The first batch of meat skewers was ready, roasted to a golden-brown, glossy finish, with glistening drops of meat juice condensing between the muscle fibers.
Ray raised his hand, passing the skewers to the young man waiting eagerly at the front of the line.
Taking the skewers, the young man couldn't wait and took a bite.
Immediately, his pupils shrank. Then, a flush spread across his cheeks at a visible rate, dyeing even the tips of his ears red.
Soft, uncontrollable moans escaped his throat, sounding incredibly tender and carrying an indescribable, charming vulnerability.
This made the people waiting in line around him itch with even more anticipation.
Ray turned a blind eye to this, turning around to grab more skewers to continue grilling.
Just then, the sound of slightly hurried footsteps approached.
Ray lifted his eyelids, his gaze falling on the newcomer.
It was a middle-aged man in a suit, his hair combed impeccably, though a thin layer of sweat beaded on his forehead, clearly having rushed through the crowd.
Ray had a vague impression of this person; he seemed to be the customer who bought the last few skewers yesterday.
"Young boss, forgive my intrusion."
The middle-aged man bowed slightly, keeping his posture extremely low, his tone filled with respect.
As he spoke, he pulled a gold-embossed business card from his suit's inner pocket and offered it to Ray with both hands before introducing himself.
"I am Kazuya Mito, the purchasing department manager for Mito Meat. Mito Meat sincerely wishes to purchase the kind of meat you are using. I wonder if you would be interested in discussing a partnership with us?"
Kazuya Mito's heart pounded. He was terrified that Ray would refuse.
Yesterday, he had bought a few skewers to take back to the company, merely thinking the meat was quite interesting. But who could have expected the test results to be so astonishing?
The quality far surpassed top-tier A5 Wagyu, and its nutritional value was several times that of beef. Yet it wasn't beef, nor was it mutton. The fiber structure was incredibly unique; they could only determine it belonged to some kind of large animal.
Mito Meat was a leading enterprise in the beef industry, but they also dealt in other meats. How could they possibly let such a top-tier ingredient slip through their fingers? If they could acquire this meat, they could absolutely use it to forge valuable connections.
Ray paused his movements, lowering his eyes to glance at the business card printed with the gold-embossed title. After a moment of silence, he reached out and took it.
*Selling the Regal Mammoth meat directly?*
Ray had never considered this idea before. Setting up this barbecue stall was just a way to make some quick cash and settle down first. But Kazuya Mito's proposal wasn't something he couldn't try. He was going to sell it anyway; selling it directly versus selling it as skewers made little difference to him.
Of course, the prerequisite was that the price absolutely could not be low. This was Regal Mammoth meat. In this ordinary world, even the most premium ingredients couldn't compare to it.
Ray casually stuffed the business card into his pocket and looked up at the eager Kazuya Mito.
"We'll talk after I finish selling the meat I have on hand."
Even though he was already tempted, he had to see things through. He couldn't just leave these customers who had been waiting in line for so long hanging just to discuss business.
Hearing this, Kazuya Mito was about to say something along the lines of offering to buy out the rest of the stock. Although they needed a large quantity, they wouldn't mind having a bit more.
But before the words could leave his mouth, Kazuya Mito suddenly shivered. He subconsciously turned his head, meeting the gazes of the crowd lining up behind him. Pair after pair of eyes were filled with undisguised hostility.
Kazuya Mito instantly fell silent, squeezing out an awkward smile and nodding repeatedly.
"Yes, yes, of course, young boss. We'll talk after you're done."
Saying so, Kazuya Mito tactfully stepped aside. He felt that if he dared to offer to buy out the entire stock, someone would definitely be willing to feed him a fist.
Ray ignored Kazuya Mito and returned his attention to the grill. As the skewers were flipped, fat dripped down, causing the charcoal fire to flare up higher, making the meat's aroma even more intoxicating.
However, before this batch of skewers was fully cooked, a considerable commotion suddenly broke out in the crowd.
"Isn't that... Boss Joichiro from Restaurant Yukihira? Why is he here?"
"Boss Joichiro's culinary skills are incredible."
"Yeah, Soma Yukihira is here too."
"Do they want to try the young boss's meat skewers too?"
Hearing the crowd's discussion, Ray's movements suddenly halted, the skewers nearly slipping from his fingers. He snapped his head up, following the crowd's gaze, and saw two acquaintances walking over.
The man walking in front wore a simple chef's uniform. He had a tall, straight posture, long dark red hair, and a casual demeanor about his eyes and brows. But Ray knew that this was the man known as the Asura of the culinary world—Joichiro Yukihira.
And the teenager following behind Joichiro Yukihira, with short red hair and a scar over his left eyebrow, was none other than Soma Yukihira.
Ray's pupils contracted sharply, as if struck by lightning, his blood seemingly freezing for a moment.
*Absurd. This is too absurd.*
*Transmigrating to a foreign country was already unbelievable enough. But I never expected that I didn't just change countries, I completely... changed worlds!*
*Joichiro Yukihira, Soma Yukihira... This is clearly the world of Food Wars!*
Ray finally understood why the people who ate his meat skewers earlier revealed such intoxicated, almost euphoric expressions.
*So this is the signature trait of the Food Wars! world!*
Ray's thoughts were a tangled mess.
Meanwhile, Joichiro Yukihira had already led Soma Yukihira over. In truth, even before they got close, that intensely rich meat aroma had already piqued Joichiro Yukihira's deep interest.
As a top-tier chef, the premium ingredients he had tasted were innumerable. Yet, he had never smelled such a soul-captivating meat aroma.
Within the fragrance lay a wild, vigorous vitality, yet it was blended with just the right amount of gentleness. It was like a clear breeze through a mountain forest, or a sunset over the plains—its rich layers were absolutely staggering.
Upon getting closer, Joichiro Yukihira got a clear look at the meat skewers on the grill, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.
Relying on his sensitivity to ingredients, just by looking at the meat's texture and recalling the unique aroma he smelled earlier, Joichiro Yukihira could conclude that he had never seen this kind of meat before!
The fat distribution was a perfection that even the highest grade of Wagyu couldn't hope to match. The muscle fibers possessed an unprecedented delicacy and chewiness.
This completely unknown ingredient made even Joichiro Yukihira excited. It truly made him curious about exactly what kind of meat this was.
Standing beside Joichiro Yukihira, Soma Yukihira widened his eyes. His nose twitched slightly as he muttered to himself.
"It smells so good... It's not beef, and it's not pork... I just wonder how it tastes?"