"What's wrong with you?"
Seeing the girl fall into the water, the surrounding students hurriedly went forward to help her up, their faces filled with puzzled expressions.
What happened to this girl?
She was fine just a moment ago, how did she suddenly fall?
Could she have tripped over something?
"Quick... look at the fish in the river!"
The girl tremblingly pointed towards the swimming fish in the river, the horrified expression on her face impossible to suppress.
Others looked in the direction she pointed.
At this moment, the fish that had previously leaped out of the water had already swum far away.
"What's wrong with that fish? Isn't it perfectly normal?"
A boy wearing glasses looked puzzled.
Wasn't that fish swimming normally?
Could this girl have been scared by a fish?
"This... This is impossible! All the flesh from its body is gone, how can the fish still be swimming in the river?!"
"It's too incredible! There's no meat left in its body, only bones and scales. Is this really something a human can do?"
"Such knife skills can no longer be described as merely amazing; it should be called god-like skill!"
Squinting to observe the swimming fish in the river, more and more people noticed the anomaly, and then exclaimed in shock, attracting people from further away.
At this moment, everyone present had a look of horror on their faces, and Erina and Alice also arrived by Dylan's side.
They too had noticed the peculiarity of the swimming fish in the river.
"I once heard that if you cut open a fish's body in an instant, before the cells even have time to react, the fish's wound will heal, becoming as if nothing happened. I originally thought it was just a tall tale made up by bored people, but I never expected it to be true... It's simply too incredible!"
Looking at the scene before her, Erina Nakiri swallowed hard.
She suddenly remembered a children's chef book she had read when she was young.
It described some amazing cooking techniques of ancient chefs in a way that even children could understand, compiled into educational and enlightening fairy tales.
However, whether it was now or back then, Erina Nakiri had always felt it was too absurd, treating it merely as a fairy tale.
But now it seemed that fairy tales might not be fairy tales after all; it was just that her own understanding was too limited, leading to a subjective perception born from narrow-mindedness and arrogance!
"Alright, these are all basic operations. You don't need to be too surprised."
The fish slices, cut as thin as paper, were sterilized during cutting with a knife dipped in white wine.
Then, a secret marinade was added.
After a brief marination of a few minutes, it became an incomparably delicious raw-marinated crucian carp!
Of course, that wasn't the key.
"You f*cking call this a basic operation?!"
He had originally intended to just mumble quietly, but as he spoke, he couldn't suppress the emotions within him, and his voice suddenly grew louder.
And this voice was particularly noticeable in the quiet environment.
However, no one present criticized his rudeness.
Instead, they all nodded in deep agreement, looking at Dylan as if they were looking at a monster.
"This is a special benefit for you all. Every student present can taste it. However, let me make this clear: if you eat this and still can't produce a dish that satisfies me, I don't mind turning all of you into sashimi!"
Holding the plate in his hand, Dylan drew the Pojun Saber from his back with his other hand and swung it towards the river in front of him.
The sharp knife aura instantly split the river in front of him in two!
It lasted for more than ten seconds before the river returned to its original state.
But even so, everything before their eyes still shocked everyone present.
"Well then, anyone who has the guts, come up and taste it!"
Sheathing the Pojun Saber, Dylan's gaze swept around, finally stopping on Erina and Alice, who were not far from him.
At this moment, both of them were staring at the river, their mouths slightly agape, seemingly stunned by Dylan's earlier performance, lost in thought.
"Tsk..."
The similar reactions of the two sisters couldn't help but make Dylan click his tongue.
These two big-chested, brainless fools! Not a shred of cleverness.
Did they really think he went through all this trouble just because he was craving sashimi?!
And the surrounding people, because of his earlier words, looked at the river that had just barely returned to its original state, shivered all over, and were thoroughly intimidated.
For a moment, no one dared to be the first to act.
They all stood in place, waiting for the first brave soul to step forward.
"Tsk, what a bunch of cowards."
It was one thing for Erina Nakiri and the others to be stunned.
But not a single one of these guys dared to step forward.
It seemed there was nothing much to look forward to in this assessment.
"Please, let me try it!"
Mustering her courage, a figure with wheat-colored skin stood out from the crowd.
Looking at the tall figure in the center of the crowd, she spoke with a trembling voice.
"Are you confident you can make a dish that satisfies me?"
Following the voice, Dylan saw a familiar face and a look of surprise appeared on his.
He hadn't expected this girl to be on this bus as well.
"Yes! No! I mean, I will definitely make a dish that satisfies you! So, please let me taste it!"
Ikumi Mito clenched her fists, her eyes greedily fixed on the plate in Dylan's hand.
Even though she was threatened, there wasn't a trace of retreat in her thoughts.
As time passed, under the effect of the marinade, the sashimi on the plate in Dylan's hand had reached its absolute peak!
"Hahaha, good! Then you shall be the first to taste this ultimate delicacy!"
Seeing Ikumi Mito's greedy expression, Dylan immediately burst into gratified laughter and handed her the chopsticks.
"Gulp."
At the same time, the sound of swallowing saliva was clearly heard beside him.
Ikumi Mito had come before him, dressed in her usual gyaru fashion.
In other words, if Dylan looked down, he could see a bottomless cleavage.
However, Dylan was probably the first to see it from this angle.
After all, under normal circumstances, Ikumi Mito wouldn't let someone stare at her like that.
"It's truly beautiful, like a work of art!"
Picking up a slice of fish with her chopsticks, Ikumi Mito didn't rush to eat it.
Instead, she held it up high, allowing it to be enveloped by the sunlight.
The pure white fish slice was so thin it was almost translucent.
The unique aroma of the marinade filled the air, making her mouth water uncontrollably.
"This is..."
Suddenly, Ikumi Mito noticed a shimmering golden light on the fish slice and couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Others, seeing her reaction, also turned their gazes towards it.
Originally, because it was hidden in the dark sauce, it hadn't looked very obvious.
"Golden flowing light! This sashimi, completed in just a few seconds, is actually a Luminous Dish!"
Not far away, Erina Nakiri, seeing all this, also let out an incredulous gasp.
This was also a Luminous Dish?!
In a daze, her eyes met Dylan's.
Looking at his slightly helpless gaze, and recalling what he had just said, Erina Nakiri instantly felt a numbing sensation as if struck by electricity.
After a sudden realization, she quickened her pace and swiftly arrived in front of Dylan.
"How dare you sneak ahead!"
Although Alice Nakiri didn't make eye contact with Dylan, seeing Erina Nakiri suddenly dash forward, she also quickened her pace and followed.
Hisako Arato also moved at the same time.
And as they moved, the students who had been watching from the sidelines instantly couldn't stand still any longer.
Various expressions flickered across their faces.
Almost simultaneously, they sprang into action, striding towards Dylan, pushing aside those around them, scrambling to be at the forefront.
The scene became chaotic for a moment.
"Line up behind these four! I will remember everyone who tastes the dish. I hope you don't disappoint me."
Looking at the scene before him, Dylan's expression remained calm.
When the foremost people were less than three meters away, he suddenly spoke, telling them to start lining up.
Hearing his words, those who had initially targeted Dylan immediately turned around and sprinted towards the end of the line.
"A Luminous-grade raw-marinated fish slice, what kind of taste will it possess?!"
At this moment, Erina Nakiri, standing next to Ikumi Mito, had already picked up a fish slice drenched in sauce and, one step ahead, put it into her mouth.
Ikumi Mito, Alice Nakiri, and Hisako Arato, not to be outdone, also quickly put the sashimi they had picked up into their mouths.
Because the sashimi was cut extremely thin, these few minutes were enough for it to absorb the flavor.
Now was the best time to taste it!
Her cherry lips parted slightly.
The God Tongue seemed to sense something, emitting a joyful signal, and then it collided with the fish slice and the sauce.
Fresh and bright!
This was the first sensation after the fish slice entered her mouth.
The rich flavor exploded in her oral cavity like a cluster bomb, creating ripples of umami.
Next came the complex flavor of the sauce.
The mellowness and saltiness of the soy sauce formed the base of the sauce, simultaneously giving it a deep background color.
Following that was the fish sauce, bringing the freshness of the ocean and a faint salty-fishy taste, while also complementing the soy sauce, achieving a harmonious balance.
The aroma of the cooking wine permeated through, adding a touch of light wine fragrance to the sauce, making the overall flavor more complex and charming.
"The sourness of vinegar, the sweetness of white sugar, the saltiness of salt, the fragrance of spices... I can even feel a faint, complex spiciness. Countless flavors merge, coordinating with each other, highlighting the inherent umami of the sashimi, while also adding a rich layer of flavor to the ingredient. This is the ultimate charm of raw marination!"
The freshness of the fish slices, the richness of the sauce.
The thinly sliced fish had a slightly springy texture, a bit chewy yet not difficult to chew – a most balanced state!
It could be said that the details were handled to the extreme.
"This taste... this taste is like swimming in an ocean of rich sauce. Feeling all sorts of distinct yet mutually harmonious flavors glide across the surface of my body, as if listening to an elegant sonata of taste!"
Erina Nakiri's body arched in an exaggerated manner, as if to release that intensely strong sense of pleasure.
Then, the girl's body couldn't help but tremble, and then she lost her balance and fell, being steadily caught by Dylan in his arms.
"Can't handle just one slice? Erina is really weak."
Looking at Erina Nakiri, who had fallen into Dylan's arms, her eyes closed, her body still trembling slightly, Alice Nakiri couldn't help but tease.
The God Tongue was still too sensitive.
Although its tolerance could be increased by constantly tasting delicacies, this didn't mean she could immediately accept a deliciousness far exceeding her limit!
Once this level of deliciousness surpassed the standard, it would bring an indescribable pleasure.
Even if it was just one bite, it was an explosive experience!
"However, this taste is indeed hard to resist... As expected of Master, he can create any dish to the highest level! Not only are his cooking skills superb, but his rate of improvement is also so fast!"
Tasting the dish before her, Alice Nakiri exclaimed from the bottom of her heart.
She remembered when they first met, although Dylan was also a very skilled chef, he had to be a bit more serious to create a Luminous Dish.
Unlike now, where his creations were, at a minimum, Luminous Dishes.
That effortless demeanor clearly showed that this was far from his limit!
"So delicious, it's a taste that I can never surpass in my lifetime! Impossible..."
A force seemed to surge within her body, and such a thought suddenly appeared in Alice Nakiri's mind, unexpectedly and exceptionally strong!
"Calm your mind. As long as you can continuously surpass yourself, that's already a very remarkable thing."
Raising his hand, Dylan patted Alice Nakiri's shoulder, suppressing the turbulent power within her.
His voice exploded in the girl's ear.
Although it was very soft, Alice Nakiri had inadvertently spoken her thoughts aloud, and Dylan had heard them.
"Ah? Sorry, I..."
"No need to apologize. It's normal to have such thoughts. Many chefs who have reached Special Grade have had similar thoughts."
Looking at the apologetic Alice Nakiri, Dylan waved his hand, then turned his gaze to Ikumi Mito not far away.
This girl had never appeared in his class before.
This should be considered their first meeting, and also her first time tasting a Luminous Dish.
"Ah! Amazing! The fresh sensation is impacting my whole body! It's as if I'm in the deep sea, being constantly kissed by little fish made of sauce!"
Letting out a shameful cry, Ikumi Mito hugged herself, the blush on her face exceptionally obvious.
She had squatted down because she couldn't bear the impact, gasping for breath.
Such a delicious dish, completed in an instant?!
With such superb technique, no wonder Lady Erina admired him so much, attending his class for a whole month straight!
"Hisako, I'll leave the rest to you. I'll take these three over there to rest for a bit."
"Yes, leave it to me."
Hisako Arato nodded and took the plate of sashimi from Dylan's hand, turning her gaze to the line behind Alice Nakiri.
"Go rest under that tree for a while."
Looking at Erina Nakiri, who was breathing heavily but could barely stand, Dylan released his hand, then spoke to Ikumi Mito, who was squatting beside them.
As for Alice Nakiri, he directly reached out and took her hand, preparing to console her.
The line moved forward in an orderly fashion.
However, the meat from one fish was too little.
Even cut into thin slices, with each person getting only one slice, the plate was still empty by the time the line was halfway through.
And those students who didn't get to eat the raw-marinated fish slices mustered their courage, came before Dylan with trepidation, and said with trembling bodies:
"Teacher, the sashimi is finished. There are still over a dozen people here who haven't tasted it. We are very confident in our cooking. Can we have some more..."
"No."
Dylan interrupted her without any courtesy.
"It's your lack of ability that you didn't get any, just like this midterm assessment. If you don't reach the top fifty, you will be expelled. There's no room for negotiation!"
"By the way, although the cooking time lasts until sunset, the later the dish is completed, the lower the score given for time. Of course, if you can truly present a delicacy that moves people's hearts, I will give you bonus points."
Looking at the girl in front of him, trembling and extremely nervous, Dylan coldly told her that it was impossible to get another serving.
Everything in the world needed to be earned.
If one could obtain things simply by opening and closing their mouth, then it would be too easy and cheap.
"Yes, I understand!"
The girl, who had been encouraged by everyone to come forward, was already feeling scared.
Hearing Dylan's extremely blunt words, she immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice.
"Alright, stop dawdling here. Start cooking quickly! By the way, the last hundred students on the scoreboard will have to sleep in the wilderness tonight! And the higher the rank, the better the accommodation!"
Looking at the disappointed students who were standing around idly, Dylan dropped another bombshell.
Failures would not only be expelled but would also have to sleep in the wilderness and feed mosquitoes during the training camp!
Of course, those who couldn't bear it could apply for withdrawal, but having come this far, surely no one would willingly withdraw!
"What!?"
"I've never heard of such a thing!"
"Damn it! Which bastard stole the shrimp I just caught?!"
"Ahhh, why is this fish so hard to catch? Just bite the hook already!"
"Who stole my seasonings? Bastard! Give them back quickly! Don't let me find you, or I'll definitely strip your pants off!"
As Dylan's voice fell, the already quiet scene erupted into chaos once more.
Everyone busily got to work.
Dylan nodded in satisfaction at the sight, then looked at Erina Nakiri, who had recovered, and Alice Nakiri, who had regained her confidence after hearing his words.
Ikumi Mito stood beside them, her eyes filled with adoration as she looked at Dylan.
Humans always admire the strong!
"They've all started working. What are you two planning to do?"
"Does that even need to be said?"
"Of course, it's to surpass them!"
Hearing Dylan's question, Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri exchanged a glance, then answered Dylan one after the other.
"Good, very spirited. Then prove your strength to me!"
"Hisako, let's go."
"Yes! Lady Erina."
Erina Nakiri said, looking at Hisako Arato, who was waiting nearby.
Hisako Arato, hearing her call, immediately responded excitedly.
"I will make a dish that satisfies you, even if I have to bet everything I have!"
Alice Nakiri also said with her head held high.
After Dylan's guidance, she had returned to her initial state, her fighting spirit even higher.
After saying this, she didn't wait for Dylan's reply and turned to leave directly.
"You too, work hard. After all, you were the first one to step forward. Let me see your cooking, Ikumi Mito."
Watching Alice leave, Dylan suddenly spoke to the girl with wheat-colored skin in front of him.
"You... know my name?!"
Ikumi Mito couldn't quite believe that such a skilled chef as Dylan actually knew her name.
"I not only know your name, but I also know you specialize in beef cuisine. Ikumi Mito. You have great potential. Keep it up."
Dylan was never stingy with verbal encouragement.
As he spoke, he raised his hand and patted Ikumi Mito's shoulder, expressing his praise.
"Yes! I will work hard! Teacher Dylan!"
With just those three simple sentences, Ikumi Mito was fired up as if injected with chicken blood, her whole being ignited!
Damn it, Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri, step aside!
This old lady is the MVP this time!
_____
Greetings! ✨ Walnut here!
🔥 AN INCREDIBLE OFFER IS ON THE TABLE! 🔥
We're only 13 members away from our 65-member goal! 🎯
The second we hit it, 10 BONUS CHAPTERS for ALL STORIES will be released to everyone. No exceptions!
🪦 Your membership is the key. Let's make it happen!
100 powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone! 5 reviews = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone!
Secure your early access before it's too late!
👻 patreon.com/Walnutchan