Chapter 6: The Booming Skewer Stall
As the aroma grew increasingly intense, a young man in a trendy hoodie was the first in the crowd to lose his restraint.
Pushing his way to the very front, he stared intently at the sizzling, oil-dripping meat skewers on the grill, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.
"Hey, are you selling these skewers or what?"
Ray glanced up at the young man, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly as he replied in a lazy tone.
"If I wasn't selling them, why would I be here?"
The young man was momentarily left speechless.
However, a look of delight quickly washed over his face, and he hurriedly pressed on.
"Then how much for a skewer?"
Ray held up a single finger, his tone completely flat.
"Ten thousand yen."
"Ten thousand?"
The young man froze. He was just about to nod when he suddenly snapped to his senses. As if he had just heard something utterly absurd, his voice pitched up sharply.
"Are you robbing me? You have the nerve to sell such a tiny skewer of meat for ten thousand yen?"
It wasn't just the young man; the surrounding crowd also erupted into an uproar.
"Is he crazy? Ten thousand yen could buy a whole watermelon, and these skewers aren't even as thick as my finger!"
"Yeah, exactly! This price is completely outrageous. Who would buy that?"
"It's probably just some cheap gimmick, right?"
"He's trying to scam idiots..."
Discussions rose and fell in waves, but Ray acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, minding his own business as he flipped the skewers.
As far as he was concerned, this price was already a massive steal.
This was the meat of a Regal Mammoth; ordinary people could never even dream of tasting it.
If he wasn't in desperate need of cash, and afraid of scaring everyone off, he would have loved to charge a million yen per skewer.
"If you think it's too expensive, then leave. Buy it or don't."
Ray didn't even lift his head, a hint of impatience coloring his tone.
If his pockets weren't completely empty, he would never bear to part with such incredible ingredients just to give others a cheap deal.
Just then, Ray's eyes suddenly lit up, and he swiftly picked up one of the skewers.
The heat was perfect. Even one more second on the grill would compromise the tender texture of the meat.
Ray glanced at the hesitant young man, casually pinched a small amount of Salt Orange, sprinkled it evenly over the meat, and took a bite without hesitation.
As his teeth pierced the crispy, charred exterior, the inner meat juices instantly burst forth. The warm, savory aroma of the meat mixed with a faint citrus scent exploded in his mouth.
The meat was firm and bouncy, yet it melted in his mouth. There was absolutely no gamey taste—only the ultimate umami surging across his tongue.
Ray couldn't help but narrow his eyes in bliss. This flavor was simply a divine indulgence.
Plus, it seemed he really did have a talent for cooking!
Of course, the main reason he could cook it so perfectly was his deep understanding of the Regal Mammoth's meat.
One skewer down, but he still craved more.
Ray simply picked up two more freshly grilled skewers, sprinkled them with Salt Orange, and began devouring them in large bites.
Rich grease trickled down the corners of his mouth, but he couldn't care less.
Watching Ray eat with a mouth full of oil and a look of absolute satisfaction, the young man's throat began to itch again.
The rich aroma of the meat acted like an invisible hand, teasing his appetite until it was unbearable.
Gritting his teeth as if making a major resolution, he pulled a ten-thousand yen bill from his wallet and slapped it down onto the small stool in front of Ray.
"Give me one skewer!"
"Hold on a sec."
Ray replied indistinctly, his cheeks bulging with a mouthful of meat.
Only after swallowing his last bite did Ray unhurriedly pick up a perfectly grilled skewer of Regal Mammoth meat, dust it with a thin layer of Salt Orange, and hand it to the young man.
The young man snatched the skewer and impatiently shoved it into his mouth.
The moment his teeth sank in, his entire body froze.
He felt as if a colossal beast that blotted out the sun had violently crashed into his taste buds.
The ultimate umami instantly swept through his entire mouth. It was a flavor he had never experienced before—mellow, intense, carrying just the right touch of smokiness, with a faint citrus fragrance lingering on his tongue.
As the meat juices exploded between his teeth, the young man couldn't help but let out a muffled moan. His body began to writhe uncontrollably, his face flushed with intoxication and satisfaction, as if he were floating high above the clouds.
Watching the young man's bizarre display, Ray furrowed his brows slightly, a hint of disgust in his eyes.
'Isn't this reaction a bit too exaggerated?'
'I just sprinkled some Salt Orange on it, I didn't drug the guy.'
The surrounding crowd, however, seemed accustomed to the young man's behavior. The murmurs of doubt gradually died down, replaced by stares of intense curiosity.
The young man quickly finished the skewer. Licking his lips, still craving more, his eyes filled with a fanatical fervor.
He simply emptied his wallet, counted the bills, and slapped the entire wad of cash into Ray's hand.
"Give me thirteen more skewers!"
Looking at the thick stack of bills in his hand, a smile finally crept onto Ray's lips.
"No problem."
He then went back to unhurriedly flipping the skewers on the grill.
Watching this unfold, the onlookers who weren't short on cash began to stare with burning intensity.
Even those who initially complained about the price couldn't help but feel tempted to buy.
Judging by the young man's reaction, maybe these ten-thousand-yen skewers were actually worth the price?
Soon, a second person who couldn't resist stepped forward, pulling out ten thousand yen.
"Boss, give me a skewer too!"
Immediately following were a third, a fourth...
Without exception, anyone who tasted the skewers emptied their pockets of all their cash, wishing they could buy out Ray's entire stock.
Deep within the shopping district, inside Restaurant Yukihira.
Soma Yukihira looked at the two empty tables in the dining area and scratched his head in confusion.
"Dad, why are there so few customers today?"
Hearing Soma's question, Joichiro Yukihira, carrying a freshly cooked dish, glanced over and replied casually.
"Well, these things happen from time to time."
Despite his words, Joichiro was also full of doubts inwardly.
Ever since he took over the cooking at the restaurant, the place was always packed during meal times. This was the first time something like this had happened.
However, with customers still waiting for their meals, he couldn't exactly step out to investigate.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the shopping district, Ray handed the last five grilled skewers to a middle-aged man.
He then gave a helpless shrug to the crowd gathered in front of him.
"Sorry, everyone. I'm all out of ingredients. If you want more, you'll just have to wait until tomorrow."
He had originally worried that his high prices would deter sales, but he had clearly underestimated the temptation of gourmet food.
Had he known, he would have raised the price even higher.
"Ah? How are you sold out already! I've been waiting in line for so long!"
"Boss, are you coming back tomorrow? You have to come back!"
"Can't you work overtime? I'm willing to pay double!"
"..."
A chorus of disappointed wails echoed through the crowd, while those who had managed to eat the skewers wore expressions of pure relief.
The middle-aged man who had secured the final five skewers turned to leave immediately.
But his path was blocked by several people who hadn't managed to buy any.
"Hey brother, I'll offer you eleven thousand. How about selling me one skewer?"
The middle-aged man shook his head vigorously.
"Sorry, not for sale."
With that, the middle-aged man quickly dodged past them and sprinted off into the distance.