Zebra, and you arched one brow.

"Can you repeat that? I don't have super ears like you" you said.

"I said: I'm sorry. I'm sorry for this mess, ma'am" he stated, his tone calmer even if he sounded pissed.

"....Good!" you beamed, releasing the man who nearly faceplanted on the floor. "Now, shall we eat? I made my special Gourmet Pastries from back home...I also added meat since you--"

Komatsu and Toriko stared at your back with their mouths agape as you retreated to the table, going on with your day as if nothing incredible just happened. A tamed Zebra slowly let himself fall back down on his seat as you began to serve the table, with the two other guys not moving from their spots.

"...Toriko-san? Is this the reason why you wanted to bring her with us?" murmured Komatsu in astonished manner.

"To be honest, I don't know if it's better that way than what I imagined..." sweatdropped his partner.