Shokugeki no Megami Tensei
Chapter 4
The Midnight Oven III
A deity has begun his torment of Yu Narukami, and has forced the savior of worlds and slayer of gods to play a game with rules the former of the two has yet to reveal unless the latter wishes to bring harm to his love ones. Before the hero can begin play the god's game, he must first see if his skills as a chef can impress three of Tōtsuki Academy's ten best chefs.
"This is no ordinary lasagna Narukami, no ordinary lasanga!" Isshiki decalred as the appearence of Yu's dish shocks the former to the point where temporarily stands up from his seat.
Looking at it from the top, Yu's lasagna was perfectly white as the mozzerella cheese had perfectly melted across leaving no part over or under cooked. Then if you look at its multiple layers from the side... it was as if someone took a picture of what magma looks like flowing through the earth's crust. The tomato sauce was bright redwith the bits of shrimp and crab meat being like diamonds resillient for surviing such heat.
"Well... if nothing else it looks pretty though the taste is still what matters... but what's this?" Rindou asks as she points to somthing that's on her plate as well as the plate of her colleauge's.
The thing that the second seat of the Elite 10 was pointing at was a sauce bowl that had a built in spout filled with a dark yet faded green sauce.
"It's the special paint that will make the inner-core of the dish even more apparent when you taste it." Yu answered, "Feel free to take the first bite with or without the sauce, however I insist you try it at least once so you can see this lasagna's true self."
"He's not serving the lasagna with that soup? I had expected him to dip the lasagna into a small bowl of the stuff." Eizan thought, "Yu Narukami... just what are you planning?"
"True self? You say some interesting things... but let's get this over with." Isshiki mumbled as he poured a tiny amount ofthe sauce Yu made onto a piece of the lasagna he cut with his fork.
These three members of the Elite 10 all wrapped their mouths around Yu's dish, and they were all curious as to whether or not the truth hidden in the fog he created wasenough to prove himself worthy of admittance into their illustrious and hellish school.
"I see... for this dish he-" Eizan was about to say.
"Excuse me, but our leader wants to see you as soon as possible. If there's nothing else could you go now." said a young man.
The man Eizan talks to looks like an ordinary 24-25 yearold office worker, however there is one strange thing about him... namely his head is that of a head of a shrimp. What's even more strange is that Eizan reacts as if this is perfectly normal.
"As a member of the investigation team... I know what my responsibilities are." Eizan sighed as he started to walk down in a seemingly random direction.
But the 9th seat wasn't walking in a random direction... in fact he was walking towards an elevator while passing by a series of office workers, of whom some had the head of a shrimp while others were just ordinary humans.
"They should be capable of doing more than this with the budget we have... I'll cut their paychecks if they don't pick up the pace." Eizan thought as he subconciosuly rest his hand on a table made of ginger.
That's right... I said ginger... in fact the entire floor of this as of yet unnamed office, and likely the entire building are made out of the various ingredients Yu had put into his lasagna. The floor/ceiling was as red as a tomato, the cubicle walls made of various herbs, office appliances made of various spices, and the list can only go on from there.
"Now if I'm being called... it's likely the other two have been summoned as well." Eizan thought.
The other two Eizan speaks of can only be Rindou and Isshiki of course, but just where are they within this building made of food? Rindou's position is currently unknown, however the 7th seat of the Elite 10 is only a few dozen feet away from entering the top floor office of this mysterious leader of theirs.
"I wonder if our leader has finally figured out the solution to that complex case we've been stuck with." Isshiki thought as he continued to walk down a small hallway.
Suddenly the 7th seat finds his attention grabbed by a hole in a normally pristene wall made of a really long lasagna noodle, and the single soul seemingly preoccuipied with fixing it.
"What happened?" Isshiki asks.
"According to the building inspector... one of the hinges that keeps the power lines in place collapesed, causing a fragment to cut a wire below it, then the wire below fell onto a rusted warnout section gas line... causing the hole you see. Right now I have to fix all the pipes and wiring before I can even patch up this hole, but thankfull our leader wasn't here when this happened." the single soul said as it turned around to face Isshiki.
This young soul was a young woman that for some strange reason had the head of a chicken, but like Eizan... Isshiki considered this to be perfectly normal and doesn't even offer the slightest reaction out of character... yet all that is not even close to the strangest part about this situation. Asides from a white liquid slowly oozing out of the broken wall, the broken gaslines, and the cut powerlines... this chicken-headed employee makes no reaction to the very visible support beams (responsible for holding this bulding up) are made out of what is clearly very large chicken bones. Why it seemed like then someone hit a chicken with a grow beam, killed it, and simply gutted it for parts.
"Ah... speaking of which I better hurry up and see him." Isshiki thought as offered a quick goodbye to this chicken headed contractor and continued on his way.
A few seconds later Isshiki arrived outside of the door of their leader, and it was impossible for him to miss it as it was the only door blatantly made out of different material then all the doors that came before, after, or across from it.
"He has an odd sense of humor." Isshiki chuckles.
What makes this door different is the fact that the door iself is made from the shell of a crab's main body... while the crown molding that contains the door is in actuality made from a variety of crab legs.
"Now to get this over with." Isshiki thought as he closed the crabby door behind him.
Now there is only one... so just where is Rindou? Well the truth of the matter is that she's not inside this strangely constructed office building. In fact she fully intended to blow of work to go out and eat all the food at a new restauraunt, but when she recieved the leader's summons... she rushed over as if her life depended on it.
"Heh... heh... yes... barely... made it." Rindou sighed as her legs have taken her as far as they could go with only a single intake of oxygen.
Regardless of however far Rindou had actually ran... she should count herself extremely lucky that her legs decided to give out right in front of her place of employment.
"It always brightens up my day to walk up to this building." Rindou thought as she gazes upon her place of employment with a great deal of enjoyment.
That buildings was covered in darg green yet faded scales that shined brightly under the sun. Even though they were all the same color... it was still a beautiful site... like one was looking at one of the beautfil glass artworks one could only find in cathedral's of the world.
"Ah... it's a little late to say, but buon appetito onorato proctors." Yu said as he calmly showed off his multi-lingual skills.
As soon as Yu spoke, these three members of the Elite 10 were instantly brought out of their food themed office fantasy and were put back into reality.
"You're fluent in Itlaian?" Isshiki asks as here at Tōtsuki it's rare when someone says more than 'Buon Appetitio' when serving food.
"As well as Korean, Spanish, and French but only the basics of all of the above." Yu answered.
Yu actually wanted to ask what opinion his honored proctor's held towards his dish, but he bit his tounge as he knew that it would be bad form at a school like Tōtsuki.
"Before we get to the actual judging..." Rindou mumbled.
Fantasy aside... each member of the Elite 10 had their own reaction to Yu's dish. Eizan was surprised by the flavor though was able to hide his reaction well, Rindou seemed to have started sweating a liitle while somehow forcing herself to not break out into a seizure, and finally Isshiki seemed like he was about to burst out into tears.
"That was really tasty, so can I have seconds please?" Rindou asks as she holds up her empty plate to Yu like how one would hold up a lunch tray to a cafeteria worker.
"Ah sure." Yu said as he starts cutting another piece out of his lasagna tray.
Yu was a little surprised when Rindou asked for seconds... the problem wasn't that she asked, but that she ate her first serving so quickly. To eat something like a lasagna quickly would always create a mess, but Rindou's uniform as well as the countertop she was using as a table was perfectly imaculate.
"At first glance this looks like an ordinary sea food lasagna, but that isn't the case at all is it?" Rindou asks as her cat fang like teeth sticks out of her lips, but she already knew the answer to her own question.
"Yes... it's a cury seafood lasagna with tomato sauce as the base. After heating tightly packed tomatoes in a pot I used the liquid they released and tossed in a gram masala mix consisting of coconut milk, coreander, cloves, cumin, cinamon, and asafoetida. It gives the 'truth' of the dish... the shrimp and crab meat of being grilled when in actuality they were sauteed."
"Yet before I tasted the seafood... the tasted a faint hit of the chicken broth you used to mix in the cheese sauce... made of a slightly more bitter kind of coconut milk, salt, mozzerella cheese, ricotta cheese, and cudamin." Isshiki points out, "The theme of this test was to makea a seafood dish after all."
"And yet with all of your senses being focused on the outer taste of the chicken... after you went through it weren't you amazed by the seafood within?" Yu retorts.
"I see... that's why he removed the chicken early on." Isshiki though as he had a shocking realization about Yu's dish, "The only reason he used the chicken was to grab our attention... like fads that pass through people. Most humans will obsess over something new, but eventually they get bored of it... so when another new thing comes along they act like it was superior all along. Furthermore with how the taste of the tomato sauce fad sharply contrasts with the cheese sauce fad... it only makes the taste of the shrimp and crab shine even higher. To think there was someone outsidie of Tōtsuki that could make a dish of this level, but I know I still haven't gotten every message this Narukami has put in this work of art."
"Most humans only focus on the outer layer of the person next to them... or on what they think to be the truth of the person next to them. The few people that take the time to look past someone's outerlayer and towards their hidden depths will be amazed by what they find. It's a truth I learned durring the year I lived in Inaba." Yu chuckled as he looked back to his series of life and death situations he dealt with, "Anyways... I made this lasagna with that in mind."
"Speaking of hidden depths... I can taste parmasean cheese yet I don't see any in the tomato nor the cheese sauce." Rindou points out.
"Ah... allow me to explain." Yu said as he reaches for one the excess lasagna noodles he made.
Yu tears that single pasta noodle in two, and turns the cross-section of it towards his honored proctors in order to reveal the surprise that lay inside.
"I see... three layered pasta noodle with parmasean cheese at the center." Rindou mumbled as he finds herself amused by the proverbial jack-in-the-box.
"I also kneaded tumeric and orange zest into the outer layers of the pasta in order to wake-up your senses, so you could better appreciate the flavor.
"The three layers prevent the cheese from leaking out... impressive creativity, but the real clincher for this dish is this sauce you so heavily reccomended. I can say it's well made, but at the same time it doesn't appear to be any kind of sauce I'm familliar with." Isshiki says aoud.
"The reason you don't recognize it is because it's underheard of to make that into a sauce." Eizan said as he apparently decided to finally make his opinion of Yu's dish.
"Then you recognize it Eizan... well don't keep us in suspense. Just what is this sauce?" Isshiki asks
"This sauce was made from the broth of Tinola soup." Eizan answered as he maintained his calm demanor though it still fails in comparison to Yu's god-tier stoicess.
"Tinola... that's a soup in Filipino cuisine commonly served as an appetizer at resturaunts. I see... Filipino cuisine is rarely seen among Tōtsuki students to the point where we don't even have an instructr for it. So that's why I didn't recognize it." Isshiki thought.
"Now I see why you removed the chicken early in the cooking process. The faint flavor of that fowel along with the onions, tarragon, ginger, etc... thickened with potato starch... it creates the illusion of someone falling into the same trap twice... so that once we finally reach the seafood within... it makes us appreciate the flavor all the more. People... are more likley to believe something they had to work for even if it is true or not after all." Eizan explained, "This was your way of converying the persiverence of humanity was it not?"
"You're correct... sometimes on life's journey you'll get knocked down... sometimes for the same reason multiple times, but if you can find the will to keep walking towards the end you set for yoursef... then it'll only make the completion of that journey all the more worth it." Yu explained.
"Yu Narukami... it seems like he has a profound understanding of human nature." Isshiki thought.
"It was pretty good, but the combination of ingredients was so unusual... you had to have gotten the idea from this dish from somewhere else." Rindou pointed out as she eyes the lasagna pan Yu used hoping more of his concoction remained inside.
"Using lasagna was my own thing... as for the parmasean stuffed pasta, tomato curry sauce, and tinola suace... I did get it from somewhere else." Yu explained, "The lattermost of the three came from one of my old classmates in Inaba. His grandma was filipino and he ofted brought tinola in his bento, so one day he taught me to make it after I found an angelic statue in an old castle in exchange."
"Angelic statue? Old castle? Is he a chuuni?" Eizan thouht.
"What the pasta and the tomato sauce?" Ishiki asks.
"In a few chapters of a popular cooking manga I've been reading... a pair of Italian twin brothers were entered into a major cooking contest hosted by the school they attened. The older twin used the three layered pasta while the younger used the curry tomato sauce, and one day while I was craving seafood I combined the two ideas to create the predecessor of the dish you see before you. Ah... not that it matters, but the names of these brother were... odd... I can't seem to remember."
"There is one more thing... it's clear the unity of this dish is due to the way the spices were prepared, but they clearly weren't sauteed, steeped, roasted, or put it as is... but you did do something to them." Isshiki points out after he savored another bite of Yu's curry seafood lasagna.
"That's because I didn't use any of the methods you mentioned to bake those spices. I used baked spices in advance." Yu explained.
"I see... it's good, but very difficult way of preparing spices... none the less the way you mellowed out the spices with minimal effect on their impact as impressive." Isshiki retorts.
"Yes... that was my curry sea food lasagna it the best form I can give it right now." Yu said.
"Curry huh... maybe we should make that the theme for this year's Autum Election prelims." Isshiki jokingly suggests to his colleauges.
"That's something all 10 of us has to decide." Eizan retorts.
"Ahem..." Rindou mumbled as she faked a cough in order to get everyone's attention, "Now then... Yu Narukami... it's time to see whether or not you'll be the first person to pass Tōtsuki's third year transfer exam."
Though a different kind then what he felt fighting in that other world, Yu felt an intense pressure suddenly placed on his shoulders. One far more intense than the practice game he played with Kou, the play he put on with Yumi, or the music recital with Ayanae. He knew this wouldn't seal his future, but at the same time he didn't want to deal with one path towards it being closed off if he could help it. Would he become a first in Tōtsuki or another one of its cautionary tales? It's time for Yu and you to find out the answer to that question.
"Well then... as long you can continue to make tasty stuff like this for me to try at Tōtsuki... then you have my vote." Rindou said as she approvingly looks at Yu.
"That's good." Yu said as he continued to maintain his legendary calmness but on the inside he was breathing a massive sigh of relief.
However he still doesn't let his guard down in this trial. Yu fully realizes that getting the approval of 1 proctor still means absolutely nothing when it comes to passing the transfer exam.
"What about you Issh-" Yu was about to say, "Where did he go?"
When Yu turned to face Isshiki he found that the 7th seat of the Elite 10 had moved out from behind the countertop, but before he could glance his head around the room... Yu suddenly feels the sensation of someone grabbing his hand.
"Amazing... Narukami-san!" Isshiki yelled as waterfalls worth of tears flowed out both of his eyes.
Yu's hand was unwillingly pulled into a handshake with his potential crying underclassman, and he's able to look at him with his famous straight face but at the same time he was rather surprised by this behavior.
"Probably because he didn't have any killing intent, but I can't believe he was able to get this close without me notcing despite having my senses honed in that world. Just who is this guy?" Yu thought in utter shock though he was still able to show of his legendary calmness with ease.
"Your curry seafood lasagna was simply amazing Narukami-sa... no... Narukami-senpai. Someone of your level simply must attend Tōtsuki Academy, and once the school year starts you have to move into our Polar Star Dormitory. Right now we don't have any 3rd years staying with us, but with you... you'll easily become an inspiration to our current residents."
"I see." Yu notes, "As I'm still dealing with moving I have to at the very least help to unpack the belongings of my parents, but I'll consider your offer."
"I'll hold you to it. Still amazing... your dish was like a perfectly designed office building with a well oiled machine-like staff working within." Isshiki said before he returned to his original spot behind the counter.
Perhaps it was the result of the kind of person he was before he moved to Inaba, but Yu already knew in his heart that he'd likely refuse Isshiki's offer. Make no mistake he loves the energy that courses through him when he hangs out with his friends... yet ultimatley when he's at home he'd prefer to have some peace and quiet.
"I changed because of the friends I made in Inaba... and because of her... maybe I'll change my mind and decide to move into the dorms after all." Yu thought a small grin appeared on his face.
"What's your opinion Eizan? Does he pass in your eyes?" Rindou asks.
"My opinion doesn't matter since you two already approve of him." Eizan shrugged.
"Oh I know your opinion doesn't matter at all." Rindou said as if it were no big deal, "But the protocol for the third year transfer exam says all the students overseeing it has to give a vote for or against."
"He passes... but barely." Eizan sighs.
The 9th seat of the Elite 10 only said that for two reasons. First... even Yu seriously got on his nerves... it wasn't to the point where Eizan would sabatouge him outright but where he'd simply judge him by his highest standards... and much to his reluctance Yu did indeed barely meet his standards. Second and more importantly... he knows Rindou would give him grief about voiting against Yu until the day he dies and as a buisnessman Eizan would rather not have to deal with such headaches.
"Congradulations Yu Narukami for being the first person to ever pass Tōtsuki... and with the highest score possible to boot." Rindou said as she extended her hands towards Yu.
"Thank you." Yu said as he returned her offer with a smile.
Despite whatever the deity that kidnapped Teddie has planned... even he couldn't deny Yu the hapiness that comes with being accepted into the world's greatest cooking institution.
"I'm so happy that I think I could cry." Yu said with the straightest of faces to rival even the highest of fives.
"Then actually cry... what did you get botox injections in every single one of your facial muscles." Eizan thought as finds himself continuing to be surprised by Yu's god-tier stoicness.
"Even though we're the same year... I'm still your senpai cause of my Elite 10 status, but... if you make tasty stuff like that for me I don't mind helping you out if you need it." Rindou said as an ever rare honest smile appeared on her face.
For all of her seriousness, laziness, and playfulness... Rindou Koybayashi is truly serious about the wonders of the culinary world. For that reason Yu finds himself starting to understand just a little but about the nature of the school's second best student chef.
"Thou art I... and I art though." said a familar deep voice within the back of Yu's mind.
Yu of course immediatley recognizes this voice... it is the one that speaks to him after he forms a new bond and again once that bond reaches hs peak, but why is it speaking to him now. Well regardless... like all the times before time seems to stop around Yu when he hears this voice, and save for perhaps an unknown person with the wild card near by... he's the only one that notices as well.
"Thou hast form a new bond of the Empress Arcana." said that deep voice.
"Just what the hell is going on here? I already have a bond of that arcana with Margret." Yu thought as he comes close to breaking his stoic facade.
But then soon enough time resumed for Yu Narukami and the rest of the world.
"Is something wrong?" Rindou asks as she takes note of Yu's slightly pained expression.
"It's nothing... I just have to use the restroom again." Yu answered as it was one part quick cover and another part that he really had to go.
"Didn't you go earlier?" Rindou asks again.
"It was only to clean myself up after I put the lasagna in the over, but I was only gone as long as I was because I got distracted by that bad news phone call." Yu answered as this was conviently the truth, but also conveniently not the whole truth.
"Ah okay then... you can go on home, but the rest of us have something to take care of here. Information packets concerning the third year cariculum will be sent to you later." Rindou explained.
Yu left the kitchen without any difficulties... leaving only Rindou, Isshiki, and Eizan inside... or at least that is hat the most senior member of the Elite 10 hoped to be the case.
"Alright... what did you... where did Eizan go?" Rindou asked once she realized that the 9th seat was no longer in the room.
"He left as soon as he offered his vote saying he had to catch up with his clients." Isshiki answered.
"Jerk... anyways Narukami... he may have impresssed us enough to get us to pass him, but where do you think his actuall skill level as a chef is?" Rindou asks of Ishhiki.
"Using the directors words and the fact that Yu is clearly self-trained... he's like a diamond that's had all the dirt on it removed on it and was polished to a shine, but the shape of his diamond is rough and jagged preventing it from a shining as brightly as it could or showing off its true lustre. He simply lacks the skills that can only be gained through formal training, but I'd say the most interesting thing about Narukami-sa... senpai is that his cooking style... though the feel of it is different and there's obviously a difference in actual skill... it is exactly the same as the first seat." Isshiki said as indicated by his tone and words that he considers Yu to already Tōtsuki in a sense beyond a mere test.
"In a more blunt sense... he's like the 5.3... if not 5.2 seat of the Elite 10, but as long as Narukami is dedicated to his cooking at the academy's lessons... by the end of the year he might actually be able to make Tsukasa fight seriosuly to keep his seat for once." Rindou said as she's excited that Yu's one more of the many waves of excitment that will be her last year at Tōtsuki.
Now that the first of Yu's two recent major sources of stress was out of the way... he could now focus more of his attention on whatever game the deity that kidnapped Teddie has planned. For now however... the stress Yu has accumilated has worked its way through his gut at a rather fast pace.
"Nanako... your big bro has some good news." Yu says with a smile as he speaks into his phone.
As Yu leans against the wall near the entrance of the now empty bathroom (save for himself), you see he brought out his cellphone and decided to keep his promise to her from earlier about calling back.
"Did you pass big bro?" Nanako asks with blatant excitment in her voice as she answered her big bro's call about halfway through the first ring.
"Of course Nanako... there's nothing that can stop your invincible big bro's rise to the top." Yu smirks as he decides to play to the fantasy that Nanako sometimes views him with.
"Then you should come back to Inaba right now to celebrate. I'm sure all of your friends would come, and that dad will gladly take the rest of the day off once he hears the news." Nanako points out as the sound of her rummaging through something can be heard over the phone.
At this moment Yu couldn't help but imagine the sight of Nanako searching through the boxes in the back closet for the party ribbons he and his friends used to celebrate her release from the hospital.
"Anyways... I hope you haven't forgotten the promise you made big bro. I wanna take care of it the next time you come and visit." Nanako said though for some reason Yu couldn't help but imagine her blushing as she said that.
"But I never agreed to that childhood marrige promise... besides I have... Yuk... point is I never agreed to it." Yu thought as he finds himself to embarassed to finish his own sentence within his own mind.
"You said you'd show me how you became such a good cook before you left, but because the hospital we never got around to it." Nanako said.
"Oh thank goodness." Yu mumbled as he breathed a sigh of relief that sounded like a machine reading off a teleproctor.
"Why do you sound so relieved big bro?" Nanako asks as she's one of the only women besides Yukiko and his mother that can pic up the ludicrously subtle cues of his personality.
Did Yu really make such a promise with his unofficial little sister? He honestly has no memory of doing so, but Nanako is simply incapable of telling even the tiniest of fibs. Without a doubt, Yu would keep this other promise the first chance he got to visit Inaba.
"Every promise I make with you is important to me Nanako, but I guess... I was just worried that I forgot something especially important. Don't worry... big bro will teach you everything he can the first chance he gets to visit." Yu said as he started to wonder in the back of his mind why he's refering to himself in the third person.
"You're so big and mature big bro! Golden Week can't get here fast enough, and I know your probably busy big bro but there's one more thing I want to ask you." Nananko explained before taking a deep breath, "Do you know where Teddie is big bro? It's weird, but it seems like no one in town... not even my dad seems to remember him."
Thankfully Yu wasn't having this conversation in person... otherwise Nanako would have gotten her answer from the shocked reaction he's making right now. Should Yu give Nanako the chance to seek the truth? Or should she act like Izanami and keep her covered in the fog of ignorence?
"Teddie? Who's that Nanako? A friend from school or an imaginary one perhaps?" Yu asks as he decides to pretent to be one of the people who had his memories of Teddie erased.
"That's not funny big bro. He was practically the mascot of our local Junes, and hung out with you and all the other big kids all the time." Nanako retorts as she was surprised by what Yu said, but whehter or not she believes him is another matter.
"Sorry Nanako, but I really have no idea who you are talking about." Yu quickly said, "Anyways I have to go Nanako."
Doing that to Nanako hurt Yu a lot on the inside, and I'm not talking about simply hanging up on her. He's always suspected that Teddie somehow saved her life and was grateful to him, but Yu would absolutely not allow Nanako to be a target again. He loathes himself for not realizing Nanako fit Namatame's criteria sooner since the "Killer" had to be a local. Unless something changes, Nanako has to be left ignorant for her own safety.
"They may not like it..." Yu sighed as his mind was filled with the faces of his friends, "But I know they'll understand why I did it."
Now that there's nothing else binding Yu to Tōtsuki for the day... he decides to leave the academy's illustrious grounds, but as soon as Yu's only a few minutes away from actually wakling through the school's main entrance he finds some haughty prepschool kid standing over a red had that seemed to be wearing the uniform of an ordinary public school.
"This academy isn't a place for a simpleton like you! It's a sacre-" the haughty teen yelled, but he only stopped mid-sentence because he felt someone tap his shoulder from behind, "What?!"
"Once of my neighbors was nice enough to drop me off here on their way to work, but since I haven no ride home... would you happen to know where the closest bus or train station is?" Yu asks as he intentionally or not took advantage of his god-tier stoicness whilst staring right into the eyes of this haughty teen.
The haughty teen yelled at Yu not because of something he did, but because of the red-headed teen's presence for some strange reason. If Yu hasn't realized it yet... then he'll soon learn about the incredible amount of tension this place can cause.
"Uhh... no... I don't know where the cloest ones would be. Also... umm... sorry for yelling." the haughty teen answered as Yu's stoicness actually put the fear of god in him a little.
Yu then chooses to walk past this haughty teen since he doesn't posess the informaton he needs, and instead heads towards the red head on the floor.
"Here." Yu whispered as he stretched out his hand in order to offer the red headed teen some assistance.
"Ah... thank you." the red headed teen said as he gladly accepted this gesture of kindness though he was still a little surprised by it given his recent experience.
"Do you know where the cloest train station or bus station is from here?" Yu asks the readheaded teen.
"Yeah... once you get back on the road from the school's main entrance take a left at the first intersection, walk straight for a mile, and you'll find a train station that'll take you pretty much anywhere." the redheaded teen said as he seemed to be immune to Yu's stoicness, "Ha ha... I only know cause I came here the same way."
"I owe you one. I'm already near bursting into tears, so if I ended up having to walk alot I would have cried." Yu said.
"But... you're face looks like it's frozen in place." the redheaded teen thought as he shrugs within his own mind, "My name is Yukihira Soma, and I'm here to take Tōtsuki's transfer exam."
"Yu Narukami, and I just passed the transfer exam." Yu replies with a quick smile as he ended up shaking Soma's hand.
"Ohh... congradulations... but you won't be alone on that list. I'll pass the exam too and join you." Soma declared as some small part of his personality reminded Yu of Yosuke.
"I look forward to it, and normally I'd stay longer to talk but if you'll excuse me... I have things to do." Yu informed.
Yukihra Soma and Yu Narukami exchanged a quick goodbye with one another.
"A little tall for a first year student... but I wonder how good of a chef he is? Weird though... didn't have any cuts and like on his hands." Soma mumbled to himself.
"A first year? That guy is clearly way too tall, but no... no way he could have been here for the third year exam... must be for the second year exam... if not visiting someone he knows here." the haughty prep-school teen thought.
As Yu started walking towards the closest train station... he started working on a very long text message that he intended to send to all of his friends. It contained the summary of Yu passing the transfer exam, his conversation with the deity that kidnapped Teddie, seeing the bear himself, and most importantly his decision to keep Nanako in the dark about what's going on.
"And send." Yu thought as finally got around to sending his mass text.
Within a minute Yu started to recieve replies from Kanji, Chie, Yosuke, Yukiko, Rise, and Naoto in that order. He fully intended to respond to these indidual text messages, but his phone started to ring again as he was already about to finish his first reply. The caller... was of course someone Yu absolutley couldn't ignore.
"Congradulations on passing the transfer exam." the mysterious deity said in an obviously faked and intentionall half-assed happy tone.
"Like you didn't already know." Yu retorts as he makes the agression in his voice quite clear.
"Ha ha ha... I'm glad you think so well of me Narukami, but contrary to what you think I can't follow you around 24/7. Even us deities have dayjobs... though Chronos was strange enough to run a school festival in a pocket dimension." the deity laughed.
"Chronos?" Yu asks out of confusion.
"Oh... I figured only your memories of them were erased... didn't think the entire thing would be wiped clean." the mysterious deity said as he actually seemed legitamitley surprised for once, "Ignore that... I on the other hand am busy finishing up and maintaining my new playground."
"Playground?" Yu retorts.
"Oh... a cult... no that's a bit too strong... a group of fanatics dedicated to me dontated a park to one of the less than reputable neighboorhoods, and being the generous deity I am... I've hidden myself among the normal workers in order to offer a hand." the deity calmly explained.
"Why did you call? It obviosuly has to be for more than simple congradulatory words." Yu inquied.
"It was... I called you to tell you about the first little temr of our shared promise." the deity declared as he was back to being all buisness, "That supernatural show... your girlfriend was fascinated with... do you remember it?"
"Yeah... talks about occult rumors, local myths, and supernatural incidents of all kind." Yu answered.
"Their subject of today's broadcast is something rather interesting... I sugged that when you get home...you kick your feet up, collapse on the couch , and turn on the TV." the deity strongy suggests.
"Fine... I'll be sure to keep an hour free." Yu said with great reluctnace.
"That won't be nessecary... what you'll need to listen to should be one of if not the first thing they talk about." the deity retorts.
"Just what is he planning? If he wants revenge against me for something I did... why not get it over with?" Yu thought.
"Now then... ah Mizu-chan... what is it? Your daddy is busy right now." the deity said as he was clealy caught off guard by the presence of this Mizu-chan, "Sorry Narukami... I'll tell you the rest later."
"Just what the heck was that?" Yu thought as he too was completely caught off guard by whoever interupted this mysterious deity, but in more of a confused then a shocked sense.
To Be Continued
Shadow: Roarghhhhhhh!
?: Ah... sorry about that... my control over this place isn't perfect.
Teddie: You mean there's more to this world than this giant frying pan?
?: Here you'll have the chance to obtain Holy-Basil to surpass all Holy-Basil, chicken to surpass the Satsuma Jidori, and many other countless ingredients only if you are willing to risk your life for them.
Yu: Next time on Shokugeki no Megami Tensei "The Midnight Oven IV"
?: Are you ready? The journey to the ultimate Shokugeki between a god and a god-killer is about to begin.
