Reborn in Japan as a Chef God-Chapter 985 - 984: Huang He’s Struggle (Part 1)

"Have a taste—" 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

This was the third time Xia Yu said this to Huang He.

A flash of ferocity crossed Huang He’s face. How could he not understand the intent behind Xia Yu’s maneuver?

In reality, a "challenge" is not the same as a Shokugeki; the Dragon Chef Review Team is just for show, without any power to vote and decide victory. The review team is there for the public eye, to give authority to the outcome.

The real way to decide the winner is—

Mutual tasting!

This is akin to the brutal fights in the arenas of Ancient Rome, where one side’s victory means the other side is pounded to death!

"Hmph!" Huang He sneered, "Are you planning to use your culinary creations to make me bow? I recognize all luminous dishes and respect the chefs capable of making them. Perhaps your skills and dishes are infinitely close to the dragon level, but I have to tell you, the food spirit isn’t as simple as you think!"

"You have no idea what a ’food spirit’ is!"

"Far from it!"

A silence fell over the audience.

Listening to the high and mighty veteran Dragon Chef speak, none except for the fewer than ten Dragon Chefs could utter a word among the distinguished guests present.

Indeed, the secret that sets Dragon Chefs apart from Lin Chefs is the ’food spirit’.

But what exactly is a ’food spirit’?

"Food spirit..." Dojima Yin and other main characters showed complex expressions; finding this answer might consume their entire lives, and perhaps they’d still pass away with confusion.

"Master Huang, you should give it a try."

Yan Qi interjected.

Xia Qing silently adjusted his clothes, his words simple and direct, just four words: "Chew, savor."

Except for Dragon Head Zhu Ji, who didn’t express an opinion, the Dragon Chefs of this review team all spoke up.

This scene caught the audience’s eye, appearing on the live broadcast.

People’s hearts pounded uncontrollably, a dreadful thought occupying their minds—

Could the situation have reversed?

No doubt about it.

The Dragon Chefs’ excited reactions, their kind persuasion to Huang He, their expressions full of eagerness to share their stories, once again rendered the plaza silent.

Blue veins pulsed on Huang He’s forehead as he couldn’t help but shout, "Everyone shut up!"

The area near the dining table finally quieted down.

He glanced at ’Tianji Star’ Wu Tong, but Wu Tong avoided his gaze, swiftly turning his head, making Huang He’s heart sink.

After a brief silence, Huang He took a step forward, suddenly filled with a compelling aura as he spoke to Xia Yu, "You might have the means to face off directly against a Dragon Chef, but if a Dragon Chef loses to you, it only means their foundation is unstable."

Xia Yu understood the subtext.

It was nothing more than a declaration—that Huang He was an experienced Dragon Chef, not a new recruit to be bullied by the Little Demon King.

Tch!

Xia Yu smiled, not responding, watching as Huang He picked up the chopsticks.

On the plate, several pieces of roast pigeon meat were covered in sauce, glistening, and Huang He picked up a piece. Immediately, a gentle aroma from the sauce attacked his nose, and his eyes became solemn, "What is this sauce’s flavor... Oh, what is going on!"

As the meat approached his mouth, beads of sweat appeared on Huang He’s forehead, and his breathing became chaotic.

When the meat was right under his eyes.

Suddenly, Huang He’s pupils contracted. On the golden-brown roast meat’s surface, the layer of sauce and its rich yet incredibly gentle flavor seemed vaguely like a delicate woman’s hand suddenly cupping Huang He’s rosy cheeks.

"Gulp—"

His Adam’s apple moved, and the meat entered his mouth.

Instantaneously, his pupils felt as though they were being burned by flames, his clothes started to burst, yet the tense lines of Huang He’s face softened, a warm current spreading from his mouth filling his body.

Warmth.

Ah.

A soft moan escaped from his throat, and the flames before his eyes transformed into a bonfire.

Crackle, crackle.

The firewood crackled and sent sparks of flames flying, the sound echoing in the deep cave. Huang He found himself transformed into a weary traveler, standing outside the cave in a curtain of rain, soaked to the skin. He had stripped down, curling up in front of the campfire for warmth. Once the warmth from the flames banished the coldness from within, Huang He gently closed his eyes, an expression of joy and happiness on his face.

"Hoo, hoo, hoo..."

The sound of the winter wind.

The imagery in his mind suddenly changed to an icy, snow-covered land. Huang He became a solitary figure in the snow world, stumbling and finally settling in a small hut of a fisherman on the lake. When a blizzard from the outside world struck, he made a fire again, his frozen body gradually regaining sensation.

Huang He gazed at the long, dark night outside the small hut, the world outside completely black, with the occasional howl of a wolf. When he looked down at the fire, it seemed as if only this place held light and it was a safe zone.

"He’er!"

The sudden call made Huang He’s nerves tense.

"Master—" Huang He exclaimed, looking in shock at a tall figure standing at the chef’s station.

A man dressed in a chef’s attire stood with his back to him, side profile hazy, speaking without turning his head: "From today, you are officially my disciple. No longer an apprentice."

"This first lesson is about fire—temperature control."

"Temperature control is the profound, endless art of culinary skills. It is the beginning and the end of all cooking. Only when you truly understand it will your career as a chef really begin."

The gentle male voice continued, "Do you see the charcoal stove on the table? Use it for grilling!"

"Make me a dish that embodies the flavor of flames!"

Huang He was stunned. The flavor of flames? He took a couple of steps, watching the small, exquisite charcoal stove on the table and wondered what the flavor of flames meant, compulsively picking up the nearby tongs meant to grab charcoal, poking at the fiery red hot coals for closer observation.

Suddenly, the tongs dropped to the ground.

From within the pile of coals, a flame flickered. More terrifying was that the flame faintly formed a young face, its flame-woven eyes warmly greeting, "Ah, you have arrived."

Huang He stood as if struck by lightning, stunned.

Reality.

The surrounding Dragon Chefs ignored Huang He’s dazed state, gathering together to discuss.

Their words came through the microphone, spreading across the square and through countless terminal devices receiving the live broadcast signal.

"Master Huang’s ’Turtle and Crane Life Extending Soup’ inscribes his form and shadow within the ingredients... but Chef Xia’s grilled dish..." Li Wannian first spoke, the Li Family Patriarch full of admiration and respect for the young man catching up to the footsteps of his ancestor, Ya Kan.

He continued in disbelief, "Is woven into his throne by flames!"

Lan Fengxian widened his eyes at Xia Yu, that gaze not of appreciation but of awe towards strength, "His, his ’Food Spirit’, is fire!"

"That’s right, it’s fire!"

Wei An slowly spoke.

Another Dragon Chef from White Jade Tower, Kong Chun, interrupted, eyes still showing shock, "Ordinary Dragon Chefs imprint their form and shadow on the ingredients to convey the artistic sense to diners, but he directly represents the flames. He is a traveler of the flame, no, he should be called... the Flame Emperor of this era!"

All the Dragon Chefs turned their gazes towards Zhu Ji.

Zhu Ji sighed, "The terrifying thing about such a fiery food spirit is that it can fiercely burn all ingredients, which also means that even an ordinary grilled recipe, once endowed with this fiery food spirit, the dish instantly elevates to Dragon-level!"

"Moreover..."

The Dragon Head gazed intently at the ever-calm young man, "Your recipe itself is extraordinary, adding ’Exquisite Camel,’ ’Rock Alpaca,’ and ’Juxia Sauce’ achieves a harmonious glow... truly incomprehensible!"

Hmm?!

The Dragon Chefs and the square’s illustrious guests listened, minds shocked.

Aside from ’Exquisite Camel,’ and ’Rock Alpaca’... it seems there was also ’Juxia Sauce’ added!

"Juxia Sauce!"

The tremulous and panicked voice came from the just-awakened Huang He.

The heat flow inside still surged, and the flame hymn that had lodged itself in his head seemed to continually assault the deepest fortress of Huang He’s heart.

Crack.

A tiny crack appeared on a delicate round plate called the "Chef’s Heart."

"Ah, awake now?" Xia Yu grinned, quietly landing a finishing blow, "So do I still need to taste your ’Turtle and Crane Life Extending Soup,’ Boss Huang?"

Huang He gasped, his vision darkening, repeating over and over, his face growing more and more fearful: "...What a strange combination, Fantasy Ingredients, paired with the Shell Fairy’s ’Juxia Sauce’? No, such a combination could never glow, I absolutely do not accept this forcibly assembled glowing recipe... I absolutely refuse... I cannot lose..."

Immediately, the surrounding glances became sympathetic.

The stubborn defeated one.