Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 389 - 388: The Guardian Deity (Part 2)

Chapter 389: Chapter 388: The Guardian Deity (Part 2)

Some shops with lights on lined the alley, ensuring the corners weren’t too dark.

Xia Yu stopped in an empty space next to the Uesugi Izakaya.

There was an ancient tree here, with roots bulging through the pavement tiles, making them slippery when stepped on.

Walking around the tree, Xia Yu finally spotted an enigmatic stone almost entangled and concealed by the tree roots.

Actually, it wasn’t a stone at all. Its history was evidently ancient, with carvings on its surface so faint that one would struggle to notice them without Xia Yu’s exceptional vision.

"A shrine?"

After a closer look, Xia Yu’s expression changed slightly.

That’s right.

It was a stone shrine, but almost entirely unrecognizable.

Xia Yu was so certain because in the shadow in front of the stone, there was a small bowl with stacks of traditional Japanese sweets. With his evolved "Bursting Flame" ability, he became like a precise temperature detection instrument, able to discern the temperature of the sweets from afar, and thereby determine that they weren’t placed there long ago.

In Capital City, shrines in an urban setting were common where traditional culture was meticulously preserved.

But in the bustling streets of Tokyo, it was Xia Yu’s first encounter with a shrine so aged and forsaken in a corner.

"Was that you just now?"

He suddenly spoke to the darkness, unexpected and abrupt.

Should someone have been standing behind Xia Yu at that moment, they probably would’ve been scared half to death.

No one answered.

The noisy hubbub of the crowd drifted over from a nearby block.

"Speak now or I’ll topple your shrine," Xia Yu said assertively and without courtesy.

In Neon, unlike in China, there were far too many examples of local spirits and oddities audaciously claiming to be gods.

At last, a faint sigh was heard.

An extremely vague shadow emerged beneath the ancient tree. Xia Yu could only vaguely make out that the figure was a woman, her facial contours exuding a softness.

Moreover, Xia Yu didn’t sense any chill of Yin from her, a stark contrast to the malevolent spirit he had encountered a few months ago.

He let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Have you always been here?" Xia Yu relaxed his guard, curious about the freshly prepared, warm sweets in front of the shrine, "And now, is there still someone who remembers you and makes offerings to you?"

"Yes, I have always been here."

The entity in the shrine, which to Xia Yu seemed like a kind of Land God, spoke with a low and feminine voice. She treated Xia Yu with respect and a subtle fear.

"Now, only Tetsuya makes offerings to me."

"Tetsuya?"

Xia Yu was perplexed, but following the Land God’s gaze towards the Uesugi Izakaya, he understood immediately, "You mean that young man? Uesugi Tetsuya?"

"Yes, it’s him. I’ve watched the boy grow up. He started making offerings to me by learning from his father as soon as he had memories. It is also thanks to the dedication he puts into his cooking that I have barely managed to survive until now," the entity within the shrine said with a smile in her voice, her tone incredibly gentle. If she could manifest a physical form, she likely would have appeared as a dignified and warm-hearted mature woman.

"Oh—"

After responding, Xia Yu thought for a moment before turning away from the ancient tree and shrine with a wave, "Then I shall take my leave. My apologies for the disturbance."

Yet his departure was halted by a hesitant voice calling out.

"Wait!"

"Could you do me a favor?"

Turning back, he saw the thinly formed Female Land God kneeling in mid-air, bowing deeply as she pleaded.

"What can I help you with?" Xia Yu asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"No, not for me, but for the child Tetsuya," the Female Land God said, "His father passed away from illness a year ago, so that child has inherited the Uesugi Izakaya and is struggling on his own..."

"Do you know about the Sumida River Culinary Competition?"

She asked suddenly.

"Eh..." Xia Yu immediately understood everything and raised his hand to stop her mid-sentence, saying with a half-smile, "Why are you so certain that I can help Uesugi Tetsuya?"

"You can sense me, see my existence, which means you’re not an ordinary chef..." The Land God remained kneeling in the air.

Beep.

Just as Xia Yu was hesitating on whether to take on this task, the system popped up with the mission details:

"[Ode to the Lone Wanderer]."

"Hint: Help Uesugi Izakaya win this year’s Sumida River Culinary Competition."

"Reward: [Spirit Talisman] (Purple) *3."

Skimming the details, Xia Yu was stunned.

Spirit Talisman, what the heck? He was confused and immediately accessed the item’s details:

"[Spirit Talisman]: A purple item. In the past, the Seven-star Saber Ren frequently used it to transcend ingredients, but it also can be used to suppress and disperse ghosts and deities. Unlock conditions in the system shop unknown, currently unavailable for purchase."

Patting his heated forehead, Xia Yu quickly accepted the system’s explanation.

It turned out that the Spirit Talismans that Seven-star Saber Ren used to affix during butchering in the series "Chūka Ichiban!" were indeed not just for show.

Let’s do it!

The fresh item piqued Xia Yu’s enthusiasm.

It was just a regional culinary competition after all.

Taking on the task, Xia Yu left the Female Land God with an impressive back, "Wait for the great prize of victory tomorrow, the glory will fall upon the Uesugi family!"

"Thank you!"

And with a wave of his hand,

thus, returning to Uesugi Izakaya, amidst the astonished expressions of Makki, Eriina, and Hizaki, Xia Yu said to the young man who had just served the hot food, "Uesugi Tetsuya, let me help you win the Sumida River Food Grand Prize!"

"Huh?!"

The young man’s hand trembled, and the atmosphere in the restaurant became truly awkward.

Tiqie Eriina turned her back, her shoulders trembling, and her face was as red as an overripe apple.

Morioka Makoto and Niho Hizaki came to their senses, both wanting to laugh and cry.

"This, this is too sudden!" Uesugi Tetsuya stammered, then scrutinized Xia Yu, who was wearing a fox mask, with a suspicious gaze from head to toe, his expression clearly questioning,

Who the hell are you?

"Although it’s very sudden, there’s no time to explain, hurry up on board—"

Xia Yu burst into the izakaya’s kitchen without any further ado, "Anyway, we need to hurry up and make and sell an endless amount of food!"

So, as soon as Xia Yu entered the kitchen, he immediately made it his own battlefield.

Uesugi Tetsuya forgot to stop him, staring dumbfounded at the suspicious young man wearing the fox mask, who was making sushi and rice balls.

"Let’s help too!"

Morioka Makoto brought Eriina and Hizaki.

And then, even more people flooded into the kitchen.

Uesugi Tetsuya held his head, looking at the bustling scene with a face full of disbelief.

About a quarter hour later.

At the alleyway

Xia Yu and Morioka Makoto went into action together, while Tiqie Eriina stood by with a conflicted expression, unable to let go and join in.

In front of them, a table was set up with boxed sushi, rice balls, and takoyaki, and a sign with the big character "Free" hung above it.

No sooner had the table been set out than a few curious passersby gathered around.

A middle-aged man drenched in sweat, with a camera in hand, asked hesitantly, "Free?"

"Yes, free to eat, but it’s just a tasting, there’s only this table!" Morioka Makoto’s smile gave the onlookers a great impression and confidence.

"Then let’s give it a try!"

The uncle’s eyes scanned over the sushi, rice balls, and takoyaki, and eventually, swallowing his saliva, he took a rice ball from a plastic container most cautiously and bit into it slowly.

Crunch!

The soft and slightly vinegary rice instantly made the passersby’s uncle’s facial expression crumble.

"Heavens above!"

He managed to swallow the rice in his mouth, and then looking at the rice ball with its corner bitten off, revealing golden filling, his hand trembled, his lips quivered, "Why can this bonito rice ball taste so good!!"

Hearing his excited and surprised monologue, the rest of the passersby promptly let go of their reservations, opting to try the sushi and takoyaki.

A young man with a female companion gulped down a chunk of takoyaki, his expression spectacular.

His teeth broke through the soft outer layer.

Next, the outer layer of bonito flakes in the takoyaki crumbled in the mouth.

A rich fragrance immediately invaded the palate, and continuing to chew, next came the crisp and delicious vegetables.

As he bit further in, layer by layer was peeled away.

When it came to chewing the innermost pieces of octopus, the young man’s body shuddered as if electrocuted.

After a moment, he took a deep breath, turned to his companion, and with a tender expression and voice overflowing with deep affection, offered her a takoyaki with his fork, "Hui Mei, try this!"

His sudden gentle assault left his female companion dumbfounded, and it took her a moment to blush and bite into the takoyaki.

"Hmm!"

The moment she tasted it, the woman’s eyes instantly turned colorful.

The Tokyo Summer Fireworks Festival seemed to have started early.

The man and woman stood shoulder to shoulder among the buildings of Tokyo, with the booming noise of fireworks, colorful fireworks competing to burst in the dark night sky.

Under the night sky, the couple’s colors blurred, dazzling due to the fireworks.

An inexplicable throbbing brewed in their chests, swift and ferocious, the man took a deep breath, and the woman holding his hand did the same, turning the palpitations into actions, ready to confess loudly under the fireworks.

They turned their heads simultaneously, looking into each other’s eyes.

In reality,

this couple was standing on the street corner, gazing at each other as if they were statues.

"Oh my!"

Xia Yu glanced at Morioka Makoto with a smile on the corner of her mouth, suddenly feeling this girl was rather formidable, and realizing his gaze, Makoto cocked her head with her lips moving soundlessly.

Understanding her lip-reading, Xia Yu lowered his eyelids slightly.

"Everything I want to convey is in the cooking."

In the alley,

Uesugi Tetsuya was once again dumbfounded, the several passersby tasting the food, so engrossed in the deliciousness, it sent ripples through his soul.