The first dishes served were a few cold appetizers. Kael tasted them. They were delicious, though still not as good as Inui Hinako's cooking.
The following dishes varied in quality. Normally, one might not notice, but when served together, the difference between good and better was obvious. Still, none were bad—only good or better.
The reason was simple. Tōtsuki Resort was a massive establishment with countless guests. A handful of chefs couldn't handle the workload. Kael estimated there were dozens, perhaps hundreds of chefs. Their skills varied, so naturally the dishes did too. But none would be poor—this was Tōtsuki Resort. Only competent chefs could work here.
He even suspected most chefs here were Tōtsuki graduates. Without that level, they wouldn't be hired.
As for why they couldn't match Inui Hinako, it was because she was stronger. Graduates of the Elite Ten were on a completely different level. Anyone who graduated as Elite Ten was a master.
Their careers proved it. Aside from Dōjima Gin, who chose to work at the resort, the others had advanced further.
79th generation First Seat, Shinomiya Kojirō, became head chef of SHINO's in Paris, earning the Pluspol Award.
80th generation Second Seat, Inui Hinako, became head chef of the Japanese restaurant Kiri no Ya.
79th generation Second Seat, Mizuhara Fuyumi, became head chef of Ristorante F in Italy.
88th generation Second Seat, Tsunozaki Taki, became head chef of Taki Amarillo in Spain.
89th generation Second Seat, Kikuchi Sonoka, became head chef of Shunkatei in Japan.
These restaurants were their own creations. Thus, Elite Ten graduates usually opened their own establishments. Ordinary graduates could only work in hotels. For example, 80th generation graduate Gotōda Donato worked as head chef at Auberge Tesoro, unable to open his own restaurant.
So Kael guessed that aside from Dōjima Gin, none at the resort could rival Inui Hinako. That explained why, despite eating so many dishes, none surpassed hers. The Elite Ten Second Seat was not easily surpassed. Otherwise, Kiri no Ya wouldn't be so popular, requiring reservations weeks in advance.
Soon, Kael tasted a dish personally prepared by Dōjima Gin—a tender grilled steak. Made with A5-grade beef, perfected by Gin's skill, it was exquisite. The best dish Kael had ever eaten.
Truly the greatest chef in Tōtsuki's history, his skill surpassed Inui Hinako. No wonder his joining the resort had caused such a stir. Everyone had expected him to open his own restaurant. Instead, he became an employee.
But now, he had risen from worker to leader. Not only head chef, but also a director of the resort. An inspiring story—rising from employee to boss was no small feat. Given his skill, it seemed inevitable.
After tasting Gin's cooking, Kael turned to his real purpose. He hadn't come only to eat, but to cultivate demonic arts.
The Gluttonous Art focused on the stomach. Without a stomach that could devour anything, it couldn't be cultivated. The first step was to transform the stomach.
Ordinary practitioners would follow the manual step by step, taking three to five months. But Kael already had mana—pure Heavenly Demon Mana. He could accelerate the process. From months to half an hour, like riding a rocket. Such was the benefit of mana—making the impossible possible.
Half an hour later, his transformation was complete. His stomach became like a black hole, constantly radiating hunger.
He abandoned his slow eating and began devouring food ravenously. No matter how much he ate, his stomach digested it easily. Soon, a third of the table's dishes were gone.
Once inside, the food was quickly digested. Its nutrients spread through his body, into every cell. Normally, this would strengthen his cells and body. But his Blood River Art had already raised his physique to an astonishing level. So the food didn't greatly enhance him.
Instead, Kael stored the energy in his stomach. As he ate more, the energy grew.
"Not enough. Not nearly enough."
He called the waiter. "Bring me the entire menu again."
"Again?" The waiter stared in shock, barely believing his ears.
It was terrifying. He had watched this boy consume vast amounts of food. Enough to feed dozens, yet the boy's stomach hadn't bulged at all. Not even slightly.
The waiter began to wonder if this boy was a monster in human skin. How could a human stomach be so terrifying?
And now, the boy wanted the entire menu again.