Chapter 307: New Ingredients and Erina’s Warm Dinner (2)

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"Congratulations to the host for opening the semester gift package. You've received an A-grade ingredient: a Marble Tuna, and a B-grade ingredient: a Sakeyashi Fruit."

The system's voice echoed clearly.

"Another A-grade ingredient?" Sui thought happily. Not only had he received a high-quality ingredient, but also a valuable B-grade one as well.

"The host has accumulated ten daily gift packs. Would you like to open them?" the system inquired again.

"Only ten?" Sui frowned slightly.

"You don't receive daily packs during exams, and there was a break period when classes were not in session," the system explained.

"Ah, that makes sense," Sui nodded. Over the last few days, there had indeed been no classes, and receiving daily gift packs required earning at least an A in over half of the day's courses, meaning there had to be classes that day.

"All right, let's open them," Sui decided.

The system quickly complied:

- "The host opens a daily gift package: Cooking level increases by 1.

- The host opens a daily gift package: You receive two almond cabbages.

- The host opens a daily gift package: Cooking level increases by 2.

- The host opens a daily gift package: You receive a cheese rabbit.

...

- The host opens a daily gift package: Cooking level increases by 1.

- The host opens a daily gift package: You receive a Sakeyashi Fruit."

With his cooking skill level now at 70, Sui smiled with satisfaction. 'If I face Tsukasa-senpai in a shokugeki now, I should be able to hold my own,' he thought confidently.

"Host, would you like to check out the new ingredients?" the system asked.

"Of course," Sui replied eagerly.

Suddenly, a two-and-a-half-meter-long, stunning tuna appeared in front of him. Unlike typical tunas, which are grayish-white, this one shimmered with a striking sea blue. Its fins and tail were tinged with a soft yellow, elegantly slender, and its lips were a vivid red. It even have two horns!

Sui read through the ingredient description:

——

Marble Tuna 

—'Food grade: A' 

—Ingredients: The Marble Tuna is as striking as its name suggests. This legendary fish is renowned not just for its appearance but for its tender, flavorful meat. The middle of its abdomen contains the richest, most delectable flesh, combining the freshness of the sea with the sweetness of salmon, sweet shrimp, and other top-tier seafood. It's the epitome of gourmet cuisine.

Origin: Toriko.

——

"Looks like we're having sashimi tonight," Sui said, excited. With a fish of such quality, raw preparation would preserve its natural flavors best. And the Marble Tuna clearly surpassed any regular tuna in both appearance and taste.

However, when Sui glanced at the price tag, he was momentarily stunned—200 million yen! To put it into perspective, a frozen bison, significantly larger, only cost 40 million yen each. 

Still, Sui calmed himself. Tuna was a famously expensive delicacy, especially in Japan. He recalled that at the annual tuna auctions, bids often reached hundreds of millions of yen for a single fish. One particular tuna had fetched 330 million yen, and that fish was barely 300 kilograms. In comparison, this Marble Tuna weighed close to 200 kilograms more and had an unmatched elegance.

'If this tuna were to go up for auction, it could easily break 500 million yen, maybe even closer to 1 billion,' Sui thought.

After admiring the tuna, Sui turned his attention to the other ingredient—the Sakeyashi Fruit. It was a large, purple, lantern-shaped fruit, roughly the size of a human head. He hefted it and was surprised by its weight; it had to be over ten pounds.

He scanned the description:

---

Sakeyashi Fruit (Sake Coconut Fruit)

—Food grade: B

—Ingredients: The Sakeyashi Fruit belongs to the coconut family. During its growth, the sugars inside ferment naturally into alcohol. Once the fruit ripens, you can open it and drink the sweet wine inside. This natural wine is as smooth and rich as a fine liqueur, but beware—its alcohol content is very high.

Origin: Toriko.

---

At that moment, Erina entered the kitchen. Her eyes widened in surprise when she spotted the tuna resting on the counter.

"What a gorgeous fish! Is this a type of tuna?" she asked as she approached, her gaze lingering on its shimmering blue scales.

"Yes, it's a Marble Tuna," Sui replied, smiling. "How about we have sashimi for dinner tonight?"

"That sounds wonderful," Erina agreed, a gentle smile lighting up her face. "But we'll need to process it quickly. The meat's quality will deteriorate if we wait too long."

Sui nodded. He recalled the detailed tuna processing lessons from his class at Totsuki. Together, he and Erina began the careful process of preparing the fish.

First, they laid out a mat beneath the tuna to prevent blood from accumulating in the body, which could spoil the flavor. Next, they covered its eyes to calm it before using a hammer to swiftly and humanely end its life.

After that, the real work began. They had to drain the blood immediately and meticulously cut the veins behind the pectoral fins. Each step required precision to maintain the highest quality of the meat.

Two hours later, they finally finished the intricate procedure.

"It's done," Sui declared. Though he had handled most of the physical labor, Erina was visibly exhausted, her forehead glistening with sweat, and her clothes damp from the effort.

"You should rest," Sui said, noticing her fatigue. His own stamina was well above normal, so he wasn't too affected.

Erina nodded but reminded him, "Don't forget to freeze the fish right away."

"I'll take care of it," Sui assured her with a smile.

After properly storing the fish, Sui turned his attention to dinner. The belly of the Marble Tuna, the fattiest and most flavorful part, was reserved for their meal. He wasn't going to sell any of it; it was far too exquisite.

As Sui started preparing the food, Erina joined him again after a short rest, her smile warm and eager. "Can I help?" she asked.

"Of course," Sui said, smiling back.

The two of them worked together in the kitchen, slicing the crimson tuna flesh into delicate pieces that shimmered with beautiful marble-like patterns. They grilled the fatty beef until it was golden and fragrant, filling the kitchen with mouthwatering aromas.

Before long, they sat down to a cozy, delicious dinner—the perfect meal for two.