Distraught, Purpose, Relationship

by YuugoRyou

A retold of Shokugeki No Soma where Soma, Erina and Alice met up before Tamako sadly passed away, before Erina fell under the grasp of Azami and before the sense of loneliness kicks into Alice. A Soma X Erina X Alice fanfic. (Childhood arc and Totsuki training camp done) Autumn Elections in progress

17. Chapter 17

OMFG...This will probably be the only time I will write a chapter this long...SUP GUYS! It has been more than a month since I posted huh...Sorry about that but I've been occupied with assignments, Genshin, and watching the Olympics. Well...my promise was the end of July so technically I'm just one day short so haha...Anyway, this is the full Autumn Selection Preliminaries, and boy it took a long time to write...Hopefully, the changes I made make this a refreshing chapter for you all since I've been racking my mind to come up with my own ideas. So without ado~~~Please enjoy Chapter 17~~~

PS: I'm fed up with my country's government as the covid cases have only just been rising since my intern period ended... I haven't left my house for months yet the record of covid cases keeps getting broke every fking day!

PS: A huge thank you for everyone liking this story! We have now reached 452 followers with 370 favorites! Let's keep growing together~~~

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Now onto the review corner~~14 reviews, I see~~ Let's keep it growing guys as I love hearing your feedback~~~ As always, don't be shy to review anything since I will reply to everyone.

Joshiewoshy: WOW! Your first again~~ Glad you like the story and hopefully, this chapter suits your taste as well~~

NinjaFang1331: Shit, you felt short of first again~~~ Anyway, thanks for your comment again and enjoy this chapter~~

taiwoeretan1: Glad you like the pool/hot spring scene~~~ Thanks for the kind words and enjoy this long-ass chapter~~

CincyRail: Sup man~~Always great to hear from you~~ You have been constantly supporting me so I can only provide you with better chapters as a reward~~ Haha~~ it's always good to see someone get his butt kicked after showing off~~ Keep your eyes peel as this chapter should keep you company for 15 minutes haha~~~

F8ZEPHYR: Thanks for correcting me man, I felt strange when reading his name, and no wonder! I got his name wrong GG to me. I forgot when I heard of his name but probably it was from Inazuma Eleven or Oda Nobuna... Thanks for telling me and I hope they will be fewer mistakes for you to point out in this chapter~~

Anikong: Thanks man~~Glad you like it~~~ I should have written more in-depth about how he got rekt but Oh well~~ There's more of Megumi x Ryo in the upcoming chapters so stay tuned~~ Hope you like my own Autumn Elections~~~

Darth David The Simp: Haha~~ it was just a teaser to show their relationship started~~ Don't worry, you will have your dose of Megumi X Ryo soon~~ I promise~~ Hope you like my own version of the Elections as this is only just the start~~~

Dragon King Ryouga: Sup man~~~It looks like you really like badass Mc scenes eh~~ can't say I disagree as I have watched too much softy Mc for my liking. There is but the shrine they visited only shows the three I think, unless google is wrong haha~~ Anyway, hope you like this long-ass chapter~~

geslim21: Did I? I have to go back and check. Hopefully, this chapter doesn't have any of those minor mistakes anymore.

TriggerenGm: Hmm~~~Soma is less goofy in this story since he matured earlier after experiencing a rough childhood with Erina and Alice. But~~ he will still have some classic Soma moments~~

JintoLin: Sup man~~~I swear I heard an even longer one that's going to be animated in the future...So...we're fked haha~~~It's quite a cool story as all the characters are likable and relatable~~ Go give it a try~~but don't be like me who binge 700+ chapters in 5 days~~~ It's actually you who convince me to go down the Megumi x Ryo route so thanks for that~~ Hisako x Soma has a lot of chemistry but its a no for this story~~ maybe in the future when I write a Hisako x Soma fanfic~~ I'm used to it now as I'm living the life many dreams of... Eat...Game...Sleep... I freaking hate it...I know man...Keqing looks so cool but I'm waiting for Baal now since I got Ayaka now~~Yay~~ Hoho~~you'll be surprised that Erina has influenced even more people haha~~~ Takumi x Megumi, Takumi x Ikumi have very few fanfics and I don't know why as well~ Maybe because the top 4 best girls are that popular.

E.T.2000: Well good thing for you as you don't have to wait any longer haha~~ There's still a while away before we reach Azami arc so you have to bear with their school life haha~~

NANLIT: Sup man~~ Nice to hear from you again~~ Well, it's a good thing that my brain is working during this indefinite period of lockdown, or I will feel like a useless lump of meat...Yup, I'm thinking about that as well. Maybe a revisit when Megumi and Ryo finally get together~~ Hehe~~ you'll just have to wait and see~~

IndraAshura: SUP MY G! Life's been ok, I'm just bored as fk since I play sports at least 5 times a week... Valorant eh? I suck at shooting games so I'll just to League of Legends haha~~ Ya... My computer can't handle the graphics of Genshin and even LOL now...GG to us...Good to see you making progress on your story and I will be the first one to comment on my thoughts when you post it~~~ Important announcemet~~~? Surely it's not an engagement~~ If so, congrats~~~ Yup, Soma would just murder anyone who looks at them perversely. Classic Yandere Soma...I'm shocked at myself for even being able to come up with those scenes, being a weeb has its benefits huh haha~~~ Glad you like the pairing and there will be more to come~~~ Erina protective Onee-sama, who would have thought eh~~~? Oh, it will be a great surprise that will leave you thanking me haha~~ Hopefully, Hayama will take it to heart but it could take a little more push~~. I still don't know about Hayama x Jun.. in canon, he is married to her but the age difference... We'll see... Glad you like my humor haha~~ I have a laugh writing it as well~~ Yup, this is more completed Alice I would say~~ Soma is just being Soma after all~~ it would shock the girls if he reacts differently~~ Hmm~~~You didn't get who's in the last sentence~~? Guess you'll have to keep a closer look at this chapter then~~ Stay safe my G and I will be looking forward to hearing from you again in the next chapter~~~

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"Hmm~~~so Kurokiba-Kun stood in front of you and protected you eh~~~"

"I sure wish I was there, I could have landed in some few hit as well. Anyway, it's good to see you doing well Megumi. Especially with Kurokiba-kun~~~"

"Mou…Stop teasing me Ryoko-chan, Yuki-chan…" Megumi cried out embarrassingly at her two friends.

"I'm glad you came off unscathed Megumi-chan but I hope you'll refrain yourself from doing such things in the future." Hisako said with a sisterly tone.

"Mou~~~there's no need to be so stiff on her Hishoko~~~It was great to see her stepping up for herself~~~" Alice said as she wrapped her arm around her shoulders.

"I guess…"

"Enough of that~~~Hehe~~~I got her performance on my phone, so why don't you all take a look at Megumi-chan gallant performance~~~" Alice said as she waved her phone in front of the group.

"OK!" The trio cried with excitement while Megumi was left completely flustered.

"Alice-chan?! Everyone?!"

"Hmm~~~on second thought maybe not~~~"

"BOOO!"

"Nothing beats a live performance hehe~~~" Alice teased as she winked at Megumi.

---

As the girls were chatting happily with each other, the two boys at the back were slowly strolling while engaging in their own conversation as well.

"Haa…the preliminaries are a pain…why can't we just move to the main tournament already…" Kurokiba bemoaned lazily.

"I can't disagree with you there but I'm looking forward to some hidden gems like Tadokoro to show up." Soma said while carrying his long-time 'partner' on his shoulders.

"Someone like her huh…? I doubt there will be one." Kurokiba said as he took a glance at Megumi.

"Heh, don't you go losing to anyone but me Kurokiba. You know Alice's gonna tear you apart if that happens."

"Haa…I'm just worried that Ojou will be mad at me for beating you before her …" Kurokiba said with a smirk.

"Hoh…You can talk the talk but… can you walk the walk?" Soma asked with his trademark smirk while raising his fist for a fist bump in which Kurokiba obliged.

As the two were having their little moment, someone just had to barge in and ruin the mood.

"Oi Yukihira! Don't you dare leave me out of this!" Takumi said as he rushed towards them.

"Oh? Isn't it Takumi? Doing well?" Soma asked.

"I'm doing fine thank you…NOT!"

"Ooh?"

"How could you Yukihira! I'm one of your rivals as well you know!" Takumi said with vigour.

"But you're in a different block though. The result doesn't matter if we are judged by different judges." Soma calmly replied.

"That's true…But still…"

Deciding to shut him up, Soma nailed a fist onto his chest and said: "You better don't get disqualified in the preliminaries. Who knows? Maybe you'll get to face me in the main tournament~~"

"Hmph! I don't need you to remind me of that. I'm your true rival after all." Takumi said while tilting his face away to hide his embarrassment. What is he embarrassed about? Obviously by Soma initiating the challenge himself. It was usually the other way around so he was caught off guard.

---

While the boys were caught up in their own little circle, the girls were shocked by the revelation of Summer Edition Isami.

"Is this some kind of limited Gacha event that you can exchange new skins for?" Alice asked as her eyes were continuously blinking.

"Haha… This is only due to the Summer heat fatigue. It happens every year but I have stabilized now" Isami replied with no concern whatsoever.

"Hisako! You're the medical expert over here so can you explain it to me in simpler terms?" Alice asked while massaging her head.

"?! Alice! Are you ok?!" Hisako asked with concern as she immediately went over and grabbed Alice's hand to take her pulse.

"I'm not the patient here you know…"

"But! You just call me Hisako! You never call me by my name!" Hisako explained.

"Hmm? Did I? Don't sweat over the details Hisako~" Alice said with a smile to try and reassure Hisako but it only managed to increase Hisako's tension.

"YUKIHIRA! Your girlfriend is down hard! Stop talking and take care of her!" Hisako shouted to the boys at the back.

"…Could you explain to me why a commotion started just outside the hall that requires the attention of an organizer…" A chilly voice asked the three who were now sitting down in a dogeza.

"Hehe~~~"

"Don't you start laughing Alice!"

"But~~~You were bored right~~~? So, I thought of this method to drag you down from the meeting~~~" Alice replied with no shame at all.

"Haa…You really are…" Erina could not help but sigh in defeat.

"My Apologies Erina-chan! But…the shock of Alice calling me Hisako was too much for me to handle…" Hisako said as she was still shaking from that experience.

"There's no need to apologize Hisako, I would too if I was there…" Erina replied nonchalantly which unknowingly cemented Hisako's name as Hishoko whenever Alice is around.

"So…why am I here…? I don't mind you missing me but could you bring me here with a less painful method?" Soma complained as he was dragged along by Erina pinching his waist.

"Well… I just thought that you were the cause…" Erina said while averting her eyes.

"…" It was safe to say the 'accused' troublemaker was not impressed in the slightest.

"Cough…Well~~~All well, that ends well~~Haha~~~" Erina said light-heartedly to try and change the subject.

"I'll definitely get you back tonight." Soma said with a devilish smirk.

"?!"

"You too Alice."

"?!"

"Ano…the opening ceremony is about to begin though…" Hisako softly said but it proved to be futile as the three somehow started flirting in front of her.

---

As the four finally managed to reach the main hall, they caught sight of Nakiri Senzaemon glancing at their arrival up on stage. While Erina and Hisako bow slightly to apologize, Alice waved cheerfully at her grandfather while Soma gave him a friendly salute.

Sighing wryly at their antics, Senzaemon lightly coughed to regained his demeanor and faced the whole student body once more.

"This is indeed Chandra's room! The atmosphere! The passion! The tension! Welcome, Chosen ones. To the place only used for Shokugeki between Elite 10 members!" Senzaemon said to the students lining up.

Snapping his fingers, the dim hall lit up and the portraits of the former first seat holders were shown to the students.

"To honor the people who have been at the top, it is our tradition to hang their portraits for the students to gaze upon." Senzaemon said with pride as if they were his own children.

"Too bad for Pops huh, if only he tried harder like me." Soma said cheekily.

"Hmm…If I recall correctly, you're not even the 10th seat yet Soma~" Erina replied cheekily as well.

"Hehe~~~we would like to save the best for last~~~Ain't that right Soma~~~" Alice said.

"Yeah! Whose fault is it that the 10th seat is actually the scariest one among the challenges? This is not Naruto where the more tails you have means the more powerful you are~~~" Soma joked which earned chuckles from the girls.

Turning their attention back towards Senzaemon, they caught hold of the climax of his speech.

"This place has bear witness to many specialties, many great battles, and the birth of hidden gems. This place is to not be tarnished by half-hearted efforts! Only the best can set foot on the main stage! Cooks of the 92nd generation, I asked of you! Show us your struggles, show us your passion and show us your identity as a chef! Make your own legacy and let us meet again on this stage!" Senzaemon said loudly before coolly walking off.

"Hahaha~~~~ As expected of gramps~~~" Soma laughed.

"Hehe~~~he is quite excited huh~~~" Alice chirped in as well.

"Hmph, of course he is. Don't you dare disappoint either one of us, Soma, Alice, Hisako!" Erina said while facing the three.

"Yeah!"

"Hai~~~"

"Wakarimasta!"

---

After one last encouragement from Erina, the trio bid her goodbye and head back in line to re-join with their friends.

Before the group was able to ask what had happened after Erina dragged them to her room, an organizer began explaining the rules to the students.

"We will now be explaining the rules of the preliminaries. As we had notified beforehand, the theme for this preliminary is curry. You may use any ingredients inside of the venue and the ingredients you brought yourself. The time limit will be three hours and the number of students passing allowed into the main tournament is eight. That's right! Only four students are allowed from each block. Lastly, the preliminary will start an hour from now."

After receiving a bombshell of an announcement, all the participants promptly head towards their designated block except from one group.

"Hehe~~~It's always fun to watch people run in panic~~~"

"You're quite evil you know that?" Hisako could not help tsukkomi at Alice's casual comment.

"It's better to stay calm after all. There's no point in getting tense even before you start cooking." Ikumi said.

"Hoh~~it's good to see you learning something already huh Nikumi~" Soma teased which cause the girl to glare at him.

"Yukihira." A voice suddenly spoke behind them.

"Hayama?"

"You're better off getting ready. I can't even smell a tinge of spice from you. It either you have full confidence in yourself or you're an idiot." Hayama said.

"I would say I'm a bit of both~~" Soma replied with his trademark smirk.

"Heh, I'm expecting a good curry dish from you. Needless to said that mine will still be better." Hayama said before heading towards the exit.

Soma just smiled before facing his friends and said: "Let's all meet back here! At the main tournament!"

"YEAH!"

---

Let's start the action in Block B, shall we? As soon as Alice, Megumi, Hisako, Yuki, and the Aldini brothers got set at their own station, they saw the five judges slowly heading towards their own seats.

"Hmm~~~? Erina invited some good judges over huh~~~" Alice said softly while the crowd was in shock over the line-up.

"Oi…isn't that Orie Sendawara? She is one of the COOS of Haubi Food corporation with her twin sister!"

"What?! The twin sisters that were dubbed the curry queens?!"

"Yea, the twin sisters who hold full authority over the curry market in Japan!"

"Not only that…they also invited over Osaji Kita, Shingo Ando, Seishu Saotome, and Hiromi Sena!"

"What is with this stack line up?! Including the Curry queen, we have the owner of the gastronomy club, an influential food critic, the director of Japan Gourmet Society, and the sous chef of Totsuki Resort here!"

As the crowd in Block B was in an uproar, let's direct our attention to Block A then. To no one's surprise, the crowd in Block A was similarly in a state of unrest as well.

Why? Because of the arrival of Natsume Sendawara, Makito Minatozoka, Shigenoshin Kōda, Kakinoshin Ōizumi, and Abel Blondin!

"Hoh…I don't even know one of them but…why do I have the feeling that one of them is staring at me intently…" Soma said as he was looking at the stacked line-up.

"Obviously he is, you allegedly beat his boss after all." Hayama answer to Soma's surprise.

"Hmm? What do you mean Hayama?" Soma asked genuinely curious.

"There's this rumor circling around the alumni's that a student beat an alumnus in an expulsion match. While the student's name remained confidential, the alumnus who lost was Shinomiya Kojiro." Hayama explained.

"Hoh...You got some good intel from Shiomi-senpai huh. So, why did you think it was?" Soma smirk.

"Heh, you're the one crazy enough to challenge an alumnus. So, was it true?" Hayama asked back.

"Who knows~~~That is a rumor after all," Soma said while playing the fool.

Already knowing the answer, Hayama smirk to himself and said to Soma: "I'm intrigued to see what you can come up with to beat me at my own domain."

"Don't worry, I will prepare an additional serving just for you."

"What a coincidence, I have as well"

---

As the two 'favorites' were sizing each other up, the crowd was still in shock over the line of judges that are present.

"We have Natsume-sama, the exclusive producer of Is that a Kitchen, a gourmet critic, the president of the Japanese Food industry council, and the Sous chef of Shino's here!"

As the crowd excitement was in full swing, Urara Kawashima and Yua Sasaki appeared at their respective block and announced the commencement of the preliminaries. While that was going on, Isshiki and Eizan were left to deal with the newly arrived judges.

"Welcome to the 92nd generation Autumn Elections, it's an honor for you to take time out of your busy schedules to join us today." Isshiki greeted politely.

"Mou~~~There's no need to be so formal Isshiki-kun~~~You can call me Onee-san you know~~~" Orie said sultry towards Isshiki.

"Fufu, that would be impolite for a student like me." Isshiki said.

"Mu~~~You can drop out of school you know~~~I would take good care of you~~~I'll make sure you enjoy the rest of your life as my possession~~~" Orie said while pouting at Isshiki.

As Isshiki was busy handling the judges of Block B (Mostly Orie), Eizan walked up to the one he had known for a long time and greeted her.

"Welcome Natsume-sama, it's a surprise to see you on time." Eizan greeted Natsume but to his surprise, Natsume did not even look at him and walked past him.

"Welcome Natsume-san, Abel-san, Ōizumi-san, and you two as well. I thank you all for participating in the judging this year." A voice suddenly spoke up behind him.

"No, it is our pleasure, Nakiri Erina." The two greeted back first.

"So, you're telling me that the one I'm looking for is inside this pool of students?" Abel said next.

"I'll trust you and your palate that says some mere students will be able to entertain me" Natsume said while removing her glasses.

"Hoho, I'm looking forward to the students that even impressed your Erina-san."

"Hai, please enjoy what our school has to offer." Erina bowed and swiftly left while leaving Eizan in an awkward spot.

"Hoh? Is that you Eizan-Kun? I didn't see you." Natsume said after she sat down which make it even more awkward.

"Haha…" The only thing he could do was put on a front and laugh it off while cursing that Nakiri bitch inside his mind.

While that was occurring in Block A, the judges in Block B now turn their attention towards the participants after the brief meet and greet. Eyeing up the participants, they took note of those who looked more confident than others and those who were doing something different than others.

"Isshiki-Kun, who is that blue-haired girl?" Orie suddenly asked.

"That would be my lovely kouhai, Tadokoro Megumi." Isshiki replied with pride.

"She may look brittle at first but I can see a fire that burns brighter than anyone here. Is she your favorite?"

"Hehe, she would be delighted to hear the praise you gave her. If I may give my verdict, the favorite for this block is undoubtedly Nakiri Alice."

"Nakiri Alice you say?!" Osaji shouted.

"Is there a problem Osaji?" The judges asked with concern as they saw the fear in his eyes.

"That…that monster is here?!" Osaji stuttered.

"What do you mean Osaji? I know she is a Nakiri but isn't she less talented than her cousin?" Ando asked.

"You don't understand! While you can understand what Nakiri Erina is making, you can't even touch the tip of Nakiri Alice's dish!" Osaji said to the shock of the judges.

"Does that mean she had surpassed the God's tongue?!" Saotome asked out loud.

"I wouldn't know but one thing I can tell you is that she served the same amount of dish as her cousin in the training camp." Sena said as he was one of the overseers of the training camp.

While being labeled a monster without her knowledge, the person herself was calmly sitting on her chair with her eyes closed. But no one noticed that her lips had turned into a smile.

---

After recovering from the shock, the judges tried their best to switch attention to the other competitors with Orie looking at the name list.

"Takumi Aldini and Isami Aldini? Are they twin brothers from Italy?" Orie asked.

"I have seen them in the training camp but there's something different from Isami Aldini that I can't put my finger on." Sena said while scratching his head.

Paying deeper attention to the duo, they could see both of them bringing out their own dough. While Takumi's was pasta dough, Isami was a dough shape like a ball.

After widening their eyes at Takumi's mezzaluna performance, they made a mental note that he is one to be on the lookout as well. Directing their gaze away from Takumi, they saw the younger brother filling the bottom of his pot with tomatoes.

"As what you expect from an Italian chef, tomatoes are an indispensable vegetarian ingredient in any dish but how would he pair it with curry and dough." Saotome thought out loud.

While their attention was on the Aldini twins, a sudden aroma assaulted their nose and they immediately took in the smell.

"This is the aroma of fried spices with duck fat." Sena commented as he zeroed in on the pot filled with duck parts.

"Hmm…A dish of wild curry huh…Looks interesting." Ando said.

After silently enjoying the pleasant smell from Yoshino's pot, a smell that even foul can't use to describe it invaded their nose.

"UWAA?! What in the world is this foul stench?!" Osaji screamed in horror.

"Hehe, that would be the specialty made by Sadatsuka Nao." Isshiki replied while wearing a mask.

"Disqualified her! How was she chosen for these preliminaries?!" Osaji urged.

"She was chosen by recommendations from Nakiri Erina herself. Even though she had yet to try her cooking, she was impressed by her way of cooking." Isshiki revealed to the shock of others.

"Well…it couldn't hurt to disqualify her after trying her dish…" Orie said weakly as to convince herself to try the black roux the girl was cooking.

Just as the judges started to get uncomfortable with the stench, a soothing smell surrounded the arena.

Thankful for the slight relief they received, they turned their heads toward the smell and saw a familiar pink-hair girl mixing many varieties of spices in a bowl.

"She looks quite familiar…" Saotome said.

"That's the heir to the Arato family, Arato Hisako." Isshiki replied after removing his mask.

"?! The same Arato Hisako who is the secretary to the god's tongue?!" Ando said after recognizing the name.

"Hehe, she's more like her closest friend than her secretary." Isshiki smiled in reply.

"I thought it was absurd to have us five as judges but the line-up of cooks you have this year are quite absurd as well." Orie said truthfully while looking at the purple-haired girl working at the station behind Hisako.

"Hoh, she's the heir to the Hojo family. I heard she had already proven her skills to be the successor to her family's restaurant but seeing her skills live is something different." Sena commented as Hojo started her cooking.

"The reason she is using that big pot is simply due to its simplicity and how you can freely move it. But, there's more than meets the eyes." (Ando)

"The quality of the food will be heavily impacted by the arm strength and physique of the user." (Saotome)

"Haha, I'm looking forward to her dish as Chinese cuisines are famous for their use of spice as well." Osaji boisterously laughed.

While the judges were focused on Miyoko's cooking, especially the males. The sudden feel of the arena changed as soon as Alice got her chair and started preparing her own dish.

"Haah…" As hard as Osaji wanted to escape, he knew he just had to face reality and look at the final contestant that he has been neglecting thus far,

"There she is…Nakiri Alice…" Osaji said while shivering.

"It's not like she is making something that outrageous…She's just mashing and straining the potatoes, kneading the corianders, and making pie dough." Orie commented.

"Just take a look at the machines behind her…" Osaji pointed.

"Hoh…it's the newest model of quick freezer and centrifuge. She's making a dish with those machines?" Saotome asked.

"It's not like asking me would give you the answer you know. All I can say is that the dish she served in the training camp is something she created herself. I don't think it will be as bad you say Osaji-san." Sena said.

"Haa…Don't say I didn't warn you all." Osaji sigh in resignation as he saw Alice bringing out numerous kinds of cheese.

While the judges were busy giving out their verdict on the participants, Alice who was sided beside Hisako started chatting without a care in the world.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm gonna be welcome as a monster?" Alice said as she brought her cheese to the freezer.

"When were you not?" Hisako said offhandedly.

"MOU! I'm gonna tell Erina about her bad friend." Alice said as she puffed out her cheeks.

"Don't you think she will side with me?" Hisako sweatdropped at her expression.

"Hmm~~~you got a good point there. When did you become so smart Hishoko~~~"? Alice teased back.

"I'm always smart!" Hisako said as she checked on her soup.

"Hehe~~~it's fun to compete against you once again. I'm glad you're not holding yourself back anymore." Alice smiled at Hisako.

"I just figured out that rather than being someone who only cooks for Erina-chan, I wanted to be someone who cooks besides her." Hisako replied with a smile of her own.

"You got a nice face there Hisako, I hope you won't disappoint me~~~" Alice said as she went back to her task.

"Hehe, calling me Hisako now is unfair you know." Hisako said as she looked at the back of Alice who was slightly 'glowing.'

---

With Block B in full swing, let's switch our attention to Block A where the preliminaries ' favorite' is currently residing.

"I'm now bored of normal curry, I'm tired of the curry that is served everywhere. So, do your best in serving a curry that will make me shudder!" Natsume said to the participants after being urged on by Eizan.

"Well said Natsume-san. I'm intrigued to see a new curry dish that can be featured in my program." Makito said next.

"In addition, if any of you serve a dish that is below par then you could be the star on my next book." Kōda sarcastically said while stroking his mustache.

"Hoho, you three are so strict. Don't you think that they are being too unreasonable Abel-san?" Ōizumi asked the chef seated next to him.

"Hmph. If they can't even conjure out something interesting then they have no hope of being in a restaurant." Abel harshly replied as he continued to search for the one is he looking for.

"Eizan was it? Who is the favorite in this block?" Abel asked Eizan without looking at him which caused Eizan to feel further irritated.

"The one you should be looking for would be the one with white hair tied to a ponytail" Eizan replied while gritting his teeth.

"Only the head of a sea bream?" Abel said as he narrowed his eyes.

"Hmm, he is making fish head curry huh. A dish originated in Singapore that allows one to fully enjoy the fish's raw flavor." Makito commented next.

"Is he planning to serve a naan with the fish head curry?" Kōda said next.

"Tch, what a disappointment. I was expecting something more original from your so-called favorite." Abel said as he turned his gaze away in disgust.

However, two veteran judges caught sight of the silent gesture that Hayama did.

"You're letting your personal feelings cloud your judgment young one." Ōizumi said to Abel as he calmly sips his tea.

'What is he making? I could smell a pleasant clove scent from his pot but I don't recognize the spice…' Natsume thought to herself as her gaze was fixated on Hayama.

As the crowd was enjoying the aroma of the spices from Hayama's pot, a scent that every chef would recognize overpowered it and reached their nostrils.

"This smell is?!"

"The smell of meat frying!"

"Hoho, that girl has some promise. She's using the fresh aroma and numb spiciness of Sichuan pepper to remove the meat's bad smell." Ōizumi calmly analyzed while taking in the scent.

Fully expecting that this scent will last longer, the crowds' expectation was turned again when Ibusaki removed his pot filled with smoke.

"That boy has gone a different approach than the others I see. It's quite clever of him to use smoke to bring out the aroma." Makito praised.

While everyone was getting showered with the different techniques and skills, Kurokiba thought it was about time to him to get serious as he cracked the sides of his neck.

"Haa…I'm finally done with the preliminary arrangements. Guess I'll get started then." Kurokiba said as he removed the bandanna from his wrist and tied it onto his head.

"SLAM!"

With one loud action, the arena turned dead quiet as to welcome an extravagant performance. And, a performance was indeed what they got as Kurokiba showed his array of knife techniques as he goes through one lobster after another.

"What a flamboyant way of cooking." Kōda commented as the judges' attention was now fixated entirely on Kurokiba.

"CHOP!"

But, another loud sound resounded in the hall to draw the attention of everyone including Kurokiba himself.

With everyone's gaze on her, Ryoko smiled apologetically while explaining that she used too much force to cut her onions.

"Sakaki Ryoko. HEH" Kurokiba grinned at her.

"I can't let you steal the show you know." Ryoko said as she brought out a jar filled with a dark and sticky substance.

"If I'm not mistaken, she's the heir to the Sakaki clan which has a long lineage of soy fermentation." Natsumi said as she recalled seeing her in a magazine before.

"Hmm…she's not using Shiokouji (Salted rice malt) in her cooking even though it is their family's specialty. At least someone is doing something original." Abel said as he was intrigued for once.

With everyone's attention on the other standout participants, the whole arena completed neglected the student whose reputation skyrocketed since he transferred here. The aforementioned student was currently sitting on his chair while keeping his eyes shut. But, he had a faint smile on his lips just like a certain someone in Block B.

---

Now that we know how the contestants in Block in A are faring, let's direct our attention back to Block B where something eye-catching was happening.

"Is that?!" (Osaji)

"What is she doing"?! (Ando)

"Is that even possible?!" (Saotome)

"What a surprise." (Sena)

As the judges were flustered by what they are seeing, Orie asked the one who stood behind her.

"Isshiki-Kun, am I seeing things?"

"Nope, that is indeed a monkfish." Isshiki replied with a smile.

"To think the first person who caught my eye was attempting to prepare something outrageously difficult for her dish…I don't even have a clue what she is making…I want to have a closer look" Orie said while pouting at Isshiki.

"Fufu, it looks like she has indeed piqued your interest. I'll allow it just this once." Isshiki said as he held out his hand and led Orie closer to Megumi.

After Megumi was finished hanging the monkfish, Isshiki lightly called out to her from behind.

"Tadokoro-chan, there's someone who wants a closer look at you."

"Hmm? Isshiki-senpai and Awawa Judge-san?!" Megumi stuttered.

"Would you mind if I have a closer look at your performance and dish?" Orie asked.

"?!"

"This is the first time that I can't predict what someone is making. And to top it off, you decided to demonstrate an advanced cutting technique here in the preliminaries." Orie said to Megumi.

"It's not that difficult. Compare to what I went through, this is simple. Also, I believe anyone can do the same if they put their heart to it. After all, someone like me was able to do it." Megumi said before bowing slightly to her before making her way over to the hanging fish.

Mesmerized just not from her performance but also her words, Orie slowly wandered back to her seat with a smile on her face. 'Natsume, she is quite like us huh. People judge us as making a living out of grandfathers' company but we struggled and struggled and finally made it a leading company in Japan. Hehe~~It looks like I found the most sparkling gem in the ocean here.'

After Megumi had finished her dazzling performance, she was welcomed by a round of applause from her friends and Hojo who was standing beside her.

"That was a splendid performance Tadokoro Megumi. As what I would expect from the one I can claim as my rival."

"Hehe~~Arigato Hojo-san. I'm happy to be a rival to you as well."

"Now that you have raised the bar, I guess it's my turn to follow up." Hojo said as she grabbed a jar of spices and pour it into her pot of eggs and rice.

'Tadokoro Megumi, the one who was labeled as nothing but a dunce and a failure. The one who has nothing to prove to anyone and the one that I seek out to be my rival for reasons that are still unknown to me.' Hojo grinned in thought as she turned up the heat and began frying her rice even faster.

"Hojo-san is amazing. Yosh, I have to keep up." Megumi softly said as she began quickening up her own pace and place the finishing touches on her dish.

---

Just as Megumi was done placing a lid on her dish, Urara Kawashima appeared and began counting down the timer.

"3…2…1…Ok That's enough! I will be your MC Urara Kawashima Teehee~~~. We will now begin the judging~~" Urara said cheerfully which was a stark contrast to the dead silent arena.

"Ahem, the five judges seated here will award points in response to what they think of your dish. Each judge can award up to a maximum of 20 points and the four highest scores will advance to the main tournament. Hehe~~~if you can get 100 points then that means you will have a perfect score so there's nothing to worry about right~~~" Urara explained while throwing in a joke at the end.

"Now then, will the first student step forward please~~~"

Confidently strolling up the steps, Takumi Ishiwatari presented his dish towards the five judges with a smile on his face.

"Hmm, this is good. This dish is based on a distinctive curry in North India. It looks like you have done a good job of researching this. As expected from a Totsuki student." Osaji commented as he took only a bite.

"Thank you very much." Ishiwatari said with a proud smile. However, what happened next was something that broke him.

"Takumi Ishiwatari Score: 25… Orie (2) Osaji (6) Ando (5) Saotome (5) Sena (7)" Urara announced.

"Urm…the maximum points that can be given are 20 right…?" Someone in the crowd murmur.

"HAH?! Do you say that the dish you just praised was only worth that much?!" Ishiwatari shouted.

"WHO DO YOU THINK WE ARE BOY?!" Osaji glared in reply.

"?!"

"We evaluate professional dishes daily, the only reason I gave you a comment was due to you being a student. You should be happy that we have even gone over the trouble of awarding you a score. I would say a maximum of 50 points is what everyone here should be expecting." Osaji grinned towards the shocked students.

However, there was one student whose brain does not contain the phrase 'Read the mood' who yawned loudly in response.

"Haa~~~Does that mean we are considered professionals if we score above 50?" A lazy voice said.

"WHO?!" Osaji shouted in replied but he immediately felt silent after meeting the vampiric red eyes of the girl.

"So~~~are we or not~~~?" Alice asked again.

"That's one way to put it yes…" Osaji replied with such a small voice you thought he was the one being judged.

"Hmm~~~there you have it everyone~~~Ano, continue will the judging~~~" Alice sang out.

"Grr… You're not the boss of me but fine! The next contestant please step up~~" Urara said with a spectacular poker face.

As the scores gradually became lower and lower after Ishiwatari's turn, one could only wonder if their dishes are really that bad or were the judges judging even more strictly now. Why did I say that? This is because out of the last 20 contestants, half of them only got single-digit scores with the lowest being 5. It was like he was awarded a pity point by the judges for going through the trouble of making them a dish.

"Ano…Let's hope the next contestant will be able to change the state of things… Please step on stage Yoshino Yuki." Urara said without bragging a joke.

"Maa~~~she didn't even mention a joke. It really shows how serious it is huh~~~" Alice commented.

"And whose fault do you think it is…Haa…" Hisako complained but Alice being Alice and acted like it was not her fault.

"Hehe~~~Time for the contenders to step up huh~~~" Alice said in which Hisako nodded as they saw Yuki present her dish to the judges.

"HMM?!" The judges have a shocked expression as they took a second bite, a third bite, and then the whole plate.

"This is delicious! Wow! This dish really exceeded my expectation! Lil Missy, what is this dish called?" Osaji asked as he patted his stomach.

"I glad you all liked it~~ This is my wild game curry 'Duck cutlet curry'~~~" Yuki smiled.

"This can indeed be called a professional quality dish. You perfectly utilized the spices like turmeric and the fragrance of oranges to mitigate the bad smell from the duck. I really enjoyed it." Orie praised.

"I agree. You have the perfect idea of using both the flesh and skin of the oranges in the roux. It fits perfectly with your garam masala. Yoshino Yuki, you have improved from the training camp I see." Sena gave his own words of praise as well.

"Not only that, the duck you used was of the highest quality. It's really difficult to acquire such high-quality animals unless you have some connections with the hunters. Good job." Ando followed up.

"This dish perfectly symbolizes your cheerful personality. This is the first dish I approved of." Saotome commented.

"Thank you everyone~~~I glad you like it hehe~~~" Yuki smiled while holding some oranges to her cheeks.

"Lil missy, I'll invite you to my gourmet club after this. I would love to eat this again." Osaji laughed.

"Yosh~~If you could please award the points dear judges~~~" (Urara)

"Yoshino Yuki 88 points! Orie (16) Osaji (19) Ando (17) Saotome (17) Sena (19)" Urara announced to the shock of the crowd.

"Good job Yuki-chan!" (Megumi)

"Magnificent work!" (Hisako)

"Not bad, not bad~~~" (Alice)

"Thank you everyone hehe~~~" Yoshino smiled while hugging Megumi.

"Nice! Let's keep this going~~~The next contestant Hojo Miyoko~~~Please step forward~~~" Urara said with gusto.

Confidently stepping onto the stage while carrying her tray with only one hand, Hojo presented her dish to the judges before walking back and giving one to Megumi.

"I would like you to give it a try as well Tadokoro Megumi."

Gladly obliging, Megumi open the lid and was welcome by the fragrance of pineapples.

"Mmm?! Delicious!" Megumi said at the same time as Orie.

"Hojo-san, this dish is excellently done. I can feel the fruits' sweetness and the rice saltiness spreading evenly~~" Orie praised.

"You cooked the rice in a completely different way as well, you place the rice in the scooped-out pineapple and sealed it with the cover." (Ando)

"It's very clever of you to place the salt on the sides the rice comes in contact with to make sure no extra sweetness is mixed in." (Sena)

"By making use of this, you managed to raise the aroma of the rice without losing the mixture of it. This is a giant step forward for Chinese cuisine!" (Saotome)

"This dish is as good as the Lil missy just now. I approved of this dish!" (Osaji)

"Thank you for the praises, this is my specialty: 'Pineapple fried curry rice'" Hojo bowed to the judges before facing Megumi.

"Hojo-san, I never thought you have it hard as well. I could feel your determination and desire in this dish. But, that's the more reason I can't back away now! Megumi said to Hojo with a face of competitiveness.

"Fufu, I'm looking forward to seeing what you came up with. Rival" Hojo replied with a sincere smile.

"Hojo Miyoko 88 points! Orie (17) Osaji (17) Ando (18) Saotome (18) Sena (18)"

"Next up to the stage~~~Tadokoro Megumi~~~" Urara announced

"Hojo-san, please have a taste of my dish as well." Megumi said as she left a serving for her before walking up on stage.

"Tadokoro Megumi, your performance earlier was dazzling. What do you have in store for us now?" Orie asked Megumi with a smile on her face.

"Hai, It's a Monkfish Dobu-Jiru Curry. Please enjoy." Megumi said before stepping down.

"A Dobu-Jiru you say? Dobu-Jiru is a traditional dish served by fishermen from the Ibaraki and Fukushima prefectures. And you used monkfish as the main ingredient with curry?" Osaji asked skeptically.

"Let's all give it a try, shall we?" Sena suggested as the judges all took a spoonful to their mouths.

"…"

"Haa~~~This feels relaxing~~~" All the judges' sigh.

"So that's the reason you used monkfish. The most important factor of a Dobu-Jiru is the Monkfish's liver. Usually, people add miso and sake to dilute the dissolve liver but you added spices to make it a Liver curry miso." Sena analyzed as he took in another mouthful.

"The liver's body and spices are spreading through my whole mouth, it is extremely addictive and delicious!" Saotome praised loudly.

"Young girl, I could see you chose ingredients that are usually not found here. Why is that?" Ando asked.

"To be honest, I was stuck on what dish to make for a long time. I wanted to make a dish with my hometown's ingredients but I just can't settle on one. But fortunately for me, someone gave me a push and reminded me that what I'm doing is not who I am." Megumi explained while thinking back to Kurokiba's note.

"I see. Orie-dono, do you have something to say…Wait…You're crying?!" Osaji asked with concern as tears were dripping down from Orie.

"…Hmm…? Oh… Sorry…I just felt this dish connected deeply with me." Orie said while rubbing her eyes.

"I wanted to make a curry dish that gives of the feeling of where I grew up with but it somehow changed into a journey of how I made it here. The numerous failures and setbacks when I learned how to cut monkfish for the first time, the number of times I hid myself crying to my own worthlessness, the number of times I wanted to give up on this career of mine." Megumi said solemnly.

"Then how…" (Orie)

"But, me making this dish was just a trivial task compared to the amount of kindness and support I received from everyone along the way. This is a dish to commemorate those who push me forward despite being an average countryside girl." Megumi said with a smile so beautiful you could describe as a flower blooming.

"Clap…Clap…Clap" As Megumi finished her story, all the people who are here supporting her gave her a huge round of applause while Orie left her seat and tightly hugged Megumi.

"Sniff~~~Good job on making it this far. I would like to invite you to my company now but you still have a whole world left to explore. That's why I will grant you that opportunity." Orie whispered to Megumi before returning to her seat."

"Sniff…Sniff…Judges…Please award the scores now…" Urara asked while holding back her tears.

"It's finally time that you recognized your own potential Tadokoro-chan." Isshiki said with a proud smile.

"Tadokoro Megumi 92 points! Orie (20) Osaji (17) Ando (18) Saotome (18) Sena (19)"

"…92 points?! Kyuu~~~" Megumi exclaimed in shock before fainting into the arms of Yoshino.

"Mou~~~she's still as fragile as always huh~~~" Alice joked as she lightly patted Megumi's head.

'Hehe, she really did out best me huh.' Hojo smiled as she finished the dish Megumi prepared for her.

'It was fun competing against you, rival. Thanks to you, I've now figured out what I should do next.' Hojo thought as she looked at the group surrounding Megumi.

"Cough…Let's keep this streak going then~~~ The next two contestants are the long-awaited Aldini showdown. First up is Isami Aldini!"

"Nii-chan, I really want to win today so I shall be going first."

"Yeah, I shall let you get a head start brother"

---

As Isami slowly walked up on stage, he began thinking back on the number of times he felt jealous of his brother. How many times did he felt sad when diners would pick his brothers' cooking over him…How many times he felt displeased when he lost a match against his brother and lastly…How ashamed he felt when he tried to sabotage his brothers cooking.

"ISAMI! WHY DID YOU MAKE CHANGES TO A COMPLETE DISH?! ARE YOU TRYING TO RUIN OUR REPUTATION?! ARE YOU TRYING TO SABOTAGE YOUR OWN BROTHER?! DO YOU WANT OUR CUSTOMERS TO LOSE TRUST IN US?!" Dino sternly scolded Isami.

"…"

"Do you not feel ashamed by your own actions?"

"I…I wanted to prove I could do it too!"

"…"

"It was always Nii-san that the customers want, it was always Nii-san that earn their praise, it was always Nii-san…" Isami cried from the bottom of his heart.

"Isami…"

"Nii-san…?"

"Listen here now Isami…What do you really think of Takumi?" Dino asked after calming down.

"What do I think of Nii-san?"

"Similarly, what do you think of Isami? Takumi."

"He's someone who is a bully when playing cards, someone who often teases me and makes me feel embarrassed, and someone who I never will feel as below me." Takumi replied instantly.

"Good response. What is Takumi to you Isami?" Dino asked again.

"He's…He's someone who has higher skill than me…He's someone that I really don't want to burden and he's someone that l looked up to!" Isami shouted out.

"Mmm. You both answer well. Take a seat and talk things out between you two while I go grab something." Dino said before leaving.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Isami, why did you change the recipe?" Takumi spoke first.

"…I…I wanted to show that I have what it takes too…" Isami replied truthfully.

"Hahaha…What an idiot you are." Takumi laughed out loud.

"Huh…?"

"You still don't get it? Why did I push myself forward? Who is the one that inspires me to improve?"

"Uncle…OW!" Isami replied but was immediately welcomed by a knuckle to the head.

"You're seriously dense you know? Did you not notice that customers would spilt between us evenly now? Did you not see their happy expressions when they taste your dish?"

"?!"

"To keep my status as an older brother, I tried endlessly to come up with a new recipe to make sure that I'm still the older brother you look up to."

"NII-SAN!"

"UWA?!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry for ruining your dish today! You're still the cool older brother I look up to!" Isami burst into tears on Takumi's chest.

"Haa…it was really tiring you know…What a competent little brother I have…" Takumi smiled while looking at his crying brother.

As he finished gathering his thoughts, Isami served his simple-looking dish to the judges.

"This is Calzone?" (Orie)

"A dish made by wrapping the ingredients in pizza batter by folding it in half. I could see you decided to go with baking rather than deep-frying it. (Ando)

"Hmm? There's no sign of cheese in the filling…Is the filling just curry?" (Saotome)

"An Italian-styled Curry bread I see." (Sena)

"Interesting, I was just about getting bored with Japanese cuisines." Osaji said as he took a bite.

'SPLASH!

"This is tomatoes?! Tomatoes and curry?!" (Orie)

"The filling is made only using the water from the tomatoes." Isami explained.

"What?! You didn't anything more on it?!" (Ando)

"The tomatoes will release a huge amount of water if you fill the bottom of the pot with tomatoes. I also added my own mix spice and rich curry to distribute the taste of curry and tomatoes evenly."

"The batter is so crispy! I could taste the sweet texture of the batter, the slight sourness of tomatoes, and the warm spreading of the curry. This calzone has such a perfect harmony between the ingredients! (Sena)

"Unbelievable! You managed to incorporate our Japan's own curry bread into your own Curry-bread calzone! This is the birth of a new Italian dish!" (Saotome)

After receiving a shower of praises, Isami turned and look at his brother who gave him a proud smile. 'Nii-san, I'm sorry but today is the day I will beat you!'

"Isami Aldini 89 points! Orie (17) Osaji (17) Ando (18) Saotome (19) Sena (18)"

"With that, Isami Aldini has moved towards 2nd place ahead of Yoshino Yuki and Hojo Miyoko! Next up, looking to one-up his brother, we have Takumi Aldini!" (Urara)

"Ottimo lavoro Isami. Time for big bro to show you how it's done." Takumi congratulated him before stepping up on stage.

"Oh, we're getting back-to-back Italian dishes huh. I hope it will be as promising as the last." Osaji said as he looked at the cover-up dish.

"Buon appetito"

"Pasta? I was expecting something more fascinating after that calzone but let's give it a try." (Ando)

"MMM?! Saotome managed to muster out a reaction before dropping his fork.

"This rich body that sends shockwaves through my skulls, this wonderfully made stock with beef shins and chicken bones, and this stunning curry sauce aromatized with fennel and green cardamom! What a superb combination of ingredients!" Sena praised as began munching it down.

"The secret is the soy sauce? But normal soy sauce is not that sweet…" Orie questioned

"I used Tamari soy sauce which has a more condensed sweetness to mellow with the other ingredients." Takumi explained.

"I can feel the cheeses sticking in my mouth but it's nowhere on the plate! All I see are the normal ingredients used like bacon, mushrooms, and pepper! (Saotome)

"Please have a closer at the pasta cut." Takumi answer while snapping his fingers.

"What's this?! There are three layers in the pasta?!" (Osaji)

"Corretto. I kneaded the outer part with turmeric and spread the middle section with parmesan cheese."

"But! How did you manage to cook it without melting?!" (Osaji)

"Heh, that's what the three-layer cut is for. It stops the parmesan cheese from melting."

"Utterly absurd! This dish breaks the threshold of curry dishes! You managed to incorporate the idea of cheese with soy sauce in a curry dish! You have managed to create a new level of flavor by using Japanese cuisine and Italian cuisine, you are truly a genius!" (Ando)

"Grazie~~"

"Takumi Aldini 93 points! Orie (18) Osaji (18) Ando (19) Saotome (20) Sena (18). Takumi Aldini has successfully taken the first spot from Tadokoro Megumi!" Urara exclaimed to the applause of the crowd.

---

As Takumi walked back towards his brothers and friends, he thought back to the words given by Ando. 'Genius huh? I'm just someone that works harder to inspire another'

"Hoh... Looks like you both made up huh."

"Zio! (Uncle)"

"Isami, what you did today was inexcusable as a chef. But, it also serves as a good reminder to you. Your brother is not more talented than you, he just cooks with a clear mind in hand."

"I understand Zio."

"Takumi. Catch." Dino said as he tossed something to Takumi.

"?! Zio! This is!" Takumi exclaimed in surprise.

"Yea, it's my Mezzaluna."

"You have earned the right to use it, what you do with the other half is up to you." Dino said before leaving.

"Grazie Zio! I'll treasure it!" Takumi thanked his uncle while bowing.

"That's amazing Nii-san! Zio has passed down his mezzaluna to you" Isami praised.

"No, this is passed down to us." Takumi said as he handed Isami the other half.

"?! Nii-san?!"

"Listen here Isami. Mezzaluna, this knife has the name of half-moon which perfectly describes us. Just like us, this knife is complete when the two parts are together. Isami, I'm gonna keep pushing forward and I want my little brother to stand beside me. I want the Aldini name to be remembered just like these knives, the two halves of Aldini!" Takumi said in high spirits.

"…Haha…My Nii-san really is amazing…Ok! Whether it is now or in the future, I will stand beside Nii-san!" Isami replied with determination.

"Looks like, it was a good idea to entrust them with our Mezzaluna huh…They will continue our dreams that we once had as well…" Dino softly muttered while smoking a cigarette from the other side of the door.

After snapping back to reality, Takumi was welcomed back by some nostalgic words.

"My Nii-san is really amazing…But…I will continue and strive to reach you." Isami said as he held his fist out.

"Heh, continue to struggle little bro. I have a reputation to uphold after hall." Takumi said as he obliged the fist bump.

'Yes, I'm just someone who works harder than anyone to be the big bro Isami looks up to.' Takumi thought as he looked at his brother's smiling face.

---

"Now that we have a new leader, let's invite the next round of contestants on stage please~~!" Urara exclaimed with excitement as high scores keep jumping out one by one.

Unfortunately for Urara and the judges, the next batch of contestants who came up pale in comparison to the five stands out. Giving each of them a brief evaluation and scores not even worth mentioning, they could only wonder when there will taste something exquisite again as they were three contestants left.

As if someone heard their prayers, someone came to their saving grace but it was not what they expected at all. Yes, the one who's coming up next was the one who cooked up a stench that will turn even bigfoot away.

"UWAAH! Get that thing away from me!" Urara cried as she immediately hid behind Isshiki.

"Its smells like a contaminated toilet seat…" Osaji said as he held his nose.

As Nao slowly walked towards the stage, she spared Hisako a devilish grin and said: "Hehehe, you have no idea how long I wanted to have this revenge."

"Urgh, I see you still hold a grudge huh…Very well, I'll show you the difference between us." Hisako said in reply.

"Hehehe, I can't wait to see your face when I utterly humiliate you in public and on such a huge platform."

"Then you really need to get going or the judges will puke before eating your dish…" Hisako pointed at the green faces of the judges.

Stepping up her pace, Sadatsuka presented her unique dish to the judges. "Hehehe, this is my specialty 'Jet-black curry laksa'. Please have a taste of the food from hell."

"HGH?! Smelling from this front up is like torture! Orie-dono, are you sure you're going to try this?!" Osaji screamed while holding his nose.

"Uuu…As judges, we need to have a taste of the dish before giving our verdict…But still, this is the first time someone served me something that pungent." Orie said as she grabbed some noodles from the bowl.

"Before Orie-dono tastes it, could you brief us on what this laksa is made of?" Sena asked as the most composed one on the desk.

"Hehehe, I'm glad you asked. This is Kusaya curry with laksa."

"You idiot! What are you thinking of putting this with laksa?!" Osaji screamed.

"Hehehe, that's not all. I also added my beloved flying fish and mahi-mahi into the dish. Aaah~~ what a delightful dish I created~~I would like Erina-sama to have a taste as well." Sadatsuka said while blushing.

"Slurp"

"Orie-dono?! You ate it…My condolences." (Saotome)

"Orie-dono…are you ok?" (Ando)

"Slurp…Slurp…"

"?! Orie-dono?!"

"…I can't stop! It stinks but it's delicious!" Orie said without stopping.

As on cue, the judges also stuff their mouths with this delicacy and were unable to stop themselves as well.

"The seafood taste is exceptional! How could this be possible!" (Saotome)

"I see… she used Kapi as a reference! The laksa's stock is made from fish and when you add in kusaya who has an even deeper seafood flavor, it completes the dish!" Ando explained.

"Inconceivable! The more I eat the more bearable the smell becomes!" Osaji said.

"Hehehe, Gourmet isn't all about looks and smell. Repulsive things you withdrew away can also be used in true gourmet." Sadatsuka said with conviction.

'I knew it from the training camp that she was someone unique, but to be able to create a new page in curry dishes is exceptional. Heh, looks like Erina-chan was correct again.' Sena thought in his mind as he savors the dish.

"Sadatsuka Nao 88 points! Orie (16) Osaji (18) Ando (18) Saotome (18) Sena (18)."

"Incredible, Sadatsuka Nao has tied with Yoshino Yuki and Hojo Miyoko!" Urara announced loudly.

"She really does have the skills huh." Hisako softly muttered out before walking on stage.

"Hehehe, did you see that Arato Hisako? Now, Erina-sama will definitely recognize my skills and toss you aside."

"What are you talking about…Erina has recognized your skills since you challenged me to a Shokugeki." Hisako said before stepping past her.

"…Huh?"

---

As Sadatsuka stood there motionlessly, Hisako presented her dish to the judges before stepping back and joining Sadatsuka.

"Please have some."

"You're the god's tongue secretary Arato Hisako right?" Saotome asked.

"Yes, I'm Erina's friend." Hisako replied with a smile.

"I see, I'm expecting a wonderful dish from you." Saotome said as he lifted the lid.

"This is curry soup?" (Orie)

"Let's see…We have an array of vegetables paired with mutton meat?" (Osaji)

"Hmm…it looks like managed to remove the gamey smell from the mutton by using spices properly but how will it taste?" (Sena)

"Hehehe, don't you think the judges' reaction was lacking?" Sadatsuka asked Hisako after she had recovered.

"I don't remind mind, all that matters are the taste after all."

"Hehehe, I wish you good luck on that." Sadatsuka chuckled happily as her plan was flowing smoothly.

But, once the judges tasted the dish made by Hisako, they immediately stood up with an energized expression.

"WHAT?!" Sadatsuka cried out in disbelief.

"Ando sensei, this is…" Osaji said in disbelief.

"YEAH! THIS IS THE LEGENDARY SHIMOTSUTO!" Ando answered with his energy brimming.

"No way…Dong Dang Gui (Female ginseng) … Senkyuu (Szechuan Lovage Root) … Jio (Chinese foxglove) … Shakuyaku (Peony root) …this is really the famed Chinese medicinal Shimotsuto." Saotome said while shaking.

"The dish that could revive people from near death's door…" Sena said with a shocked expression as well.

"That's not all, I also added in my original medicinal spices mix which consists of Wild Turmeric, Star Anise, and Fennel with the 4 remedies you just said." Hisako said with a smile.

"This is…a dish that could not be found elsewhere…This dish can't be made by anyone else …" Orie said in a daze.

"Truly the epitome of medical cooking…I know that medical cooking shares similar components with curry but to think that you were able to come up with an entirely new dish…" Osaji praised while sweating bullets as this was not a feat expected by a student.

"This is my original dish: 'Mutton meat Shimotsuto Curry.' A dish capable of standing alongside my friend." Hisako said while smiling brightly.

"Arato Hisako 95 points! Orie (19) Osaji (19) Ando (19) Saotome (19) Sena (19)

As the judges felt numb from Hisako's dish, Hisako turned to Sadatsuka and said: "Looks like I win again huh."

"YOU! How?! My food was supposed to leave a lasting effect on the judges! My curse was supposed to work!" Sadatsuka complained as she threw a tantrum.

"It was sheer luck that I came after you. With you going first, I think the impact of my dish increased even more since your cooking is the direct opposite of mine." Hisako explained calmly.

"Are you implying that I was helping you?!"

"You could say that since Medicinal cooking revolves around cleansing both the body and mind."

"Arato Hisako! Why do you always have to get in my way! I just wanted to…" Sadatsuka was about to cry but Hisako placed her dish in front of her.

"Try it, I will try yours as well." Hisako said to the shock of Sadatsuka.

Still unsure of what to do, Sadatsuka looked on as Hisako tasted her dish.

"Urgh…This really does prove the saying 'Don't judge a book by its cover'. Your dish does leave quite an impact Sadatsuka." Hisako praised while chuckling

'Why…Why did she try my dish…She was supposed to be the target of my revenge but…her dish is trying to convey something to me…' Sadatsuka thought as she took a bite.

"Drop…Drop…My hatred…My jealously…My desire of revenge is being washed away…" Sadatsuka muttered with tears dripping down.

"You really have it rough. Before you were admitted into Totsuki, your life was filled with solitude. No one would come near you, even your own parents." Hisako said solemnly.

"?!"

"It was then that you began your career of boiling cooking where you used ingredients that people would withdraw away from. Was it to prove people wrong or was it to find some comfort within things that you share a common trait with."

"Stop…"

"By going down this path, even people you haven't met began distancing themselves from you due to your reputation. The boiling witch that could make a child cry by just being near her."

"Stop…"

"Convincing yourself that it was for the best, you hid in a secluded place where no one will be able to find you."

"STOP! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME?!"

"It was then she appeared. The one who lit a spark on your cold, lonely heart."

"?!"

"Sheesh, what are you doing over there. Have you ever taken a bath before? Get up before I made you." Hisako recited the words that Sadatsuka has engraved upon herself.

"How…"

"I'm Erina's friend you know. She told me this when she saw you and I were put into the same block."

"Erina-sama did…Why…"

"Erina felt sad when you wanted to replace me but she also felt sadden by you not reaching out to us after our Shokugeki!"

"?!"

"The letters you wrote, Erina did read them. She always chuckled happily when she read how possessive you were. But then, you stop."

"But…the contract…"

"Remember properly, did I ever said that I forbid you from sending letters to Erina?"

"…No…You did not..." Sadatsuka said as giant tears begun dripping down from her face.

"Erina has always been looking out for you. From then till now, she always wanted to reach out to you. She even went and recommended your name to the judges." Hisako revealed.

"Erina-sama…UUU!" Sadatsuka cried out wholeheartedly

"Haa…what a pain you really are…In a sense, you are quite similar to her." Hisako comforted her while hugging her.

"Once you are done, properly meet with Erina ok? She really misses the girl who cried when she left her after cleaning her up and eating her food." Hisako teased.

"That's really mean Hisako Onee-sama…But, thank you…and would you be beside me…" Sadatsuka said while blushing.

"Of course. But Onee-sama?" Hisako smiled as the girl snuggle closer to her.

"That girl really has a lovely name, Sadatsuka Nao. The one who stood tall while withholding her own sense of righteousness. Hisako, please reach out to her." As the words her dear friend told her resounded in her mind, Hisako looked down at the crying girl as gently said. "Well, I'll allow it just this once."

As the touching scene moved the friends near her to tears, Alice approached the hugging duo and said: "Good job Hishoko Onee-sama, you really made this a challenge for me."

"Yeah, it was about time for someone to take down the monster." Hisako teased in reply.

"Hehe~~~ We shall see~~~" Alice said cheerfully as she made her way up on stage.

"With one of the highest scores ever in Totsuki History, Arato Hisako has taken pole position with 95 points, Takumi Aldini in second place with 93 points, Tadokoro Megumi in third with 92 points and Isami Aldini in 4th with 89 points. Looking to disrupt the standings, we have the final contestant, Nakiri Alice!" Urara announced loudly.

"Hehe~~~Its finally my turn~~~I got so bored of waiting~~~I want to go find Soma and Erina already~~~But why do I have a feeling that Erina placed me last?" Alice muttered as she now stood in front of the judges.

"Nakiri…Alice…" Osaji said with a scared expression.

"Hmm~~~? Ah! You're that fatso from years ago right~~~?" Alice nonchalantly asked.

"Yeah…I'm honored that you remember me." Osaji said in an uncharacteristic respective tone.

"Ma~~~Let's not sweat the details~~Here's my dish~~~Please enjoy~~~" Alice said as she presented her dish to the judges.

"…"

"…"

"Hmm~~~? What's the matter?" Alice asked while tilting her head cutely.

"Is…this…your curry dish…?" Osaji asked fearfully.

"Mou~~~What are you saying~~~Everything on this is undeniably curry~~~" Alice said with a smirk.

After hearing Alice's verification, the judges shallow the lump forming on their throat and dug in.

"…"

"…"

"Boo…boo…" Alice whined as the judges stayed silent after taking a bite.

Seeing that Alice was tapping her foot impatiently, Urara approached the judges and ask what they thought about the dish. "Ano…what can you tell us about the dish?"

"Uh…It feels warm yet cold at the same time…and…Uh…" (Ando)

"The curry sauce is cold and…uh…the tomato mousse is cold…and…" (Saotome)

As Saotome was left tongue-tied, Osaji suddenly dropped down to the floor and slowly moved back from Alice. "This is it…The feeling of being unable to describe a dish…The Monster…" He cried out in fear.

As the events unfolded exactly as how their first encounter occurred, let's take a trip down memory lane where Osaji first met the monster, 'Nakiri Alice'.

---

It was exactly 5 years ago when Osaji first felt the taste of fear. The renowned Osaji as always was invited to be a judge for a tournament. But this time, he was flown all the way to Denmark to be the head judge for the International Junior Cook-Off.

"The contestants this year are quite average, what do you think Osaji-dono? The judge next to him asks him.

"Hmph! You are quite a disappointment yourself if you think those dishes are average, anyone I invite in my gastronomy club could make a better dish than them." Osaji replied smugly.

"Haha, of course Osaji-dono. No one here could compare to your palate." The judge replied by bragging.

"Hmph! It's good that you understand. Maybe I should you invite you to my club to have a try of True Gourmet." Osaji said smugly.

"?! That would be such an honor Osaji-dono! I humbly thank you." The judge replied by bowing his head.

Waving his hand to dismiss the topic, the next contestant walked up on stage with a face that looks like he doesn't want to be here.

"Uhh…this is my dish…Enjoy." The boy said half-heartedly.

"What's with your attitude?! Are you bored of being here?!" Osaji said angrily.

"So noisy…I only came here because Ojou wanted to…" The boy replied without interest.

"TCH! After tasting this crap of yours, I'm gonna give you a piece of mind!" Osaji said as he finally looks at the dish.

"?! This is Lobster?!" Osaji exclaimed in surprise.

"Osaji-dono! This is unbelievably delicious!" The judge next to him claimed

As Osaji watch him greedily devouring the delicacy, Osaji hesitantly brought the spoon closer to his mouth.

"Haa…You can leave the review to Ojou…I'm tired…" The boy said before walking off.

"?! WAIT!" Osaji screamed but he was too late as the boy was already out of sight.

However, what replaced him was a gorgeous-looking young girl with pale white skin and devilish red eyes.

"?!"

"Hehe~~~What do you think of his dish~~?" The girl asked.

"This lobster dish is stunning! It's the best dish I tasted in this competition by a country mile." The other judge praised wholeheartedly.

"Hmph! I'll give him a higher evaluation if his attitude was better but…not many people I know can make a lobster thermidor that good. The lobster meat was delightful as he chose to pair the egg yolks with cognac. The added ingredient of parmesan cheese was a welcoming one as well." Osaji said.

"Hehe~~I'm glad to hear that~~~" The girl said happily.

"So…who are you?" Osaji asked.

"Hmm~~~? I'm Alice. Nakiri Alice." The girl replied teasingly.

"!"

"Here~~~This is my dish~~~ Enjoy~~~I called it Deconstructing Smoked Salmon~~~" Alice said smugly.

What happened next was something that Osaji never wanted to experience again but, it looks like fate is not kind to him as his worst nightmare stood in front of him.

---

"Oh~~~That's why you all were quiet~~~Mou! You guys should have so hehe~~~" Alice said as she brought out her lab coat and glasses from seemingly nowhere.

"The mousse you just had was made by mixing frozen crushed Foie Gras (Food product made from the liver of a duck/goose) with wild turmeric~~~."

"Hah?!"

"The white center part you're eating now is made with six different kinds of cheese and potato purees~~~ It's quick frozen so it will melt gently on your tongue~~"

"WHAT?!"

"Oh~~~Make sure to eat the crispy pie batter after the cheese ok~~~? It contains the fragrance of the spices that I used~~~Well~~~that's about it~~~Its quite simple really~~~" Alice smiled after finishing her explanation

"…"

"MOU! Not even a word or applause?! Mu..." Alice frowned as the judges stay quiet again.

"EEK?!" Receiving a glance from Alice, Urara quickly asked the judges again.

"Ano…In the end…How does it taste…"

"IT'S FREAKING DELICIOUS! I'M JUST STRUGGLING TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT IT!" Ando said loudly.

"Its flavor is out of this world…I can't find the proper words to describe it…" (Saotome)

"An innovation to cooking as a whole…this is the only thing I can say…" (Sena)

"An inhuman dish…She properly utilize thermal sense when using the spices as its core… This dish is everchanging every time you taste it…" (Orie)

"Monster…What a Monster…" (Osaji)

"What did Alice make this time…She managed to create a dish that can leave such veteran judges speechless?" Hisako thought as Sadatsuka was still holding on to her.

As Hisako was thinking about that, Alice patted her on the back and said: "Let's go to Erina's room~~~ I don't want to miss Soma's dish~~~"

"Eh? Don't you want to wait for your score?" Hisako asked.

"Hmm~~? Is it not 100?" Alice asked like it was a matter of fact.

"You have great self-confidence huh…" Hisako tsukkomi.

Just as Alice and finished talking, they heard the announced scores.

"Nakiri Alice 99 points! Orie (19) Osaji (20) Ando (20) Saotome (20) Sena (20). Nakiri Alice has just received the highest evaluation ever in the Autumn Elections! With that, we conclude the judging in Block B! The 4 contestants moving on are Nakiri Alice, Arato Hisako, Takumi Aldini and Tadokoro Megumi! Urara announced loudly.

"Haa…I for sure thought that I had got you there…Looks like I have to try even harder." Hisako smiled.

"Hehehe~~~You're still great in my eyes Hisako Onee-Sama~~~" Sadatsuka praised wholeheartedly.

"Urgh…I should stop you from calling me that now…Anyway, shouldn't we get going now, Alice? Alice?" Hisako stopped and turned to look at Alice who was not beside her.

As Hisako looked around, she saw Alice jumping onto Megumi.

"Uwaah! Alice-chan?!"

"Hehe~~~To think that someone other than Soma and Erina could beat me~~~Muu~~ I'm not going to let you get away~~~" Alice said as she began fondling Megumi.

NNNH?! Alice-chan, what do you mean by that? You got higher points than me!" Megumi screamed embarrassingly

"Wow~~~they feel soft~~~"

"Alice-chan!"

"Oops~~hehe~~can't you see? Sendawara Orie gave you a perfect score while I only got 19 from her so that means she liked your dish more than mine" Alice said after having her share of fun.

"But still…"

"No buts! You beat me and that's a fact. So, you better prepare yourself when I come back for my revenge hehehe~~~!" Alice said as she moved her hands in a perverted motion.

"EEH!"

"What are you doing Alice…Weren't you in a rush to see Yukihira and Erina?" Hisako said after catching up to her.

"Oh~~~That's Hishoko for you~~~Always right on time~~~See you guys later~~Let's go Hishoko~~~" Alice said as she dragged Hisako who was dragging Nao to Erina's room.

---

As Alice was strolling to Erina's room, the judging in Block A was already underway. Similarly, the first group of contestants who came up in Block A was given less than mentionable scores with Natsume and Abel giving 0 every time.

The trend looked like it was about to continue when Marui's turn came about but the crowd and judges were in for an unexpected revealing.

"Uuu…this is not going so well…Let's hope the next contestant Marui Zenji can change the fortune around…Please…" Sasaki prayed as Marui presented his dish to the judges.

"Oh? It looks like we finally have something promising." Natsumi said as she glanced at the bowl.

"Udon kneaded with cumin. Is this your own unique take on Udon Curry?" Makito said as he looked at the glistering white noodles.

"Yes, this is White Potage Curry Udon."

"Hmph! At least the appearance is decent." Abel commented before tasting the dish.

"Slurp~~~"

"Slurp~~~"

"Urm…Could you please say something about the dish…?"

"Slurp~~~"

"Please don't ignore me Uuu…" Sakaki cried as the judges were too engrossed in the dish.

"Finally! Some good f**king food!" Abel praised out loud.

"Indeed! If I recall correctly, this idea of this dish originated from vichyssoise." (Kōda)

"Yes, I made this dish based on Louis Diat's cold potage." Marui affirmed.

"Young boy, you made great use of the ingredients. I can't get enough of the 3 main ingredients you used." Ōizumi complemented.

"Mmm~~~These chewy poached eggs, the creamy mashed potatoes, and topping it off with hot cheese. This is something that I was looking for." (Natsume)

"This is most delightful to consume. You even made use of spices like coriander powder to make the light Udon smoother. Not only that, but I also taste dill and cumin in the soup you made. (Makito)

"Hahaha! This dish feels more like a traditional dipping ramen noodles than an Udon. Good job boy! You managed to make a dish from a concept of 100 years ago." (Abel)

Delighted by the sudden turns of events, Sakaki immediately asked the judges for the scores.

"Marui Zenji 88 points! Natsume (17) Abel (17) Kōda (18) Ōizumi (18) Makito (18). Finally, someone managed to make a good impression. Let's keep this up En~~~" Sakaki said emotionally

---

As Marui walked back down the stage, he met eyes with Ibusaki and Ryoko.

"Heh, it looks like the book nerd finally shows his true colors." Ibusaki praised.

"That was amazing Marui! I didn't know you had that side to you!" Ryoko said.

"Look who's talking, you two have yet to show your hidden sides as well." Marui replied.

"We got to make our mark first since 'those three' are coming after us after all." Ibusaki reminded Marui and Ryoko.

"Yeah, we're not going down with a fight! Totsuki polar dorm fight!" Ryoko said as she headed up on stage.

"Up next, we have a student also from Polar dorm and shares a similar name with me. Sakaki Ryoko!" Sakaki introduced.

"This is everything that I can offer now. Please enjoy." Ryoko said as she placed her dish in front of the judges.

"Tch! We went from one good-looking dish to one normal-looking one again." Abel said a bit annoyed.

"Hmm…It resembles the Indian cuisine Chana Masala where it uses chickpeas instead." Ando said while analyzing the dish.

"What?! This stickiness?! It's…It's Natto!" Makito claimed after picking up the spoon.

"Mmm~~~Why is this Natto so delicious?! The deliciousness is flowing through every corner of my mouth!" (Natsume)

"This is not normal Natto…Young girl…Could this possibly be?" Ōizumi asked.

"Hai, this is my self-made charcoal-fire fermented Natto." Ryoko answered.

"Impossible! It takes such a high-level degree of skills to properly ferment the beans while keeping the temperature and humidity at an optimal level. You also need to remove the ammonia odor while preventing it from dying. It's not something a student can make." Abel immediately debunked Ryoko's claim of making the Natto herself.

Naturally, no one would feel pleased if someone discredited your work. But, it's even more infuriating when someone claimed that someone is doing it for you. However, as furious as Ryoko was, she could not just lash out at a judge. But, fortunately for her, someone came to her rescue.

"Abel-san, I would appreciate it if you don't discredit my friend's hard work." A stern voice said from behind Ryoko.

"?! Nakiri Erina?!" Abel exclaimed in shock

"It's one thing to criticize but it's another thing to state false facts without even knowing her. I'm sure your boss would be disappointed if he saw his head chef judging people's criteria based on their status. Oh Wait, you both are two peas in a pot after all." Erina said before landing a dig.

"TCH! I still don't believe she was the one who made it. But, I will give a fair score based on the taste." Abel said before shutting himself up.

"Nakiri-san…"

"Ryoko-san, please continue the explanation on your dish." Erina said while giving a slight nod to Ryoko.

"Hai!" Ryoko replied with a smile.

---

If someone asked who's the one that has greatly changed since joining Hoseki, their answers will probably be Megumi, Ikumi, or Hisako. But, there is another one that has silently changed without anyone noticing. Yes, it is indeed Sakaki Ryoko.

Before getting to know Erina and the others, Ryoko was always relied on by others due to her kind and mature personality. Heck, even her best friend always relies on her for advice and support. She was the big sister personality everyone would rely on. But, every strong soul has a fragile heart.

One of the things she rarely does is rely on the help of others. She never seeks help from others and especially her dorm mates as she was the figure they tend to rely on and thus, she can't show her weakness to them. That was what she thought, until her first setback.

Did you think that everyone got into Hoseki without a test? Did you all think that everyone got into the club because they met at the Polar Dorm? Then, you all are dead wrong as the first and only trial was to make a dish that Erina and Alice approve of. (They count out Soma since he's a gluttony)

After numerous tries, everyone in the dorm was able to pass except for her. The reason was that Erina and Alice keep saying her dishes lack identity. Ryoko thought that they must be wrong but they are the renowned Nakiri twins so they must be right. Feeling downhearted, she told them that she would try again tomorrow and return to her room.

That was what she thought but, Erina and Alice have different plans for her as they told everyone that they can head back first. After receiving their goodwill, Ryoko was face-to-face with the three best chefs she has seen. Immediately taking some deep breaths, Ryoko headed back to the kitchen but Erina stopped her.

"There's no need to hold back you know?" Erina spoke first.

"?!"

"There's no one else but us here so you can act as you like~~~" Alice continued

"What do you mean…"

"Sakaki, the something we called friends can only work when it is a two-way communication." Soma finished.

"!"

"It's ok to ask for help, it's ok to rely on others. Don't tarnish your name Ryoko-san." Erina advise.

'Yes, it was back then when my mind was clear and refresh. I can still be the cool Onee-sama people sees me as but I can also be the refreshing child that relies on others as well.' Ryoko thought nostalgically before looking firmly at the judges and Erina.

"I'm sorry that if you disagree Abel-dono but I spend the whole summer vacation tendering to the beans and not only that, I also made this." Ryoko said as she brought out the black jar she used.

"What is that?! Is that the bass-like flavor flowing through my tongue now?" (Natsume)

"Yes. This is my other secret ingredient: "Soy Sauce Kouji"."

"I see, so this black thing was the spice you made yourself by adding in soy sauce to rice Kouji and blending them until it becomes viscous." Kōda said as he took another bite.

"Exactly. Since Soy Sauce Kouji has 10 times the amount of acid that normal soy sauce has, it doesn't ruin the strong flavor in the curry."

"Truly remarkable! I can't get enough of this brilliant mixing of combination between Natto and Curry! You truly are a master of Soy!" (Makito)

"Young girl, this is a dish that shows your own character and your family's business in one. Outstanding work!" Ōizumi praised.

"Hai! Arigato gozaimasu!" Ryoko smiled brightly.

"Sakaki Ryoko 88 points! Natsume (18) Abel (16) Kōda (18) Ōizumi (18) Makito (18)"

"Good work Ryoko-san…Woah?!" Erina congratulated her but Ryoko suddenly dove at her and embrace her.

"Thank you, Nakiri-san. I was scared…angry…sad…" Ryoko softly whispered at her.

"There's no need for thanks, we're friends after all." Erina said while patting her back.

---

As Ryoko was still in her 'fawning' mode, Ibusaki walked past the two and teased Ryoko while chuckling. "Heh, you got quite a cute side hidden inside yourself Anegimi (Elder Sister)"

Blushing at the comment, Ryoko saw off Ibusaki with a Fight sign to encourage him.

Maybe shock by the Gap Moe, Ibusaki hurries his pace and composes himself before placing his dish in front of the judges.

"Oh! You're the young boy who went the different route from others, you decided to focus on smoking the ingredients." Ōizumi said.

"Yes, Smoke cooking is my specialty after all. This is my "Special Smoked Curry." Please enjoy yourselves." Ibusaki said as he lifted the lid.

"?!"

"Aah~~~What an unbearable scent~~~This would take top spot if we judge based on Aroma alone." (Natsume)

"Oi kid, don't you think you're overdoing it? The theme is curry you know? I can only see smoked bacon, smoked eggs, and smoked potatoes here." Abel pointed out.

"Didn't Nakiri-san told you to not judge before you taste the dish?" Ibusaki said back.

"Hahaha! You got guts, I need someone like you on my show." Makito said before taking a bite.

"MMM?!" (Makito)

"You really are…You even smoked the chips and apples…But, it gives off such a mellower and sweeter aroma than other ingredients I can think of." (Kōda)

"Heh! The aroma really is something. Not only that, but I can also taste spices like coarsely ground cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and clove." (Abel)

"How did you manage to make the curry is not overpowered by the spices?" (Natsume)

"I dipped the spices in Saumur liquid." Ibusaki replied simply.

"Hoh…That is really clever. By placing them together, you made sure the ingredients have the same level of saltiness that amplifies the aroma rather than overwhelming it." (Ōizumi)

"But still…How were you able to achieve this degree of unity. It should be impossible if that's all you did." Makito asked as he was seeking an answer.

"Don't tell me?!" Koda exclaimed in shock as he found the answer.

"Yes, the salt I used was smoke as well."

"WHAT?! But…normal salt shouldn't be able to do that…unless…" (Abel)

"That's right. I used seaweed salt instead of normal salt."

"Now I see! That's why the dish has such a mild taste! To think you were able to harmonize smoked ingredients with smoked salt…What a frightening person you are…" (Natsume)

"To think someone, a student nonetheless to have such perfect grasp of smoke cooking…Boy…I can now see your group has some irregulars in there. Apologize to the girl for me." Abel requested.

"Young boy, you have such a fitting name. Ibusaki Shun, the one who controls Ibusu (Smoke). Magnificent work."

"Arigato gozaimasu" Ibusaki bowed in respect.

"Ibusaki Shun 90 points! Natsume (18) Abel (18) Kōda (18) Ōizumi (18) Makito (18)"

"There you all have it! The first 90 points in Block A goes to contestant Ibusaki Shun!" Sakaki announced excitingly.

---

"Looks like you all are doing quite well huh~~~" A voice suddenly spoke behind Erina.

"Alice?!"

"Yahoo~~~I came to play~~~"

"Haa…Haa…You have too much energy for your own good Alice…" Hisako said tiredly after catching up.

"Hisako and…Nao-san?"

"Yes…it has been a while Erina-sama…." Nao said with her face looking down.

Nao was shivering as she thought Erina was angry with her when she stopped just in front of her. But, she was in for a delightful surprise when Erina slightly embraces her.

With the fear of being rejected subside by this one kind gesture, Nao broke down in tears again and continued to apologize to Erina.

As the two were reconciling for lost times, Soma could not help but tsukkomi to Alice as he looked at the scene.

"Could you remind me who's the main character in this story? Is it just me that feels that Erina has way more screen time than me..."

"Hehe, Silly soma~~~when were you ever the main character in this story~~~" Alice said.

"Huh?!"

"Mou~~~if you think for yourself, what would happen to your relationships if you were the one saving every girl you met?" Alice asked

"Hmm…then it will undoubtedly have turned into a Harem. My harem!" Soma said out loud after connecting the pieces.

"Hmm~~~Are you unsatisfied now~~~?" Alice asked while smiling.

But…that was not what Soma saw…What he did see was a silhouette of Alice with wings holding a sword to his throat.

"Cough…Of course not, I have the two best lovers in the world!" Soma said loudly for everyone to hear.

"Now that's more like it~~~don't you feel loved Erina~~~" Alice asked the now red-face Erina.

"You two are such idiots!" Erina cried as she swatted both of their heads.

---

As the comedic half-time show was occurring in one corner, the next few contestants after Ibusaki went upstage in hopes to continue the high-scoring streak but they immediately fell flat as Natsume and Abel returned to giving a zero score.

As Things seem to have resumed back to normality, it was finally time for Ikumi to step up and show doubters the growth she has undergone.

"Uuu…Next up, we have contestant Mito Ikumi. Let's hope she can deliver a delicious dish to the judges." Sakaki said optimistically.

Before Ikumi began serving her dish, there was a loud shout from the crowd who greatly shook her. "IKUMI!"

"Papa?!" Ikumi responded before turning. And when she did, she saw her mother and father cheering her on.

Smiling wholeheartedly, she could only be thankful for having such great parents as this was the second time in a row where her parents were facing a challenge together with her.

Ikumi wave back so excitingly that it even caused some part of her body to bounce which left the male judges no choice but to turn their heads away.

"Urm…could you serve us your dish?" Makito asked as he was struggling to hold something back.

"Hmm? Oh…My bad My bad! Anyways, this is my braised pork belly curry bowl." Ikumi said as she revealed her juicy-looking dish.

"Slurp…just look at how delicious the pork belly looks! The surface is so smooth that it's glistering!" Makito said as his tension was on an all-time high.

"Control yourself, Judges! Despite how perfect the three layers of fat meat and lean meat is, we can't be too disgraceful when tasting these." Ōizumi said calmly.

"Ōizumi-dono…that would be convincing if you were not drooling like a hungry animal now…" Kōda rebutted.

Holding herself back, Natsume lightly pokes the meat and she immediately regretted it. "The meat is jiggling! To think that the meat would not fall apart after touching it!"

"Yes, Heat control and Meat dishes are my specialties after all." Ikumi said proudly.

"Judges, you guys can have a taste now. Or else, the sensuality of the dish will cause you all to distort into a face that should not be in this story." Abel said as he took the first dip on the dish.

"God damn! This is unreal! The amount of soup the meat has absorb is unbelievable!" (Abel)

"The sauce is spreading in my mouth like maple syrup! It just won't stop~~~" Natsumi said while desperately holding back to her moans.

"Truly a masterpiece. You removed the smell from the skins of the pork belly by using spices." (Ōizumi)

"That's right. All that's left it for you judges to taste the juiciest and sweetest taste of meat and curry." Ikumi said while licking her lips.

"There must be another factor in the dish. If not, how are we able to consume these huge pieces of meat so smoothly" Kōda asked.

"That would be in the rice" Ikumi replied simply.

"The rice…? I see! This rice is mixed with rock salt and Zanthoxylum schinifolium etzucc for flavoring!" (Makito) (Yes…that is the real name for the sauce used…)

"No wonder I felt a slight numb spiciness and the urge to eat more. It's an endless loop where the spices from the rice numb the feeling of oiliness from the meat! AH! I can't stop!" (Abel)

"Ah~~~there's no way I can stop eating this~~~ To hell with appearance!" Natsume said as she disregarded her image and began woofing down the dish.

"This dish has such a euphoric feeling yet it holds such a destructive power! There is no way this dish can be prepared any better!" (Kōda)

"Mito Ikumi 91 points! Natsume (18) Abel (18) Kōda (18) Ōizumi (19) Makito (18)"

"Yosh!" Ikumi said as she was delighted with herself and so were her parents as they continued to cheer for her loudly.

"Great job Ikumi! That's my girl!"

---

As Ikumi was lapping up the applause, Kurokiba slowly walks towards the stage while staring at the scene. He could not but think to himself. 'Is this what family does…?'

As Kurokiba finally reach the judges' table, he removed the thoughts from his head and place his dish gently on the table.

"Hmm…If I recall, you're the one who was cutting the lobsters extravagantly." Kōda pointed out.

"Hmph! It looks like he used up all your energy from showboating." Abel commented to the side.

"Haa…You're too noisy…" Kurokiba complained as he didn't bother to look at Abel.

"What did you say punk?!" Abel shouted.

"I SAY YOU'RE TOO F''KING NOISY YOU BASTARD!" Kurokiba screamed back which shock the judges.

"LISTEN UP, YOU ALL ARE GONNA TASTE THIS DISH WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!" Kurokiba demanded as he lifted the lid to reveal a vivid color dish.

"Wow…just look at the contrast in colors. We have the lobster's fiery red with the saffron rice's yellow." (Makito)

'Wait…a kid with a bad attitude and serves lobsters as his main dish…Is he one of the kids Osaji talks about?' Natsume thought as the resemblance was striking.

"Hoho, I'm interested to see what this tastes like. Many restaurants prepare a curry dish with shiny lobsters as well. I hope this differs from the norm." Ōizumi said before taking a bite.

After a quick bite, the judges were immediately transported into a deep forest where Kurokiba was looking at them with a grin.

"This deep flavor…This enticing aroma…This is cognac! You're that kid that was in the International Junior Cook-off!" Natsume said out loud.

"That kid who was placed second after Nakiri Alice?! What is he doing here?!" (Kōda)

"TCH! WHO CARES ABOUT THAT! JUST FOCUSED ON EATING THE DISH I PREPARED! MUNCH IT ALL DOWN!" Kurokiba said unpleasingly.

"Oi, you didn't use any normal cognac. This has a greater depth of fragrance from trees like cedar and sandalwood." (Abel)

"EXACTLY RIGHT. I USED A NAPOLEON CLASS COGNAC TO ADD A GREATER DEPTH OF AROMA TO THE CURRY! NOW SAVOR IT ALL!"

"To think Cognac could improve the taste of curry that much… This is an A grade French curry lobster rice!" (Ōizumi)

"THAT'S NOT ALL! NOW! RELEASE YOUR BARBARIC INSTINCTS AS YOU FEAST ON THIS!" Kurokiba said as he brought out droppers.

"It seems these are filled with cognac as well…" (Makito)

"THOSE TRASHY RESTAURANTS SERVE LOBSTERS BUT THEY USED THE HEAD ONLY FOR DECORATION! THAT'S RIGHT, YOU ALL ARE GONNA TASTE ITS BRAIN WHILE SLURPING IT OUT AFTER DROPPING IN THE COGNAC!"

"Outrageous! Shameful! There is no way we can do something that vulgar!" Natsume immediately declined.

"STOP WITH YOUR DENIAL! YOU WERE MOANING LIKE AN ANIMAL IN HEAT WHEN YOU TASTED THE PAST FEW DISHES."

"?!"

"NOW, RELEASE YOUR TRUE COLOURS AS YOU SLURP THE COGNAC ENGROSSINGLY! THEN, STUFFED THE ROUX AND RICE INTO YOUR MOUTH. ONLY THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FINALLY ACHIEVED THE ECSTASY YOU HAVE BEEN CRAVING FOR!"

"?!" Tempted by the words spoken like a devil. Natsume reach out to droppers and began dripping cognac onto the enticing lobster head. After that, well…you guys will be able to imagine it… (Slurping liquid from the head…)

"This has not disappointed brat! The seafood deliciousness, the trees deep fragrance! What a brilliant blend of ingredients! You sure know your way around the kitchen!" Abel praised.

"I would even call you the Kitchen dictator with how splendidly you prepare the dish." (Ōizumi)

"I DON'T CARE, THIS IS A BATTLEFIELD AND THE ONLY THING I NEED TO DO IS CRUSH ANYONE THAT STANDS BEFORE ME!" Kurokiba growled.

"Kurokiba Ryo 94 points! Natsume (19) Abel (19) Kōda (18) Ōizumi (19) Makito (19)"

---

"Amazing! Contestant Kurokiba has stormed into first place with a high score of 94! He leapfrogs Contestant Ikumi and has firm control of the standings!" (Sakaki)

"Haa…No more…" Natsume cried.

As Natsumi's plead fell onto deaf ears, Kurokiba slowly walked back to the group while undoing his bandanna.

"94? Hehe~~~you still have a long way to catch up to me Ryo-kun~~" Alice said first.

"I'll try harder in the Main tournament…" Kurokiba dully replied.

"Good going Kurokiba! If I'm not careful, I may get surpassed by you." Soma said cheekily.

"Whatever…"

"Kurokiba-Kun…Congratulations…" Megumi said with a slight blush.

"You qualified as well?"

"En! But, Alice-chan, Hisako-chan and Takumi-kun was too strong."

"I don't care about that…Congratulations…" Kurokiba said with a smile.

"?! EN!" Megumi thanked with her cheeks blushing as this was the first time she saw Kurokiba smiled.

As the group was busing teasing Megumi and Kurokiba, Soma looked at Hayama who was now stood next to him.

"Nervous?" Soma asked.

"Heh, he may have gotten a high score but this is my domain of expertise." Hayama replied with confidence as began walking off.

But, just as he took three steps forward, Soma said something to him that really shock Hayama. "You better don't think that you have an edge because you used a sacred spice, I used one as well."

As Hayama slowly walked up to the stage with Soma's word replaying repeatedly in his mind, Abel called out to him once he finally reaches the judges' tables.

"Oi. I heard you were the favorite for this whole election." (Abel)

"Yeah, I consider myself an expertise is spices after all." Hayama replied immediately.

"You say that, but the fact you made a fish head curry is a huge disappointment" (Abel)

"Now you made me disappointed with the judges. When did I ever say that I was making fish-head curry?" Hayama replied as he places a small-looking dish in front of the judges.

"This is a Naan?" (Kōda)

"Eat it by pressing the spoon into the naan. But before that…" Hayama explained before turning his body.

"Yukihira! Catch!" Hayama said as he tossed him a spoon.

"I don't care what ingredient you used, mine will still be better." Hayama said before advising Soma and the judges to brace for impact.

"Crack…BOOM!"

"?! What is this explosion of aroma?! It's even fiercer than the smoke one!" (Makito)

"The aroma is so mellow yet it painfully stimulates my sense of smell and appetite! Hoho…we could have a winner! (Ōizumi)

"The naan has also melted into the splendid curry…This might be dangerous…" (Kōda)

"It's freaking exquisite! When you mix the roux with the naan, you can directly feel the impact of the dish! You not only scored once but twice with this double attack of aroma and taste!" (Abel)

"I knew it! I knew from the first instance that I saw you gave that hand signal!" Natsume said while standing up.

"What is it Natsume-dono?" (Makito)

"There is a core spice that ties all the spices together…and that is…HOLY BASIL!" Natsume said loudly.

"HOLY BASIL?!"

"The spice that is sacred in Southeast Asia?! No wonder I could smell a sweet sensation running through my body…" (Kōda)

"But still…I still can't convince myself that this is holy basil since this is freshly made…Fresh holy basil is impossible to find in Japan after all." Natsumi said after calming down a bit.

"There's no need for you to worry about that. Our seminar cultivates it all-year-round." (Hayama)

"WHAT?! HOW?!" Abel asked hurriedly.

"That is a trade secret but I welcome your support of our Shiomi seminar." Hayama said while making a hush sign.

"Shiomi?! The Authority of Spices, The former member of the Elite 10 Shiomi Jun?!" (Abel)

"No wonder you were able to get hold of such spices…" (Natsume)

"Mmm~~~This yogurt is delicious~~~It makes the dish better every time you taste it~~~" Alice suddenly said out loud.

"Oi Alice…don't steal lines…I rarely have an appearance this chapter…" Soma said dejectedly

"Anyway, it's impressive that you were able to think of the nutritional value as well when making this dish." Soma recovered and gave his thoughts after the author promised Soma that he will have more screen time in the upcoming chapters.

"Heh, I thank you for the compliment Yukihira." (Hayama)

"To think Totsuki would have a student that could use a sacred spice like Holy basil to utter perfection. You would be perfect by my side~~~" Natsume said while licking her lips sensually.

"Sorry, I only cook for Jun…That's all there is to it…" Hayama replied before walking away.

"Orie, now I know why you were so fixated on that Isshiki boy~~~Your sister's heart may have been captured right here and now." Natsumi said as she looked at the form of Hayama leaving.

"Hayama Akira 95 points! Natsume (20) Abel (18) Kōda (18) Ōizumi (19) Makito (20)"

---

"Incredible! Contestant Hayama Akira has just bested Contestant Kurokiba dish by a solitary point! He has now taken the lead!" Sakaki announced with her energy level at max.

As Hayama was slowly walking towards Soma, he overheard the conversation between Alice and her friends.

"Wow~~~Ryo-Kun, you just lost to Hayama and Hisako~~~" Alice teased Kurokiba.

"Hayama Akira…Arato Hisako…two worthy opponents…" Kurokiba said as he clenches his fist in anticipation of his battle against them.

"How in the world did you get 99 from making a dish from machines…Maybe the judges I invited were blind…" Erina complained.

"MOU! Erina You meanie! I did my best you know!" Alice whined.

"Let's not mind her, you all did your best Hisako, Megumi, Nao." Erina praised the three.

"Hai!"

"Boo Boo! This is becoming a harem gathering for Erina! Author-san Stop!" Alice complained loudly. (She was successful)

After overhearing the scores, Hayama asked Soma with wide eyes. "She got 99 points?!"

"Yea…she's still complaining that she lost to Tadokoro though since Sendawara Orie favors Tadokoro's dish more than her." Soma replied simply.

"You look quite relaxed huh considering that you're the last one up."

"What done is done, I can't change my dish so what's the point worrying about it. Also, I just need to score a higher than everyone."

"You're still confident?"

"Heh…aren't you the one losing confidence now after hearing Alice's score?" Soma asked cheekily.

"Urgh!"

"Listen to me Hayama, talent takes you far but hard work takes you anywhere and to your goal."

"?" Hayama was unsure why Soma suddenly said something like that.

"Just a friendly tip, I'm not talented. I'm just a commoner but with enough hard work, a low class will surpass an elite." Soma said with a smug.

"…How long did you save that Dragon Ball reference…" Hayama complained but he did listen intently to what Soma said.

As Hayama and Soma were in the middle of the conversation, an extremely tall and well-built man decided to bud in and bump Soma…That was supposed to happen if not for Soma sidestepping him at the last moment.

"Buddy, look where you are going. If you did happen to bump into my girls, I will make you regret it." Soma said intimidatingly as his aura started to leak.

Not intimidated by Soma's word at the slightest, the man smirk at Soma and decided to show him a glimpse of the dish he made. But, Soma's reaction was not what he had expected.

"What about it? Are you saying it's precisely the same as my dish?" Soma said which caused Hayama and the man to gasp.

As the gasp caught the attention of Alice and the gang, they gathered around Soma as he stood face-to-face with the man.

"Yukihira Soma, Age 15. Always cooks while wearing his prided Restaurant Yukihira shirt and a headband his mother gave him."

"?!" As the others were in shock, Soma just calmly stares at him.

"Lovers with Nakiri Erina and Nakiri Alice. Confessed the day before the transfer exam, beat Shinomiya Kojiro in an Unofficial Shokugeki at the training camps and made a curry risotto omelet rice in this Elections." The man said with a twisted face.

With Soma not replying, the man snickered at him before heading up on stage and presenting his dish to the judges. Purposely making his voice louder, he said to the judges: "Oagariyo, this is Mimasaka-style Curry risotto omelet rice."

"An omelet?" (Abel)

"Be careful, it's hot" Mimasaka said before slicing the middle of the omelet.

"WHAT?! Another Aroma Bomb?! (Natsume)

"OH! There is a risotto inside the omelet!" Makito said loudly.

"The enclosed aroma is spreading explosively!" (Kōda)

"WOOF WOOF! The rice inside is glittering so brightly!" Ōizumi barked without any regard for his image.

"What an amazing mellow smell! It's forcing me to smile unconsciously!" Abel said as his face was twitching.

"Gulp…so far…this is on par with Hayama's dish but…how is the taste…" Makito gulped down the lump forming on his throat and place the spoon inside his mouth.

"What intensity! There are tides of raging flavors assaulting us!" (Abel)

"This risotto's viscosity is in complete harmony with the moisture of the fried eggs! Not only that, but I can also taste the bouillon of chicken bones and beef stew! This dish is on the verge of making me faint!" Ōizumi said while panting.

"This sauce is exquisite! It's an oyster sauce accented with honey which gives it a sour taste which is very welcoming." (Natsume)

"If we were to compare it with Hayama's dish…this has a stronger sense of aroma as it comes in waves…" Kōda said to the shock of everyone as Hayama was the master of aroma.

"Wait…what is this hidden taste that I'm feeling…? What is this taste that blends the spices like cumin, cardamom, and clove?" Abel asked.

"Hahaha! The taste you all are tasting is my homemade mango chutney!" The man said while laughing.

"Chutney?! Impossible! Are you saying that the mango was able to combine the different spices inherent flavor and enhance it to a deeper flavor?!" (Makito)

"This dish is the epitome of Totsuki cooking! It has such a substantial deliciousness and the aftertaste is extremely refreshing! This is what I mean by perfect usage of ingredients!" Abel praised wholeheartedly for the first time today.

"Mimasaka Subara 95 points! Natsume (18) Abel (19) Kōda (19) Ōizumi (20) Makito (19)"

---

"Unbelievable! Contestant Mimasaka Subaru has just tied with Hayama Akira for first! This is the birth of a dark horse!" Sakaki announced to the shock of everyone.

"Oi Hayama Akira, if this was an Official Shokugeki, I would have tied with you. Favorite for the tournament? I just need to change some things and I will be able to reach you! Talents my ass!" Mimasaka said loudly to everyone.

"Hahaha! Yukihira Soma, how do you feel that you are beaten by your own dish?! Talk! Look at me and show me the face of despair!" Mimasaka laughed at Yukihira who was slowly waking up on stage.

But, Soma did not even spare him a glance and walked past him. Then, without a word, he placed a similar-looking dish in front of the judges.

"Oi kid…we're not judging a similar dish…Even though it will taste precisely the same, the wow factor is gone." (Abel)

"Judges, how about we give him time to prepare another dish? If he could make something of that quality, don't you think it's a shame for him to get disqualified like this?" Eizan spoke for the first time since the judging started as he finally waited for his moment.

"That's a good idea Eizan-Kun. Urm…Yukihira Soma is it? Due to peculiar circumstances, we will allow to cook up another dish. We will be expecting something good." Natsume said to the laughter of everyone in the arena.

"HAHAHA! Serves you right transfer student!"

"Finally! You got what you deserved for hoarding both Alice-sama and Erina-sama!"

"Transfer student, what are you waiting for? Don't let the judges' pity go to waste hahaha!"

"There you have it Yukihira, you can have a second chance. Only you are special." Eizan said out loud which earned more chuckles from everyone.

Just before Alice and Erina were about to flip their shit, Soma said with a soft yet confident tone: "There's no need for that Eizan-senpai. This dish is different from the start."

"Haah? Are you alright Yukihira? Even the inside is the same…I see... This is your best dish so you can't make another one. Hahaha!" Eizan said as he sliced the omelet of Natsume to reveal the inside.

"I'm perfectly sane Eizan-senpai. Just like I said, this dish is completely different…" Soma said confidently while looking at Eizan.

"TCH! If that's what you want, then fine! It's about time for the Elections to end as well! Then, let's wait for the judges' verdict!" Eizan said angrily as Soma was too calm for his liking.

With no expectation whatsoever, the five judges lazily scoop up the rice and placed it into their mouths. But…what happened next silenced everyone in the stadium.

"Clang…Clang…Clang…" The sounds of the spoons dropping were the only sound everyone needed to keep quiet.

"Natsume-sama…?" Eizan asked as the suspense was killing him.

"Impossible…the taste is different…the taste is better…" Natsume said slowly which caused Eizan to nearly fall over.

"The two dishes are the same fundamentally but the execution of this dish is way better…How is it possible…What is this additional sweetness and spiciness I'm tasting?!" Abel said while scratching his head in thought.

"Is this another sacred spice?! Tell me Yukihira Soma!" Makito asked urgently.

"Hmm? It's not better than Holy basil but it fits perfectly with my dish" Soma said smugly.

"This slight licorice spicy flavor…This is Thai Basil!" Ōizumi said as he stood up from his chair.

"That's nonsense…Thai Basil is normally used in salads and soups so how could it possibly suit this curry risotto…" Kōda said as he explains while stroking his mustache.

"He's right you know? What could possibly go well with Thai Basil?" Soma said as he held up a jar of mango chutney.

"Mango?! Thai Mango?! Thai Mango Chutney?!" (Natsume)

"This is my original blend, it's made from 'King Thai Honey Mango Chutney'," Soma explained.

"No wonder! Thai Honey Mangoes are those used in Thai sticky rice! The increased spiciness is balanced out by the additional sweetness the mango brings…" Abel said as he falls back to his chair in shock.

"…" As the crowd felt silent after the shocking revelation, a roar was heard seeking answers.

"YUKIHIRA SOMA! HOW?!" Mimasaka asked out loud.

"What do you mean how? This was my original idea from the start, I didn't even change anything." Soma answered which left Mimasaka rooted to the spot.

"My perfect traced failed…" Mimasaka soullessly said as he was too dumbfounded by the turn of events.

"I thought you were amazing at first for having a similar idea as me but it turns out your nothing but a copycat." Soma said with disgust as he turns away from Mimasaka.

"Yukihira Soma 99 points! Natsume (19) Abel (20) Kōda (20) Ōizumi (20) Makito (20)"

"…" Everyone was dead silent as the scores were announced but for a certain duo.

"MOU! Why did you have to go and get the same score as me!" Alice whined while puffing out her cheeks.

"Soma, I'm waiting for my share." Erina demanded.

"Really? Not even a word of congratulations from you two? Unbelievable!" Soma said exasperated.

"Whisper…whisper…"

"?! Guess I will wait for tonight then!" Soma said with clear excitement in his voice.

"With that…we end the 43rd Annual Totsuki Autumn Preliminaries…From Block A, we have Yukihira Soma with 99 points, Hayama Akira and Mimasaka Subaru at 95 and Kurokiba Ryo with 94" Sakaki announced

"They will join Nakiri Alice (99), Arato Hisako (95), Takumi Aldini (93), and Tadokoro Megumi who has qualified from Block B!" Urara said as she suddenly appeared beside Sakaki

"Be sure to be on the lookout for the draw which will be commencing after this…Please stay tuned everyone!" The duo said side by side as everyone's attention now switched from shock to excitement.

"It looks like we have a tough job to do in the Main tournament but that's just what I want! Hahaha!" Senzaemon said to the pale-skinned woman next to him who smiled in reply as her eyes were focusing on a certain trio.

---

Finally, it's a wrap! God damn, this was long... The next chapter will probably be at the end of August as well so let me know who will be matching up with who~~~

PS: (I have already decided the matchups but I'm looking forward to seeing how many you all guess right~~~)

PS: Tell me what you guys think about a longer chapter vs a shorter one. I'm still wondering how many matchups to include in a chapter.

PS: The image of Alice's salmon dish is hard to find on google so I'll tell you here if you are interested.

Google Awesome Molecular dishes then click therecipe one~~ Scroll to number 18 and there it is~~~