As the Rainbow Fruit melted on Zed's tongue, his Gourmet Cells ignited. Muscles swelled explosively, morphing him into a hulking behemoth—before contracting seconds later into a lean, coiled frame. Unlike Toriko or Ichiryu's bulk, Zed's physique hid compressed power, dense as neutron star matter.
This mirrored masters like Jiro or Mansam, whose acupuncture-released forms dwarfed mountains. Even Bambina, the Ape King of the Eight Kings, stood barely a meter tall yet weighed 25 tons—his mass condensed into a deceptively small frame.
A shadow loomed above Zed: the spectral form of his Leader Slime, its shape altered to obscure its identity. While other Gourmet Demons like the Red Oni or Blue Oni bore fixed forms, the Leader Slime's malleable cells allowed customization—a precaution against recognition by figures like Ichiryu.
Zed's control over the Slime was absolute. Unlike typical hosts, whose Demons sought resurrection through parasitic takeovers, he'd subjugated his. The Slime's cells—native to the Black Universe, not the Red—devoured foreign invaders, shielding Zed from possession.
His trump card: unleashing a fraction of the Slime's power. Toriko had done similar during his duel with Starjun, the Red Oni healing his body mid-fight. But such feats required extreme conditions—physical endurance to withstand the Demon's strain and mutual recognition.
Most Demons aided hosts only when threatened, prioritizing revival over alliance. Zed's dominance was rare… and precarious.
Zed's control over the Leader Slime was absolute. Though his Cell Level remained low, he could briefly unleash a sliver of its power—enough to turn tides in battle, but risking bodily collapse if overused. Even at four-digit Cell Levels, channeling the Slime's full might would remain impossible.
Chef Sumire observed the shadowy apparition looming above Zed. "The Gourmet Demon within him… its aura is terrifying."
Erina and Hisako paled at the spectral visage. The pressure radiating from it—though muted—threatened to buckle their knees.
"A Gourmet Demon's Phantom," Chef Sumire explained. "It deters beasts. His Cells have awakened, amplifying his power."
The shadow dissolved as Zed flexed, muscles humming with condensed energy.
Activating Gourmet Cells typically required tailored ingredients—like Toriko's Poisonous Potatoes or Sunny's Glittering Silkfoot Fish. The Leader Slime, however, devoured all nutrients indiscriminately. While common ingredients slowly boosted Cell Levels, elite ones like the Rainbow Fruit triggered explosive growth.
Unlike NEO, which "exiled" emotions to its inner world, the Leader Slime assimilated matter wholly. Its Black Universe cells, ravenous and destructive, fortified Zed against external threats—a double-edged symbiosis.