Chapter 108 Ice Hell
Haru, Luffy, and Tsunade sat on the same seat while listening to Colonel Mokoi.
Haru was holding Luffy in the seat and made him stop moving. He needed to do this or else this guy would move around.
Luffy couldn't get away from him and decided to sleep on the seat since his head felt hurt listening to the explanation. He wanted to go out to check this ship since it was similar to the robot but he couldn't escape from him. He decided to sleep and waited until the explanation was over.
Tsunade only shook her head, "It's hard to be you."
Haru frowned, "Why don't you help me to take care of him then?"
"I don't want to," Tsunade said, and drank a vodka that she had bought from Gourmet Town before.
Haru twitched his mouth and thought to get his revenge later.
Colonel Mokoi walked to the podium and started to explain, "Well, folks! Glad you all joined it! Let me first commend you for your bravery, okay move on." He looked at everyone, "Listen up because I'm going to tell you about the whereabouts of the Century Soup."
Tsunade and Luffy weren't really interested since both of them knew where they would go in this journey but every Gourmet Hunter in this ship waited for him with expectation and wanted to know the location of this legendary soup.
"We're headed for the continent so cold, your face will freeze right off! Ice Hell!" Mokoi said with a sick smile.
Haru knew that this guy was enjoying the reaction of every Gourmet Hunter in this ship.
Any Gourmet Hunter who heard it suddenly became startled and flabbergasted. They had never thought the location of that legendary soup was in that place.
"I - ICE HELL!!!!"
"THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS 50 BELOW -- ALL YEARS AROUND!!!"
"AND THE CLIMATE ITSELF WEREN'T THAT BAD ENOUGH, THE CREATURES THERE ARE TERRIFYING!!!"
"Hmph, where is that?" One of the Gourmet Hunters said the one who asked this question was the luckiest Gourmet Hunter in the world, Zongeh.
Haru looked at Zongeh, he remembered that this guy was always getting out alive whatever the situation that he had gotten. He also remembered that the appearance of this guy was similar to the late wife of one of eight kings. Monkey King, Bambina.
Mokoi enjoyed their reaction and continued his explanation, "The gourmet connoisseurs of old, who had no way of selectively breeding or freezing their food brought their full-course meals all the way to the Ice Hell to preserve them! You could call this place a Gourmet Freezer!" He took a breath and said, "Now, I've just received a word from the other day that the ice on the continent is melting...."
Haru was wondering whether it was the effect of global warming.
"The reason being is a large amount of methane hydrate is being released," Mokoi explained.
"Methane hydrate? What is that? Is that delicious?" Luffy suddenly woke up from his sleep and asked.
Haru shook his head, saying, "Methane Hydrate, known as 'Fire Ice', is a compound in which methane is trapped within the crystalline structure of ice, is prevalent on the ocean floor and is a potential fuel source for humans."
"Ugh, my head hurts," Luffy said while holding his head.
"Hmm, in simple words, that this thing is used for making a fire to cook your meat and move this ship," Haru said.
"Oh, I understand," Luffy nodded with a smile.
"Is it that simple?" Tsunade asked.
"Of course not, mining methane hydrate is simply too risky right now since the location of the deep into the sea, though it is very profitable to mine this compound is just too hard, I'm not sure about this place though," Haru said and looked at her, "Let's not talk about this thing, it's just too complicated and doesn't even have any relation with our mission."
"Good," Tsunade continued to drink her vodka.
Haru continued to listen to the explanation of Colonel Mokoi.
"From deep within the ice core of the continent, methane hydrate has been discharging and melting the surrounding ice, the ancient connoisseurs choose a particular mountain to preserve their full-course meals in," Colonel Mokoi was almost drooling in front of everyone, "That sparkling ice tower, where those rich and gorgeous meals slumber, is a monument to the past called the Gourmet Showcase."
Mokoi looked at everyone with a serious expression, "I'm confident that the thawing ice will very soon reveal Century Soup!"
Everyone gulped at his words.
"Methane hydrate is released from the Gourmet Showcase once every hundred years hence the 'century' of the Century Soup, do whatever it takes to find it, that centennial delight!" Colonel Mokoi ended his explanation. He didn't continue to stay and walked back to his room.
His bodyguard started to walk to the podium, "Please sit on your seat since we will distribute your equipment for this journey." He started to arrange for his people to distribute a set of suits to everyone.
Luffy, who heard Colonel Mokoi's last sentences, became very excited, "Hmmm!!! I can't wait to drink that Century Soup!!!!" He knew that the incomplete Century Soup was very delicious and he couldn't wait to drink the genuine Century Soup.
"Yeah, me too," Tsunade said. Her objection in this mission was to have a vacation and this Century Soup was perfect for her souvenirs. She wanted to share the taste of this soup with her acquaintances.
Haru knew that this journey wouldn't be that simple but he knew that it was worth it. He took a set of suits that had been distributed by the bodyguard of the tycoon and was ready for change. He knew that this suit was necessary for this journey. He couldn't help but wonder how delicious this genuine Century Soup was.