Multiverse Gourmet Hunter

Haruto exchanged a glance with his duplicate, and both of them picked up specially made long-handled grilling tongs at exactly the same time.

Their movements matched perfectly, almost like reflections in a mirror. Haruto took charge of the left side of the grill while his duplicate handled the right, dividing the work cleanly without disrupting each other’s rhythm.

”We’ll start with the ribs. They need to be cooked slowly over lower heat so the fat renders out without losing the juices inside.”

As Haruto spoke, he arranged the glistening marinated Breath Brachiosaurus ribs along the outer edge of the grill, where the charcoal burned at a gentler temperature ideal for slow roasting.

Golden fat gradually seeped from the meat along the grain of the ribs. Drop after drop fell onto the glowing charcoal below with crisp sizzling sounds.

The rich aroma of roasting meat mingled with the delicate fragrance of fruitwood smoke and rapidly filled the entire kitchen area.

Kagura and Kanna dragged over a pair of small stools and sat beside the grill. Kagura propped her chin in both hands and stared without blinking as the ribs slowly changed color, swallowing repeatedly.

”That smells incredible... Haruto, how much longer until we can eat?”

Her voice was full of impatience.

”Don’t rush.”

Haruto glanced back at her with a smile while turning one of the ribs with his tongs.

”Good food takes time. We’ve only rendered the first layer of fat. Once the juices are properly sealed inside, we’ll brush on the sauce and roast them again. That’s when they’ll really become delicious.”

Kanna said nothing, but she had leaned slightly forward as well, her eyes following every movement of Haruto’s tongs.

Charizard lay beside the charcoal pit, lazily sweeping its tail across the ground while constantly sniffing the air. The aroma had clearly awakened its appetite too.

Gardevoir stood quietly beside Haruto, using Psychic to pass him bottles and bowls of seasoning whenever he needed them.

As the minutes passed, the surface of the ribs gradually darkened into an appetizing caramel-brown.

Haruto lightly pressed one with the tongs.

Clear meat juices immediately seeped from the gaps around the bones.

”That’s about right.”

He picked up a brush, dipped it into melted Butter Grass mixed with his prepared barbecue sauce, and coated every rib evenly.

The moment the sauce touched the scorching meat, it began to sizzle.

The aroma instantly became richer and more full-bodied.

Haruto turned the ribs every ten minutes and brushed them three times in total, allowing the sauce to penetrate deeply into the meat.

”Final step. High heat.”

He moved the ribs to the hottest part of the grill.

Flames licked at the edges, rapidly forming a crisp, charred crust over the surface.

The fragrance of roasted meat, creamy Butter Grass, and sweet barbecue sauce exploded through the air.

Kagura swallowed loudly.

Her stomach growled, making her cheeks flush slightly, but she still could not drag her eyes away from the grill.

”They’re ready. Try them.”

Haruto lifted four rib sections from the grill and handed them to Kagura, Kanna, Charizard, and Gardevoir.

”Careful, they’re hot.”

Kagura eagerly accepted hers.

The heat made her suck in a sharp breath, but she bit down immediately anyway.

Crunch.

The crisp outer crust cracked beneath her teeth, releasing a flood of rich meat juices into her mouth.

”Whoa!”

Kagura’s eyes widened in delight.

”This is amazing!”

The surface was lightly sweet and deeply roasted, carrying the distinctive smokiness of charcoal. Beneath it, however, the meat was so tender that it separated completely from the bone with the slightest pull.

Rendered fat melted smoothly across her tongue, while the clean sweetness of Sweet Honey lingered beneath the savory seasoning. Every strand of meat had absorbed the sauce until each bite was packed with flavor.

Kagura ate with complete enthusiasm, gripping the rib in both hands and getting sauce all over her face as she stripped every scrap of meat from between the bones. Once she finished, she even licked the sauce from her fingertips.

Kanna and Gardevoir ate much more elegantly, taking small bites and slowly savoring the flavor.

After a while, Kanna looked up at Haruto and offered a rare verbal opinion.

”It’s very good.”

Charizard, on the other hand, showed considerably less restraint.

It simply crunched through the bones along with the meat.

Seeing how much everyone was enjoying themselves, Haruto picked up a rib for himself and took a bite.

His eyes narrowed contentedly.

The Breath Brachiosaurus really did have exceptional meat.

Combined with the seasonings he had gathered in the Gourmet World, the finished ribs tasted even better than he had expected.

”The ribs are only the appetizer.”

Haruto wiped his hands and picked up one of the skewers threaded with sections of Breath Brachiosaurus intestine.

”This next one is one of tonight’s main attractions.”

He placed the enormous iron skewer over the charcoal, positioning the inner side of the intestine toward the heat first.

As the temperature rose, fat slowly seeped from the folds.

The intestine gradually became translucent and amber-colored, releasing a rich, oily fragrance.

”Grilled intestine is all about heat control. Too low and it won’t crisp properly; too high and it burns.”

Haruto slowly rotated the skewer as he explained.

”Once the inside turns golden, you flip it and crisp the outer surface. Then comes the chili sauce.”

He dipped a brush into a brilliant red secret chili sauce and coated the intestine evenly.

The sauce flowed into every fold, covering the surface in an appetizing glossy red.

After turning it repeatedly three times, the outer layer tightened and wrinkled slightly. A caramelized crust formed across the surface, glistening with rendered fat and releasing an irresistible aroma.

”Done. Eat it while it’s hot. Once it cools, the fat becomes too heavy.”

Haruto removed the finished intestine from the grill and distributed portions among the others.

Kagura had been waiting impatiently and immediately took a huge bite.

Rich fat burst across her tongue, carrying the smoky fragrance of charcoal, the savory heat of the chili sauce, and a faint lingering sweetness from Sweet Honey.

The warmth spread all the way into her stomach.

The outer surface was crisp, while the inside remained soft, springy, and pleasantly chewy without the slightest trace of offal odor.

The spicy fragrance of Chocolate Cumin arrived at the end like a spark across the tongue, adding another unexpected layer to the flavor.

”Mmm... This is even better!”

Kagura narrowed her eyes in bliss, her cheeks puffed out with food.

Haruto tried a skewer himself and nodded approvingly.

The grilled intestine really was excellent.

”Let’s keep going.”

Haruto set the skewer aside and picked up thick slices of Breath Brachiosaurus liver.

”Liver needs to be cooked quickly. No more than thirty seconds per side. Overcook it and it turns dry and loses that creamy texture.”

He brushed each slice with a thin layer of oil and placed them directly over the hottest charcoal.

The edges quickly curled, while light-brown sear marks appeared across the surface.

Haruto immediately sprinkled them with Chocolate Cumin Powder, Red Crystal Chili Powder, and a small amount of seasoned salt before removing them from the heat.

”Try this one. The texture is completely different.”

Kanna accepted a piece of grilled liver and carefully took a small bite.

The crisp exterior broke beneath her teeth, revealing a soft, almost cloudlike interior that melted with the slightest pressure from her tongue.

The charcoal brought out the liver’s natural sweetness, while the savory seasoning balanced its faint bitterness perfectly. The result was creamy yet still possessed a subtle springiness.

Kanna chewed slowly.

A trace of surprise appeared on her face.

Seeing that reaction, Kagura immediately grabbed a skewer and put it into her mouth.

Her expression became blissful almost at once, and she unconsciously slowed her breathing, as though even breathing too hard might disturb the delicate sensation lingering on her tongue.

”Next are the heart slices. These need high heat and fast grilling too, or you’ll lose that springy bite.”

Haruto spread the Breath Brachiosaurus heart slices across the grill.

He cooked each side for roughly a minute, then sprinkled them with Chocolate Cumin and Sesame Black Pepper. The moment the edges curled slightly, he removed them.

The grilled heart was firm and pleasantly chewy.

When bitten, the teeth could clearly feel the elasticity of the muscle, yet there was no unpleasant odor at all.

Charcoal smoke wrapped around the natural sweetness of the meat, while the savory seasoning emphasized the heart’s rich umami.

The more they chewed, the more aromatic it became.

”And now the lung slices. These need slower heat so the moisture gradually dries out. That gives you a crisp exterior while keeping some chew inside.”

Haruto placed the slices, already coated in Crystal Garlic sauce, along the edge of the grill and slowly turned them.

Only once the surface had become golden and lightly charred and the edges had tightened did he remove them.

Kagura picked up one and bit down.

The first sensation was crispness, followed by a softer, almost fluffy texture beneath.

The fragrance of Crystal Garlic blended beautifully with the smokiness of the charcoal, while the slight chew gradually released the savory sauce and the lung’s unique, dense texture.

”Finally, the grand finale—grilled kidney!”

Haruto picked up the beautifully scored kidney pieces.

”These need full heat from beginning to end. Cook them too slowly and they toughen up, and any lingering odor starts coming back.”

He spread them across the hottest part of the grill.

Flames surged upward and wrapped around the meat.

Haruto grilled each side for forty seconds, then sprinkled them with Chocolate Cumin Powder and Red Crystal Chili Powder.

The moment the kidney pieces curled slightly and dark sear marks appeared across the surface, he pulled them from the heat.

Haruto took the first skewer and bit into it.

His eyes widened.

The texture was crisp, tender, and springy, without even the faintest trace of unpleasant gaminess.

The smoky fragrance of the charcoal and the warm spice of Chocolate Cumin completely transformed the kidney’s flavor, bringing out its distinctive savoriness instead.

The meat remained juicy and tender, with just enough chew to make every bite satisfying.

”Wow. This kidney is ridiculously good!”

Kagura spoke with complete seriousness after tasting one herself.

Beside her, Kanna nodded in agreement, noticeably speeding up her chewing.

Seeing everyone so satisfied, Haruto somehow felt that the grilled kidney in his own mouth tasted even better.