Shokugeki no Sōma: Nashi Saito de Chīfu

by Gale-Dragon

Ever since he picked up a kitchen knife at age three, Sōma knew he wanted to be a chef. For twelve years, he cooked in the kitchen of his family diner. But he doesn't cook like you or me. No, he has his own cooking style, and that style will change the world of cooking forever. After all, Sōma's blind.

12. 11: What Belongs in the Box

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"Talking"

'Thinking'

(Author's Comments)

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Shokugeki no Sōma Nashi Saito de Chīfu. Chapter 11: What Belongs in the Box.

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The announcer finally announced over the speaker system, "The theme for the first quarterfinal round is Bento! Contestants, you have two hours to complete your dish! Also, the conditions for your Shokugeki have been approved by the Shokugeki Administration Department. Therefore, this match is also a Shokugeki!"

This caused everyone but the headmaster to murmur in confusion. "A Shokugeki?" "In the middle of the Autumn Elections?" "For real?" "That's a first!"

The announcer went on, "Here is where the Shokugeki stands… If Yukihira Sōma wins, Nariki Alice is to stop her current romantic advancement towards Yukihira Sōma. If Nakiri Alice wins, Yukihira Sōma is to accept Nakiri's proposal of marriage."

It took exactly five seconds for the information to register in the minds of the Totsuki students. The moment it did, everyone shouted, "EEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHH?!"

After finding the countertop for his cooking station, Sōma placed his knife set on top of it and muttered under his breath, "Hmm? Why did they word it like that?"

The announcer then told the two contestants to take the remaining ten minutes to get their ingredients before the match begins. Once the two got their ingredients, the match started.

Alice was already using a good number of the gadgets she had with her in her movable lab. However, she seemed to be favouring the centrifuge over the others.

The audience was in complete and utter awe at the show that seems to be more of a display of a chemistry experiment rather than someone cooking a meal. This both fascinated and scared the audience. They were fascinated by the sheer skills being displayed before them, and they were scared because the one using these skills was only 15-years-old!

Sōma made no real indication that he heard the crowd, or at least the noise coming from the crowd. The blind redhead was completely focused on what he was making. But roughly 95% of the audience were focused on Alice and didn't pay much attention to Sōma. During this, Ryoko did wonder what the idea the blind redhead mentioned last night was. Sōma also mentioned having to call someone by the name of Ishi. Ryoko did ask him about it, but he only said in a cheerful tone, "Oh, you'll find out why during the match." She tried to figure out what he meant by watching him cook, but she couldn't. He wasn't doing anything That differently with his cooking. Well, from what she could see anyway.

After hearing the sound of a centrifuge at work, Sōma then said out loud for Alice to hear, "Oh? I hear some familiar sounds. Hmm, the sound a little louder than I'm used to though. Are those gadgets working properly?"

That was when Alice happily explained as she worked on one of the gadgets, "Oh, these are bigger and much more complex than the ones those Trinity friends of yours uses."

As Sōma started cutting some kind of fish, he replied, "I guess they might be bigger, but I'm not sure about the complexity. When it comes to any type of "Assembling", Kon can make a lot of interesting things with a little extra function here and there. It's pretty much an obsession of hers."

Alice stopped what she was doing. She then turned her attention completely towards Sōma and asked in a seriously shocked tone, "Wait a minute! Are you saying that Konny-chan made those miniature centrifuges and the rotary evaporator for that suitcase lab that Fox-Eyes used when he was at the diner?"

"Fox-Eyes?" Sōma muttered to himself curiously as he continued cooking. That was when the blind redhead realized who the albino was talking about, he said, "Oh, right. That's your nickname for Ishi. And to answer your question, yes. Kon made those devices. Don't ask me how she made them or where she got the materials for them, but she made them from scratch."

Alice placed a finger to her chin and then said loud enough for Sōma to hear, "You mentioned this whole "Assembling" thing before, around the start of the Menu Contest. I kind of thought that was her word for "cooking", but I guess you were literal in the meaning."

Sōma check the temperature of the soup stock when he said, "In a way, it means both. Kon's strongest attribute is her ability to pretty much "Assemble" anything. Cooking falls under the "Assembling" category, so pretty much falls under Kon's speciality."

As Alice started cooking the rice, she then asked Sōma in a bit of a huffy tone, "Are you sure Konny-chan isn't your girlfriend?"

Sōma visibly frowned and stated in an uncharacteristically stern tone, "I thought we explain this already. We are Just Friends. F-R-I-E-N-D-S. It's just the word "Assemble" is kind of the best way to describe Kon's skill set. Besides, it's completely possible for a guy and a gal to just be very good friends that have no romantic interest in one another. Kashii-san and Aira-sensei are a good example of that."

"Eh?! Wait you mean they're not a couple?!" Alice exclaimed in pure shock, right before the centrifuge dinged when it finished.

With a look on his face that practically screamed 'Seriously? We're talking about this?' Sōma stated, "Uh, no... They're not a couple... They're just really good friends... *Sigh* Why do people assume a guy and a girl are a couple just because they get along really well? It's pretty annoying that people never seem to think that a guy and a girl can just be friends with no underlining romantic interest..."

Alice couldn't help but ask, "Has that happened with you and Konny-chan? The people thinking that you and she are an item?"

Sōma nodded and said, "Just because we get along pretty well, a lot of my classmates from my old school thought she was my girlfriend. I couldn't understand why they would think that we were a couple, and, I'm sure you've noticed, Kon isn't exactly good with social interactions and she thought they were insulting us because we're labelled as "Disabled". It was an annoying thing to go through. Surprisingly and ironically, the only one who didn't believe those rumours when he heard them was Pops, but I'm pretty sure it was because he knows us. Ishi and Kii were the ones who dispel that schoolyard rumour and explained to my classmates that Kon and I were just friends."

Alice couldn't help but mention that that ordeal had to be annoying, to which Sōma agreed.

With that, the two contestants went back to cooking their dishes.

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Alice was the first to finish. Which didn't surprise the majority of the audience.

Each tray that Alice served for the judges had a clear dome over it, but there was nothing but mist inside.

"Mist-filled bento box? How does that work as a meal?" Sōma asked in a clueless tone after he heard one of the judges say it out loud. Alice only giggled and said, "Oh, the mist's aesthetics is just one of the appeals." Sōma couldn't help but wonder what the Nakiri meant by that.

Saotome Seishū was the first of the judges to speak, "What a lovely presentation, eminently fit for this setting. My curiosity is indeed piqued!"

When all the judges lifted the last dome off of the plate, the mist started to slowly clear. Once the mist was almost gone, a wooden box with wooden dividers appeared, there were 12 slots in the box, four slots across and three slots down, each one held some type of rolled sushi. Every one of those sushi looked like miniature work of art. Judge Saotome was the one to say, "Beautiful! It's like a box of exquisitely worked gemstones."

Unfazed by the displayed before him, Senzaemon only uttered, "Temari Sushi (1)."

Alice happily said, "Yes, sir! I put all of the very best of my technical knowledge into this Temari bento."

Senzaemon turned a palm near the mist and said, "Aha, I know what that mist was now. It was from a bottle filled with liquid nitrogen!"

Ōizumi Kakinoshin then added, "Aah, I see! So not only was the mist cosmetic, its cool temperature helped maintain the freshness of the sushi!"

That was when Sōma thought, 'Oh, so that's what she meant by 'One of the appeals'. I guess that should be expected from an expert in molecular gastronomy.' The blind redhead then continued cooking as he thought, 'Hope she was careful with the liquid nitrogen.'

Alice asked for the judges to start from the upper left corner of the box and then start working their way towards the right. The five judges complied. The albino then said, "The first will be The Abalone and Sea Urchin, the Bounty of the Sea!" With that, the judges ate the sushi.

"Ah, I see! This foam on top is Kombu seaweed broth that's been whipped into a mousse!" Judge Saotome exclaimed in shock. One of the two extra judges couldn't help but note the delicate umami flavours seeping onto his tongue. Judge Saotome then added, "The fish meat was aged for a day wrapped in kombu. The seaweed pulls just enough of the moisture out of the meat, allowing it to keep longer. A perfect technique for a bento that needs to last." He then took the next sushi in line, the Bonito, and ate it. The rich, powerful umami-filled his mouth with each bite.

Judge Ōizumi noted, 'Aha! This is the result of several umami components melding together! The glutamic acid in the kombu from the previous piece is mixing together in my mouth with the inosinic acid in the bonito!'

Alice then said as she watched the judges' reactions, "I cold age this bonito across two days. Ageing fish and meats boost their umami components, y'know. *Sticks out her tongue and points to it with her spread hands*. In other words, the true effect of this bento comes together in your mouth as you eat it in order from one end to the other."

So that was the true purpose of the entirety of the bento!

The next row of the bento looks to be made entirely from vegetables. Alice was all too happy to explain that the second row did not use a single scrap of seaweed, but instead, the wrappers around each one were a different vegetable that was sliced paper-thin. A beet, a Japanese pumpkin, and a zucchini respectively. The albino couldn't help but add cheerfully, "This bento totally doesn't go for any heavy foods."

The third sushi row was practically screaming that it was the main dish. Raw, cold-aged beef sushi! When the judges ate them, the powerful punch of umami flavour as the two components mixed in their mouths exploded!

Judge Saotome couldn't help but ask, "Hm? Wait a minute. I understand the inosinic as it comes from the beef, but where is the glutamic acid?"

Alice answered by saying, "From the tomatoes." Judge Saotome then said that he didn't see any tomatoes anywhere in the sushi. Alice was only too happy to explain her process of using the unseen ingredient, "They're in there. I first put them in a centrifuge. That broke them down into their parts - the colouring, the fibre, and the jus. I then filtered the jus to purify it even further. Then I just put a few drops on each of the veggie sushi."

The audience was so awestruck by the fact that Alice broke down an ingredient so far that it wasn't even recognizable anymore. The majority wondering how that was even possible. But for those who knew all this technical knowledge, they knew that appliance like a centrifuge and a cryogenic grinder are tools that were first developed to be used in medicine, not cooking. However, even among pro chefs, only a handful are skilled enough to make regular use of such complex machines. So it wasn't too surprising that no one could ever think a high school student would be capable of mastering those particular gadgets to such a degree.

The last sushi in the box appears to be a Sea-Bream with some sort of pink jelly resting on top of a Chinese spoon.

The moment the judges ate what was on the spoon, a splash of flavour-filled their mouths. The pink jelly turned out to be a pearl of condensed soup stock! Once the pearls popped inside someone's mouth and mixed with the Sea-Bream, it tasted like a Sea-Bream Chazuke!

The audience was struck once again with amazement. The albino even included chazuke, the traditional full-course finisher. It was impossible to think that she was able to cram all of that flavour into one little bento box.

Senzaemon seems to be the only one who didn't seem to show much expression as he ate. The only thing he thought was, 'The Prodigal Child of Food Science' indeed. Her skills live up to the great to the weight of that name as her dishes continuously stir both wonder and delight in those who taste them. The satisfaction her dishes bring is akin to the most lavish banquets from the most luxurious traditional inns.' The muscular old man then stood up as he thought, 'From this one small bento box spring a great wash of gastronomic wisdom!' And the upper portion of his yukata burst off in a flood of flavours! Which caused the audience to gasp in amazement once again.

"Uhhh, why is everyone saying that the headmaster is disrobing?" Sōma asked in a very unsure tone as he continued with his cooking. The blind redhead was not sure if he was hearing those words correctly because everyone was talking over one another. But he did hear the faint sound of clothing moving, but wasn't sure if that was from someone "Disrobing" or not over the noise already in the stadium.

While Sōma was debating whether or not someone was disrobing, the first-year students of the audience were feeling a surge of anxiety. A third of them thought, 'someone like her is the same age as me?'. Another third thought, 'are we going to have to fight against a genius upper-level all the way through graduation?'. In the last third thought, 'we could work our whole lives and never get even close to that could!'.

Judge Saotome easily noticed this as he said, "The students gathered here are the world's elite culinary prospects. Yet she has struck fear into the hearts of all of them. The stronger and brighter the talent, the deeper and larger the shadow it casts. It is their misfortune to be caught in it."

Senzaemon placed his right elbow on the table, resting his right cheek on top of his right knuckle, and said, "This is the Totsuki Institute. The weak of heart and frail of mind are not needed here. *Points towards the arena*. Besides, look there." The headmaster was pointing directly at Sōma, who added the finishing touches to his bentos. Senzaemon then added, "There is at least one chef who stands unfazed."

When Sōma stated that he was done, the headmaster asked what kind of dish he was presenting. "Nori bento, sir," Sōma said with a smile on his face, there was absolutely no hesitation in his speech.

No one in the audience knew how to respond to that...

Alice did ask Sōma what a Nori bento was. The blind redhead happily smiled and stated that he made one for her to eat along with the bentos for the judges. Then Sōma said, "Mine isn't a normal Nori Bento, though. This is the "Yukihira-Style Advance Nori Bento". You can go on and dig in as soon as I bring the tray to you judges!" The blind redhead then placed five containers onto a tray. The thing that popped into everyone's mind was that the containers look nothing like the traditional bento boxes. Sōma then placed the tray onto a trolley and carefully pushed it towards the judges' table. Once the trolley stopped due to coming in contacted with the table, the blind redhead then started placing the containers onto the judges' table

Judge Ōizumi was the first to say, "Oho! A Nori bento conjures up images of a square, single-layer bento box, but this is a multi-layer portable type. How interesting!"

Judge Saotome then added, "This type of container is known as a Lunch Jar. Its stainless steel exterior and thermal installation helps the rice and soup retained much of their heat!"

~Lunch Jars tend to have three separate storage layers. One for Sides, one for Rice, and one for Soup.~

Alice then said in a bit of a childish tone, "Wow. Japanese bentos have gotten pretty advance!"

Sōma smiled as he took out his collapsible cane from his pocket and took a few steps away from the judges' table, used said cane to find the nearest cooking countertop, and leaned his back against it. The blind redhead then said, "Yeah! In the latest models, food stays pretty hot, even after half a day. If you pour the soup and while it's piping hot, it helps the rice retain its heat." Alice did say that that was clever.

To the audience, it was very weird seeing the two contestants not looking the least bit nervous. With all things considered, the audience would assume that the blind redhead would be the one to be a nervous wreck. Especially with his losing conditions... But then again, to anyone in the food industries, marrying into the Nakiri family was an extraordinary opportunity. Pretty odd for a losing condition when you stop to think about it.

As Ikumi couldn't help but say to the Polaris dorm members, "She may be all cheerfulness and smiles, but I guarantee you that thought she might lose has even crossed her mind! Cht! She's probably already planning the whole wedding already!" The Polaris Dorm members couldn't help but note that the Meat Master seemed a little too angry with that last statement.

Mayu didn't seem all that concern about the whole Shokugeki thing. She knew her brother all too well to know that she didn't have to worry about him during this match.

The judges took out all of the compartments inside the Lunch Jar and open the compartment containing the Sides.

The judges took a bite of one of the three side dishes. One of the extra judges couldn't help but marvel, "Oho! What a delectable isobe-fried fish cake! It's light, fluffy, and has a pleasantly crispy crunch. *Turns to Judge Ōizumi*. The deep, mellow flavour of the kinpira burdock root is a delight as well! I can taste a hint of mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar, which gives it a more full-bodied flavour."

Judge Ōizumi happily replied, "Yes. It shows an admirable attention to detail by the chef!"

The audience was awestruck. The judges… They… Actually liked the food. However one of the things that kept popping up within the murmurs of the audience was that Sōma's dish looked far too plain compared to Alice's dish, which had an eye-catching presentation and a flashy plating. The majority of those murmurs also add that it had to be because the redhead was blind.

Judge Ōizumi looked at the second side dish and said, "Now let's try the deep-fried fish. *He used his chopsticks to cut the deep-fried fish with no effort*. Look! It cuts easily with just chopsticks. It looks like the white-fish he chose is cod. *Picks up part of the cod with his chopsticks and examines it*. I expect he simmered the fillets in soup stock and seasonings before he deep-fried them. That makes it juicier and gives it a light and fluffy texture." Judge Ōizumi took just one bite of the deep-fried cod and it sent him in a shiny field where he was somehow wearing white lederhosen looking clothing as he gleefully frolicked through the field.

The moment he remembered where he was, Judge Ōizumi suddenly thought in shock, 'Whaaat?! Where did this delicately mild and airy flavour come from? I can't taste a hint of the normally fishy bitterness! It's as sweet and clean as a spring breeze blowing across a flowering plain!' That was when Judge Ōizumi suddenly exclaimed, "This is a far more exquisite and refined taste then you would expect from a dish that is at first blush only B-grade gourmet!" This got Alice's attention pretty quickly. Judge Ōizumi then wondered out loud how the blind redhead managed to achieve such a flavour.

Senzaemon looked at the cod he held in his chopsticks and said, "I expect that answer lies in the soup stock used. *Smiles*. This was simmered in stock made from dried tuna."

The audience then murmured over one another, surprised by the fact that the blind redhead used dried tuna in a Nori bento.

Sōma smiled and said cheerfully, "That's right, sir! I simmered the cod fillets in stock are made from dried tuna and rishiri kombu."

~Dried Tuna; yellowfin tuna is smoked and dried and then shaven into tissue-paper-then chips. Unlike the more standard dried bonito, it's savoury flavour is lighter, subtler, and more refined.~

One of the extra judges couldn't help but marvel as he said, "It is that delicacy that makes its flavour so easily destroyed if the chef mishandles it even the slightest.

Judge Ōizumi then added, "But cod, already known for its light savoury flavour, matches perfectly with it! Not only that, but he also beer-battered the fillets, eliminating the usual fishy oiliness!"

Next up was the Soup.

The other extra judge opened the soup compartment, revealing that the soup was a bacon and onion miso soup.

A single taste of the soup brought the judges back to the cheerful flowering fields. This whole thing was very unexpected! The bacon matches ridiculously well with the miso! The unique aroma of dried tuna stock tickles the nose. That coupled with the thick sweetness of the onions wraps the whole body in fresh spring bliss.

Sōma then happily explained his idea for the soup dish, "By the way, there's a little trick to this soup that you can only do with this bento box. You don't have to cook anything. All you do is dump the hot broth, seasoning, and veggies in all at once. Then, just by carrying it around for a few hours, you'll have a hot, delicious, fully cooked soup ready when you want it. But since it was to be served right away today, I went ahead and cooked everything first. I do have some alternative recipes of this soup for individuals that can't eat certain foods like bacon."

Alice liked that ingenuity when she said, "Wow. That's awfully convenient. *Leans over the countertop so she could make sure that the blind redhead would hear her better*. You totally know a lot about this whole bento thing, Sōma-Koi."

Sōma took note that Alice was near him when he said, "I guess, I used to make them back at the diner. Still, do actually when the customer requests it."

That was when Alice said with a sly smile, "But it's still not good enough, ya'know. All the little twists you put in are too plain and boring. A bento should be full of bright delicacies and interesting surprises. Like how my bento was."

Sōma then said in a bit of a cheerful tone, "Yeah, it sure sounds like it, considering how the judges are reacting to your bento. *Turns an ear towards Alice* Could'ja make it for me sometime?"

Alice happily replied with a giggle, "Maybe I'll have it served at the wedding reception~."

Sōma turned his attention towards the judges' table when he stated, "Still, in the end… Was your dish really good as a bento?" Alice quickly responded by asking in a serious tone what the blind redhead meant by that. Sōma then closed his unseeing eyes and said, "I'm just thinking about what it is that we're really supposed to be packing into that box."

~}{ Flashback: Six Years Ago. Sōma and Mayu: Age 9, Fourth Grade. (Quick note, while this isn't a first-person pov, it's mostly from Sōma's viewpoint. So I'm not describing anyone's appearance here. Sorry, but it's a part of this world's storyline). }{~

It's been three years since Sōma lost his sight, but he managed to adjust pretty well to living in the world of darkness and was able to get back to what he loved the most. Cooking. So long as Sōma was supervised by his parents, of course. They weren't quite ready to let him cook in the kitchen by himself just yet, especially after...

Little Mayu burst into the kitchen and happily told her older twin brother, "Onii-chan! She's here! She's here!" Little Sōma's face lit up as he let his sister take his hand and dragged him into the diner.

Jōichirō smiled as he watched this. He was thankful that that person helped his son get back on his feet. Jōichirō chuckled when Sōma told Her all the stuff he made today with eggplants as the main ingredient. Mayu stuck her tongue out when her brother mentioned the more "distasteful" eggplant dishes.

"Looks like someone had fun with all of those eggplants this morning," Jōichirō's wife told him as she held a sleeping three-year-old Hiro in her arms. The former Totsuki student couldn't help but smile and nod at the comment.

}{ A few days later }{

"EH?! What'ya mean She's not coming in today?" Sōma wined after his father broke the news. Mayu looked up at her father with big curious eyes and repeated her twin's question.

Jōichirō sighed and said, "Because she didn't want to get anyone else sick. Flu season has been pretty bad this year, and a lot of people have been getting sick. And unfortunately, she got hit hard."

That was when a regular customer added, "No kidding. I heard from the other tenants of her building that she hasn't been able to leave her unit for two days because of the flu."

Mayu looked at her twin brother to see that he had a look on his face that practically spelt-out "I want to do something to help her".

}{ That Afternoon }{

Mayu rang the doorbell of an apartment unit. Sōma carefully tied the bento onto a long sturdy stick. When there was no response, Mayu pressed the doorbell again. The twins heard a raspy voice call out from inside the unit, "Yes, yes, I'm coming. *Coughs*." Mayu then took a couple of steps away from the door.

Sōma heard the door open and then heard Her say in a raspy tone, "Huh? What are you two doing here? *Covers mouth and coughs*. Oh! It might be best if you don't come any closer. I don't want you to catch what I have."

Mayu smiled and said, "Don't worry we came prepared." The girl then held up the long stick and carefully waved the cloth that held the wrapped bento over to the door.

That was when Sōma said, "It was slow at the diner today and when I heard that you were sick, I made you this to make you feel better."

When She saw this, she asked, "A bento? Did the two of you come all this way just to bring this to me?" When she saw the Yukihira Twins smile, She smiled back, took the wrapped bento off the stick, and thanked the two for their kind gesture.

The two said their goodbyes before heading off.

When She looked at the folded note that came with the bento, she knew that Mayu had to have written it.

The note read, "Sōma-oniichan wanted you to get better soon, so he made this bento to make you feel better." She chuckled when she finished reading that before she started coughing once again. She then sat at the table to open the bento. "Oh, it's still warm," She said with a soft smile. She then took a bite of the chicken. She smiled as the crisp, crunchy flavour of the breading mixed perfectly with the juicy chicken. It soothed her sore throat as she swallowed it.

She then unfolded the note to read the rest of it. It read, "P.S. Look under the nori before you eat the rice! I wanted to add something to make you feel better too."

She followed the note and removed the large piece of nori that covered the rice. What she saw couldn't help but bring a smile to her face.

~}{ End Flashback }{~

Smiling at the memory, Sōma said, "That day... I learned precisely what is supposed to go into a bento…"

Judge Ōizumi picked up the final compartment and said, "Now then, let's see the rice. The keystone of a nori bento is none other than the rice and the sheet of nori on top of it. Is the nori flavoured with soy sauce mirin? Or did he choose simply to roast it? This is where the chef shows his individuality! *Opens the Rice compartment, and now in an excited tone*. Which is it?"

All five of the judges were shocked to see what was in that particular compartment. One of them shouted, "This is supposed to be a nori bento?!"

That was when Sōma smirked and said, "Go on, take a bite. Taste how good it is and see if you can discover for yourself what else is in there."

}{ In Front of Shokujidokoro Yukihira at This Very Moment }{

"Damn it! Ore-sama (2) forgot that Sōma-chan and Mayu-chan went back to that Totsuki School," Tatsumi Nagayuki griped as he ran a hand through his lavender-grey hair.

Tatsumi Takeyasu looked at his older brother and said, "Wow, that's really unlike you to forget something like that, Bro."

Nagayuki glanced at his younger brother and said, "Ore-sama guesses that even Ore-sama can have an off day… *Places both hands behind his head and looks up at the sign*. Ore-sama can also guess that those "Summer Workers" also went back to Tostuki..."

Takeyasu gave his older brother a suspicious look when he asked, "Are you disappointed that those losers left? You know they'll be back next summer right?"

Nagayuki shook his head and stated, "Cht, Ore-sama is Not disappointed they left. Ore-sama is just wondering if those five idiots should be going back to that prestigious cooking school. Ore-sama is sure that Sōma-chan contacted the headmaster of it and told him what happened during the Menu Contest."

Takeyasu thought about this for a bit before finally saying, "You have a point, Bro... They did break one of the big rules of the Menu Contest… I mean, admittedly, we do break some of the rules just for fun sometimes, but we make sure no one gets hurt… Also… It's not exactly easy to piss off Sōma-chan and Eiji… And those five managed to piss off BOTH of them…"

Nagayuki folded his arms in front of his chest as he gave a thoughtful look at the diner's doors and said, "No kidding."

That was when both with their stomachs started growling in hunger. The sound echoed down the street.

Right… Since their favourite diner wasn't open at the moment, they had to find someplace else to eat.

}{ Back to Totsuki }{

Everyone, but Sōma was feeling the surge of pure shock at what they were seeing on top of the Rice. Piled on top of the rice were a large number of Black Pearl-like orbs.

The audience murmured theories among themselves about what those black pearls were. Some of the students theorize that the black pearls were caviar, but that was quickly dismissed because the black pearls were too big to be caviar.

Judge Ōizumi's curiosity was piqued. He had to try the black pearls. With his chopsticks, he picked up a few of the black pearls and a bit of rice. The moment he chewed on the pearls, they exploded with the pure flavour of nori!

Judge Saotome ate a few of the pearls. He couldn't help but say with a blissful smile, "Delicious! Not only is the pop of the pearl a fun texture, but the salty, savoury flavour of the nori also melds seamlessly with the rice! I can barely stop myself! It's an addicting combination!"

The moment Alice realize what those black pearls were, she asked Sōma, "Wait! How do you know that technique? Those pearls are nori extract gelled into a spherical shape. The only way to do that is by using a Calcium Chloride bath and an Alginic-Acid gelling agent!"

"What the heck?!" "That's food science!" "Yukihira pulled a page from Nakiri Alice's book!" The majority of the audience yammered, trying to wrap their head around this unexpected turn of events.

Sōma answered with a playful smirk, "I've experimented with this stuff before, ya'know. Also, I'm sure you remember that Ishi's pretty good when it comes to chemistry. So sometimes we do these Jelly Pearl experiments with soups when we get the chance. *Pulls out a small bag of a do-it-yourself candy product called Pop-Pop Pearls*. These Educational Candies are a real blast and they're surprisingly versatile, even if they are for kids."

The blind redhead holds the candy out so Alice could take it. She took it and looked at the ingredients list and saw the words Calcium Chloride and Alginic-Acid.

Sōma then continued his explanation, "To put it simply, kids play with that to learn how to make their own jelly pearls. Oh man, Ishi and I have made a lot of different stuff with this kind of experiment, we actually made miso pearls one time. Ahh, whoops! I'm getting a little too sidetracked... Anyway, you can get alginic acid and calcium chloride at any pharmacy, so they're not that hard to get. I used those, along with some seasoned nori extract and a little bit of ingenuity to make these Savory Nori Bombs. My own spin on the Traditional Nori Bento."

Now Ryoko understood what Sōma meant! And she remembered that the blind redhead and Megumi were given some educational candies from the kids the other day.

The audience was awestruck! The blind transfer student used a food science trick from a package of children's dagashi candy!

Judge Ōizumi noticed a hidden layer within the rice when he said, "I see something that looks like okaka mince tuna hiding inside the rice." He takes a bite of the nori pearls, rice, and the stuff from the hidden layer. A surge of compatible flavours burst into Judge Ōizumi's mouth when he thought, 'Mmmm! It's dry tuna tsukudani! This, too, earns full marks for its flavour! And it's smooth, the juicy texture is a wonderful contrast to the pop of this nori pearls! The rice portion of this bento is comprised of four distinct layers! You don't just blindly eat it to complement the sides you delve into it looking for a new one delicious discoveries!'

In all of the judges' honest opinion, they would compare Nakiri Alice's bento to a meticulously organized jewellery box. However, they would compare Yukihira Sōma's bento to a treasure chest full of wonder and surprises!

Judge Ōizumi and Judge Saotome couldn't help remembering their childhoods. While on a family trip, they would sit down for a picnic lunch and both judges (who were kids at the time) would excitedly open up the bento box eager to see what was waiting for them inside!

"Yeah, but it's still not good enough. My bento is totally better in overall taste! It was a full-course meal including the traditional chazuke finisher! Your little nori-pearl trick is just that, a short little trick, nothing more!" Alice stated as she was pretty much wolfing down the nori bento that Sōma made for her.

Sōma was able to hear the sounds of chopsticks, the albino chewing, and talking. He then said, "Whoa! Slow down! You're going to choke! And could you please leave at least a third of your rice." The blind redhead then told the judges, "Check under the lid of the bento box. There's another container hidden there."

Judge Ōizumi found the hidden container and carefully opened the lid. "It's Kuzu Sauce!"

~Kuzu Sauce: Seaweed broth is flavoured with mild soy sauce and then begin with kuzu (arrowroot) starts to make kuzu sauce. It is generally poured over steamed or boiled foods as a sauce, but some Kyoto restaurants serve it on the side of Okayu rice gruel.~

Sōma took Alice's serving of rice, place it on the nearby countertop, and said, "The broth used for this sauce is the same nori-tuna broth I used for the fried cod, just triple concentrated. One bite should fill the mouth with the delicate, savoury flavour of tuna. Take this, and poured over the rice." The blind redhead then felt the countertop for Alice's portion of Kuzu Sauce. When he found it, he took the lid off of it and felt around for the rice container. When Sōma had the serving of rice in hand, he poured the Kuzu Sauce into the rice container.

When the judges did the same, they couldn't help but practically shout, "B-but that... Would be much… Much too delicious to take!" They couldn't help but inhaled the rice, nori pearls, and the tuna layer. The judges couldn't help but blissfully complement the flavour of the food.

One of the members of the audience couldn't help but say, "Dude, check out the judges. Totally different from Nakiri Alice's bento… They look kinda like… They're having fun with Yukihira's..." This was… This was something that a lot of the students didn't expect to see firsthand. They never expected the blind redhead to make something that would cause the judges to forget where they were, what they were doing, and just simply enjoy the meal.

Alice watched the judges expressed their happiness for a bit before finally saying to the blind redhead, "Sōma-koi, is this what you were trying to say earlier? You aren't trying to tell me it's Heart or Spirit or some drivel like that, right? The most important thing for a bento, or any dish really, is the taste. This pseudo-psychological verities like the heart are totally out of the-"

"No," the voice of the headmaster stated, causing Alice stopped in mid-sentence. Senzaemon then said in a stern tone, "This is no psychological vagary, Alice." Senzaemon was no longer wearing the upper portion of his yukata.

"What do you mean by that, sir?" Alice asked, wondering when her grandfather disrobed.

Senzaemon then said, "Alice, your bento made extensive use of cold foods and chilling techniques."

Alice then replied, "Of course, grandfather. A bento is going to turn cold, after all."

Senzaemon then continued speaking in a teacher-like tone to his granddaughter when he said, "Yukihira Sōma made no such assumptions. "Is there not some way to enjoy a warm lunch, even should half a day have passed?" That, Alice, is why he first turned his attention to the box itself, the first layer of a bento. He then filled it with fun and delicious foods that took full advantage of that warmth, creating a bento that was as entertaining as it was filling. You, however, could have presented this same dish had today's theme instead been sushi. It was, of course, exquisitely delicious. But what you did was simply take your skills as they were and plop them into a container. Flavours that could be found only in a bento, fresh ideas that could advance bento culture. Something that is new and educating precisely because it is a bento. Did your dish have any of that, Alice?"

Holding Alice's rice portion under his nose, breathing in the hot scent of the dish, Sōma then said, "Still, I'm not going to disagree with you when you said the taste is paramount. *Holds the rice portion out for the albino to take*. So how about you dig in and taste this for yourself, Nakiri Alice."

Alice took the rice section filled with kuzu sauce and ate a little bit of it. As the flavour of the dish filled her mouth, she remembered a party that seemed to be an awful reminder of how everyone seemed to favour Erina rather than her. When they spoke to Alice they never talked about her, just about Erina. How Erina was doing. That Erina was so busy. That Erina had the Divine Tongue. That Erina is the future of the Nakiri Family. How they wanted Alice to give Erina their best regards. Erina this! Erina that! Erina! Erina! Erina!

Erina didn't attend the party, Alice did, and yet everyone wanted to talk to her about Erina! Always Erina!

Alice took another mouthful of rice, nori pearls, and kazu sauce.

}{ Flashback }{

"I'm actually impressed by that," Sōma stated honestly, then continued by saying in a rather happy tone "I mean, you have to have a lot of guts to actually want your amazing tasting food to look ordinary and the ability to make it look exactly how you want to. After all, if you're expecting to eat one thing, but taste the flavour of something unexpected delicious, it adds a hell of an impact on what you're eating."

}{ End Flashback }{

A tear rolled down Alice's cheek. Sōma was the first person outside of the immediate acquaintances that knew Alice to compliment her cooking as it is, Her Cooking. Not cooking that was expected of a Nakiri, not cooking that was probably a milder version of what to expect from Erina's cooking and not a direct comparison to Erina's cooking. Just Nakiri Alice's cooking, her own style.

Alice then took some more mouthfuls of the dish. The heat from the food seems to warm more than just her body.

The judges' decision was unanimous. The headmaster stood up, the upper portion of his yukata still off his body, took a giant calligraphy brush, that seemed to be as long as he was tall, and wrote down on a huge scroll of paper the winner of the match.

Senzaemon then bellowed out for all to hear, "For this first quarter-final round, I hereby declare the winner… Yukihira Sōma!" The sign with the blind redhead's name was then risen for all to see.

Sōma took off his bandanna and stated his catchphrase, "Happy to Serve!"

The audience was stunned! Nakiri Alice... Lost! A Nakiri lost! The majority of the audience couldn't believe it. They never would have expected Alice to lose during the first round of the quarterfinals. With one of the judges being her grandfather… They didn't think she could lose…

'Does he... Really have that much skill? Even though he's blind?' The majority of the audience thought about Sōma.

}{ At the Juuni Taisen Building Complex this Very Moment }{

"I never expected that to happen, especially not with any of the Elite 10 of Totsuki. I have to say, I'm extremely disappointed…" Kashii Eiji heard a familiar voice say through the phone.

Kashii-san sighed softly before saying calmly, "I know I would not use the word "Disappointed" to describe my feelings for what happened, Jōichirō. However, judging by your tone it seems you are not quite sure what you are feeling about the whole situation." The long-haired man may not be living in the culinary world like his friend, but he was aware of how big Totsuki was in that world and the long-haired man was also a bit of a foodie.

The long-haired man heard the chef sigh heavily on the other line. Jōichirō then stated, "I guess you're right… Sōma already told me this before he went back to Totsuki… But… *Sigh* It's just… How do I accurately describe how I feel about one member of the Elite 10 serving a dish she knew wasn't allowed and four members of the Elite 10 not even checking the ingredients that they were using until it was too late? Not to mention that one of those four is one of the granddaughters of Totsuki's current Headmaster…"

Kashii-san looked out the window of his living unit and stated in a stern tone, "Rage for their negligence, Disgust for their blatant disregard for the rules, Annoyance for the fact that they are supposed to be the best of the best from your old high school, and Anger for doing it at your diner in front of your children and customers."

"Ah..." Jōichirō vocalized over the phone before finally saying, "I guess that would be an accurate way to described how I feel about the whole thing..."

"It was how I felt after it had happened," Kashii-san stated as he closed his eyes and waited for his friend to respond.

The line was eerily silent for an entire minute. At first, Kashii-san thought the line was disconnected before Jōichirō finally said, "I guess I really shouldn't be surprised, you were there, I wasn't… Say, Eiji. Do you think there would've been any different if I had been there?"

Kashii-san bluntly replied, "I will be honest with you, I do not think it would have been any different if you were there. There only would have been another person who would have been enraged by their actions."

Jōichirō's only response was, "Yeah... I think you're right."

}{ Back at Totsuki }{

Sōma then asked the headmaster of Totsuki, "Before you start the next round, you mind telling us why the Shokugeki Administration Department worded the terms of the Shokugeki differently than what we agreed to? I thought we were specific in what we wanted for the terms for our Shokugeki."

Alice popped up next to the blind redhead and stated in a childishly huffy tone, "Yeah, grandfather! Why did they re-word the terms of our Shokugeki?"

Senzaemon motioned for Yamano Shin to come over to explain everything to the two students. The raven-haired man calmly told them, "I can understand why you were a bit confused about the word changes during the announcement. However, the term "Nakiri Alice is to stop her current romance advancements towards Yukihira Sōma" was a bit more appropriate for us to say to the Totsuki body rather than "Nakiri Alice is to stop clinging to Yukihira Sōma's arm whenever she sees him". But rest assured the Shokugeki terms that you originally agreed upon with the original wording is the official term that we are going by. I do apologize if the wording for the announcement made it sound like something different."

"Ah, okay," was all Sōma vocalized while Alice sighed in relief.

That was when Senzaemon asked in a bit of an amused tone, "Was there any particular reason you were concerned about the wording?"

Alice got all huffy when she stated, "Because what they use during the announcement totally made it sound like I'm supposed to give up on making Sōma-koi my husband if I lose! And there was no way I'll ever give up trying to make Sōma-koi my husband!"

Senzaemon glanced at Sōma and asked, "And your thoughts on this, Yukihira-kun?"

Sōma only shrugged and said, "I'm fine with it. I just wanted to know why they reworded the terms for the announcement."

Senzaemon only smiled at this as the two turned to leave the arena. Sōma walked to his end as the shouted at the blind redhead, "I will make you my husband one day, Sōma-koi!" Senzaemon couldn't help but let out a small smile at this. The headmaster signalled for the next two contenders to come to the arena for the next round.

The next match was Tadokoro Megumi vs Kurokiba Ryō, the theme is Ramen.

Sōma smiled when he heard the names announced. Before he left the battle area to move to the stands with his friends and dorm-mates, the blind redhead shouted to the two new contenders, "I wish the both of you best of luck! I know that you both'll make delicious dishes!" And with that Sōma headed towards the stands. Both Megumi and Ryō let out a small smile at this.

~}i{ The Match Between Ryō and Megumi is the Same as the Canon }i{~

"Wah~, that was a close match ya'know," Sōma with a smile on his face. Megumi might not have made the headmaster go "Bear-Chested", but she did make a splendid ramen dish, according to the judges. The blind redhead then stated, "It seems Ryō-kun made some improvements to his cooking since the Menu Contest." Mayu nodded at her twin's comment.

"Menu contest?" The members of the Polaris dorm, the Aldini Twins, and Ikumi asked in unison.

The Yukihira Twins happily explain their Annual Menu Addition Contest that they hold every summer at their diner. What the rules of the contest were, the categories for the contest, and the rotating panel of judges.

"You and Mayu-chan were on the panel of judges for this year's contest?" Isshiki asked curiously as they all headed back to the Polaris dorm.

Sōma nodded and said, "Pops' is the permanent judge for the menu contest, but he wasn't at the diner during the contest, so we asked one of our regular customers to fill in for him." The members of the Polaris dorm couldn't help but think that those were some pretty big shoes to fill... Seriously, who could even fill the position of a judge that was normally reserved for a former 1st Seat of the Elite 10?

"Kashii-san is not only a good friend of Pops, he always fair-minded when it comes to acting as a judge," Mayu said as she stretched her arms a bit. She then stated, "Besides, out of everyone who was at the diner, Kashii-san was the best option for a judge."

Ikumi raised a brow and asked, "I know that I shouldn't be asking this, but wouldn't Nakiri Erina be a better fit to judge food? I mean, she does have the Divine Palette."

The Yukihira twins stated in unison without the slightest bit of hesitation, "Considering her track record of food judgment, her past choices, and not to mention that she is completely biased in her opinions and wouldn't make a fair decision."

That was when Mayu added, "Cheese-Otaku made sure we remembered that particular fact." Sōma nodded at that. Mayu then said, "Besides, those ex-Elite 10 aren't going to be participating in next year's Menu Addition Contest anytime soon." The blind redhead verbally agreed with his twin sister.

The Polaris dorm members, the Aldini Twins, and Ikumi glanced at one another wondering if they should ask the two Yukihiras about what happened over the summer that had half of the Elite 10 removed from power. However, none of them were sure if they should be asking about that now. They'd figured that it might be a good idea to ask after the Autumn Elections are over.

}{ Meanwhile, at the Same Time }{

Nakiri Senzaemon was currently in the washroom, fixing his fundoshi (it's a type of loincloth) that came undone after he ate Megumi's Kozuyu Chicken Soy Sauce Ramen. The Headmaster had to admit, even though the timid girl lost, she still had some hidden potential that had yet to awaken.

To the Headmaster of Totsuki, the 92nd generation had some real diamonds in the rough.

~}i{ The Next Morning }i{~

The other members of the Polaris Dorm already left to watch the next match of the Autumn Elections; however, Sōma said that he wanted to take his time with getting to the arena and listen to nature on his way there. Mayu wanted to go with her twin brother, but Sōma politely declined and told his twin sister that he already had the directions to the arena on his phone to let him know when to turn. So the blind redhead was currently making his way to the arena.

The sound of the leaves rustling in the wind complemented the vocals that the birds whistled. The occasional sound of a flute-like tune sang when the wind blew through the gaps within the trees. Some small critters chattered and scurried around the ground. Sōma's footsteps and cane kept the beat to this soft, peaceful song.

Sōma's phone then suddenly alerted him that he was almost at the stadium. The blind redhead gave a small smile when he heard the faint sounds of chatter from his fellow students. This sound sounded muffled rather than just being far away. Yes, the stadium was just around the corner.

That was when Sōma heard the sound of some kind of motor. It quickly got louder and louder as a got closer and closer until it was right next to the blind redhead.

"Yukihira Sōma," a voice from where the motor sound was coming from said. The blind redhead recognized the voice belonging to the eighth qualifier for the finals. "You don't mind if we walk into the arena together, do you? I mean, we are supposed to be heading in there anyway," The owner of the voice asked.

Sōma shrugged his shoulders a bit and said, "Oh, sure, I don't mind. By the way, are you riding some kind of scooter? I hear a motor."

The other student dismount and stated, "Ah, it's a motorcycle. Oh, give me just a second to lock her up."

Sōma heard the sounds of bike locks being set in place, the sound of a weathered tarp being placed on top of an object, a rope being wrapped around the tarp, and the sound of a lock to keep everything in place.

"Uh, is the weather tarp necessary? The weather report stated that it was going to be clear skies all day," Sōma asked what he heard the other student walked over towards him.

The towering student then stated with a smirk, "Oh, these are just normal precautionary measures. I even officially registered my bike with the police and have a GPS locator installed. This way even if it ever gets stolen, although immediately where it is!"

Sōma couldn't help but comment, "Wow, you must love this motorcycle, so I guess it makes sense that you want to take care of it."

The towering student smirked again when he said, "Bi Ni Iri Sai Wo Ugatsu (3) is my motto. That goes for everything, cooking and otherwise!"

Sōma chuckled a bit when he said, "Tsujiie-san used to say that proverb a lot when he plays some of his video games. You must be very meticulous to have a motto like that."

The towering student smirked at that before he said, "I guess you can say that about me. Oh, right, I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? My name's Mimasaka Subaru! Remember it." As much as the student wanted to show off the golden embroidery of his name on his jacket, that he stitched on himself by hand, he knew it wouldn't have much of an impact on the blind redhead.

Sōma then heard the announcer saying that the next match will start soon. "I think we need to hurry over," the blind redhead stated as he started walking towards the noise.

Subaru shoved his hands in his pocket when he said as he walked alongside the blind redhead, "It's fine, there's no need to rush."

Sōma couldn't help but wonder what the other meant by that.

}{

The theme of the third quarterfinal match is Hamburgers.

Senzaemon explained the requirements for the theme, "Any cooked patty sandwiched between two buns will qualify as a hamburger. Contestants have free reign over the type of patty and bundling use."

The announcer then requested that the two contestants for the match come forward.

As it turned out, this match would be Hayama Akira vs Arato Hisako.

As they were making their way to the main arena, Akira told the pinkette, "Give your master a message for me. *Ties his hair back in a ponytail*. I'm going to replace her on the Elite 10. And while I'm at it, I'll have the top spot too."

Hisako scoffed at the message in replied, "Let that be your last foolish boast. Erina-sama will be back on the Elite 10 in no time. And the next one to join her there will be me."

"I highly doubt either of those will come true," Akira growled out as the spotlight appeared on the two of them. Hisako glared at the whitette as the announcer introduced them.

Once the two got to the stations, the match began.

~}{ Time Skip; Close to the End of the Cooking Time. (Sorry, but it's pretty much the same as the Canon, so I don't need to write that out) }{~

Sōma got a little lost while trying to find where his friends and sister were sitting. The inside of the arena was pretty much a network of maze-like corridors. 'They might want to add braille plating to put next to the signs they have here. I don't know where I am...' the blind redhead thought to himself.

When Sōma took a deep breath, he could smell the potent aroma of meat.

'Ah! I must be close to the stands,' Sōma thought with a smile as he followed the delicious smelling aroma.

After roughly a minute of walking towards the smell, Sōma heard the announcer say that the cooking time has concluded and that now was time for the judging.

"Aw man, I missed the prep," Sōma said out loud in a disappointed tone.

"Sōma? What are you doing here?" The blind redhead heard Hayama Akira's voice ask. The blind redhead turned an ear to the sound when the whitette adds, "Shouldn't you be in the stands?"

Yup, Sōma ended up back into the match area of the stadium rather than the stands with the rest of the audience.

Sōma walked over to Hayama's voice when he asked, "Whoa, I really did get lost while trying to navigate this place. I ended up following the wondrous smell here. Hold on, from what you said... Does that mean that you were cooking in this match? Against whom?"

Akira blinked when he answered, "I'm cooking against Secretary Girl. You know, Erina's little tag-a-long lackey." Hisako, of course, glared at the whitette at the comment.

That was when Sōma thought, 'Now what Subaru said earlier made sense, but how did know that he wasn't going to be in this match? The contestants aren't supposed to know when they're match is going to happen until they arrive at the stadium...' Something wasn't right.

Senzaemon heard and watched this before saying, "It seems like we have to make some improvements to our stadiums so that everyone can navigate better. But that is a task for another time. Shall we taste the dishes that have just been made? You may try these dishes if you wish to, Yukihira-kun."

Sōma tilted his head to the side a bit when he asked, "Eh, is it ok for me to intrude on this? I mean, I kinda came here by accident."

Akira chuckled and stated, "I don't mind. I made a portion for Secretary Girl, I'll just cut that in half so you can try my dish." Sōma did ask if it was really alright, to which Akira replied that it was fine.

"I do not see a problem with you trying these dishes alongside the judges," Senzaemon stated, glancing at the other judges. All of whom nodded in agreement. They didn't mind the blind redhead being there. That was when the headmaster added, "Besides, you seem to have a rather acute sense of taste and it would be nice to hear your opinion about these dishes." Sōma was taken back by that while at the same time being confused about it.

Hisako served her dish first. Which was a Turtle Burger.

"Turtle Burger?" Sōma vocalized before asking in a very nervous tone, "Has the turtle had any health problems? Eaten anything bad for it? And how did it die?"

Hisako seems to take this as an insult when she snapped, "The turtle was perfectly healthy, it has eaten nothing to compromise its flavour or health, and I chopped off its head myself! Why are you even asking such questions? I would never use any ingredient that has been compromised!"

That was when Akira stated in a wiry tone as he covered his nose, as if remembering a particularly bad smell, "Sōma, let me guess, the questions have something to do with a that Younger Brother who has a habit of cooking his 'Pets' that have passed away (4) and has an obsession with spicy chilli peppers?"

Sōma gave a nervous chuckle when he said, "Yeah... That's the reason... And as you noticed during the Menu Contest, he's sort of the only one who loved that nasty combination. I don't know why he keeps entering those dishes..."

No one in the immediate area knew how to respond to that "interesting" bit of information...

But it was time to get back to business. Tasting and judging the food.

The Turtle Burger had a folded, gelatinous looking bun that was steamed, with a little butter spread on, there was a generous pile of fresh lettuce leaves, and had little ginger needles as a garnish accent.

While the aroma did smell delicious, the Turtle Burger looked pretty ordinary. The majority of the audience couldn't help but mutter that Arato's presentation was a bit of a letdown.

When the judges picked up the Turtle Burger, they realized that the bun had an amazingly fluffy, springy texture. The judges theorized that the texture was probably from steaming the bun. When they bit into the burger, the buns mildly sweet flavour along with the fluffy texture seem to make it feel like the bun itself was resisting the bite. The judges had to bite the burger harder to tear off the section in their mouths.

Hisako smirked under the spotlight as the judges ate the burger.

As the judges swallowed the portion in their mouths, their bodies seemed to warm up and their skin glowed despite their age.

According to the judges, the patty was thick, chewy, juicy, and bursting with umami goodness. The sauce made from the turtle soup stock she made thickened into a glaze. It was poured over the patty, it gives the meat a richer, more full-bodied flavour.

Hisako then said in a voice full of confidence, "I mix the turtle's blood in with the patty. It warms the body from the inside out. But that isn't all. I also added dry, powdered tortoise-shell to the patty. Tortoise-shell has long been a prime ingredient in vitality tonics in Chinese medicine."

The audience was stunned! Hisako packed a burger full of turtle everything! The majority of the audience couldn't help a comment, "No wonder the judges look that thoroughly satisfied. I totally get it! She must have made one incredible burger!"

The head judge, the headmaster of Totsuki uttered one single word, "No." This hush the audience immediately. Senzaemon then said with his eyes closed, "You cannot fully understand, only those who have tasted this dish can understand its true essence. *Opens eyes a bit*. The key to that power lies in the turtle's meat with the plentiful amount of gelatin found in it and the sticky sensation that creates!"

With a smirk of pride on her face, Hisako said, "That is correct, sir. Thick, piping hot sauce… How thick it greatly affects the flavour of the dish. The higher its viscosity, the more full-bodied the flavour becomes. Both the burger patty and the sauce I made from turtle stock are filled with gelatin-rich turtle essence. At the back of the roof of the mouth is a collection of soft tissue called the soft palate. It is one of the most sensitive areas in the entire body! With every mouthful, the thick, juicy patty and sticky sauce get pinned between the twin walls of the tongue and the soft palate stimulating that most sensitive area with each seductive bite! In other words, this dish sites not only a person's sense of taste via flavour it also seduces their sense of touch via texture!" The pinkette had done her research thoroughly to make such a dish. 'A dish that will allow me to stay behind Erina-sama as a fellow elite,' Hisako thought proudly.

Senzaemon couldn't help but think, 'The thick and juicy patty, the fluffy and springy steamed bun, both meld together into one bewitching whole! Slowly, the sensuous deliciousness of turtle looms ever closer! Its exquisite flavour is so good, it's Monster Class!'

The taste of Hisako's Turtle Burger draws images of a giant monster fight, with Hisako wearing a giant monster turtle costume and the headmaster acting as the part of the giant hero meant to face the monster.

That was when Senzaemon (in a fighting pose) realized that the upper portion of his yukata was off his muscular frame. "Ahem. It seems I was inadvertently lost in the moment," the headmaster said with a straight face.

Sōma couldn't help but ask after hearing such a description, "Uh, how many Gojira (5) movies did you watch before coming here?" The judges turned pink when they realized what the blind redhead meant by that comment. Akira had to hold back a chuckle by covering his mouth because he found the comment hilarious.

Senzaemon coughed before saying to Sōma, "Maybe you should try the Turtle Burger and taste for yourself."

Sōma asked Akira if he would be willing to share a bite of his portion of Hisako's dish, but the whitette replied, "Sorry, Secretary Girl didn't make a portion for me." The Headmaster offered the blind redhead a bite of his portion since he was finished with his judging and still had most of his Turtle Burger left-over.

Sōma thanked the headmaster for letting him try this dish before he took a bite of the Turtle Burger.

Resting his right elbow on the table and his right knuckle on his cheek, Senzaemon asked the blind redhead, "What do you think?"

Sōma swallowed what he had in his mouth before saying, "Well, to get this out of the way, I'm glad I'm eating a reptile that I don't have to worry about its health history."

Hisako scoffed and said, "I don't know what kind of condition that those "Pets" are kept in by whoever this person is, but if you have to always ask about their condition every time he cooks them, then he must not be a good owner."

Akira looked to the side and said in a wiry tone, "Oh, he's a very good pet owner and takes good care of his Pets until they die. It's more along the lines of him somehow finding those reptiles in the wild and not having a vet in the area with decent reptile knowledge that seems to be the problem..." Sōma let out an, "Agreed" at this.

Hisako and all five of the Judges made an audible, "Eh?"

Sōma then added, "Yeah, I have no idea how he finds all these reptiles, but he finds them and then he keeps them... Heck, he's even found a few boa constructors at the nearby park."

Akira couldn't help but add, "One of whom he served at the Menu Contest... *Covers mouth and nose with his right hand*. I think it might be a good idea to spare you all the details." Sōma quickly agreed with that.

There was nothing anyone could say to add to this...

Sōma decided to get back on topic. The blind redhead did say that he liked the Turtle Burger, but he couldn't help but comment that the bun felt a little too gelatinous for his liking and that the burger felt a bit incomplete in some way. Hisako seemed insulted by that, but brushed it off as 'The Redhead Being Both Blind and Low-Classed to Realized How Good Her Burger Was'.

Next was Akira.

When he passed Hisako with his plates on a trolley, he said, "The world of taste doesn't exist just in the mouth, ya'know," as he tapped his nose. Hisako only glared.

Akira's dish seems to look like kebab meat stuffed in a pita bun. The spicy, meaty aroma from the meat was practically hypnotic, heck, it even bewitched the judges to make them act like hungry dogs waiting for their meal.

Hisako looked at the pita burger and thought, 'What do you think you're doing, Hayama Akira? You used not only a thick patty but kebab meat as well? That will just make it greasy and cloying. Adding a pile of spices to make it smell good is nothing but window-dressing! If the flavour is not up to par, then it is nothing but a second-rate burger.'

After Akira gave the judges of their portions, he placed a portion of his pita burger that was perfectly cut in half on the counter in front of Sōma and Hisako. "Enjoy," was all Akira said to the two.

"Wah~, smells good, Akira. Can't wait to try it," Sōma said cheerfully as he felt the countertop for his portion. Once he found it, he carefully picked it up.

Hisako, on the other hand, may no motion towards her portion. She had no reason to eat what appeared to be a heavy burger. To the pinkette, the match was already hers to win if that was all her opponent can cook up.

To the judges, it seemed like they only had to take a single bite of the pita burger before it was completely gone!

When he realized that the pita burger was no longer in his hands, Judge Ōizumi exclaimed, "I got so lost in eating… I finish the whole thing before I knew what I was doing!"

Not only was Hisako shocked by this, but the audience were as well. One of the first-years in the audience shouted, "They inhale that whole burger in no time flat!" Another first-year student then shouted, "But that thing looks huge!" Then the rest of the audience wondered, "H-how does it taste?!"

Senzaemon examined Akira's dish before finally saying, "I see you chose a pita as your bun. A Mediterranean flatbread, the pita is baked at a high temperature so that the fluffy pockets form in the middle, which can then be stuffed with meat or beans."

That was when someone from the audience shouted, "He did the same thing that Secretary Girl did with her Turtle Burger bun… Picking something that would keep the meat juices from dripping out the bottom!"

That was when the headmaster suddenly took a giant bite out of the pita burger. A good number of the onlookers couldn't help but drool as they watched. After he finished chewing what was in his mouth, Senzaemon then said, "Hmm. You used a handmade yoghurt sauce to ameliorate the smelliness of the kebab meat and to create a mild base to make the spices stand out. And the burger patty is kofta! A Middle Eastern meatloaf of ground teeth and lamb mixed with onions and plentiful spices, it's highly fragrant aroma hits the nose hard! It sent an umami flavour are powerful enough to bring tears to the eyes!"

Dumbfounded by this sudden surge of compliments for her opponent, Hisako couldn't help but think, 'W-what is going on here?! How could they eat all that greasy, heavy meat so quickly and easily?!' She knew for a fact that when heavy foods were involved, people usually don't finish the entire dish, or if they do, they tend to slow down while they eat it.

Akira took a few steps over towards Hisako and stated, "Here, let me give you a lesson. *Holds out four fingers*. Four things are required for a good burger. A bun *lowers one finger*, a patty *lowers one finger*, some kind of sauce *lowers one finger*, and pickles. The sharp smell and tart flavour of pickles is what highlights the meaty umami of the patty. Pickles are a hidden but key component of the best burgers! From what I could tell, you use ginger sticks as your pickle analog, but that was a weak choice. Wasn't it, Sōma?"

Sōma placed his free hand on his chin and said, "I guess in a way, you are correct. I mean, the Turtle Burger was tasty and had an interesting texture, but the ginger sticks I tasted didn't seem to add anything to the burger. Which is why it didn't seem like a complete burger. *Takes a bite of the pita burger, chews, then swallows*. But the pickles Akira used with his burger brings everything together. "

Hisako couldn't help but vocalize, "What?! And what did you choose that so much better?!"

Akira gave Hisako a stern smirk when he's told her, "The pickle type that I picked for my burger is Achaar."

A murmur of voices from the audience wonders what kind of pickle an 'Achaar' was.

~Achaar: South Asian in origin, achaar consists of fruits or vegetables pickled in mustard oil or brine and then mixed with a verity of spice. Sometimes called Indian pickles, achaar is strongly tart and spicy.~

Akira picked up a mason jar from his counter and said, "This is achaar I made with onions. The spicy scent of mustard oil makes the meaty umami of the kofta stand out. For the tartness, I used Amchoor -also known as mango powder- a citrusy powder made from dried unripe mangoes. But that's just the base. I added lemon juice to bolster the citrusy flavour of the amchoor and then some garlic, ginger and chilli peppers to give it an aroma that tickles the nose. Cloves. Cumin seeds. Black pepper. Paprika. I even added a dab of honey to give it a hint of sweetness."

Sōma let out a whistle before saying, "Someone did a lot of research and experimenting when coming up with this dish."

Akira nodded and said, "I did, and I called Uuma-san to help me with some of that research."

Sōma chuckled at that before saying, "That's understandable. He may not seem like it, but he has been to the Mediterranean area numerous times and is pretty much an unofficial expert. Wait, why are you calling him by his nickname?"

"You really don't think it's confusing to have a conversation when the two of you are in the same vicinity? Especially since your first name is the same as his surname," Akira asked with a raised brow. After all, it was hard to speak to either the blind redhead or the towering strongman when they both were in the same room because of their linked name…

"Ah, I get your point," Sōma stated with a thoughtful expression on his face.

While this conversation was taking place, Senzaemon was thinking, 'He used his exceptional sense of smell to build a pickle with a delicate aroma and the deceptive strength capable of ameliorating the greasy heaviness of kofta and kebab meat so completely that they became addictively light and tasty. His spices like a fuse that makes the appetite explode!'

That was when the majority of the audience realized something. Hayama Akira's had a talent that extends beyond just the use of spices and curry… He had the potential that may rival that of even the Divine Tongue herself!

That was when all five judges made the decision, and it was pretty much unanimous.

As Akira walked towards Hisako, he said in a stern tone, "What I want is to be number one. A chef who is too busy trying to stay at number two could never hope to beat me, especially since you seem to be obsessed with lagging behind someone who has already proven her lack of care towards customers."

Hisako wasn't sure what angered her most. The fact that her opponent just belittled someone that she highly respected, or the fact that he told her that she didn't have any qualities that would make her an exceptional chef.

As Akira walked past the pinkette, he then said harshly, "You're too narrow-minded in everything you do. From your goals to your cooking, they're all too small." The whitette continued walking towards Sōma, who had just finished his portion of pita burger and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

Hisako bit her lip as she thought, 'I don't want to admit it...' She looked at her portion of the pita burger, then she picked it up, and took a big bite out of it. The scent and flavours filled her entire being. Hisako then thought, 'But... I can't deny… Both the smell and the taste of his dish… Made my inner appetites strip completely bare!' The monstrous turtle costume that she had worn in the headmaster's visualization of the dish had been completely stripped off, leaving the pinkette nude (in a sense, not actuality).

Senzaemon then announced, "The winner of the third quarterfinal match is Hayama Akira!"

"Come, let's go find our friends so we can watch the next match with them," Akira stated as he lightly pushed the blind redhead towards the closest corridor.

Sōma smiled before nodding and saying, "Congrats on winning." And with that, the two started walking out of the arena.

As Hisako left the arena, she cried. To her, this loss felt like she had failed Erina...

}{

As Akira guided Sōma through the corridors, he spotted a familiar honey blond heading their way.

Erina wanted to get to Hisako before the pinkette could leave, but instead, she runs into two people she didn't think she would run into, or rather, she didn't think they would come this way.

Akira glared at the honey blond as he guided Sōma in a different direction to avoid any more contact from Erina. The boys did NOT want to talk to her. The purple-eyed girl wanted to say something to them, but she just couldn't find the words to speak.

Then again, what could Erina say to them after what she did over the summer?

}{

Sōma and Akira found their group of friends. A lot of them congratulating the whitette about his overwhelming victory.

"I guess through a process of elimination, the next match will be Aldini Takumi vs Mimasaka Subaru..." Sōma stated as he sat down.

Mayu raised a brow at her brother when she asked, "You don't sound excited about it. Did something happen between you and Takumi-kun?"

Sōma shook his head and said, "No, more like something Mimasaka-kun said when I met him outside the stadium on the way in here... After I heard the announcement that the 3rd quarterfinal match was about to start. I told Mimasaka-kun that we needed to hurry but he said to me that there was no need to rush. I couldn't help think that it was a strange thing to say."

Akira placed the side of his right index finger to his chin when he asked, "You think he knew that he wasn't cooking until later?"

"I KNOW he knew. Akira, you only knew who you were facing the day before you were to cook but you didn't know When you were cooking, right?" Sōma asking in a serious tone.

That was when Megumi pipped in a, "Come to think of it, it was the same for our matches, I didn't know if I was going to be in the first or second match until I got into the stadium."

That was when Akira added, "Keyword "into". From what Mimasaka-kun said "Before" he even entered the stadium, he had information that he shouldn't have known yet."

After hearing this, it couldn't help but bring up the thought of 'Something not right here...'

That was when the final match of the quarterfinals started, as another Shokugeki.

~}{ The Match Between Aldini Takumi and Mimasaka Subaru is the same as the Canon }{~

The students for the Semi-Finals as official.

Kurokiba Ryō, Hayama Akira, Yukihira Sōma, and Mimasaka Subaru.

Eizan told everyone that the Semi-Finals would be held one week from now.

"I don't trust anything that bastard says," Mayu said harshly as she folded her arms.

Sōma, who normally is the one to tell his sister to watch her language, nodded and said, "Nor do I. And knowing him, he's planning something."

With that, the group left the stadium.

}{

The group walked into the Polaris Dorm and were greeted by Daimidō-san, and surprisingly Ryō. As it turned out, the seafood specialist slipped away from Alice to talk to Akira and Sōma.

"I told her I was going to the fish market to see what's there and so I can get ideas for the Semi-Finals," Ryō stated in his lackadaisical tone.

"Ah, so that's how you were able to come here without her knowing," Akira said as he unfolded his arms.

Ryō causally thumbed the Dorm-Mother and said, "I also passed her test, so I can hang here if I want." Akira chuckled out a "You too," at this. Yup, these two won the approval of the dorm-mother of the Polaris Dorm. (So now there will be no problem with them hanging out at the Polaris Dorm during their free time later in the story).

Mayu started walking towards the stairs as she said, "You boys talk cooking, I need to check my school email to see what's next for me to do."

Sōma happily waved and said, "All right, and if you get hungry we'll be making some snacks."

"Long as you don't try to trick me into eating one of your nasty combos, thanks Niisan," Mayu said before walking upstairs.

"On a happy note, the three of us are in the Semi-Finals," Akira said with a small smile.

Then Ryō said, "However... You two saw his match right? He's almost as creepy as Duodecuple-san during his weird moments..."

Akira and Sōma nodded at that, but the blind redhead said, "While I'm not going to deny that Duodecuple-san can be a bit odd at times, he's at least a decent person."

Akira looked at the two other Semi-Finalist and said, "It might be a good idea to come up with some kind of counter-measure for him since we at least know that one of us will be up against him."

Now that was something that couldn't be denied. They needed a strategy, something that could counter Mimasaka-kun's "Perfect Trace".

The next thing everyone in the Polaris Dorm knew, they heard Mayu screaming.

~}i{~

To be continued in Chapter 12.

~}i{~

Omake: Summer Time at Shokujidokoro Yukihira.

}i{ July 10, Summer Job Day 9 }i{

It took a while, but the Six remaining Elites managed to pass the Allergy/Intolerance Test. Kinokuni passed with 80% on her fourth attempt, Akanegabubo got a 79% on her fifth try, and Tsukasa achieved a 91% on his third try. The whitette did spend more time going over his notes than the others, so he did better with the least amount of retakes. Erina, Eizan, and Kobayashi were the case of "Just Barely". Those three managed to get a solid 75% and got the mandatory question right before the deadline for the Sign-Ups ended. While there was a lot of room for improvement, for some more than others, that'll have to be taken care of at a later date. Shiomi-sensei will make sure of that.

Now all Seven of the Ten Elite were signed up for the Menu Contest.

Mayu was just reading off who was signed-up for which category, to refresh everyone's memory.

The ones who signed up for the Appetizer category were; Kurokiba Ryō, Saitou Somei, Tsumita Nagayuki, Tsujiie Sumihiko, and Niwa Ryouka.

The ones who signed up for the Main Course category were; Akira Hayama, Forest Kon, Nakiri Alice, Kinokuni Nene, Eizan Etsuya, Nikiri Erina, Kobayashi Rindou, Souma Yoshimi (Uuma), and Tsumita Takeyasu.

The ones who signed up for the Beverage category were; Tsukasa Eishi, Airia Kanae, and Yukihira Hiro.

The ones who signed up for the Dessert category were; Akanegakubo Momo, Usagi, and Tsukui Michio (Her name is written as Yumi's Mommy on the list).

The listing did raise some issues.

"Yumi," Tsukui-sensei said as she looked at her daughter seriously before asking, "Why did you sign me up for the Menu Contest without my permission or approval?"

Yumi looked up at her mother with big innocent eyes and said, "But Mommy, you make a lot of yummy desserts. I thought it would be nice if one of them was one Yukihira's menu."

Tsukui-sensei kept that stern look on her face when she said, "You still didn't have my permission to put my name on the sign-up sheet, Yumi."

That was when Usagi happily pipped in, "Pwease, Dotsuku-nee. I wanna cook-off against you~."

Akanegakubo did say as she looked up at the albino man as she hugged her stuff bear, "Momo is in this category too, you know. and Momo is the best with baking yummy desserts."

Usagi looked down at the short third-year student, tilted his head to the side, and said, "I don't know you and you refuse to be my friend, so you don't matter." This made Akanegakubo fumed with childish fury and tried to punch the albino man. However, since Usagi had long arms and was stronger than he looked, all he needed to do was keep the short girl out of punching range by having his hand on Akanegakubo's forehead and kept his arm straight. The flying punches didn't even come close to even hitting the target. It was an odd thing to see, to say the least.

Tsukui-sensei closed her eyes for a good minute, then opened one eye to look at her daughter and said, "Alright, Yumi, I'll enter, but that'll cost you three months without dessert."

Yumi puffed her cheeks and retorted, "No way! One week with no dessert!"

Tsukui-sensei shook her head and stated sternly, "Three months."

"Two weeks!" Yumi stated, trying to get her mother to lower her no dessert price.

After a few seconds of thinking, Tsukui-sensei said, "Two months."

Yumi puffed her cheeks and said, "One month!"

With one eye still closed and one eye on her daughter, Tsukui then said with a small smile, "Deal. But next time, ask first." She then knelt and wrapped her daughter in a playful headlock.

Erina wasn't sure what to make of this scene... Not only did the daycare teacher seem to negotiate with her daughter about how long she wouldn't get dessert so she would participate in this contest, but she also seems to be... Very good-natured about it... She was even fooling around with her daughter. Yumi's giggles were proof of that. 'I don't understand... Why did she do that? She's the mother, she should be the authority figure towards her daughter... Her words should be law, so why did she... Negotiate like that?' Erina thought as she watched Yumi cheerfully say that she will. The honey blond then thought as she watched Tsukui-sensei moved her arms to hug Yumi, 'I don't understand... Is that... How she parents her daughter?'

Kon couldn't help but noticed the odd look on Erina's face. 'That facial expression indicates that she is confused,' she thought as she glanced in the direction the honey blond was looking, which was Tsukui-sensei hugging her daughter. The tall green-haired girl raised a brow before looking back at Erina. 'Why is she confused about that?' Kon wondered.

Onto the next issue...

"Airia-sensei, you are aware that you can't use any alcohol this Menu Contest, right," Sōma stated, making sure his former dojo teacher understood.

The orangette waved a hand and said, "Oh come on Sōma-kun, I'm not going to make any adult drinks this time around. So don't worry your pretty little red head."

"Just as long as you remember," Mayu stated wirily.

Mayu looked over the list and said, "Seems like the Main Course Catagory is going to be the big event this time around." Sōma nodded at that.

Andoryū looked over the list over Mayu's head and said, "And as far as we know, there don't seem to be anyone else with food ailments. Though, I don't know if the others from Totsuki have any."

The Totsuki group then said that none of them had any.

And with that, Sōma and Mayu handed out the sheets for the requirements for each of the category.

~}i{~

To be Continued in the next Omake.

~}i{~

1) Temari Sushi are literally hand-ball sushi, is shaped sushi shaped into small, palm-sized balls. It is often served during high-class, traditional Japanese full-course meals.

2) Ore-sama is pretty much a Prideful and or Egotistical way to refer to oneself. This is actually how Tsumita Nagayuki talks (and refers to himself) in the Japanese Dub of the Juuni Taisen series. It made it a bit tricky trying to write out his speech while trying to be grammatically correct, and hopefully, I got it right.

3) The Japanese proverb "Bi Ni Iri Sai Wo Ugatsu" literally translates to "Attention to Detail" in English.

4) According to the data given in the Juuni Taisen Light Novel; Tsumita Takeyasu loves raising reptiles until they die, he then grills them up and eats them. I'm pretty sure some of those reptiles die due to illness, and I'm pretty sure that he had certain reptiles would probably not be the best thing to cook for customers.

5) Gojira is the Japanese name for Godzilla. I just prefer using Gojira rather than Godzilla.

~}i{~

Gale-Dragon: Alright, I am glad I got this finished, but knowing me there a probably some grammar mistakes I missed.

Also, I'm sure you all noticed that I changed how I referred to Hayama Akira. I called him Hayama when he was introduced and in the last chapter because I thought that was his first name with Akira was his surname, but that wasn't the case. After going through character bios, it turns out that his first name is Akira and his surname is Hayama. I guess the reason why I mixed this up was that the main characters seem to refer to each other by their first name, and they always refer to Akira as Hayama-kun... I guess I can write this whole change as Sōma, Akira, and Ryō being better friends in this story.

And for those who like the Summer Omake sections of Shokugeki no Sōma Nashi Saito de Chīfu, first off, sorry if this Omake was short, but this one is more along the lines of it just listing who are participating in which category in the Menu Contest just to keep things in order. And second, I am planning on making the Summer Omake sections that I have ideas about that are not essential to the main plot of Shokugeki no Sōma Nashi Saito de Chīfu into a separate, stand-alone story. However, since it will involve the characters of the Juuni Taisen series, I am obliged to make the Summer Omakes into a Crossover between Shokugeki no Sōma and Juuni Taisen. So be aware of that in the future, and look under the Crossover section of Shokugeki no Sōma, ok.

That's all the news, for now, so until the next chapter.

~}i{~