Multiverse Gourmet Hunter

After finishing one Garara Gator steak, Komatsu suddenly seemed to think of something.

His eyes lit up.

"Wait! What if we seared it on a heated rock?"

As he spoke, he picked up another steak and placed it on a flat stone beside the campfire.

The moment the tender meat touched the scorching surface, it released an irresistible sizzle.

Golden fat seeped from the marbling and spread across the stone, frying the underside of the steak in its own juices.

Komatsu watched eagerly.

"The rendered fat should crisp up the outside while sealing all the juices inside..."

An even richer aroma rose from the meat, now carrying a mouthwatering roasted fragrance.

All three of them stared fixedly at the steak, swallowing repeatedly as their mouths began to water.

From the aroma alone, they could already tell that the stone-seared meat would be incredible.

Before long, the surface of the Garara Gator steak had turned a beautiful caramel brown, and its fragrance had grown almost unbearably rich.

"It’s ready!"

Komatsu gave an excited cry, picked up his knife, and divided the steak into three portions.

Toriko, Haruto, and Komatsu each grabbed one almost simultaneously and hurriedly put it into their mouths.

"The outside is so crisp!" Toriko shouted, his face filled with delight. "Amazing! Just changing the cooking method improved the flavor this much!"

"I wasn’t expecting this either..."

Komatsu took a bite of his own portion, surprise shining in his eyes.

The crisp exterior broke apart between his teeth, revealing meat that remained wonderfully soft and juicy inside.

Its rich juices flooded his mouth, making the texture even more satisfying than before.

Haruto carefully savored the stone-grilled Garara Gator steak.

The preparation was simple, but it brought out the meat’s full potential.

He could not help praising Komatsu.

"Your cooking really is impressive, Komatsu. Your understanding of heat and the ingredient itself is almost perfect."

"Something as simple as searing it on a rock brought out as much flavor as possible from the Garara Gator."

Komatsu’s cheeks reddened at the praise. He scratched his head shyly.

"Not at all. I still have so much left to learn."

"Stop being modest, Komatsu!" Toriko urged impatiently. "Cook more! A lot more! You’ve completely awakened my appetite!"

"Of course, Toriko-san! They’ll be ready right away!"

Komatsu immediately placed more steaks across the heated stones.

The three continued eating one piece after another, filling their mouths with rich meat and overflowing juices until even every breath carried its savory fragrance.

After finishing another steak and lingering over its flavor, an idea suddenly flashed through Haruto’s mind.

"Maybe we could add..."

He rose and hurried toward one of the nearby mangrove trees, plucking several leaves before returning to the campfire.

Haruto gathered a few leaves in his hand and squeezed them. Clear liquid dripped onto the steak cooking on the stone in front of him.

Toriko and Komatsu immediately understood what he was doing.

The mangroves of Baron Archipelago stored a large amount of salt from the seawater inside their leaves.

Haruto was using their juice as a natural seasoning.

The result was immediately promising.

The deep, mellow aroma of the meat changed subtly, gaining a fresh herbal note that mingled with the richness of the rendered fat and gave the fragrance several new layers.

Even the scent drifting through the air became more tempting.

Toriko stared at the steak in surprise.

"That smells really good!"

Haruto smiled in satisfaction. At the very least, the aroma suggested that his idea had worked.

"Let’s taste it. I think it’ll be good."

He sliced the steak, picked up one portion, and placed it into his mouth without hesitation.

A delighted expression immediately appeared on his face.

The natural salt from the mangrove leaves carried no bitterness or unpleasant sharpness. Instead, it added a faint, refreshing fragrance of fresh greenery.

It drew out the deepest savory notes in the Garara Gator meat while cutting through the richness of the fat.

The tender steak remained intensely flavorful without becoming heavy, pushing an already exceptional ingredient to an even higher level.

Toriko and Komatsu eagerly grabbed a piece each.

The moment they tasted it, matching smiles of satisfaction spread across their faces.

"Delicious!" Toriko exclaimed. "The natural salt from the mangrove leaves is a perfect match for Garara Gator meat! They work so well together that I can’t stop eating!"

Before he had even finished speaking, Toriko grabbed more leaves and began squeezing their juice over the other steaks.

One piece was nowhere near enough for him.

Komatsu nodded repeatedly, then turned toward Haruto with admiration.

"That was incredible, Haruto-san! I never imagined mangrove juice could improve the flavor this much. You really understand ingredients!"

A small adjustment had raised the dish to an entirely new level.

Komatsu understood that it was no coincidence. Haruto could only come up with such a fitting combination so naturally because he possessed a strong culinary foundation.

Haruto smiled and answered honestly.

"It was just something that happened to occur to me."

"I still have plenty to learn. Compared with a chef like you, Komatsu, I’ve got a long way to go."

Haruto knew he was still far behind Komatsu.

Whether he could ever catch up remained uncertain.

After all, not just anyone could master the Divine Cooking Skills.

As the three happily continued eating, Haruto happened to glance at the ground and noticed several Baron Leeches trying to escape.

A trace of curiosity entered his eyes.

Their round bodies resembled tiny bread rolls.

They should be edible too, shouldn’t they?

Haruto reached down and easily caught one between his fingers before turning toward Toriko.

"By the way, Toriko-san, can these Baron Leeches be eaten?"

"Baron Leeches?"

Toriko blinked and examined the creature in Haruto’s hand. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully before nodding.

"They should be edible. There aren’t any records of them being poisonous."

"They don’t exactly look appetizing, though, so very few people have ever thought of tasting them. I’ve never heard of anyone treating them as ingredients."

Interest flashed through Haruto’s eyes.

"In that case, let’s find out."

He immediately caught several of the plumpest Baron Leeches, threaded them onto skewers, and placed them near the edge of the campfire to roast slowly.

As they cooked, the leeches became even rounder, gradually resembling small meatballs.

A distinctive aroma unlike the rich fragrance of the Garara Gator drifted through the air and entered their noses.

Toriko sniffed and stared at the roasting skewers, drool beginning to gather at the corner of his mouth once again.

"They smell surprisingly good!"

He had not been particularly interested in the leeches before, but now he genuinely wanted to taste them.

It did not take long for the skewers to finish roasting, their surfaces lightly charred.

Haruto picked one up and bit into it without hesitation.

Surprise immediately flashed through his eyes.

The roasted Baron Leech was remarkably firm and springy.

Its skin burst with the first bite, releasing a flood of rich, savory juices into his mouth.

There was no fishy taste at all, only deep freshness and an incredibly satisfying chew.

"These are really good. They’re like juicy beef meatballs—springy on the outside and bursting with broth inside!"

Haruto could not help praising them, his eyes filled with delight.

His instinct had been right.

"Then I’m trying one too!"

Toriko had already lost his patience. He grabbed a skewer and took a huge bite, his eyes widening immediately.

"Delicious! This is amazing! Who would’ve thought Baron Leeches could taste this good?"

Seeing his reaction, Komatsu cautiously picked up a skewer and tried a bite.

His eyes instantly lit up, and he nodded enthusiastically.

"This is incredible! They’re springy and full of juice, and there’s no unpleasant smell at all!"

From then on, the three happily alternated between the savory Garara Gator steaks and the juicy, springy Baron Leech skewers.

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