The Blind Bandit (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 52: Gourmet Pyramid part 1

Once things had moderately calmed down, Sarafina took her seat near the window with her several bottles of liquor beside her. As she took a sip of liquor she made sure her ears and other senses were trained on Toriko and Zebra in case they ended up fighting...again. Fortunately, they were taking a break of it by eating but God knows when the next one will come. And to think, she had to watch over them for a month? 'Just my luck... Out of the four, Toriko and Zebra are the most childish men I've ever met.' Sarafina thought to herself as she drank from her glass. Yeah, she needed strong drinks for this.

She turned her head over to the others when Toriko began talking to the behemoth. "So you really did eat those execution beasts, huh?" The blue-haired hunter asked as he took a bite from his meat. "That's why you've levelled up so much, Zebra."

"You are the one who has gotten stronger, Toriko. I'm glad..." Zebra tells him. "There is still someone I can punch on equal ground."

Sarafina tried not to laugh at that. 'I guess he can show some respect towards people if he feels like.' She thought. Still though, how in the world did Zebra become the way he is? While his manners are nonexistent, and while his soul is animalistic and uncontrollable, there's that speck she can't help but notice. Perhaps there was more to the behemoth than meets the eye.

"By the way, kid!!" Zebra shouted at Komastu's way. Making the smaller man flinch in fear. "Y...Yes!!" Komatsu cried out.

"Are you...gettin' cocky?" He asked him. Sarafina kept her eye on his as she finished down her cup. Komatsu looked even more scared and waved his arms frantically to calm Zebra down. Or at least attempt to. "Eh?! No, I am not, not at all!" Komatsu said. Zebra gave him an unnerving stare as he said, "...Alright..." Everyone was quiet when Zebra leaned in close to look at Komatsu right in his eyes. "Listen up, kid. Think of me as an environment." Zebra said.

"...Eh? An...environment...?" Komatsu questioned. Confused about to why and how Zebra would want him to think of him as broad and complex as an environment. As soon as Komatsu asked, Zebra spread a wide grin and began to say, "That's right. If you don't take care of me well, the creatures connected to me could end up going extinct. That's the law of nature...!!" Zebra's eyes then trailed over to the blind woman and firmly stated, "That goes double for you."

Sarafina took in his words and thought about them carefully. It was interesting. What he was trying to say if any of them fail to adapt to him then trouble was soon to follow. Sarafina closed her eye and gave a silent nod. "I understand." She said. If adapting to him is the only way to get fewer headaches from him than that's what she'll do. The attention turned to Toriko when the gluttonous hunter let out a carefree laugh. "Hahaha! Don't worry about him, you guys! There's no need for you to take care of this guy!" He said with a bright smile. Zebra whirled back to him either with anger or annoyance and shouted at him, "Toriko, you aren't caring for me at all!"

Sarafina just let out a sigh as she poured herself another drink while Komatsu stood there with silently as the two went at it again. Though Toriko seemed to be the only one who can handle him and Sarafina being indifferent but firm with him, Komatsu was left uncertain with Zebra even being here. Zebra is one of the Four Heavenly Kings like Toriko...but different from either Coco and Sunny. He was a criminal. A seriously dangerous person. Was it really okay...bringing him on this journey?

Eventually, a month came and went, and the group had finally arrived at the Sand Garden. A massive desert region situated atop an isolated table-top mountain in the middle of the Wak Continent's Sand Cloud Valley and it is one of the largest desert regions in the Human World. It is 39,000,000 Sq. Kilometres. The main capital of Sand Garden is the Sand Kingdom and its most notable landmark is the Gourmet Pyramid, one of the "Seven Gourmet Wonders". Within this desert region are many types of deserts such as "Gourmet Deserts", "Rice Deserts", "Black Sugar Deserts", "Natural Resources Deserts" and "Jewel Deserts". The only way to reach the region, one must take a Lift House to gain access into the area as the Sand Cloud Valley is too deep and turbulent to cross by either land or air.