Chapter 399

Milim looked toward Charybdis with renewed interest.

"Well, if it’s here looking for me, I guess I should be the one to take care of it!"

Naturally, Rimuru had no objections.

If Milim was willing to deal with this troublesome monster herself, he certainly wasn’t going to stop her.

Milim flew directly toward Charybdis and raised both hands.

A glowing sphere of energy, roughly the size of a ping-pong ball, appeared between her palms.

Despite its tiny size, the sphere radiated an extraordinarily terrifying concentration of power.

The surrounding air seemed to tremble beneath the pressure.

"Drago Buster!"

Countless brilliant beams erupted from the sphere, spreading outward before converging upon Charybdis.

The next instant, a series of devastating explosions engulfed the enormous monster.

BOOOOOOM!

Charybdis’s gigantic body was completely shattered by the attack.

Its flesh disintegrated beneath the overwhelming energy, and the enormous creature that had seemed practically invincible only moments earlier disappeared without a trace.

The only thing left behind was Phobio, the unfortunate host who had been possessed by Charybdis’s magic core.

Milim casually clapped her hands together.

"All done!"

Her expression was so relaxed that she might as well have finished a trivial household chore.

From the ground, Haruto watched the entire spectacle with an expression of genuine admiration.

"Wow. That’s an entirely different level of strength..."

There really was no comparison.

Charybdis had possessed extraordinary regenerative abilities and an enormous reserve of magicules, yet Milim had obliterated it with a single attack.

As expected of one of the oldest Demon Lords in existence.

Her strength was simply absurd.

With Charybdis defeated, the threat to the town had finally been eliminated.

Thunderous cheers erupted throughout the settlement.

Goblins, orcs, Dragonewts, and members of the other races celebrated enthusiastically, their voices echoing across the surrounding forest.

Everyone was overjoyed to have survived such a terrifying crisis.

And naturally, there was only one proper way to celebrate a victory like this.

A banquet!

Several of the Megalodons that Benimaru and the others had defeated were dragged into the central clearing.

All kinds of ingredients, herbs, spices, and seasonings were gathered nearby in preparation for the feast.

Haruto stood before one of the enormous flying sharks, holding his kitchen knife, Myriad Worlds.

"All right. Today, how about an all-fish banquet?"

With that announcement, he immediately got to work.

Myriad Worlds flashed through the air as Haruto began processing the Megalodon.

Removing the scales, cutting away the gills, opening the abdomen, extracting the internal organs, and separating the bones from the flesh...

Every movement was exceptionally precise.

Before long, the enormous monster had been divided into suitable portions, and Haruto was ready to begin cooking.

The first dish was Megalodon Fish Head Soup.

Haruto removed the enormous head and split it into two halves, revealing the snow-white flesh and translucent brain tissue inside.

He placed the prepared fish head in a large pot and lightly pan-fried both sides until the surface developed a faint golden crust.

Then he added clean water and brought the contents to a vigorous boil.

Once the liquid was bubbling steadily, he reduced the heat and allowed the soup to simmer.

Bubble, bubble...

The pot continued cooking over the bonfire.

Gradually, the initially clear liquid developed a beautiful milky-white color.

As the fish released its natural richness into the broth, the soup became increasingly concentrated.

A deep, savory fragrance rose with the steam and drifted throughout the cooking area.

The second dish was Steamed Megalodon.

For this, Haruto selected a thick section from the middle of the fish.

He sliced the flesh into generous pieces of even thickness and arranged them neatly across a large serving platter.

Next came finely shredded ginger, green onion, and slices of shiitake mushrooms.

He scattered the aromatics across the fish before adding a small amount of cooking wine and soy sauce.

The platter was then placed inside a large steamer and cooked over high heat.

The third dish was Megalodon Fish Balls.

Haruto selected meat from the tail, finely minced it, and worked it into a smooth fish paste.

He added ginger-and-scallion-infused water, salt, egg whites, and starch.

Then he began stirring the mixture vigorously in a single direction.

As he continued mixing, the fish paste gradually developed a thick, elastic consistency.

Once it reached the proper texture, Haruto squeezed the mixture through his hand, forming smooth, rounded balls of uniform size.

He gently lowered them into warm water and allowed them to cook slowly.

The finished fish balls were beautifully white, almost like polished jade, with a pleasantly springy and silky texture.

For the fourth dish, Haruto decided to satisfy Milim’s particular preferences.

Sweet-and-Sour Megalodon.

He selected the most tender flesh along the fish’s back and cut it into small pieces.

The fish was seasoned with salt, cooking wine, and ground pepper, allowing the flavors to penetrate the meat.

Then Haruto coated the pieces evenly with starch and lowered them into hot oil.

The fish quickly developed a golden, crispy exterior.

After removing the pieces and allowing the excess oil to drain, he transferred them into a wok containing freshly prepared sweet-and-sour sauce.

With a few swift movements, the golden fish rolled through the rich red glaze.

Every piece emerged evenly coated in a glossy layer of sauce, while an irresistible sweet-and-sour fragrance spread through the surrounding air.

The fifth dish was Grilled Megalodon.

For this, Haruto selected the richest and fattiest portion of the fish’s belly.

He seasoned the meat with salt, cumin, chili powder, and ground Sichuan peppercorns, then allowed it to marinate briefly.

Once the seasonings had penetrated the flesh, he threaded the pieces onto iron skewers and arranged them above a bed of glowing charcoal.

Sssssss!

As the fish slowly roasted, its natural fat began melting.

Droplets fell onto the hot charcoal, releasing bursts of fragrant smoke.

Gradually, the skin developed a golden, crispy exterior, while the flesh beneath became lightly charred around the edges.

The smoky fragrance of cumin and chili blended beautifully with the natural savoriness of the fish, producing an aroma that made everyone’s appetite grow.

And those weren’t the only dishes Haruto prepared.

He also made braised fish chunks, fish-belly sashimi, crispy fried fish bones, and several other specialties.

By the time he finished, an enormous variety of Megalodon dishes had been arranged for the celebration.

However, impressive as the all-fish banquet was, it wasn’t the main attraction of the evening.

The true centerpiece was something Haruto had gone to considerable trouble to obtain.

Charybdis meat.

More specifically, it was the concentrated section of flesh he’d carefully harvested from the base of Charybdis’s left wing.

The piece was only about the size of a washbasin.

Yet the quantity of magicules contained within it was astonishing.

Simply holding the meat allowed Haruto to sense the tremendous magical energy flowing through its interior.

The magicules had become so concentrated that they almost resembled a thick liquid slowly circulating within the flesh.

This was the ingredient he truly wanted to prepare.

Haruto’s expression became serious.

After all, he’d expended a considerable amount of effort to gather Charybdis’s scattered magicules into this single piece of meat.

He certainly wasn’t going to waste it through careless cooking.

Unfortunately, processing such an unusual ingredient was far from straightforward.

The concentration of magicules was simply too high.

Ordinary cooking methods would be unable to properly control the energy contained within the flesh.

If he made even a small mistake, the magicules could become unstable and erupt uncontrollably.

Not only would that ruin the ingredient, but it could also create a dangerous situation for everyone nearby.

Fortunately, Haruto had already examined the meat thoroughly with his Unique Skill Gourmet.

He knew exactly what needed to be done.

’Meat containing an exceptionally high concentration of magicules...’

’The key is to stabilize the magical energy during cooking and allow it to integrate properly into the muscle fibers.’

Recalling the information provided by Gourmet, Haruto picked up Myriad Worlds and began making a series of fine cuts across the surface of the meat.

Each incision was carefully positioned.

Rather than simply scoring the flesh at random, he followed the specific points through which the internal magicules circulated.

As his knife moved, the energy within the meat gradually began flowing more smoothly.

The chaotic currents became increasingly stable.

Once he’d completed the necessary cuts, Haruto retrieved a specially prepared seasoning mixture.

It contained dozens of unusual ingredients, including Princess Anraku pollen, Golden Apple juice, and powdered Holy Snow Crystals.

Through careful blending, Haruto had created a marinade capable of further stabilizing the magicules within Charybdis’s flesh.

He sprinkled the mixture evenly over the meat and allowed the seasonings to penetrate its surface.

As the marinade worked its way into the fine cuts, the magical energy became even calmer and more orderly.

After completing the marination, Haruto took out a large swim bladder from one of the Megalodons.

He placed the Charybdis meat inside it, carefully wrapped the flesh, and sealed the opening.

The entire package was then lowered into water for low-temperature cooking.

Haruto maintained the water at a carefully controlled temperature, allowing the meat to cook slowly without disturbing the concentrated magicules inside.

One hour passed.

Then another.

Throughout the process, the heat remained constant.

Under the gentle, sustained warmth, the muscle fibers gradually softened.

At the same time, the magicules continued settling into a more stable arrangement.

The magical energy that had originally been so volatile was slowly integrating with the flesh itself.

While waiting for the cooking process to finish, Haruto turned his attention toward the accompanying sauce.

First, he prepared a rich fish-bone stock using Megalodon bones and an assortment of aromatic spices.

He allowed the ingredients to simmer until the bones released their natural flavor into the liquid.

Once the stock had developed sufficient depth, Haruto ladled a portion into another pan and combined it with red wine.

Then he added a little honey and salt to adjust the seasoning.

The mixture was placed over low heat and allowed to reduce slowly.

As the excess moisture evaporated, the sauce grew steadily thicker.

The savory richness of the fish stock blended with the wine’s acidity and the mellow sweetness of honey, creating an increasingly complex aroma.

Finally, Haruto added a stalk of Buttergrass.

Under the heat, the plant released its rich, buttery essence, which emulsified into the sauce.

The liquid developed a smooth, glossy consistency.

Its surface glistened like molten amber, and the fragrance became even more enticing.

Satisfied with the result, Haruto removed the finished sauce from the heat and set it aside.

Then he returned his attention to the slowly cooking Charybdis meat.

All that remained was to wait.

...

Three hours after beginning the low-temperature cooking process, the banquet was already approaching its conclusion.

The guests had spent the evening enjoying the enormous selection of Megalodon dishes, and the atmosphere remained lively and cheerful.

At last, Haruto decided that the Charybdis meat was ready.

He carefully removed the sealed package from the water.

Then he used Myriad Worlds to slice open the Megalodon’s swim bladder.

The moment the seal was broken, an extraordinary fragrance rushed out.

It was difficult to describe.

The aroma was rich without being overpowering, mellow without feeling greasy, and carried a faint, almost imperceptible freshness reminiscent of the wind itself.

Simply breathing it in left Haruto feeling unusually invigorated.

Inside the opened wrapping, the Charybdis meat had undergone a remarkable transformation.

Its color had become a beautiful shade of pink.

The surface possessed a delicate, translucent sheen, giving it the appearance of an exceptionally precious gemstone.

Even Haruto couldn’t help admiring the result.

However, the cooking process wasn’t finished yet.

He carefully removed the meat from the swim bladder and poured the accumulated juices into a separate bowl for later use.

Then he placed the meat on a cutting board and began slicing it into steaks approximately one finger thick.

Every cut revealed delicate muscle fibers and an extraordinary concentration of moisture.

Next, Haruto heated a flat-bottomed pan.

He added a stalk of Buttergrass and allowed its buttery essence to melt across the hot surface.

Once the pan was properly coated, he carefully lowered the Charybdis steaks into it.

Sssssss!

An appetizing sizzling sound immediately filled the air.

The hot surface rapidly seared the outside of each steak, forming a delicate crust that sealed in the precious juices and concentrated magicules.

Haruto controlled the temperature with extraordinary precision, ensuring that the surface cooked properly without disrupting the energy stabilized inside.

Once the steaks were perfectly seared, he removed them from the pan.

Then he cut into one.

The interior revealed a gorgeous pink color.

The flesh was incredibly juicy, with exceptionally fine, delicate fibers.

Even more astonishingly, the freshly cut surface emitted a faint glow.

Tiny points of light shimmered within the meat, resembling a river of stars flowing through the night sky.

The sight was almost breathtaking.

Haruto arranged the steaks neatly on their serving plates.

Then he picked up the sauce he’d prepared earlier.

A spoonful of the rich, glossy liquid was poured slowly over the top of each steak.

The sauce followed the contours of the meat, flowing along its fine grain and gradually coating the entire surface.

As the sauce spread, the steaks began shimmering with an even more brilliant, jewel-like radiance.

Haruto examined the completed dish with obvious satisfaction.

Then he turned toward the guests, who had been waiting eagerly for the final course.

"Pan-Seared Charybdis Steak is ready. Come on, give it a try!"

He smiled as he invited everyone to taste it.

Milim, who had been impatiently waiting for this very moment, was naturally the first to rush forward.

She immediately picked up a knife and fork, cut off a piece of steak, and brought it to her mouth.

The next instant—

BOOOOM!

It felt as though an enormous thunderclap had exploded inside her mind.

"WHOOOOAAAAAA!"

Milim’s entire body trembled.

Her pupils contracted sharply, and she stiffened as though an electrical current had suddenly passed through her.

An extraordinary burst of meat juices spread across her tongue.

The richness was so overwhelming that she almost felt intoxicated by the flavor.

The meat itself was unbelievably tender.

It seemed to dissolve the moment it touched her tongue, with every delicate fiber saturated in savory juices and the warm fragrance of butter.

But that was only the beginning.

The sauce added an astonishing array of flavors.

The mellow acidity and sweetness of red wine, the deep savoriness of fish-bone stock, the luxurious richness of butter, and the gentle sweetness of honey all blended together.

Each flavor emerged distinctly before merging with the others, producing a complexity that Milim could scarcely put into words.

There was sweetness within the acidity, savoriness beneath the sweetness, and a faint, refreshing sensation hidden within the richness.

It was almost as though the wind itself had become part of the dish.

The luxurious sauce and the delicate meat complemented each other perfectly.

Neither overwhelmed the other.

Every bite possessed an extraordinary balance, and every new mouthful seemed to reveal another subtle layer of flavor.

Milim’s surroundings seemed to fade away.

For a moment, she felt as though she were floating high above the clouds, surrounded by gentle currents of wind dancing through an endless sky.

"D-Delicious..."

Her voice trembled.

"It’s so... so delicious..."

Milim’s eyes reddened, and tears began gathering at their corners.

She had never tasted anything this wonderful before.

No, she’d never even imagined that such delicious food could exist.

The tender texture, the extraordinary layers of flavor, and the abundance of savory juices combined into something that surpassed every culinary experience she’d ever known.

Each bite was an exquisite pleasure.

Each mouthful filled her with such overwhelming happiness that she almost wanted to cry.

Nearby, Rimuru was enjoying the steak just as much.

His slime body had somehow twisted itself into a strange, undulating shape, as though the pleasure of eating had become too much for him to contain.

"Mmm! Mmmm! This is amazing!"

He practically wriggled with delight.

"The sauce is so rich! And the meat is unbelievably tender! Who would’ve thought Charybdis could taste this good?!"

Benimaru, Shion, Gobta, and the others were equally captivated.

Every one of them seemed completely absorbed in the extraordinary deliciousness of the dish.

Meanwhile, Haruto finally cut a piece of Charybdis steak for himself.

He brought it to his mouth and took a bite.

As the meat began melting against his tongue, his pupils contracted slightly.

The tenderness was almost beyond belief.

Every delicate muscle fiber was saturated with concentrated savory flavor, yet the meat possessed none of the heaviness or greasiness that might ordinarily accompany such richness.

And then Haruto noticed something even more remarkable.

As he chewed, a subtle flavor began emerging from beneath the deeper meaty notes.

It was the taste of wind.

The sensation gradually spread across his tongue, like countless tiny currents of air swirling and dancing through his mouth.

The flavor was so light and refreshing that Haruto almost felt as though his body were about to float into the air.