Multiverse Gourmet Hunter

Once the frying was complete, Haruto swiftly lifted the enormous dough ball from the oil and placed it inside a specially made roasting frame.

He stacked the firewood beneath it and set it alight.

Flames surged upward, licking across the golden surface.

Only then did the audience and judges finally understand what he was doing.

Haruto had never intended to roast the Volcanic Hyacinth Bird directly.

He was braising it inside the dough.

The hollow dough ball formed a sealed cooking chamber, essentially functioning as a natural pressure cooker.

As the flames continued heating the shell, moisture inside would rapidly evaporate and create an environment of extreme heat and pressure.

The fire roasted the dough, while the dough enclosed and cooked the bird through indirect heat.

This method could tenderize the enormous Volcanic Hyacinth Bird in a remarkably short time.

Since the meat never came into direct contact with the flames, there was no danger of the exterior burning while the center remained raw.

It perfectly avoided the greatest weakness of roasting such a large bird over an open fire.

However, the method possessed one fatal flaw.

Ordinary dough had limited strength. Even after frying hardened its surface, it could not withstand much internal pressure.

Before long, the shell should burst apart, ruining the entire dish.

The spectators frowned as they tried to imagine how Haruto planned to solve that problem.

In truth, his solution was incredibly simple—but in the Food Wars world, only he could use it.

Haruto applied the advanced Nen technique Shu, coating the dough ball in a layer of aura.

It was like wrapping the fragile shell in a suit of armor, strengthening it until it was as hard as steel.

With that reinforcement, it could easily endure the pressure building inside and remain intact until the cooking was complete.

While everyone else continued wondering whether Haruto’s dish would end in disaster, an extraordinarily rich fragrance suddenly spread through the arena.

It swept outward like an invisible wave and instantly seized everyone’s sense of smell.

The aroma possessed countless layers and lingered deeply in the air.

There was the freshness of Seven-Flavored Herbs, the mellow sweetness of Sesame Chestnuts, and the delicate floral fragrance of Dryad pollen.

More than a dozen spices blended perfectly, each unfolding after the last and intertwining into a unified whole.

Such a collision of spices should have been sharp and overpowering, yet their precise proportions transformed the fragrance into something smooth and wonderfully mellow.

Sweetness and spice mingled together, with a gentle sugary note wrapped in the scent of fresh plants.

It was clean without being harsh and rich without becoming heavy.

The aroma alone made students throughout the audience cry out in amazement as their appetites surged.

Haruto slowly rotated the dough ball over the flames and glanced in surprise toward the busy Hayama.

He had not expected Hayama to understand the properties of the unusual spices Haruto had provided so quickly, much less incorporate them into his dish already.

Haruto was becoming genuinely curious about what he would create.

At the judging table, Anne narrowed her eyes slightly and gently breathed in the aroma.

"What unusual spices."

"He has combined more than a dozen varieties. The fragrance should be extremely aggressive, yet it has become remarkably mellow."

"There is a delicate sweetness beneath the floral notes."

"This balance is nearly perfect. Harmonizing so many spices to this extent is no simple accomplishment."

Charme nodded slowly, his gaze settling on Hayama with approval.

"Indeed. Hayama Akira’s understanding and use of spices have already reached an exceptional level."

Near the judging platform, Nakiri Erina watched Kurokiba and noticed something strange.

She turned toward Alice with a puzzled expression.

"Kurokiba is unusually quiet."

"Has the audience’s excitement put him under pressure?"

Erina had watched his match against Megumi.

During that battle, every movement he made had been fierce and aggressive.

Now, however, he had not uttered a single word.

Alice calmly observed Kurokiba before shaking her head.

"Ryo hasn’t heard any of the cheering."

That only made Erina more curious.

"Every one of his senses is focused entirely on the ingredients in his pan."

"The gradual change in color as the meat sears, the tiny sounds of juices bursting under the heat, and the aroma released as the fat melds into the flesh..."

"He has shut out every sound beyond his station. Right now, nothing exists for him except the dish in front of him."

Erina looked toward Kurokiba again.

His concentration was absolute. He truly seemed unaffected by everything surrounding him.

At that moment, he made his next move.

Kurokiba took out a Wine Coconut and cut it open, revealing a large amount of rich red wine inside.

He poured it into the pan.

The liquid hissed on contact with the heat, releasing clouds of steam as the fragrance of wine intertwined with the aroma of meat.

Erina’s expression cleared in understanding.

"Is Kurokiba using the method of a French fish stew?"

Alice nodded and continued explaining.

"He also wrapped the prepared serpent meat in bacon made from Honey Pigs before searing it."

"The bacon will hold the serpent meat together throughout the rest of the cooking process, preventing it from falling apart or losing its shape."

"At the same time, its fat will gradually penetrate the flesh, enriching the serpent’s flavor and greatly increasing its impact."

"It’s a very Ryo-like approach."

Erina considered her words.

She had once attended a cooking class with Kurokiba and had thought his attitude was careless and half-hearted.

His performance during the Autumn Elections had completely changed her opinion.

Kurokiba’s cuisine pursued overwhelming sensory impact.

It was intense, rich, and forceful, striking the palate without restraint.

This dish continued that unmistakable style.

Time passed, and all four contestants entered the final stages of their cooking.

Soma was the first to stop.

Wearing a confident smile, he lifted his platter and carried it before the five judges.

"All right, everyone. Dig in."

"Yukihira-style Minotaur Stew!"

The plate contained pieces from nearly every part of the Minotaur: tail, cheek, tongue, diaphragm, and more.

The meat gleamed beneath a rich reddish-brown sauce, with a faint charred fragrance left behind by the firewood.

It resembled a grand feast devoted entirely to beef.

The moment Charme saw it, however, he frowned and glared coldly at Soma.

"Don’t insult us."

"This is merely beef stew—a careless mixture of random cuts thrown into the same pot!"

"Every part has a different grain, cooking time, and flavor. Braising them together will only muddle their individual qualities and destroy the natural character of the ingredient."

"The final result can only be an unpleasant mess!"

He had originally believed Soma’s decision to use the Minotaur tail as his main ingredient meant he had understood the secret of creating a powerful first bite.

Instead, Soma had presented what appeared to be a crude jumble of meat.

It was bitterly disappointing.

Despite Charme’s criticism, Soma remained perfectly composed, his relaxed smile never leaving his face.

"Of course it’s beef stew."

"Because everything else on that plate is only a side dish."

"What?!"

Charme’s eyes widened.

His irritation vanished, replaced by astonishment as he stared at the plate, almost unable to believe what he had heard.

"All of that meat is merely the garnish?"

Anne studied the dish thoughtfully. Her nose twitched as she detected a faint charcoal aroma.

"There is a grilled fragrance. You didn’t simply stew the meat—you grilled it first and braised it afterward?"

"The braising is... remarkably precise," Leonora said in her halting Japanese. "The dish... shows a great deal of care."

"It may appear chaotic, but every element has been carefully planned."

Dojima’s gaze rested on Soma, approval visible in his eyes.

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