Tenka's gaze, sharp as a blade, fell on Shun—and paused in surprise.
The aura around Shun flowed without seams, as if he had merged with the very space itself. For this well-traveled, battle-tested executive chef, that was staggering. It wasn't merely raw power; it was a deeper harmony and control, something close to the rhythm of nature itself.
Especially those calm eyes—apparently placid, yet as if they reflected the essence of all things. Even for someone who had cultivated Shoku-Gi for decades, the pressure they exuded was hard to describe.
Indeed, Tenka, too, was a practitioner of Shoku-Gi. Long ago he'd been fortunate to receive a few pointers from Chin Chinchin; after years of cultivation, he'd made modest progress.
Tenka immediately set aside any elder's inclination to "judge." He brought his fists together and offered the Shokurin Temple salutation with a slight bow.
"Old Tenka pays his respects, sensei. Your means reach the heavens, your methods are precise to the utmost. To preserve this ingredient's living quality so perfectly… in my life, I have seldom seen such mastery."
Trust a man to say it so elegantly—three lines, and everything that needed saying was said.
Shun only dipped his head to accept the courtesy. It was natural.
Strength commands respect—age does not.
His tone stayed even, yet carried conviction. "You flatter me, Chef Tenka. Leave ingredients to those who understand them, and we won't betray their lives. The process matters less—I want results."
Shun offered nothing further.
At that moment, Komatsu hurried in, slightly out of breath. Feeling the atmosphere—especially Tenka's unprecedentedly respectful attitude—he froze up, tongue-tied.
Tenka turned to him, voice steady but unusually stern. "Komatsu, Shun-san designated you to cook this capture-level-30 Thunder Yak. Do you have confidence?"
"Cap… capture level 30? I… I… Tenka-sensei, I… I don't think I can…"
Tenka's brows knit, ready to scold—when Shun spoke, voice light as falling ash.
"If I say you can, you can."
It wasn't loud, but somehow it pressed Komatsu's tension flat. Just a few simple words—yet they carried a certainty that brooked no argument, as if what he spoke became truth.
Komatsu blinked hard and looked up at Shun. Meeting those tranquil eyes that seemed to see through everything, the panic in his chest ebbed for no clear reason.
Tenka, too, was inwardly startled. Could Shun's words directly steady another's heart?
"Komatsu, you heard Shun-san," Tenka said. "This is your chance. Put all stray thoughts away and think only of making this meat perfect. I'll be watching. I'll step in at critical moments, but you hold the main ladle. Understood?"
With Shun's line beneath him, and Tenka-sensei promising guidance, Komatsu drew a deep breath and nodded hard. "Yes! Tenka-sensei! Shun-san! I—I'll do it!"
"Not 'try.' Do it perfectly," Shun added mildly. Then to Tenka, "Chef Tenka, I'll leave it in your hands. I'll return to my suite."
Without another glance at the kitchen—as if processing a level-30 ingredient were the smallest of errands—Shun turned and left with Director Tanaka waiting deferentially at the door.
The moment Shun departed, the suffocating, formless pressure in the kitchen lifted.
Komatsu exhaled a long breath and discovered his palms were slick with sweat.
Tenka's expression only grew more solemn. He addressed Komatsu and the assistants: "All of you—full focus. That gentleman is no ordinary person. Entrusting us with such an ingredient is our opportunity—and a task we absolutely must not mar. The reputation of the entire hotel rides on this."
"Yes!" everyone answered in unison, not daring to slacken.
Tenka then beckoned Komatsu aside. "Komatsu, over here. First I'll teach you to sense and handle the electric energy within this meat. A small mistake ruins the texture at best—at worst, the residual current will injure you."
Komatsu hurried close, listening with absolute concentration.
…
Guided by Tanaka-san, Shun arrived at a lavish, expansive suite.
"Please rest, Shun-san. Ring at any time if you need anything," Tanaka-san said with humility.
Shun waved lightly for him to withdraw. Tanaka bowed and closed the door.
Shun stepped to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked down over the bustling Gourmet City. His expression stayed even, as if he'd done nothing more than brush dust from a sleeve.
A capture-level-30 Thunder Yak?
With his initial command of Shoku-Gi and the evolution of his Gourmet Cells, it truly wasn't a difficult target. What mattered more was using this chance to meet Komatsu—one of this world's future protagonists—and to gauge the level of a top hotel's chef team.
He reclined on the sofa and closed his eyes to rest, yet his sharpened perception let him "see" the kitchen's busyness in outline…
Under Tenka-sensei's guidance, Komatsu handled the ingredient with care that grew, bit by bit, into fluency. That laser focus—interesting.
Time unspooled. After a little more than an hour, the door chime rang.
"Enter," Shun said, eyes opening.
Komatsu pushed in a serving cart; Tenka-sensei followed. Both looked tired, but excitement and anticipation outweighed it.
Komatsu's voice was bright with the thrill of a daunting task completed. "Shun-san, your dishes are ready!"
A great silver cloche covered the platter on the cart.
Tenka-sensei stepped forward with Komatsu, and together they lifted the lid.
At once, a layered aroma spread out—wild char, mellow fat, and a clean herbaceous freshness braided together.
The scent hit, and Shun's face shifted a fraction.
"Heh. Looks like you did well," he said, taking in the spread.
On the massive platter, one side held several deep-red cuts of heart, seared till they sizzled with fat—fine crackles of static still dancing over the surface. Thunder Yak heart: crisp outside, tender within, its perfume domineering.
On the other side lay elegantly plated, blush-pink medallions—low-temp, slow-cooked loin, looking impossibly juicy and soft, with a garnish of roasted vegetables and a house sauce.
There was also a small bowl of crystal-clear soup that nonetheless radiated dense fragrance.
…
(End of Chapter)
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