Multiverse Gourmet Hunter

Haruto paid no attention to anything happening around him.

His entire mind was immersed in his cooking.

Once the spice paste had reduced enough to cling thickly to the spoon, he added a generous amount of water and returned the seared soft-shelled turtle meat to the pot.

He brought everything to a vigorous boil, then immediately lowered the heat and left it to simmer.

The broth bubbled gently as the turtle’s savoriness, the richness of the spices, and the sweetness of the caramelized onions slowly melded together.

Haruto let it cook for more than an hour, waiting until the meat had become so tender that the slightest pressure would separate it from the bone.

Only then did he turn off the heat.

He carefully poured the soup through a fine-mesh strainer, removing every fragment of meat and spice until only a clear, golden turtle curry broth remained.

Next, Haruto brought out several melons, cut off their tops, and hollowed out the flesh inside.

He poured the strained curry soup into the empty melons, placed them inside a steamer, and cooked them over high heat.

Within the sealed steamer, the melon’s fresh sweetness gradually blended with the deep richness of the turtle curry broth.

...

Time continued to pass.

One student after another eventually stopped working, having completed their curry dishes and begun waiting for the judging to start.

At last, the three-hour cooking period ended.

Every competitor had finished and it was time for the official evaluation.

The students presented their dishes according to the order in which they had completed them.

The judges used a one-hundred-point scoring system, with each of the five judges able to award a maximum of twenty points.

The first several dishes received almost no scores above ten from any individual judge. Most were given only five or six points.

The notoriously demanding Sendawara Natsume even handed out zeroes without hesitation.

As a result, none of the early competitors managed to score above thirty points.

The harsh judging placed enormous pressure on the remaining students.

At the same time, the five judges were rapidly losing patience with dishes that offered nothing more than a mild surprise—especially Natsume.

Just as her patience was about to run out completely, Kurokiba Ryo presented his dish.

A luxurious aroma unlike anything served before immediately spread from the plate and seized the judges’ attention.

"French Lobster Curry, served with saffron-steamed rice."

Kurokiba wore a bold, confident grin.

A glossy red lobster rested inside a rich French-style curry sauce, while every grain of saffron rice remained distinct and carried a warm golden sheen.

The natural sweetness of the lobster mingled with the curry’s deep richness, creating a powerful fragrance that swept across the entire judging table.

Natsume, who had been visibly bored only moments earlier, was the first to pick up her utensils.

She speared a piece of lobster and placed it into her mouth.

The flesh was springy and overflowing with juice, while the curry sauce had penetrated deep into every fiber. Its flavor was intense without becoming heavy, unfolding in an extraordinary number of layers.

When she reached the rich tomalley inside the lobster’s head, even the usually elegant and aloof Natsume abandoned all concern for appearances.

She lowered her head and sucked it out directly.

The concentrated flavor brought an unprecedented expression of satisfaction to her face, and she no longer cared who might be watching.

After the tasting concluded, all five judges awarded extremely high marks.

Kurokiba Ryo received a total score of ninety-three!

It towered over the previous competitors, none of whom had even reached thirty, and placed him firmly at the top of the rankings.

The students in the audience erupted in disbelief.

Before the judges had fully recovered from the overwhelming flavor of Kurokiba’s French Lobster Curry, Mito Ikumi brought forward her own dish.

It was a bowl of Dongpo Pork Curry Rice, richly aromatic and glowing with an appetizing reddish-brown sheen.

Large pieces of pork had been braised until meltingly tender.

Alternating layers of lean meat and fat glistened beneath the lights, while thick curry sauce coated every grain of rice.

The fragrance of meat, braising sauce, and curry blended together perfectly.

The visual impact alone was enough to make all five judges abandon any thought of restraint.

They picked up their spoons and eagerly dug in.

The Dongpo pork melted the moment it entered their mouths, while the savory curry rice provided the perfect accompaniment.

The overall flavor was smooth, rich, and deeply satisfying, leaving a long-lasting finish.

Mito Ikumi earned eighty-six points and temporarily moved into second place.

Sakaki Ryoko followed next.

Her dish was Natto Curry made with charcoal-aged natto.

By slowly roasting the natto over charcoal at low heat, she had removed its usual pungency and left behind only a deep soybean aroma.

When combined with the spices of the curry, it produced a fascinating transformation.

The soft, sticky natto blended seamlessly into the creamy sauce, creating a distinctive texture and an unexpectedly rich flavor.

Her inventive Natto Curry also received eighty-six points, tying Mito for second place.

The next competitor was Marui Zenji.

Because of his poor stamina and relatively unremarkable performance during the training camp, most students had never considered him a serious contender.

His dish was White Potage Udon Curry.

It looked mild and simple, yet concealed extraordinary depth.

The milky-white soup was smooth and comforting, the udon noodles firm and pleasantly springy, and the curry spices had been perfectly incorporated into the potage.

Every mouthful offered clearly defined layers while remaining flawlessly balanced.

Marui received eighty-eight points, taking sole possession of second place.

Ibusaki Shun followed with his Special Smoked Curry.

The moment he lifted the lid, a powerful yet never overpowering smoky fragrance spread outward and instantly awakened the judges’ appetites.

Using his homemade smoked salt, Ibusaki had perfectly coordinated the flavor of his smoked ingredients with the curry’s richness.

The roasted aroma of the smoke and the heat of the spices unfolded one after another, blending without the slightest trace of conflict.

His intensely personal curry also earned eighty-eight points, tying Marui for second.

One exceptional curry after another continued to appear, striking the judges’ palates in relentless waves.

Even the impossibly demanding Natsume was beginning to struggle to maintain her composure.

"Next, contestant Hayama Akira!"

The moment host Sasaki Yua finished her announcement, Hayama carried his dish to the judging table.

His gaze swept over Haruto and Soma below, and a confident smile appeared on his lips.

"I made enough curry for the two of you as well."

"What a coincidence. So did I," Soma replied without backing down.

He then instinctively glanced toward Haruto.

Soma knew Haruto’s true ability better than most.

He was unquestionably a formidable opponent.

Haruto raised his head and looked at Hayama in mild confusion.

The two of them had barely interacted before today. Hayama had even seemed somewhat dismissive of him earlier.

Yet now, Hayama was clearly treating him as a rival on equal footing.

He must have noticed something while Haruto was preparing his curry.

Hayama’s sense of smell truly was extraordinary.

"Then I’ll look forward to tasting yours," Haruto replied.

"And later, you’re welcome to try mine as well."

Since Hayama had openly issued a challenge, Haruto naturally had no intention of retreating.

Hayama said nothing more.

He turned and placed his dish before the five judges.

Minatozaka Makito, the director of a popular gourmet television program, had spent the competition carefully observing the students’ cooking processes.

He had paid particular attention to Hayama, who was already famous among the student body.

Makito immediately spoke with confidence.

"That must be Fish Head Curry—a luxurious dish prepared using an entire fish head!"

He had clearly seen Hayama handling one earlier.

Hayama glanced at him before lifting the cover from his tray.

Makito’s eyes widened.

The confidence on his face instantly froze, replaced by complete bewilderment.

"What is this? The portion is far too small. This isn’t Fish Head Curry at all!"

Natsume studied the dish thoughtfully.

"Is the lid covering the bowl made from naan?"

Veteran gourmet Koda Shigenoshin nodded.

"It certainly appears to be naan. There seems to be more hidden inside this dish than meets the eye."

Hayama offered no explanation.

He merely told them how to eat it.

"Please break through the naan with your spoons before tasting."

He then tossed spoons toward Haruto and Soma.

"It’s hot, so be careful."

Haruto caught his spoon and moved first, breaking through the naan stretched across the mouth of the bowl.

The next instant, an overwhelmingly intense fragrance exploded outward like a bomb.

Even the students seated high in the audience could clearly smell the deep, layered aroma of the spices.

Expectation entered Haruto’s eyes.

He lifted a spoonful of curry soup and placed it into his mouth.

The flavor instantly conquered his palate.

The freshness of cumin, the bright sharpness of lemongrass, the mellow warmth of cinnamon—

Dozens of spices unfolded across his tongue in clearly defined layers.

Binding them all together into one perfectly unified aroma was the powerful fragrance of freshly harvested holy basil.

Hayama had also incorporated yogurt with remarkable skill, softening the holy basil’s overpowering intensity and bringing every spice into perfect balance.

Each flavor retained its individuality, yet all of them remained in complete harmony.

In terms of spice selection and combination, the dish had come remarkably close to perfection.

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