Multiverse Gourmet Hunter

Once everyone had washed the blood from their bodies, dish after dish of carefully prepared Red Dragon cuisine was brought to the table.

Golden, crisp Fried Red Dragon Cutlets; evenly sliced Pan-Fried Red Dragon Steaks; a clear, steaming Dragon Tail Soup; freshly baked onion pizzas...

As the rich aromas filled the air, someone’s stomach let out a loud, unmistakable growl.

Everyone looked at one another and laughed before gathering around the table.

"Falin, are you...?"

Marcille glanced worriedly at the woman beside her.

This was monster cuisine, after all, and most adventurers found the very idea deeply unpleasant.

Before Marcille could finish, however, Falin had already picked up a Fried Red Dragon Cutlet without the slightest hesitation.

Its coating was crisp and golden, producing a faint crackle beneath her chopsticks.

Falin brought it to her mouth and bit down.

The crunchy crust shattered instantly, giving way to tender, juicy dragon meat.

Scalding juices flooded her mouth, carrying a deep meaty richness that blended perfectly with the fragrance of wheat and the gentle sweetness of the Cockatrice egg.

There was not the slightest trace of gamey odor—only an intensely pure savoriness spreading across her tongue.

Falin’s eyes lit up.

A faint blush colored her cheeks, and the corners of her mouth rose into a bright, innocent smile.

"It’s delicious!"

She immediately took another bite, chewing faster as satisfaction filled her eyes.

The sight allowed Laios and the others to relax a little.

At the very least, Falin did not seem opposed to eating monsters.

Watching his sister enjoy the food, Laios could no longer hold back either.

He picked up a piece of Soy-Braised Red Dragon Meat and placed it into his mouth.

The flesh was firm but not dry, offering a satisfying resistance with every bite.

The rich sauce had soaked deep into every fiber, filling the meat with savory flavor and a faint sweetness at the finish.

When eaten alongside the fresh vegetables, their crispness balanced the weight of the dragon meat.

A small amount of the special sweet-and-sour dipping sauce added yet another layer.

The bold sauce, refreshing vegetables, and springy dragon meat blended perfectly, awakening every part of Laios’s palate at once.

"This is incredible," he said in admiration.

"The sauce doesn’t overpower the natural flavor of the dragon at all. It makes the whole dish even more complex."

Haruto had already been struggling to contain himself.

His attention settled on the Pan-Fried Red Dragon Steak Senshi had prepared.

He picked up a slice with his chopsticks and could immediately feel the firmness of the meat.

It took a little effort to bite through, but the texture was unlike anything he had ever eaten.

The dragon meat was remarkably resilient without being stringy.

As he chewed, its rich fragrance mingled with the deep flavor of the marinade and spread throughout his mouth.

The sauce’s savory notes, the dragon’s natural taste, and the complex blend of spices layered over one another, making every bite deeply satisfying.

"Senshi, your cooking really is exceptional."

Haruto swallowed and looked at him.

"You cooked the steak perfectly, and the sauce has soaked all the way through. It’s delicious."

Senshi was clearly pleased by the praise.

He then picked up a piece of Haruto’s Pan-Fried Red Dragon Steak.

Surprise flashed through his eyes the moment he tasted it.

Unlike the heavier, more robust flavor of his own version, Haruto’s steak was noticeably more tender and succulent.

The sweetness of honey and the fragrance of the spices lingered pleasantly in his mouth.

Paired with the refreshing strips of pickled Dryad flower buds, the dish felt light without sacrificing richness.

The usual heaviness of dragon meat had almost completely disappeared.

"Your method is excellent as well, Haruto," Senshi said earnestly.

"The honey made the meat more tender, while its sweetness balanced the richness of the fat. The spices are combined beautifully too. I would never have thought of using them this way."

Haruto and Senshi exchanged smiles before returning to the feast.

Haruto took a bowl and ladled himself some Dragon Tail Soup.

The warm broth entered his mouth, and an intense wave of savoriness immediately burst across his tongue.

After hours of simmering, the collagen from the dragon tail had fully melted into the soup, giving it a thick, smooth texture and a lingering richness.

The sweetness of the onions and Mandrakes accented the broth perfectly, cutting through the heaviness while making the savory flavor even stronger.

He followed it with a slice of onion pizza.

The crust was soft and fluffy, while the melted cheese carried a deep milky fragrance that blended beautifully with the sweetness of the onions.

As he sampled the different dishes, Haruto also observed everyone else’s reactions.

Marcille seemed especially fond of the Soy-Braised Red Dragon Meat.

Laios and Chilchuck happily ate everything placed in front of them, moving freely between the fried cutlets, pan-fried steaks, Dragon Tail Soup, and onion pizzas.

Falin clearly preferred the Fried Red Dragon Cutlets. She ate one after another, her cheeks puffing out as the light in her eyes grew brighter with every bite.

As Haruto consumed more and more dragon meat, he gradually felt an enormous amount of mana spreading from his stomach and racing throughout his body.

That did not surprise him.

As a top-class monster, the Red Dragon naturally possessed an immense amount of mana within its flesh.

Haruto had sensed mana in other monster dishes before, but those creatures contained so little that the feeling had never been particularly strong.

The Red Dragon was entirely different.

What happened next, however, exceeded all his expectations.

The mana flowing from the dragon meat was rapidly absorbed by his Gourmet Cells, vanishing into them like water into a sponge.

It was almost as though the cells were eating the mana.

As they consumed it, Haruto quickly noticed something strange happening to his Nen.

Acting on instinct, he gathered aura at his fingertips.

With a slight movement, a sphere of light appeared before him.

It looked exactly like the Light spell he had cast before.

Haruto’s pupils contracted.

Had he just used Nen to cast magic?

Nen and mana were supposed to be two entirely separate systems of energy.

Nen was life energy produced by the cells of the body.

Mana in this world, on the other hand, originated from a mysterious force beyond the world, which humans could absorb and manipulate.

Laios and the others stared at the floating light in confusion, unsure why Haruto had suddenly cast the spell.

When they saw the thoughtful look on his face, however, no one interrupted him.

Haruto calmed himself and carefully organized what he knew.

Combined with the nature of his Gourmet Cells, a rough explanation gradually took shape.

Nen was life energy generated by the body’s cells.

His cells, however, were not ordinary.

They were Gourmet Cells!

That meant his Nen had always been a product of those cells from the very beginning.

Gourmet Cells possessed the ability to evolve.

After consuming the mana contained in the Red Dragon meat, they had evidently undergone some kind of change, which in turn altered the Nen they produced.

Put simply, his Nen now carried the properties of mana.

It had retained all the characteristics of Nen while also gaining the nature of magical power.

That was why he could now use it to cast spells.

As for why this change had never occurred before, the mana he had absorbed from previous monsters was probably far too weak and diluted.

Gourmet Cells could be picky eaters too.

The Red Dragon’s flesh contained mana that was both vast and pure, finally making it appetizing enough for them to consume.

There were still many details he could not explain.

For now, however, the change was clearly beneficial.

Even in worlds where mana did not naturally exist, Haruto would no longer need to worry about being unable to cast magic.

The transformation had only just begun, though. He would need far more experimentation and practice to understand its full potential.

Setting those thoughts aside, Haruto returned his attention to the feast and continued eating.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!