Here it is, the 114th full chapter of Miraculous Quirks released on time as always. Preparations are done and now it is time to party with Class B and enjoy some hot pots, what could possible cause problems for this? Well Class B does have someone who excels in causing problems and he's not going to pass this up so it's about to go down. Due to length reasons, and because it works better, this chapter is the first of three for this party though I'll explain more at the end. Anyway, that is all the administrative stuff that I have for now and there are no guest reviews to respond to or questions to answer so I will end this note here. Do keep the reviews coming as I enjoy hearing from y'all. That is all I have for this pre chapter note so that means that it is time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the 114th full chapter of Miraculous Quirks.
Disclaimer: I do not own either of these great works of fiction.
Chapter 114: Hot Pot Taste Off
"Come on in." Ida said with a smile as he welcomed his fell class rep and headed to the door with some of the others in Class 1-A as the rest welcomed their fellow Hero Course students from where they were.
The girls of Class 1-B smiled back as they walked up to their classmates from Class 1-A and as they had had enough group events there wasn't really a need for formal invite. It was just polite to announce their presence just as it was to bring something and apologize when necessary given that they had Monoma in their class. That would come in a moment, first though they had to hand over their contribution to the party.
"Here Yao-Momo." Kendo said as she handed over a bag she'd brought with her to Class A's deputy rep. "The girls and I chipped in to bring this, just some drinks and snack for after dinner."
"Thank you Kendo." Momo said with a smile as she took the bag. "I've made some new tea my mother sent me, enough for all of us, so you should try some."
"I'm more of a coffee girl but tea from you is always worth it." Kendo said with a smile as the other girls nodded at that, none of them could deny that Momo knew her teas.
"Here, why don't you let me help you with those." Kaminari said as he noticed that Yui Kodai had some sofas with her to accommodate everyone, naturally they were shrunk with her Quirk for ease of carry, but Kaminari was determined to show how helpful and gentlemanly he was to pretty, stoic, girl from the other class. "We can set them up."
"It's fine, we've got this." Yanagi said as she used her own Quirk to levitate the sofas from Kodai's hands and towards the seating area making sure that Class A could see them so that they could shift things around for the sofas. "It's not hard for us at all."
"Did you forget the 5th match." Adrien said patting a dejected Kaminari on the back as Yanagi guided the sofas into position while Sato, Koda, and Todoroki moved things around to accommodate them once they were in place and Kodai released her Quirk showing the ease of getting them into position that the girls had when working together. "Kodai and Yanagi work really well together, their Quirks are a great complement to each other, really gave us a hard time and that's not factoring in the chaos Midoriya caused us. That was just a bonus hazard in the match."
"Swing and a miss bro now come here." Mineta said with a grin before beckoning Kaminari over for a private chat that was no doubt inappropriate, so Adrien ignored it as he let the failures do their thing, which helped because Yanagi actual spoke to him in that moment.
"Thank you Agreste but as a good as Yui and I were together we had nothing on you." Yanagi said causing Adrien to turn to the girl with pale gray hair. "You had full control over that situation with your Quirk despite our best efforts to beat you, we couldn't do much against you in the end."
"A simple matter of what powers were at play." Adrien said. "Both Kodai and I can only affect inorganic items which of course has its benefits but in a fight where it is items being thrown at us verses my Cataclysm then I will win in that, especially with the growth I've done with my Quirk. A good test for you to overcome though."
"The match showed us how limitations." Yanagi admitted with a slight bow of her head. "And how spooky you and Midoriya are."
"When in battle, you have to go all out to win." Adrien said though he wasn't sure what the spooky reference was for as he didn't know Yanagi at all. "And I did that in our battle. So much so that I passed out at the end in fact. For what it's worth I am sorry for how harsh I had to be to you."
"It was certainly an unexpected experience, but you ensured that you had the advantage the entire time and set up Ashido to hit me from behind because all our attention was on you and avoiding the little creep, so I failed in my own awareness there." Yanagi said. "And you capitalized though I don't want to deal with a skull fracture again."
"Agreste showed us all what is needed though." Jiro said coming up to the other girls having been repulsed by Mineta and Kaminari's conversation about being reincarnated as a hot pot that girls would poke at, complete with sexual innuendos, and was glad that Agreste, a real gentleman and no threat as he had a girlfriend, was here to protect the Class B girls. "He was strong with Kendo, Komori, Kuroiro, and that transfer applicant as well."
"Shroom it was a hard hit, my poor mushrooms." Komori said as she raised her hands to her chest which showed what she was implying and of course got the perverts going again though why the mushroom reference was beyond Adrien and he decided that in this case it was best to never question it. "Landed right one them and that mask meant that I couldn't stop you."
"Again, in battle you do what you have to in order to win just as you did against Tokoyami." Adrien said. "No matter the gender or how it goes down, in our fight I just had the advantage of my mask which saved me. Those microscopic mushrooms that you can produce make you a major threat in any scenario."
"I am honored, shroom." Komori said with a smile, and she meant it as it was a high compliment to her to get praised by the person who pretty much singlehandedly beat her team in the joint training exercise. "They aren't as cute as my other mushrooms, but they are useful for sure."
"Anyway, is it just you?" Jiro asked looking to the perverts who were clearly hoping so as with 14 girls the ratio would be near 1 to 1. "I do love some girl time and having more of you around, but we do have those two and Marinette is currently cooking so she can't deal with them right away."
"Do you need something Kyoka?" Marinette called out from the kitchen as she confirmed that her soup was ready and definitely tasted good though she knew that her uncle was still the master at it. "It will only take a few seconds to punish Mineta if need be. I've got enough practice and he may even be in one of Tsu's traps, those are damned useful."
"I'm being good, I promise." Mineta wailed and leapt away from where he was though Tsu shook her head to deny that he was near one of her Mineta traps. "It's all Kaminari."
"Don't throw me under the bus for your idea, again." Kaminari growled. "It was your dream anyway and I'm not going to get punished by Dupain-Cheng again for your transgressions and plans."
"Oh, right the princess carry at the Sports Festival." Kendo said with a chuckle. "That was funny. I take it those two were responsible for the outfits."
"They tricked us by playing on Yao-Momo's honesty, good heart, and dedication to our teacher." Jiro said with a sigh as Momo gave the pair a glare for tricking her though she'd fallen for more tricks from the pair than anyone else because of what Jiro had said and because she was still a little naïve to these things. "But seeing the draw did helped make the outfits worth it. I felt that Kaminari being paired against Marinette was hilarious and total karma for his actions. Even back then we knew how strong she was."
"It wasn't hard." Marinette called out. "I could have been harsher, but I knew Kaminari would overdo it and I can't hurt an idiot. Honestly he could have been a good challenge if he had better sense like he does now but back then I had that match from the start."
"Harsh." Kaminari said as Jiro laughed at that, and the others chuckled because it was kinda true given how Kaminari went all out and shorted his brain thus entering his idiot mode. "I've learned."
"We know but not in some ways." Jiro said looking back to Kendo. "So sorry for them."
"It's ok and no it's not just us, the guys are coming and they're bringing a few things." Kendo said with a sigh. "And, well, I too have to apologize in advance for them. Sorry."
"For what?" Mina asked coming up to them. "What have they done?"
"Weren't you here early Raccoon Eyes." Bakugo said from where he was eating having decided to just start because that was just who he was and as he'd made the hot pot he was eating no one complained about it. "Dupain-Cheng said as much a few moments ago. If those extras are being sorry then there is only one supreme extra to blame for it."
Mina hadn't been and would have retorted as much and reminded Bakugo of her name, but she didn't because she like the rest realized who the culprit that Kendo was referring to was. Not only that but said culprit chose that moment to burst through the front door in a dramatic entrance as if he'd been waiting for it, which knowing Neito Monoma was highly likely.
"Speak and I shall arrive." Monoma said with a dramatic pose and cackled to the class. "I bet you're dying of anticipation to see how Class B will beat you today?"
"None of us were dying of anything." Todoroki said bluntly not realizing how effective his statement was mainly because he'd taken Monoma's words literally as he ate some chives he'd just cut extremely poorly. "What are you talking about?"
Monoma just ignored this though as he sauntered across the room to inspect the hot pots that Sato and others had been putting out on the tables while the girls were chatting with some of Class A, the heat in them causing the soup to bubble. This was a rivalry, at least in Monoma's mind and he was the passion for Class B in it, so he was going to inspect the hot pots that Class A had made and judge them before his grand reveal of what would be their impending victory.
"There is enough food for everyone and then some so please sit back and enjoy it." Ida said as Sato began to hand out bowls and chopsticks and Marinette briefly pulled Momo aside to make soup bowls and spoons while all this was happening as she realized that they needed the more specialty cutlery and crockery for her soup. "We have a wide selection of good hot pots and a special soup that I am assured no one here other than Agreste and Dupain-Cheng has ever had before so that is going to be really good."
Monoma just ignored this as he went to the dishes to inspect them with the eyes of a critic. For most this would be seen as pretentious and annoying but in a frustrating sense Class A knew that Monoma had a good eye for cultural things given how well appointed his room was and that no doubt extended to food which he showed in that instance.
"Let's see we have a soy milk hot pot." Monoma said pointing to it as the Class A kids began to sit by the ones that they liked the best or wanted to try in the case of the soup as that was the most unique of the dishes. "And kimchi, yosenabe, and that is tan-tan sesame. Seems like a…"
Monoma had just quickly and effortlessly identified all the hot pots on the table. They were all staples of the Japanese contribution to this area of culinary delicacies that most could make without much issue. It was rather cliched really but there was one that stood out and brought Monoma up short as he looked at it unable to identify it at all.
"I see you're stumped by the soup." Sato said, as the head chef for this meal he wasn't going to let Monoma insult the work of the cooks, but they had an ace this time when dealing with Monoma and fittingly it had been made by their ace in general. "It's one of a kind or so I'm told. Plus, like hot pots, it is of Chinese origin so it's very in keeping with the party."
"Er yeah, the hot pots are standard ones, bit boring really." Monoma said dismissively much to the annoyance of Class A. "But I have never seen a soup like that, it's purple and gold and are those tea leaves?"
"That would be correct." Marinette said as she placed the soup bowls down on the tables along with the spoons and a ladle for the soup before looking at Monoma with her arms crossed and a cold look in her eyes as she met his. "It's called Celestial Soup, a secret family recipe from my mother's side which for your information is the Chinese side of my family hence why it's fitting. It dates back to Shanghai a few decades before the advent and if the family legends are true once won a major contest in Paris though as it was in the years before the advent we cannot confirm that due to how much was lost during the Quirk Wars that ravaged Europe after the advent. Please, have some, I made it all myself and the tea leaves are the surprise addition all Celestial Soups have that ensure that no two are the same."
"Yeah see we all worked really hard." Kaminari said as he set up by the soup determined to try it. "So, eat up before you diss our creations."
"Please, do you think that I'd visit your den of inadequacy just to try your hot pots." Monoma said dismissively as his bravado came back but it was clearly faltering a little as Marinette glared at him, she wasn't their battle ace for nothing and even Monoma knew that it might not be a good idea to piss her off too much after how she'd taken down Shishida in beast mode without using her Quirk. "You've made one surprise that I commend you on, but it will pale in comparison, I assure you."
"Well, this isn't just about hot pots." Ida said missing what Monoma was implying and trying to avoid an issue with the resident provocateur of the Hero Course. "We will also be exchanging stories about our work studies and training and what we want to do to improve this semester."
"Oh yes we need to set up the girls of Class B verses Marinette." Kendo said looking to Marinette. "Do you have time this semester?"
"It is more open in terms of on campus training I think what with all of us at work studies so I am sure we can find the time." Marinette said looking at Kendo and smiling. "I look forward to the challenge of beating all 7 of you by myself."
"Even for you that's a tall task." Tokage said with a sharp toothed grin. "We're a bunch of versatile and strong girls, we won't go down easy even if you alone can match us all with your strength and the versatility that your Quirk has."
"I know, that's what makes this all the more fun because I have no idea what items I'll get and who will require a little luck to beat rather than simple brute force." Marinette said while Mineta was thinking of how he could watch this because surely a wardrobe malfunction would occur especially if it was in PE kits and Tokage was there. "We'll find the time and ensure privacy. My goals can always find and remove any pests so to speak."
"Excuse me ladies." Monoma said interrupting them as Mineta gulped at Marinette's words and decided that while he was still going to try and watch that battle he would go plus ultra to avoid detection from Dupain-Cheng. "We can have this chat in time but first I was alluding to how we will beat you this time with our delicious hot pots, Class B's will win today and avenge our losses from the joint training exercise."
At that Monoma got his full bravado back as he thrust his arm to the front door, and it opened with the boys of Class B walking in at that as if scripted which knowing Monoma it wasn't just scripted but likely well-rehearsed in the lead up to this moment as well. It was time to show Class A up once and for all and Monoma was thus back in his element.
"We got the goods, Monoma." Tetsutetsu said with a grin. "Just as you planned."
"I still don't see why only he got to make a solo entrance." Tsuburaba grumbled as he helped Tetsutetsu with the hot pot they were carrying. "While we got stuck coming in carrying our hard work for him."
"Because it is Monoma." Awase said as he and Honenuki carried the other one. "That's why."
"Pardon us and don't worry we brought our own chopsticks." Honenuki said as the other boys followed him with said chopsticks as well as bowls, plates, and various condiments for the hot pots. "So, there's no need to use more of your own than necessary."
"That was very thoughtful of you." Ida said with a bow to the recommended boy. "But I assure you that we already made enough for all, there was no need to make your own. We are the hosts today, so it is on us."
"Foolish class rep, these are our way of throwing down our latest gauntlet in the never ending war to determine which class is better." Monoma said with a grin. "The moment you suggested this we knew that a competition was afoot and this time we shall all learn who's concoctions are tastier. So, brace your pallets because we're about to destroy them with flavors you've never experienced before."
"Again, I'm so sorry." Kendo said standing and bowing deeply to Class A to show how sorry she was with a weary smile at how she was constantly dealing with her classmate. "He wouldn't listen to reason no matter how many times we tried to explain it to him. You know how he gets when something like this happens."
"All too well." Several of Class A said with groans as Class B put down their hot pots on the table though all of Class A noted that they were covered to preserve the surprise.
"Well, they do smell really good." Ochaco said looking over them. "And they went through the effort of making them so it would be rude not to try them."
"Right and if they smell so good just imagine how they'd taste." Monoma said getting in close to Ochaco causing her to yelp and back up, only one boy should be getting so close to her and she still had those feelings locked away for the moment. "Better than yours I assure you. Go on then, try and see our culinary supremacy, you'll…"
Monoma was suddenly cut off by a swift, well-practiced, chop from Kendo to the back of his neck that temporarily knocked him out. It was the expected Kendo Chop that she used whenever Monoma started to lose it, well he'd already lost it at this point but when he got to the point that he needed the chop.
"Again, sorry for him." Kendo said with a note of weariness to her voice, but her efforts lasted only a second as Monoma was either so used to it by now that he'd build up some form of resistance to her chops or he was so passionate about winning that he could come back from it from that alone. "Please, try to…"
"Shall we start your defeat then?" Monoma interrupted Kendo with glee in his voice. "This is a competition after all."
"Nonsense there is no need for such a competition between us." Ida said shaking his head. "Why don't we all just enjoy the mean and the comradery of fellow hero students as we further our bonds together that will serve us well in the years to come."
"Ha that just means that you're scared of losing, right Bakugo." Monoma said going for the jugular and he grinned at the explosive boy who he could always get a rise out of. "You are scared, aren't you? You know that you'll lose this."
"Piss off, I couldn't care less extra." Bakugo growled for once not rising to the bait as he continued to eat his hot pot.
That threw Monoma for a moment. In the past he'd been able to get a rise out of Class A and thus get them to go along with his competitions by going after Bakugo's own pride, ego, and competitive spirit but now he seemed to have grown up much to Monoma's annoyance. He'd first noted it during the joint training exercise but now it was really starting to bug him because he was developing much to Monoma's annoyance.
However, the driving force of Class B's rivalry with Class A was not done yet and adapted to situation by noting the hot pot that Bakugo was currently eating. It was the only one he'd touched which meant that he had to have personally cooked it knowing him and thus Monoma had his in for riling up Bakugo.
"Ah I get it now; you already know that you've lost because you can tell that your cooking can't compete with my class's." Monoma said his tone as if he understood everything perfectly and began his critique with the hot pot that Bakugo was eating, the kimchi one. "Take that kimchi for example. It looks to me that you've just tossed some kimchi in a pot and called it a day. No creativity, no imagination, nothing to distinguish it from any standard kimchi you'd order in a restaurant."
"You got beef with my hot pot you copycat bastard." Bakugo said slamming down his chopsticks and glaring at Monoma. "Well? Do ya?"
"Beef, no I was simply tossing out my thoughts on it." Monoma said with a shrug though no one was believing him on this front. "It's clear that you've lacked any originality in that. At least Dupain-Cheng made something unique that none of us have ever had, what did you do?"
"Toss some of this down your throat and you'll see that it's better than any crap you could make or that soup Dupain-Cheng has made." Bakugo roared having been set off now that his kimchi had been insulted though it was also in part to once again being called second best to Dupain-Cheng who was still the only one in the class that he'd not yet had a true chance to best in combat, so he wasn't going to take any kind of loss to her. "Then you'll see who's is better."
"I actually prepared the soup base for that one." Sato explained coming to Bakugo's defense. "To pair it with the spicy elements Bakugo added in addition to the standard ingredients to really add to the hot pot. Together we tasted it and adjusted it into something unique and more than your standard kimchi hot pot. The rich blend we ended up with is complex, and truly compliments the pork and vegitables nicely in a way that is both spicy and not overbearing on the pallet for those who lack Bakugo's resistance to spicy foods. Truly a unique mix that I doubt we could replicate again."
"Damn, you know it is good when Bakugo puts that much effort into it." Kirishima said backing his friend up and moved by the story which confirmed why it was so good to him when he'd tried some when Bakugo was done making it. "That has to be why it's so tasty. Listen, I know that we're rising to his bait, again, but come on, we got this. I say we accept this challenge because there is no way that our pots and soup can lose to theirs."
At that Kirishima stood a pumped his fist and got the class pumped. It was enough to convince the easier to sway members to get into it, as well as some of the competitive ones who liked to stick it to Class B whenever Monoma got like this, and just like that the competition was on just like Monoma wanted it to be.
There was some concerns over the voting because the classes could just vote for their own ones. However, in the end they just agreed to use the honor system and swore on their honor and pride as future heroes that they'd vote fairly for the best hot pot and Marinette's soup was included in this. As Class A were the hosts and had made more theirs would be the first to be tasted and Class B began to taste them and comment on how good they were, which was very good.
"Mm that's good, I could go for several helpings of the soy milk hot pot."
"Damn this kimchi broth is something else, I bet it would pair great with other foods as a topping, wish I could try it on something else as well, but this is more than enough for me."
"Gotta be the yosenabe, I could eat it all day."
"This tan-tan sesame is addictive as hell."
However, the greatest reactions was for Marinette's soup which annoyed Bakugo not because of the praise but because even he had to admit that it was good and that was before he added some hot sauce to it to really improve it to his tastes. It was a unique dish that he couldn't quantify other than that it was very good.
There was a reason why she was one of the few he called by her actual name, he'd grown to respect her combat skills over the year and knew that of any in the class she alone had the skills to beat him in a battle. That was why he had to test himself against her to see who was stronger, but her skills stretched beyond that. No one, not even Bakugo, could deny that she was a top-class baker, but she showed with the soup that she could cook more than just baked goods.
"Alright I've never had anything like this." Kendo said as she ate the soup her eyes wide. "It's, well, indescribably."
"I have no idea what is in this." Tokage agreed with a nod. "Other than the tea leaves which seem to just add to it somehow which seems to make no sense but yeah this is heavenly."
"It is celestial." Adrien said with a grin. "So of course…"
"No kitty, no puns not now." Marinette chided but she was beaming at the reactions her soup got from both classes. "And thank you, I can't make it as well as my uncle could, he was a chef, so he really knew how to make it, but your reactions show that I have done him proud."
"See, what did they really expect?" Bakugo said glad that they had the upper hand now. "Well, extra, got anything to say about it?"
"It's not bad, I guess." Monoma said though he wasn't smiling as broadly as he would have liked as the soup really had thrown him, it wasn't good enough to win as they had an ace that nothing that Class A had could top but still it was an unexpected twist to things, so he had to move on and with a flourish he reached for the lid of their first hot pot and the weaker of the two that Class B had made. "But now it is our turn and I present to you our first hot pot…sukiyaki!"
With that Monoma removed the lid with a flourish and steam billowed out from the pot. When it cleared they were greeted with a sight that made them all gasp. Inside the bot was marbled beef, scallions, and konjac noodles all packed together in the bubbling soup broth that smelled amazing to them.
"Th, that really is sukiyaki." Ochaco said her eyes wide as she tried to contain her drool. "I, I never thought that I'd get to have it."
"That's got to be cheating." Kirishima said as panic set in over the meat he was dying to eat now, and no one could blame him as a dish like this was bound to stimulate the primal urges of one's appetite especially a meat lover like Kirishima. "We didn't even think about making it."
"You guys made something that no one has ever had so this is more than fair for us." Monoma said though that was more to cover the fact that yes Class B had in a sense cheated and this was by far the weaker of their two dishes as the other had something extra special in it that would definitely be cheating in anyone but Monoma's book. "And as you can see we've cooked it in cast iron no less, impressive, is it not? We've even got the eggs for it which I highly recommend you add to this one."
The boys of Class B began to hand out the bowls they had prepared for this, all holding raw eggs that had already been cracked and began to ladle the sukiyaki on top of them. Once that was done they began to hand out the dish to the members of Class A who began to tuck into the first of Class B's hot pots.
Their reactions were as expected, they loved it. Kirishima seemed like he was about to cry and explode in ecstasy from it at the same time, Midoriya went full analysis mode on it in an expert way that could have fooled most into thinking he was an accomplished food critic with what he was saying though when he began to make a metaphor Bakugo chucked and empty bottle at him to shut him up. Aoyama was practically sparkling at it as well and those were just some of the reactions that Class A was having to the sukiyaki.
Marinette and Adrien both had to admit that this was very good and better than the hot pots their own class had made though not as good as the soup. They had nothing to really compare it to from their past lives though, so it was truly a new experience. Marinette's soup was probably better but only slightly as the sukiyaki was divine and the meat rich in protein for them, so it was hard to ignore it. What really worried them though was that this was the first one that Monoma had revealed and knowing him the other hot pot would surpass this which didn't bode well for their class.
This was just the reaction that Monoma wanted, and he grinned, especially with Midoriya's analysis of it as it really helped sell just how good the sukiyaki was. Class B had really upped the stakes and now they were about to drive those stakes through the hearts of Class A with their second hot pot that was significantly better than their first one.
"Looks like the tides are turning towards the sukiyaki." Monoma said with a grin.
"Our hot pots aren't out yet." Kirishima said defensively though more out of pride as the one to accept the challenge for the class because even the soup that Marinette had made was struggling against the sukiyaki. "We've still got a shot."
"Then that will change with our second hot pot." Monoma said with a grin as he lifted the lid of it. "This one is going to blow you away and shoot down any chances you had at winning this competition."
Inside was a stew of sorts containing vegitables and some sort of white fish in the soup broth. Confusingly that was it and it didn't get the same kind of reaction from Class A as the sukiyaki had but that was to be expected as it was less fancy looking or packed with ingredients, but it was certainly fancier than the sukiyaki that Class B had made.
"Is that supposed to be some kind of seafood stew?" Kaminari asked. "But with only one kind of seafood? Seems lacking to me."
"Kinda looks like a Japanese version of bouillabaisse." Marinette said looking at it in confusion. "Not as overly herby or strong on the garlic and onions we are French like and only one seafood option which looks to be a kind of fish that is eaten in other ways unlike the rockfish that doesn't sell that a traditional bouillabaisse has. True a bouillabaisse does have a main fish dish to it but there are usually others to it depending on what was caught that the day."
"A what?" Monoma asked thrown by the French girl's comments as Izuku, Ochaco, and Ida remembered their first lunch with Marinette and how she'd eaten that dish and explained it a bit to them though they'd forgotten most of it. "What are you talking about Dupain-Cheng?"
"It's a French seafood stew dish originating in Marseille about 250 years or so before the advent, give or take a decade as I'm not sure when it was actually codified as a dish." Marinette said as she looked at the fish based hot pot before her. "This isn't bouillabaisse but clearly a Japanese version of it that no doubt evolved independently of our own cultural contribution to this area of the culinary arts."
"Yes, well, be that as it may have at it." Monoma said regaining his confidence and it grew as his classmates passed out bowls with a bit of the white fish in them that were topped with soy sauce, scallions, and a puree of grated radish and carrot clearly believing that he'd won with this hot pot. "This is our best dish so eat up."
"Oh man th, that is too tasty." Kaminari said as tears formed in his eyes. "I've never had anything like it."
"Ribbit." Tsu said and that was all she could manage.
"Truly a delight for the senses." Tokoyami said. "A light in the darkness."
"Yum." Dark Shadow added though they were all still confused as to how he could even eat to begin with but clearly he could and even taste the fish based hot pot.
"I'll give it to you." Marinette said her eyes wide as she ate it. "I've never had a bouillabaisse like this. This is something else entirely."
"That's because you can't outside of a 5-star restaurant." Adrien said his own eyes going wide as he ate and identified the fish. "This, this fish, I know it, I've had it before. It's longtooth grouper."
"Yup that was just what I was going to say, I had a feeling you'd know it as well Adrien." Momo said with a nod though no one else in the class could understand what they were talking about so Momo elaborated. "It's a fish that is said that consumption of one would leave you dissatisfied with all other fishes for the rest of your days. That is how good the flavor is. I'm afraid that a hot pot with this in it is the king of all hot pots."
"It's certainly good and not common if I recall." Adrien said. "Expensive as hell actually especially in France given how it is only found in the pacific, at least in its natural habitat that is."
"You're not wrong, it's a high-grade catch, well the one we used was." Monoma said with a grin. "Shishida's family sent us some just for this purpose."
"Must be pricey then." Ochaco said with a gulp, of everyone she was the most attuned to money issues. "To send such a fish just for a hot pot."
"Not at all in this case, my parents received it as a year end gift." Shishida said as if it was nothing and reminding them that he was just as upper class as Momo or Adrien were despite his hairy appearance though his accent and eloquent articulation often reminded people of his social status. "So, they sent me some of it to share with my classmates. I figured it would be nice to make a hot pot with it so that all of us in the Hero Course could enjoy it."
"A fish like that, as a gift, one that can break the bank." Ochaco said as she began to devolve at the thought. "Just what is your life."
"Ochaco relax." Tsu said trying to comfort her and handing her a glass of water. "Here, have a drink and try not to think of it."
"Alright well now that we've all tasted each hot pot and the soup it is time to vote." Monoma said standing and ignoring Ochaco's plight. "Please, seat yourself down in front of your pick."
"They were all good." Kaminari said as everyone reluctantly looked around unsure what to do. "It's like asking who your favorite family member was or something."
"This is a competition, though, so chose." Monoma said simply. "We did say we would."
They had and they were honor bound to do so having staked their pride and honor as future heroes on it and so they began to move and in short order the results were clear. The majority ended up around the sukiyaki and grouper stew though a decent number of Class B had gone for the Celestial Soup, as had Adrien and Momo but Marinette couldn't be biased and had gone with the grouper, as had Bakugo which was noted.
"Even you Bakugo?" Kirishima said looking at Bakugo from the kimchi that he'd voted for. "You went for the fish as well?"
"It was good." Bakugo said simply though clearly he'd added more chili powder than was necessary but that was to be expected from him.
"We learned why it is the king of hot pots today." Sato said humbled as he too was at the grouper hot pot. "It was too good to deny that it is by far the best."
"Agreed." Marinette said with a sigh as those with her nodded. "This is on a level few could match with our combined level of cooking skills."
"Ha, the votes are in and Class B wins." Monoma said getting into it now even if it wasn't the landslide he'd wanted, and his classmates were looking apologetic at his actions as was normally the case when Monoma got like this. "Which means that the rules call for some kind of punishment for your loss."
"Hold on you copying bastard, no one agreed to that." Bakugo protested as the stunned members of Class A looked at Monoma to see the bloodlust in his eyes at his triumph. "We agreed to see who's was best and you lot won, leave it at that and stop being a pain in the ass."
"I suppose you'd rather say good match and then have us go on our merry way after all the work we did to make these so that we could beat you?" Monoma asked rhetorically as to him there wasn't an answer that Class A could give that would satisfy him. "No, it's only natural to suffer a penalty when loosing or are you a bunch of cowardly pacifists?"
"No, we aren't cowards, but the rules of the competition weren't clear." Ida pointed out. "Rules should be made clear right at the start of a competition, not afterwards."
"Then tell me something class rep." Monoma said turning on Ida and playing right into his sense of nobility and desire to always learn something from what he did. "Do you think that villains will politely lay out the rules of engagement before we engage in a battle with them? We are all going to be heroes one day so surely we should accept the realities of our chosen profession while we are still in school so that we can be ready for the real world when we get to it."
"Are you telling me that you and the rest of your class are being villains for us as some part of a simulation to help us with out hero studies, how self-sacrificing of you." Ida said reading way too much into it as always, not that Monoma minded as this was exactly what he had been aiming for by addressing Ida, and shocking Class B who were getting ready to protest this as this was never the plan and that the only villain here was Monoma but the runaway locomotive that was Tenya Ida was already in full steam. "Very well, we accept our penalty. It is only sportsmanlike after all."
"Speak for yourself four eyes." Bakugo roared and the others were agreeing with this but after Ida's words they couldn't do anything less they'd lose face.
"Excellent then I declare the penalty for Class A losing the Hero Class Hot Pot Taste Off to be…" Monoma said dramatically before pausing for effect and then proclaiming. "Yaminabe."
Ah another great little cliffhanger that I just couldn't resist leaving this chapter off on. Initially I was planning on adapting the full chapter from the 5th School Briefs book, but it is one of the longest ones there (61 pages) and adapting a chapter like this takes a lot of time and words so when I realized that the hot pot taste off alone would need about 5k words before edits I knew I had to break it up into three chapters to cover the three parts of the chapter (the taste off, the punishment, and the final part that I'm not saying anything about) with the next two coming over the next two weeks to complete this impromptu start of semester hot pot party arc. This will also delay the start of the 16 week original content arc that will cover the time skip by one week but that is fine especially because the 6th School Brief book's English version comes out in less than 3 weeks so I will be able to use it as well for this time skip period, so I am hoping for at least one more chapter to be adapted from that book. Anyway, that is all that I have for y'all, we will conclude this event next week. As always, if you like it or have any questions please let me know in reviews or PMs, I will try to answer them as best I could and post any questions asked between uploads at the start of the next chapter and do follow and favorite this, so you are alerted to future uploads. Do keep the reviews coming as I like hearing from y'all as you enjoy my work, it motivates me to keep producing the best work I can for y'all to enjoy. Until next time.
Stringdog
