SUP Guys~~Firstly, Happy 1 year anniversary and Happy 2022~~Secondly,This story is not dead so don't worry~~And lastly, I'm so sorry for the long delay... I have been stuck IRL with university and also the side effects of my booster so I have been limited in my time to focus on this chapter which arguably is the biggest chapter of my story.

Anyways, enough of me. I bet you guys would love to hear more about the story than me so here are my thoughts~~ For starters, There were many directions I could have taken this but after much debate, I decided to go down this route~~Also, There were many foreshadowing in this chapter so it will give you a hint to the future plot~~ I'm excited to hear what you guys think about this it and give me some pointers to help improve it~~

Lastly,I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much I enjoy writing it~~ Also, there will be a surprise at the end of the chapter so Look forward to that as well~~~

PS: Another huge thanks to the 519 people who have favorites and the 616 people who have followed this story~~ You guys really are the best~~~

Now onto the review corner~~~Looking forward to replying to you guys after a long time~~ 13 reviews here I come~~

CincyRail: Sup man~~~Thanks and appreciate the support as ever~~Haha~~You guess wrong then, who were there? You just have to scroll down and read~~Glad you enjoy the laughs as well~~Thanks man, really appreciate it. Hopefully, I will able to land a job as a sport journalist haha~~ That is my dream~~Anyways~~Looking forward to hearing what you have to say and have a great 2022 my friend~~

NinjaFang1331: Thank you as always man~~ Hope you enjoy this chapter as well~~Enjoy 2022 man~~

Mugersu700: Hmm, one question before I reply~~ Was your name intended to me Mugetsu but you mistype the keys? Just asking, because I'm stoke for the new bleach anime this year~~Anyways, thanks for the big compliment man and I hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter~~~Have a great 2022 man~~

edwardstayshon04: Thanks? I take it that you wanted to write it as nice chapter but a bug happen? Anyhow, thanks for the feedback~~

Anikong:Sup man~~Nice to hear from you again~~You almost got all of them right so close~~ Yare Yare is from Gin because it's one of the most famous quotes from another very famous character voiced by the same VA~~The last one I assume you didn't know was Anne? Anyways~~ Thanks for your constant and looking forward to hearing from you again~~ Have a great 2022 man~~

lotto1212: Thanks man~~Sorry you have to wait so long again~~ Haha, it looks like I got at least one of you~~Who knows is he an ally or a foe~~it's too early to decide~~ Glad you like wall breaks, I'll try and incorporate more of them in the future to make it less boring~~ Don't worry, this story will not end until I make a good ending~~Anyway, looking forward to hearing from you again and have a blast of a 2022~~

NANLIT: Sup man~~Thanks as always for your constant support and feedback~~Haha, glad you like the whole Hisako/Nao dynamic and storylines i added. Hehe, glad you like the matches and people in it as well, it was a blast to write~~ Well, regarding your question, it's just how our society works...You can be as close as you want but if you don't have something to prove it then it's futile. That's just how it works with Soma. But don't worry, Soma will get his recognition in this chapter so stay tuned for that~~Hmm, you guess right about Anne, but the other male duo won't appear just yet but some members did appear in this chapter~~ Will it be Lucifer? Will it be Son of Saiba~~ It has all been answered below~~ Haha, glad I caught you off guard with the Hayama stuff~~Maybe they are still some twist that I have yet to write~~ Anways, looking forward to hearing from you again and have a festive 2022~~

GunBlade2021: Sup man, it looks like you have to update your name to 2022~~ Glad you like the interactions as they are the key to this story~~ Thanks for the support, stay safe yourself and have a nice 2022 man~~

felipe potter medrado: Thanks man~~I hate myself too with those evil cliffhangers haha~~ Wow, you guess almost all of them right~~ Thanks man, glad that I had enlighten your interest in Shokugeki fanfics~~~Haha, glad that I chose to finish it all off before posting then~~Thanks man, I hope you stay safe yourself and have a wonderful 2022~~

goodgunth123: Thanks man~~greatly appreciate it~~Sorry for the long delay and hope you enjoy this chapter as well~~If you like sweet things then you should read until the end~~ they maybe a surprise hehe~ Anyways, thanks for the support and have a great 2022 man~~

Natsu : Aizawa Niko~~? Or It's just me haha~~ Thanks for the feedback and have a nice 2022~~

IndraAshura: SUP MY G~~! Yeah bro, I can relate..IRL is quite hectic for me now too haizz...Sure, I will always be here to reply to you so You can review anytime~~Haha, i was having such a blast writing Hisako and Soma's interaction~~ Glad it got you haha~~Yup, the cheeky twins are making an earlier appearance and they will be featured in later chapters as well~~It's tough love bro, sibling love haha~~ Leonora is one of those characters that you can never hate. She's everything you want in a girl~~(Glad that my gf don't read my story~~). Ahem, moving on... Hehe, that will be reveal in the later chapters~~ Haha, glad I caught you off guard with it~~ Take care My G, looking forward to hearing from you again no matter how long you take. Stay safe and have a wonderful 2022~~

E.T.2000: Haha, I do too~~Sorry it took longer than planned~~Haha, glad you like the twins interaction with the group. There was always more the show could have do then introduced them briefly~~ Hehe, I hope you haven't figure it out since it would ruin my pride~~ Just joking~~ Stay safe and have a blast of a 2022~~

"Surprise~~"

Taking in the shock expression on her boyfriend, Erina lightly giggled and said: "Hehe~~I take it you like it eh Soma~~"

Seeing that Soma could only dumbly nod to her words, Erina slowly walked up to him and closed his jaws for him.

"You'll catch flies, you know~~I'm sure that your mouth could be used for better purposes~~" Erina purred right at Soma's ears.

Widening his eyes at Erina's word, Soma immediately lost control and affectionately showered her with all the emotions he was currently feeling.

Ignoring the onlooking crowd, Soma continued to dominate their make-out session without relenting to convey the overwhelming happiness and love he was feeling to the girl in his embrace.

Fully knowing that this would happen, Erina just relaxes and enjoy the sheer pleasure coming from their intertwined tongues. The pleasure was so great that it was as if a god and a demon king were kissing each other.

After a full three minutes of passionate kissing, the two begrudgingly separated due to the law of the universe. Taking a few seconds to remember that they were not alone, they turned to the side and saw Alice with a fox-like grin on her face.

"You two put on such a nice show~~~Why not just make this event the finals~~" Alice teased as the two looked around and saw a can't be help expression from the ones who know them and pure bewilderment from those we did not.

Deciding it was best to get this over and done with quickly, Erina grabbed hold of the microphone and directed her gaze to the crowd.

Anticipating a long and detailed one, the crowd braced themselves for a boring time but, Erina had different ideas.

"There really isn't anything much to explain. I felt jealous of being left out and decided I wanted to participate in the Autumn Elections with them.

"..."

"That's all there is to it. It's just a selfish request of mine."

"..."

As the crowd struggled to come to terms with what she had just said, Erina took her time and thought back to how her idea came to fruition.

"Flashback"

Erina POV

Haa…it's finally that time of the year, I was hoping it would never arrive but, time gives favors to nobody. The Autumn Elections, the event that gets every Totsuki first-year student's adrenaline pumping but, for me, it's like I've been dumped an ice-cold bucket of water.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I hate the event, it's just that I'm not allowed to participate in it due to me being a member of the Elite 10. F**k the one who came up with this stupid rule. Before you all say that I'm cursing my grandfather who was the founder of the academy, let me remind you that he's not the one calling all the shots. Also, this academy has a system where the Elite 10 could outvote the director. Ojii-sama… he really gives too much leniency to his students…Does he not know that it could backfire on him one day? Nah…He must know…but…surely no one's dumb enough to attempt it right?

Haa…enough sidetracking. It's time to tackle the issue at hand. Where did I get the idea to attempt something like this? It's obviously from that devil clad in white that I hate and love. Like, how did she figure me out?! I didn't even give any hints but she somehow just knew…I'm not that easy of a person to read right?

Anyways, it all started on the limo back from the training camp. I was teasing Soma about his spot in the Autumn Elections when he suddenly turned it back on me. "Even with the 599 students in contention for a spot, there is still one person missing from that list." (Chapter 13)

Really…He just knows what to say to get me going…All right…Nothing will get between me and them…It's a promise we made and I will do everything to keep it. But~~Let's keep it a secret for the time being~~

"Really~~~You're thinking too much about this Erina~~~You should just tell Ojii-sama and he will definitely grant your request~~"

Haa…so much for being a surprise for them…If she wasn't who she was, I would have punched her straight in her grin-shitting, smirk-eating face a thousand times over. Well…that's just something I love about her…Darn Maiden in loves…

Following the idea from you know who, I set out to find Ojii-sama in the early hours of the day I would be making the shortlist…Great choice of timing Erina! If it wasn't rushed enough, Ojii-sama is never home at this time of hour…Great…To the park then…

"Of course, your request is granted, my dear. It's pleasing that you would turn to me for help once in a while. There's no need for you to worry about the aftermath, I will be the one to handle it. You're still a child after all and which grandfather wouldn't want to spoil their granddaughter?"

Really…Could you not be such an easy heroine Ojii-sama?! What about my master plan?! What about the draft I put so much effort into making?! Grr…I can already picture that smug face of hers telling me I told you so…

Well…it wasn't exactly as planned but I'm not complaining…Getting spoiled once in a while feels quite nice as well.

Hehe~~Soma~~Alice~~Let's have some fun cooking~~~

After she had done recalling, chuckles unconsciously crept out of her lips as she could not contain her excitement. It was such an unreal sight to the people in the arena because they never picture Nakiri Erina having such a girly side to her.

Enraptured by the gap moe, the crowd immediately voiced their approval because who doesn't want to watch a match between the two Nakiris and their boyfriend. However, some questions still needed to be answered as one of the shareholders of Totsuki Academy politely raised his hand to ask a question.

Receiving a nod from Erina, the man began: "Your inclusion will no doubt harness a memorable final, but, don't you think it's unfair if only you were given special conditions to join in halfway?"

Already knowing that this question would pop up, Erina confidently replied: "Yes, it is indeed unfair of me to join halfway. It's a flaunting of status and that's why…I will place my seat on the line for this match and for any future challengers who would want to face me in battle"

Gasps filled the stadium as everybody in the stadium including those who know her were shocked by what she proposed.

Not letting anyone get a word in, Erina pushed on. "The illustrative Elite 10 council, a student council made up of the ten best chefs in the school. Normally, seats are given based on two conditions. The first is recognition from the Elite 10 committee, and the second is beating one in a Shokugeki. But, I do not recall fulfilling any of those two criteria when I was given the 10th seat."

"?!" (The crowd)

"It's funny really, I was never judged on my cooking skills. I assume it was given to me based on my accomplishments in middle school and my status as the god's tongue but, that just means that I'm nothing but a fraud."

"!"(The crowd)

"Hmm…So you're implying that you had yet to prove yourself to everyone is that right?"

"Yes, Positions are earned, not given. Also, why would I be satisfied with the 10th seat? I never recall degrading myself to such a level." Erina said with a smirk which earned chuckles from the crowd.

"Haha, very well. Senzaemon-dono has already given his approval so who am I to stop such a determined chef. Please entertain us with your cooking, Erina-sama." The shareholder said as he and Erina exchanged a light smile.

"Hahaha, this is indeed a momentous occasion. For the first time in Totsuki Academy History, the Autumn Elections final will feature a member of the Elite 10 to determine who actually stands number one among the current first-year." Senzaemon announced as the stadium erupted in cheers and applause.

However, things were about to get even livelier as Senzaemon passed on the stage to Anne.

"Greetings, students of Totsuki Academy. It's nice to see so many young and adorable hatchlings."

Confused about who she was, the crowd response was one-sided, to say the least. Only the boys responded as she was quite the looker if I do say so myself.

But, they immediately removed any indecent thoughts they have when Urara suddenly stumbled on beside her.

"Haa…haa…why am I doing all the hard work…I demand a pay raise…" Urara tiredly said as struggling to stand up straight.

"Pay raise? I was in the knowledge that you will serve as my assistant during my time here." Anne said confusingly.

"?! Who told you that?!"

"Miss. Alice of course, she recommended you as a worthy suitor for the role."

"Grr…I don't know if I should feel honor or vex…"

As the two were sorting out their terms and condition, the more knowledgeable ones, cue Marui immediately recognized the books as he screamed in shock.

"That's…That's…The book!"

"The book you say?! The book that evaluates every single restaurant in the world of haute cuisine and is updated and published every single year?!" (The crowd)

"Then…that means…she…She's one of the bookmen!" (The crowd)

"Haa…do Totsuki students always scream out the obvious?" Anne asked her temporary assistant.

"It's for the plot…don't ask anything more…" (Urara)

"I see, very well then. I will introduce myself formally." Anne said as she look at the raging crowd.

"Silence."

It was not spoken with volume but the weight of words coming from one of the bookmen immediately quiet down the crowd.

"Once again, let me reintroduce myself. My name is Anne and I'm a first-class WGO examiner and the head examiner for the final of this year Autumn Elections."

"..."

"Hmm…was I mistaken in my deduction that Totsuki students are loud buffoons?" Anne asked Urara as there was no response after her introduction.

"Just give them a few seconds…Look" Urara said as she pointed at some passionate fans.

"A real WGO Examiner! And a first-class at that! I can't believe I will have the pleasure of seeing one in my lifetime!"

"No way! They actually came down to Japan for a mere Autumn Elections final?!"

"This Autumn Elections will be the best ever! We have a match between Erina-sama, Alice-sama and their boy toy, and a judge from the WGO!"

"Boy toy?! Yukihira-sama will make those two submit to him after he wins!"

"HUH?!"

"WHAT?! You have something to say about that?!"

With those comments serving as a fuse, the crowd began splitting into sides to support the one who they favor in the final. Naturally, wagers and bets began to stem and passionate chanting for their respective favorites as cries of Erina, Alice and Soma surrounded the stadium.

"Totsuki students truly are an interesting bunch. Normally where I am, the people will remain dead silent. This is truly a fascinating place, assistant."

"I have a name you know! Anyways…how about we move things forward before fights happen." Urara said as she pointed at the three respective leaders of the fan club budding heads with each other.

"Very well, let's bring out the main theme for the finals." Anne said as she snapped her finger as the lights in the stadium went off.

The dark only lasted for a second as a spotlight shone on Isshiki who was pushing a cart that has a huge ice block on it.

"Now then, following the tradition, the theme of the final will be around Autumn seasonal ingredients. It's just the fitting way to judge a competition in Autumn after all. The management committee, would you please?"

Nodding at Anne's word, Isshiki immediately began cracking the ice block with a sled hammer.

Holding their breath in anticipation, everyone looked on as they saw the ice cube slowly crack open to reveal the ingredients lying inside.

"Its…It's filled with fishes?!"

"That is unexpected…I thought that they would choose a specific ingredient."

"Yea, are they giving the competitors the chance to select their specific fish?"

"Exactly. We will not only be testing their cooking abilities but also their ingredients. Their knowledge and skills will be tested even before they enter the match." Anne answered before turning to look at her three friends.

"Miss Erina, Miss Alice, Mister Yukihira. Sakana/Fish is an ingredient that is highly valued around the world due to its flexibility to be used in any class of cooking. An ingredient that allows one to utilize their knowledge, ingenuity, and creativity to their fullest. Now I ask you, are you three up to the task?" Anne asked the trio with a smirk.

"Of course." (Erina)

"No challenge~~" (Alice)

"Bring it on." (Soma)

Satisfied with their response, Anne gestured to Urara to handle the final details as she made her way to join up with her friends.

Finally allowed to do her actual job, Urara cheerfully announced that the finals would be held in a fortnight before closing out an unforgettable day of twists and turns.

"Tch…why are we even here…I can't believe I postpone the renovation for something like this…" The man grumbled as he took a sip of his rice juice.

"Cheer up Kou-chan~~~It's fine to relax once in a while~~"

"I agree, stop spoiling the mood Shinomiya. Oh, that's a full house, I win."

"Shut it Hinako! Stop with that stupid nickname of yours. And Mizuhara! I got a four of a kind so this round goes to me!" Shinomiya shouted as he collects the chips placed in the middle.

"Still as impatient as ever Shinomiya, I still haven't revealed my hand yet."Gin said with a smirk as he revealed his hand to the others to see.

"A royal flush?! You kept quiet on such a hand?! Are you a psychopath?!" Shinomiya shouted in disbelief.

"I would rather be called discreet Shinomiya. I'm always thinking a step ahead of you after all" Gin said with a smile as he hinted about his match with Soma in the training camp.

"Haha…You really know how to push my buttons Dojima-san…Dealer, deal the next round…" Shinomiya said in a low and angry tone that leaves no room for argument.

Knowing when to oblige, Marui quickly began shuffling the cards while inwardly cursing himself that he drew the short end of the stick.

As the alumni were busy playing their game of poker, the other Hoseki members loitered around the foursome of Erina, Soma, Alice, and Anne as they were interested in how their friendship came to be

"You really have glow up huh Anne~~I do kind of miss the old, clumsy, and nerdy side of you~~" Alice teased as she softly nudged Anne on the shoulder.

"What a coincidence, I was too missing the teasing, happy go lucky yet annoying Alice…Oh wait, you haven't matured one bit." Anne teased back which caused the onlookers to tilt their heads in confusion.

"Heh, did you think that Anne was one of those stuck-up nobles who would act haughty and arrogant?" Soma chuckled as he caught notice of the expression on his friends.

"Hmph…Do I need to remind you all that you're friends with two Nobles and acquaintances with many of the alumni?" Erina asked while squinting her eyes at them.

Having the obvious pointed to them, the members could only laugh awkwardly in response: "Haha…"

"Hehe, don't make them feel uncomfortable Erina. It's the normal reaction when you meet an outsider with a higher status after all." Anne said as she defended them while flashing them a friendly smile.

With that, the members immediately lighten up and began introducing themselves to her while adding in a small apology for their initial presumption.

"Hehe~~there's no need to apologize to her~~I mean, who would have thought a member of the WGO would be a down-to-earth girl that likes to tease and mess with others~~" Alice teased but she was immediately given a taste of her own medicine.

"Like you're one to talk!" Everyone shouted with dead eyes as you are the one who shattered their perception of Nobles after all.

After settling down from the round of laughter from finally getting one back at Alice, everyone quiet down and began listening attentively to the story on how the trio met Anne.

"We're finally here! If it took any longer, I would not have been able to handle it." An excited voice spoke as he took in the scene around him.

"Hmph…it's a good thing Saiba-sama put you to sleep or else there would be constant rumbling on the plane." A girly voice resounded beside him as to complain to him.

"Hehe~~Soma-kun was such a comfy pillow, I wouldn't mind snuggling some more~~ But~~ Erina doesn't seem to like it so why don't we leave her be" A third voice resounded as she linked her arms with the person who spoke first.

"Hmph…Who said I didn't like it…I just don't want Soma-kun to waste his energy before the actual event." The now identified Erina said in her classic tsun tone before she too linked her arms with Soma.

Following closely behind them, the three elders chuckled to themselves at the usual scene in front of them. Silencing praising each other for thinking up this plan, the four called out to them before heading inside.

"Alright, calm your horses down kiddo. There are some rules we need to go through first." Joichiro said as the trio turned to look at the legendary chef.

"Since you three wanted to prove yourselves against others, we have decided to separate you into three different categories." Gin spoke first as the trio cheered but their mood dampen when they realize they were separated from each other.

Giggling at their innocent reaction, Riko decided to lift their spirits: "Don't need to get so down you three~~The overall winners of the categories will then be placed in the main event when you will face off against one another in The Ultimate Food Fight."

"So basically, all you three need to do is just keep winning then you will see each other again." Joichiro said as he patted the three on the head.

"Yosh! Let's promise each other to meet up in the final Erina-chan, Alice-chan~~" Soma said as he held out both of his pinky fingers.

"Hmph…anything other than victory is unacceptable." Erina replied as she flipped her hair before linking her finger with Soma.

"Hehe~~~time for us to cause a scene~~" Alice replied like a typical villain as she too linked her pinky finger with Soma.

After exchanging pinky promises, the trio headed into the arena as their teachers saw them off with some parting words of encouragement. After ensuring they have safely entered, they headed backstage where they too needed to keep a promise with someone. Unbeknownst to them, their involvement in the tournament would lead them to be the first to witness the establishment of the organization known as the WGO as well as meeting with someone they have never expected to see.

But, let's save that story for the future, shall we?. For Now, let's just focus on the present.

The World Food championship or WFC for short is the largest competition in Food Sport where chefs convene for a chance at winning the ultimate food crown. As mentioned earlier by Riko, The World Food Championships consist of two stages. The first is the category event, and the second is the main event. The category event itself has 10 different categories of food for the competitors to choose from. This year, the categories are bacon, barbecue, burger, eggs, dessert, sandwich, seafood, soup, steak, and recipe. The winners of their specific category will then advance to the main event where they are required to complete three different tasks before the judges would choose the overall winner of the WFC.

Usually, one would need to get past the qualifiers or be a past champion to compete. But, by utilizing their fame as Totsuki graduates, Riko and Gin managed to secure special invitations for the trio in return for some favor. Not surprisingly, Joichiro was dragged in to repay the debt for the extra ticket. As a different father compared to in the anime, Joichiro did not argue as he knew this was what Soma wanted and he would not allow his laziness to get in the way of his son's happiness.

Joining back with Soma and the girls, it was inevitable that they were gonna get picked on by the other competitors as they were still kids and the competition is not age-restricted. However, having gone through some harsh events in the past, the trio was more mature than the average kids around their age and they acted the part as they ignored the taunts and just focused on fulfilling their promise to each other.

As it turns out, the competition was not as fierce as they thought as they just breezed through their category and emerged as the winner. Feeling slightly disappointed by the lack of competition, the trio did not stay for any media coverage and immediately ditched the paparazzi in favor of meeting up with each other.

Once they were reunited with each other, they immediately vented out their frustrations on their competitors as it was really just too easy for them. In the eggs category, Soma outscored his closest opponent by 50 points whereas Alice did the same in the dessert category while Erina earn a perfect 100 in her recipe category and was immediately awarded the win. As they continue to rack their brains around why the competition was so weak, they failed to take into account that they were the first ones judged which immediately numb the judges' senses for the other competitors.

Giving up on finding out the reason, the trio talk among themselves and decided to head backstage in search of their mentors. While walking, they caught sight of a nerdy girl with spectacles looking around frantically.

Surprised to find someone around their age here, the trio stood still for a moment to observe the girl. However, they fail to consider the classic cliche dunce possesses.

First, they noticed the gaze of someone else. Then, they stopped momentarily to consider whether to ask them for help. After deciding that it was best to ask, they bump into someone on the way or trip over nothing. Lastly, they would somehow be short-sighted and fail to find the belongings they drop.

That was exactly what happened as the trio was left speechless at the scene in front of them. Seemingly to notice people staring at her, the girl stopped in her tracks and looked towards them. After a few seconds of pondering, the girl headed towards their direction until she tripped over nothing which caused her glasses to fall off and now she was frantically looking for them with a teary expression.

"...We should probably help her…" It wasn't known who was the first to speak up but it was definitely a sentence that summarized their thoughts.

After helping the girl retrieve her glasses, the girl thanked them profusely as she kept bowing. Unsure of what to make of the situation, Soma with his high communication skills moved the conversation forward and introduced themselves to her.

Surprised to hear Soma speak in fluent English, the girl returned the introduction and introduced herself as Anne. Before she could explain to the trio why she was here, she heard two concerned voices looking for her.

"Anne, where are you?"

"Anne, speak up if you can hear us."

Thrilled to hear the voices she was awaiting, Anne immediately spoke up. "Courage, Decora, I'm here!"

Immediately recognizing the voice, the two aforementioned girls headed in their direction and saw the scene in front of them. Disregarding the onlooking trio, the two brought Anne into a tight hug and reprimanded her for making them worry.

Smiling at the warm scene in front of them, the trio decided to stay silent and wait for them to finish. After some reassuring, the two let Anne out of their embrace but their hands were firmly holding onto each of her hands. Once that was done, the two looked at the trio and thanked them for taking care of Anne before introducing themselves.

Acknowledging their thanks, the trio decided to introduce themselves again and asked the questions of their lips. After some verification, the two parties were shocked to find out that the other party was finalists like them. Furthermore, they had outscored their closest opponent by a similar margin of 50 or more in their respective categories.

As they were in the same boat, the two groups of three immediately warmed up to each other and began talking about their aligned interest. As time went by unnoticed, the group had already developed a friendly and close relationship as Alice was teasing Anne about her appearance while Courage would tease Soma and the girls about their relationship.

The one particular instance that stood out most was when Erina and Alice hid Soma behind their back when Decora and Courage tease Soma about them joining his little circle.

After noticing how silly they were, they exchanged a series of laughter before they all eventually have to leave. As two groups bid each other farewell, they promised each other that they would not hold back when they faced each other tomorrow.

"So that's how we met. Funny how it turned out right?" Soma joked as he ended the story, but his friends were having none of it.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT! You can't just end it there! There are still so many things that haven't been clarified! The establishment of the WGO?! An unknown encounter?! Two other WGO members?! Who won between you all?!" Everyone shouted as they demanded answers from the loopholes in the story.

"Hehe~~~those information can't be revealed just yet~~~it's part of the future plot after all~~~" Alice replied cheekily which caused the gang to protest even more.

Eventually, Erina relented and told them that Decora and Courage were the two other first-seat WGO members. Anything more than that, they would just have to wait.

Knowing that it was just a matter of time, they stopped pestering and decided to ask a different question. How on earth did the culinary world fail to notice what they did?! 6 young chefs made it to the finals out of 1000 contestants for crying out loud!

"Heh, it was probably because another cooking competition took all of the headlines.." Soma replied which caused them to widen their eyes.

"You mean!" Takumi shouted as he stood up in shock.

"You're correct in your assumption this time Mister Aldini." Anne joked which caused the Italian to blush and sat back down.

"Now I see…considering it took part at the same time as 'that', it was no wonder your achievements were not known." (Hisako)

"It really is! I thought we would be on the front cover of the newspaper but instead we didn't even get a little cameo!" (Alice)

"Don't sulk Alice. The people would probably think it was just child leniency considering how the tournament turned out. Many people tend to don't believe until they see it after all." (Erina)

"But still, it must be pleasant to be part of something similar to the Autumn Elections." (Megumi)

With everyone agreeing to what Megumi said, Anne decided to have some fun and adopt a mischievous expression on her face.

"Do you all wish to experience something similar?" Anne suddenly spoke which caused the attention of everyone.

"Can we?" (Yuki)

"Obviously. This should be confidential but considering you are part of their group, I'll let you in on it."

As the Hoseki members held their breath in anticipation, they failed to notice that Erina and Soma have amused expressions on their faces while Alice was openly giggling at Anne's antic.

"You all should…"

"Should?"

"Not have lost. Losing early means that it reduces your time in these events. How could you experience things if you exit early?"

"..."

"Anne~~~don't forget the 3-second rule~~" Alice reminded as Anne had already made a beeline towards the door.

"I bid you all farewell then."Anne said before proudly exiting from the front door.

On cue, the Hoseki members responded after three seconds and chased after the vixen. However, she had already been long gone. Deciding to vent their frustration at the ones who knew, they then discover that they have also disappeared which caused them to curse out profanities that should not be included in this fanfic.

Left with no other options, they decided to head to their own bedrooms and turn in for the night. Unbeknownst to them, the culprits were just under their noses as the four were in Soma's room to discuss something privately.

12 days left until final

"Urgh…care to explain to me why we're here…?" A feminine voice groggily asked the girl as they got off the plane.

"Hmm~~It's obvious~~~You're going to help me with my main ingredient~~" Alice cheerfully replied.

"I would have appreciated it if you told me earlier and not barge into my room and dragged me away first thing in the morning…" Hisako complained with a frown.

"Hehe~~I didn't want to trigger a death flag~~ If I told you earlier, you would have obviously told your lover that you would marry her after you came back~~" Alice teased which caused Hisako to stutter.

"I….I would have not…."

Deciding to hold off on her teasing for now, Alice and Hisako quickly got hold of their luggage before boarding their pre-book limo and headed towards their designated destination.

Fukuoka, widely known for being the sixth-largest city in Japan, is also the second-largest port city after Yokohama and serves as the capital city of Kyushu, Japan. The reason why Alice chose this place was simple, it's because the city of Fukuoka is known throughout Japan for its delicious fish.

Also, there's a unique attraction that only people in Fukuoka could enjoy. As Alice and Hisako got off their ride, they could see a huge building in front of them with the words Fukuoka City Fish Market Center.

"Alice, this is the place you want to visit?" Hisako asked with confusion in her voice.

"Hehe~~~don't worry Hishoko~~~I know what you're thinking."

"If you know then why are we here? This place only opens once a month for its visitors and to my knowledge, we have already missed the second Saturday of this month."

"Hehe~~did you forget what my family name is Hishoko~~?"

Widening her eyes in realization, Hisako almost forgot the weight 'that' name carries. No wonder Alice could act so brazenly.

Deciding to tease her friend, Hisako cheekily replied: "Hmm~~Wasn't it Yukihira?"

"! Mou! You really are a meanie with words!"

"Touche Alice~"

As the two continued to exchange to tease one another, they soon arrived at the first floor of the market hall building. Inside, they were seven restaurants and they were all filled with office workers. It came as no surprise to the duo as the prices served were way cheaper and the fish was the best of the best.

Ignoring their growling stomachs, the two head to the second floor where there was a passageway that connects to the West wholesale building where the market is held. However, they were blocked by security guards once they reached the end of the passageway.

Irritated by their lingering gaze on her, Alice pulled out a black card and wave it in front of them. Recognizing the importance of the individual in front of them, the two guards immediately scrambled to the side and bowed profusely to her.

"Hmph, you both should count your lucky stars that it was me. If it was Erina…Heh…" Alice grinned as she and Hisako walked past the duo and arrived at the deserted market.

Inside, they were immediately assaulted by an overwhelming fishy odor that permeated the air around them. However, it was not unpleasant and repulsive in the slightest as the two felt just at home.

While they were looking at the numerous closed shops, a figure walked out to them and greeted them politely.

"Nakiri-sama, to what does this old fellow owe the pleasure to?"

"Urgh…stop with the formal talk…You know I hate etiquette like that." Alice complained to the figure in front of her.

"Hehe, of course, Alice-sama. Greetings to you as well Arato-sama, welcome to my humble fish market."

"The pleasure's all mine, President of the Sanyo Corporation Koichiro Nagatani-dono." (Hisako)

"Now then, what can I help you with Alice-sama?"

"Immediately getting to the point eh~~Always the businessman." Alice joked which earned a smile from Koichiro.

"For starters, I would like to have permission to visit the market for the next 12 days. Then, I would like to have first dips on a certain type of fish before they are auctioned off. Lastly, on the final day, I would like to transport the fishes I chose to my home in Tokyo." Alice said as she listed off what she needed.

Without needing a moment to ponder on his decision, Koichiro immediately agreed as he knows the underlying benefits of helping Alice.

After finalizing the terms, Hisako and Alice left and headed for the hotel that they would be staying in. On the way, Hisako decided to ask Alice a question that's been bothering her.

"Alice, why are you so sure that Yukihira and Erina would not be here? Did you discuss it among yourself?"

"Hehe~~Who knows~~" Alice nonchalantly replied as she headed into the hotel lobby.

As she gave nothing away, Hisako was left with her own thoughts. 'If they are not here, where could they be.'

"Well…this gives a whole new meaning to the word awkward…" A red hair figure said as he was facing a yellow-hair girl.

"Hmph…at least we are not with the opposite gender right?" The girl replied as the two continued to stare at each other.

The stare down only lasted for a few seconds as laughter could then be heard. The two smile before linking their arms together and boarding the plane, leaving their initial partners behind.

Left behind, their partners could only look at each other and sigh. Mimicking their actions, the two held onto each other and followed behind them. Well, at least they don't have to explain to one another why they suddenly disappear now.

Taking advantage of the hour and 30 minutes trip, the two perpetrators decided to explain their plans to the people they 'kidnapped'.

"Sorry for dragging you both into this, Kurokiba, Tadokoro. We only decided this yesterday night and didn't have time to explain" Soma apologized to the two.

"It's ok Soma-kun, Erina-chan. It's always fun being on one of your adventures." (Megumi)

"I don't mind if we're near the sea, Yukihira." (Kurokiba)

"I don't know about Soma, but we would actually be heading East Megumi." Erina informed her partner of their route.

"Heh, we will be heading North-East Kurokiba. There's a place that I would like to check out." Soma informed which earned a nod from Kurokiba.

With that out of the way, the four continue to exchange in some small talk with the topic somehow directed towards romance which left Megumi in a blushing mess and Kurokiba to uncharacteristically look away.

After getting off the plane, the two head towards their pre-book limo and bid each other farewell. But before that, they would obviously indulge in their partner's lips since they would be separated for a whole 12 days.

Once they were satisfied and giving the onlookers a wonderful show, they boarded the limo and headed towards their destination.

Directing the focus to Soma and Kurokiba first, the two were now heading to the northern coast of Hokkaido.

Once they got off the limo, Kurokiba was surprised to see that their first stop was at a waterfall. Intrigued by what had Soma has planned, Kurokiba silently follow Soma without asking any questions.

As they walked closer to the waterfall, Kurokiba could see more than 3000 fish swimming upstream to spawn. However, that was just the appetizer.

Once they reached the waterfall, Kurokiba widen his eyes as he saw numerous fish jumping. Turning to look at Soma, he could tell that he was enjoying the sight in front of him.

"This place is called Sakura Falls, it's named after the fish you could see here. The name of the waterfall was chosen by the public back in 2002." (Soma)

"I could see why... Sakura means cherry blossom and the fish here all are cherry salmon which is called "Sakura-masu"." (Kurokiba)

"Heh, didn't take you for type to know such stuff Kurokiba." (Soma)

"Shut it Yukihira. I'm the seafood specialist here. So…is this your main ingredient?" (Kurokiba)

"Nah, I just wanted to stop halfway. There's no benefit in rushing, haste makes waste after all."

"Heh, who's the one acting out of character now?"

After an hour of enjoying the breathtaking scenery, the two hopped back onto their limo and continued their journey. With an hour passing, the two finally reach the place Soma had chosen.

Shari or Shari-Cho. It is a small town with a population of less than 12000. Many would only know of this place due to its main attraction of the Shiretoko National Park but, Soma knew that this place contained the main ingredient he needed.

Deciding to see his main ingredient live in the flesh, Soma and Kurokiba headed to Onnebetsu River where they could see the locals and anglers attempting to catch the fishes.

As someone who has been trained by the queen of the jungle Rindo, Soma casually dips his feet into the river and patiently waited for his moment to strike.

Ignoring the odd stares from the locals, Soma closed his eyes and concentrated on the flow of the river. When he sensed a disruption in the flow, he dove his hand in and immediately caught the fish.

Grinning at the shocked locals and Kurokiba, Soma continued on this routine until some locals begged him to stop.

After getting blacklisted for the day by the locals due to his number of catches, Soma lead Kurokiba to the main place where he would be getting his supplies of ingredients.

Once they got off the limo, Kurokiba was shocked to see a line of women welcoming them. But, what was even more shocking was the intimacy they call Soma with.

"Soma-kun!"

"Yo, how have you all been doing?" Soma asked as it was a normal scene to him.

"Yu…Yukihira…" Kurokiba could not help but stutter as this was too much for even him to take in.

"What's the holdup Kurokiba? I will be going in first." Soma said to Kurokiba before following the women inside the restaurant.

Looking at the background of the women happily chatting with Soma, Kurokiba could not help but sigh. "How am I going to explain this to Ojou…"

Deciding that it's best to forget what he had just seen, Kurokiba slowly followed them inside.

However, due to his mind not being at the right place at the moment, he totally missed the nameplate 'Fisherman's Wives Co-operative Diner' as he walked in. If he did see it, it would have prevented him from being in the awkward situation that he was in now.

Surrounded by the laughter of Soma and the wives from one end and the pity of gaze of their husbands from another, Kurokiba could only look up in the sky and wish that Megumi was now beside him.

"Hahaha, you really need to learn how to differentiate between friendship and romance Kurokiba" Soma said without mercy.

"Shut it Yukihira. Who am I to know that they are your fans?" Kurokiba growled in annoyance.

"All right. I'll clear up this misunderstanding since we will be working together for the next 12 days." Soma said as he told Kurokiba of that he met this group of people on his journey.

Without going into further detail on how he met them, Soma moved the topic forward and told Kurokiba that they will set sail with the fisherman on their ship to catch his ingredients for their stay here.

Seeing no reason not to comply, Kurokiba gradually blended in with the locals as they were very welcoming of someone who's a sea person as well.

Leaving Kurokiba inside, Soma walked out of the diner and walked to the port to gaze at the Sea. Looking down at the surface of the water, Soma chuckled to himself as he imagined the reflection of Alice and Erina "Time to fulfill the promise then."

Similarly, on the Eastern coast of Hokkaido, Erina was also thinking about her two dearests as she gaze at the bubbling hot spring water that she was currently bathing in. To her side, Megumi was playing with her rubber ducky as it was her routine when enjoying a pleasant bath.

After their long journey, Erina decided that they should just use the first day to settle in as the sun was already setting when they arrive at Nemuro City. According to her research, this capital city with a population of 30000 will provide her with the best opportunity of securing her main ingredient.

As she was deep in thought, she did not notice Megumi talking to her until she felt their shoulders touching.

"Hmm? What is it Megumi?"

"Erina-chan, is everything ok? You look a bit stressed." Megumi asked with concern.

Not surprised that Megumi was able to see through here, Erina chuckled to herself mockingly. "It's just…I'm just scared Megumi."

Being the attentive listener she is, Megumi stayed quiet and allowed Erina to continue voicing out her fears.

"I'm not scared about Alice and Soma, I'm scared about myself. They have proven they can handle the pressure but, what about me? Sure, I have cooked in front of people before but, there wasn't any pressure. In the WFC, hardly anyone knew me since we were overseas and I can cook in mind that I have the leeway to mess up. In the many Shokugekis against our seniors, I already knew I would beat them. But this time, my opponents are Alice and Soma. Two of my lovers and Two people that dedicated their cooking to remove me from my curse. What if my cooking can't live up to their expectations? I can't mess up…I just can't…"

After finishing, Erina noticed that her body was shaking despite being in a hot spring. Noticing this fact, she wanted to leave but that notion was stopped when Megumi caught her in an embrace. Feeling Megumi placing her chin on her shoulder, Erina subsequently relaxed and waited for her to speak.

"Erina-chan, everyone is entitled to fear and mistakes, you are no exception. You say that you are scared of not meeting their expectations but the sole reason they are even here is that you live up to those expectations. Would they be in Totsuki if you were not here? Nope. Would they have the same smile when you gave them that surprise? Nope. Would they even be having fun cooking if you were not there? Nope. Erina-chan, don't belittle yourself. You have time and time again surpassed their expectations just as they did to yours. You just have to remember what their expectations are set on. Was it your cooking or was it the person named Nakiri Erina?

Stunned wordless by Megumi just said, Erina could only berate herself for stupidity. The reason was so simple yet she couldn't figure it out.

"Thank you, Megumi. I really needed that, I was about to deal with everything myself again." Erina thanked as she scooped a bucket of water and poured it over them.

"Hehe, anytime Erina-chan. It feels good to be the big sister once in a while." Megumi smiled brightly as she removed her chin from Erina's shoulder and laid her back with hers.

"Hmph…not only have you mature but you also have become more cheeky and bold to tease me" Erina complained with a smile.

"What do you mean~~? I'm still the same girl you took under your wings all those years ago~~" Megumi replied cheerfully.

"Hmph, this is what I do to cheeky little sisters." Just as Erina said that. Erina turned around and began relentlessly tickling her.

It was fortunate for them that they were staying by themselves in a secluded Forest lodge Subaru in Kushiro or else the cries and pleas from Megumi would definitely invite the police to their doorstops for suspect of R-18 activities.

After an eventful night, Erina and Megumi left their temporary household and headed for the Nemuro Port. Blessed by vast surrounding nature, the Nemuro Port is one of the major fishing ports in Japan with record-breaking catches over several years. Also, it is where the Nemuro Fish Festival is held every year.

As they were walking through the festival, they could see various interesting events such as a prepared 100m charcoal grill is for visitors to grill fish, fish grabbing, fish on-site sale, and fish cooking.

Fascinated and amazed by the festival, the two gradually slow down their pace and enjoy the livelihood of the festival. Before they could join in, the executive committee noticed them and immediately went over to greet them.

"Nakiri-sama! Tadokoro-sama! It's an honor for both of you to grace us with your presence." The man bowed in respect.

"Sama?!" Megumi squeaked in surprise.

"That's enough pleasantries for now, I personally don't like flattery, and Megumi is not used to it either." Erina said as the executive bowed again in apology.

"I'm sorry if I have offended you both but seeing both of you here brings us great joy."

"Why…? Even me? But I'm barely famous…" Megumi said as her old habit began to resurface again.

"Good Heavens! Don't belittle yourself like that! Your performance in the Autumn Elections has touched all of our hearts! The courage and determination you show when competing against others with higher stature gives us immense pride in what we're doing." The executive fervently said as he held out a newspaper with Megumi at the cover page.

"Cooking and serving with Hospitality, the girl riding huge waves to the top with her style of home cooking. The uprising chef that started out in a small port, Tadokoro Megumi." Megumi read out the title with immense surprise.

"Look around Megumi, the people we pass by are not just looking at me, they are looking at you as well."

As Megumi look around, she saw the locals nervously gathering around them and whispering about them.

"She..she is Tadokoro Megumi!"

"She's with Nakiri Erina-sama!"

"Mama~~I want her photograph~~ I want to be like her~~"

"It's just as you can see, we at Nemuro are greatly pleased by both of your arrivals and we hope that you will enjoy our festival for the next 12 days."

"Thank you…Thank you for your hospitality. I will be sure to return this hospitality with my own." Megumi said as she walked over to the young girl and petted her on the head.

Seeing Megumi enjoy herself with the locals, Erina let out a smile before returning to her business demeanor. "For my main purpose here…"

"Everything has already been prepared Nakiri-sama. You will have the first pick over the ingredients brought in and your personal station will be placed outside the people's view."

"Excellent, thank you for the hard work. I will be heading there now, inform Megumi of this when she gets back." Erina said as she left for her personal workplace.

Deciding to take the long route, Erina walked along the harbor railings, admiring the vast sea. Stopping at a spot where the water was more peaceful, her thoughts drifted to her two lovers who were no doubt preparing as hard as her.

"Alice, Soma. Prepare yourselves, I will be waiting."

The night before the final

"Sigh~~~"

"Sigh~~~"

"Why did Otouto leave without telling me...?"

"Why did Onee-sama leave without telling me...?"

"Why didn't he ask me for help...?"

"Why didn't she bring me along to help...?"

"Hmm?"

"Hmm?"

As the two finally noticed that they were not alone, they turned to face each other and took in each other's appearance. After a momentary pause, the two immediately embraced each other as 'sisters' who have been abandoned by their siblings.

For the ones who were room with them, they could only look on wordlessly at the scene unfolding in front of them. However, they were always someone who doesn't follow the script.

"Rindo-senpai...Sadatsuka-san... You do know that you both have been repeating this pattern every day right...? Also, they are not your biological sibling...I'm sorry!" Takumi immediately cut himself off as he felt two cold glares directed at him. It was fortunate for him that someone just came in as the two were about to drag him away for a lecture about what 'siblings' is.

"Sorry, did I interrupt at the wrong time?"

"Hayama Akira!" Yuki, Daigo, and Shoji exclaimed in shock at the same time.

"What? Am I not welcome here?" Hayama asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Fufu, of course you're welcome here. Everyone's welcome to the Polar Star Dorm." Isshiki said in his usual clothing.

"What are you wearing…" Hayama complaint with his eyebrows twitching.

"Fufu, this is not even my final form. Behold!" Isshiki said as he took off his apron to reveal his only clothing which was a thong.

"The F**K man?!" Hayama shouted in disbelief.

However, he was the only one who shared that sentiment as the Polar Star members began cheering about seeing Isshiki's in this form again.

Looking around in bewilderment, Hayama saw them bringing out snacks and drinks like it was something to celebrate.

With no one supporting him, Hayama could only watch on with dead eyes as Isshiki began putting on a show for them. "What have I gotten myself into now…"

After experiencing the 'unique' performance that has scarred him for life, Hayama decided to just join in with the crazy group. There's nothing to lose and he was already in too deep to escape.

As midnight finally came, Hayama breath a sigh of relief as the members of the Polar Star passed out after drinking too much of Ryoko's rice juice.

"They really have too much energy to spend…" Hayama complained as he was on the brink of collapsing himself.

"Hahaha, don't try to take yourself out of it. I saw you letting yourself go. You even began conversing with that smoke dude all on your own" Rindo pointed out as Hayama turned his face to the side to hide his embarrassment.

"We just share a common interest in aroma cooking that's all…" Hayama said quietly but he was fooling no one.

"Fufu, there's nothing to be shy about Hayama-kun. I know for a fact that he was happy to talk to you as well. You're always welcome here, we at the Polar Star dorm accept anyone after all." Isshiki smiled which caused Hayama's lip to slightly curve upwards.

"...I'll think about it."

After a momentary silence, the atmosphere turned serious as they got into the main reason why Hayama was here.

"So, did you find anything important?" (Rindo)

"Yeah, he's been meeting up with a bunch of people from the underground. They claimed to be supporting his ideals" Hayama revealed to the two.

"Hmm…It's a surprise that he would actually seek help from them. He doesn't lack the money and recognition…If it's not a financial matter then could it be personnel?" Isshiki asked with a tone of wariness.

"For now, I don't have a clue. But, it's definitely his way of responding to what Yukihira and his girls pulled."

"Tch…that bastard probably got scared when a member of the WGO suddenly appeared and went to enlist the help of an outer source." Rindo said in disgust.

"Even so, which organization could possibly have the same influence that the WGO has…?" (Isshiki)

Unable to think of any that fits the criteria even after racking their brains together, the three decided to leave the conversation on hold for now and resume their investigation.

As Isshiki and Rindo saw Hayama off, Rindo noticed something amiss and told Isshiki to head back inside first.

"Be careful Rindo-Senpai." Isshiki said as he noticed the presence too.

"Don't worry Isshiki, he won't do me any physical harm although he has done more than enough for mental." Rindo said as she brought the figure to the forest.

Once they were out of sight, Rindo turned to face the figure. "Hehe, you were never really good at hiding, Tsukasa."

"Haa…you are just too good in finding me out Rindo." Tsukasa complained as he walked out with a smile.

"So? Are you here on personal reasons or official business?"

"A variation of both actually…Rindo…we…"

"We both know that's not gonna happen…" Rindo interrupted as she knew where Tsukasa was going with this.

"Figures…Can't say I didn't try…Rindo, the chief knows that you have been sneaking around his back."

"Heh, bout time he realized something was up. Guess he's not as stuck up in his delusional world as I thought."

"Rindo…"

"Tsukasa, there are things in this world that we need to do even if we don't want to. This is one of those situations. You have your ideals and I have mine."

"...I see…it's just as he said…Haa…Rindo, from this moment on, you are removed from the position of my second-in-command." Tsukasa said as he brought out a piece of document with his signature.

"Six signatures…You have less backup than I thought"

"En…You and Isshiki have been making it hard for us…Haa…just imagining the paperwork gives me a headache…"

"Hehe, As a final parting gift, would you mind telling me the details of your deal with the underground?"

"...Rindo, you can't win…I…I lost…"

"...I see…Thanks for the heads-up…And Tsukasa…" Rindo paused before moving closer and giving him a peck on the lips.

"Stay put and wait for me, I'll do anything to open my boyfriend's eyes even if I have to go through hell itself." Rindo said before leaving Tsukasa alone.

"Rindo, I love you too. I'll be waiting on the battlefield." Tsukasa whispered before leaving as well.

With the wind howling and rain crying through the night, the two stood by their windows to look at the personification of their current situation. Two sides, Two ideals, One couple. Only time will tell which standpoint was correct, and only they will know if their hearts will reconcile once again.

The day of the Autumn Elections Finals

"Welcome everyone! It's been a long journey but we have finally arrived at the finals of the 43rd Annual Totsuki Autumn Elections! I, Urara Kawashima, and Isshiki-senpai will be your host today~~ Teehee~~" Urara said with her usual catchphrase.

"Fufu, it's an honor to host such an important event with such a cute junior. I'm excited to see how this unfolds." Isshiki said with a smile

Just like usual, the crowd's attention was split into two as the boys began cheering for Urara while the girls silently admired Isshiki. However, there was one distinct group who were too occupied to even care for what's happening on stage.

"It's already 7pm! Where are they?! Don't tell me their flight has been delayed?!" Takumi panicked as they had yet heard a word from the trio.

"Calm down Nii-san...They are probably rushing back here from the port after receiving their ingredients…" Isami comforted as he was trying to reason with Takumi.

"But still, they have chosen such a risky means of getting their ingredients. Transporting on the same day as the finals, did they not account for any mishaps?" Ikumi asked with a tone full of worry.

"I'm sure they have planned it all out. According to my calculation, the markets open at 3am, and their journey back takes around 6-7 hours. After coming back, they would probably use the next 2 hours to gather all their ingredients and make their final checking." Marui said as he did the classic anime cliche of adjusting his glasses.

"That's nice and all but what about the remaining 6-7 hours…" (Shun)

As soon as Shun posed the question, an ominous thought ran through their minds.

"They aren't sleeping are they…" Ryoko unconsciously said her thoughts out loud.

Fortunately for them, their worse fear didn't come through as a familiar pink hair came into their view.

"Arato Onee-sama!"

Obviously, Nao was the first to spot and react as she dove straight towards Hisako.

Already expecting her reaction, Hisako spread open her arms and welcomed her wholly into an embrace.

"Hehe, It's been a while Nao, I miss you too much." Hisako spoke first as she placed her chin on Nao's shoulder and greedily breathed in her scent.

"Onee-sama..." Too happy to form words, Nao tightens their embrace as her way of responding.

"Tch…flirting the first thing we get back…" Kurokiba complained as the two were blocking his way to the stands.

"Like you're one to talk! Look how tightly you're holding onto Megumi's hand! You guys are inseparable!" Yuki rebutted as she pulled at their enclasped hand but to no avail.

"Nice to see you again Yuki-chan, Ryoko-chan, everyone. I'm sorry for worrying you all." Megumi greeted her friends with a smile.

"Welcome back Tadokoro Megumi, you all have arrived just in time." Hojo said as the light in the stadium suddenly turned dark.

"Ah! The judges are coming onto the stage!" Yuki pointed out as Anne, Shinomiya, Gin, and Senzaemon walked to their seats.

"Now that everything is ready, I will start the program by clarifying our judges panel. Different from the customary of past years, this year's judges panel will consist of a different selection of personnel instead of just the different heads of division that assists with the academy's management." (Isshiki)

"Thank you for the explanation Isshiki-senpai. Now that's been cleared up, let's introduce our judges~~Firstly, the head judge of the judges' panel will be the first class WGO member Anne-sama. Next to her, the two heads of division will consist of our headmaster Nakiri Senzaemon-dono and Dojima Gin-senpai. Last but not least, the two final judges spot will be held down by our esteemed alumni Shinomiya Kojiro-senpai and one other~~" (Urara)

"Fufu~~Unfortunately, that alumnus has a habit of turning up late so he will be joining us later~~" (Isshiki)

As the crowd wondered who on earth could this irresponsible alumnus be, Gin and Senzaemon could only shake their heads in defeat.

In the hallway

"So…care to explain to me why the hell are you here pops?!"

"What? Do I need a reason to drop in to see my son and daughters-in-law?"

"That's not the point stupid pops, you could have told me beforehand!"

"Nah, where's the fun at that"

While Soma and Joichiro were having their unique bonding session, Erina and Alice look on in amusement as it's not often they can see Soma flustered.

"Haa…I know I'm asking something unnecessarily, but I'm doing it anyway…So? Are you the final judge pops?" (Soma)

"Heh, guess you did inherit some of my traits" Joichiro said as he ruffles Soma's hair.

"Huh? That's strange, I do not recall putting Saiba-sama on the judges' name list." Erina said as she was confused.

"Haha, I just wanted to jump on the train halfway like a certain someone Erina-chan" Joichiro laughed as Erina blushed in embarrassment.

"Well~~It was either you or Papa so it doesn't make a difference~~~" (Alice)

"Haa…This really brings back memories. The place where I fought in the final against Gin, the place where I could enjoy my cooking, the place where I hid and ran away." Joichiro said solemnly as he took in the sights in nostalgia.

"Pops..."

"But, you three are different. You three have found the things that I was seeking back then, a reason to cook and someone to cook for" Joichiro said as he looked on proudly at the trio.

"Soma, what do you cook for?"

"I cook to fulfill my promise to Erina and Alice."

"Alice-chan, what do you cook for?"

"I cook to remove Erina from her shackles and lessen the burden on Soma~~"

"Erina-chan, what do you cook for?"

"I cook to prove that I'm better than the superficial god's tongue and to enjoy my interest as it is with Alice and Soma."

"Heh, there you have it. You have your own reasons and it all collates around the unshakable and unmovable bond you three shared. Now, get going. I'll be waiting for the performance of the Culinary Trinity."

"Yea, sit tight and enjoy. We'll definitely make you and Kaa-san/Okaa-sama proud." The trio said together as they pointed to the headbands on their wrist before heading out on stage.

Unbeknownst to them, Joichiro saw his wife looking at him and giving him the peace sign with a bright smile.

"Heh…Tamako, they're much stronger than your husband here. It must be your influence after all. You were the first one to notice something different about them and supported them wholeheartedly. So, I'll leave the task of supporting them from the back to you again while I deal with the front" Joichiro said as Tamako nodded before fading away.

"Fuuu…Guess I'll head back and get a change of clothes then…Don't want Gin to get on my ass for smoking again." Joichiro muttered to himself before leaving the hallway with a cigarette in hand.

"Now without ado, let's invite the three finalists that you all have been waiting for. Please direct your attention to the main gate~~" (Urara)

On cue, the theme song 'Kibou no Uta' began playing as the trio of Soma, Alice and Erina walked out side by side with identical headbands on their left wrist.

With their arrival, an eruption of chants and cheers resounded from every corner in the room as it created an electrical atmosphere unlike any other.

"Man, this is a completely different ambiance compared to the final we had with Anne and them."

"En~~But, it's not just the only difference~~There was always something missing in that final~~Something unfulfilling~~"

"I agree. It was fun competing against them, but this, this is a special moment reserved for just us three."

Agreeing with Erina's words, the three lower their pace and enjoy this memorable occasion.

After eventually reaching the center of the room, the trio nodded at the judges in which they reciprocated. Seeing that everything is now in place, Isshiki informs everyone to direct their gaze upwards.

"Dear spectators, Please direct your attention to the ceiling."

On cue, the ceiling began opening to reveal a breathtaking nice sky for everyone to behold.

"As you all can see, this is the true form of Chandra's room~~Other than serving as a place for the Autumn Elections, it is also the place where every first-year Totsuki students gaze at the same moon~~" (Urara)

"When the moon makes itself completely visible, the match will commence. And when the moon hides once more after passing through the celestial way, it will end. This process will last for 2 hours, so if the finalist has no other questions, please head to your own station and begin your preparations." (Isshiki)

"Alice, Soma. I will not tolerate anything other than your best. But~~maybe even your best won't suffice this time~~" (Erina)

"Ooo~~tough talk Erina~~I'm was afraid that you might be a bit rusty but it seems like you're more confident than ever~~It's time to dethrone the queen~~" (Alice)

"Heh, seeing both of you that fired up, it's hard for me to contain my excitement anymore" Soma said as his yellow eyes turned a darker shade of gold for a moment.

"While Alice is busy with dethroning you, I'll claim the spot of King for myself." (Soma)

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room swore that they saw Soma sitting on a throne with a demon lord's attire. However, they can't put it up as hallucinations since they now saw Alice in a Valkyrie outfit and Erina with angel wings.

"Oh~~good evening Maou-sama~~Claiming the spoils when others do the hard work~~? It looks like this demon king needs to be punished~~" The Valkyrie Alice said as she held up her sword and faced Soma.

"Hmph…it seems I have to remind the two of you of your places again. Do try and entertain me with your dances again." The Angel Erina said as she flapped her wings and looked down at the two from above.

"Heh, time to claim the second part of my promise then." Soma said as he stood up and looked at the two with his body coated with an exuberant amount of energy.

Unfortunately for the crowd, that was when the scene in front of them dispersed as the dark aura blinded their vision.

Once they reopened their eyes, they were now back in the real world. Unbeknownst to them, Alice, Soma, and Erina gave each other a smirk before placing their hands together in a huddle.

"Let's have some fun cooking!" The trio said together before heading towards their designated station.

Unsure of what to make about the sudden shift between imagination and reality, everyone could only keep it to themselves and brush it off as a joke unless they wanted to be labeled as someone crazy.

However, for those who did know what they saw was real, they could only get even more excited about the prospect of seeing the trio facing off each other without holding back.

After giving herself a moment to recover, Urara began initiating the countdown as the moon was just inches from making itself completely visible.

"3"

"2"

"1"

"Begin cooking!"

To start things off, Soma, Erina, and Alice immediately tied their headband around their forehead and brought out their cooler box. Then, it was finally time for the grand revealing. With everyone holding onto their breath in anticipation, the trio slowly opened their box to reveal the main ingredient they had gone to such lengths to get.

"That's!"

"Unbelievable!"

"Look at the state of those fishes!"

The crowd was not the only ones in an uproar as the judges widen their eyes at the sheer freshness of the ingredients.

"Yukihira that bastard…Where did he get his hands on such a fresh-looking Salmon…The outer is coated with a shiny appearance, and the flesh has a firm and sturdiness to it…Not only that, but his salmon also has a set of bright, clear eyes with a dark pupil in the middle. That Salmon is the freshest of the fresh!" (Shinomiya)

"He's not the only one with a top tier ingredient, just take a look at Erina's pacific saury. The incredible gloss and tension on it indicates that it has put on fat for the winter." (Gin)

"The Saba/Mackerel Alice has chosen is not one to be trifled with as well. Even though she is holding it horizontally, the head does not even show the slightest hint of drooping. The flesh is firm to the touch, and it also has a set of bright eyes to boot." (Anne)

"Hahaha! Interesting, truly interesting! Salmon, Pacific Saury, Saba! They have chosen the three most popular fish served in any Japanese restaurant!" (Senzaemon)

Overhearing the judges and crowd reactions, the trio gave each other a knowing smirk before continuing with their preparations.

Wanting to get a head start, Soma began slicing up his Salmon into fillets before bringing out a piece of candy stick to everyone's confusion.

Not one to be outdone, Alice immediately sliced her Saba into fillets as well and began seasoning them with pepper and salt. Then, she placed them in the vacuums bag she brought before bringing out her helpful buddies (Her equipment).

Completely baffled by what the two are making, the crowd directed their attention to Erina in hopes of knowing what she was making. But, they quickly retracted their thoughts as they saw Erina bringing out a stalk(main stem of a plant) after filleting her saury.

Unlike most of the crowd, the trio who had accompanied them knew what the ingredients were and began explaining it to their friends.

"The candy stick Yukihira took out is called Licorice." Kurokiba explain first.

"I heard of it. Liquorice stick originally refers to the actual sections of the licorice root itself. But nowadays, licorice is a generic term for the type of chewy candy often sold in sticks." (Marui)

"The plant has also been prized for centuries for its medicinal properties. Even now, they are also used as herbal remedy/herbal medicine." (Hisako)

"Even so, how can a candy stick help in cooking?" Ikumi asked as she was not convinced."

"Wait a minute, Yukihira just brought out another ingredient that is black in color" (Ryoko)

Hearing Ryoko's words, they turn and see Soma slicing apart something similar to garlic, but the content inside was dyed in full black. Then, he started to grind the licorice stick with salt to form a fine powder(spice mixture).

"What are you making Yukihira? Is he preparing it as a topping? No...That would defeat the purpose of converting it into a powder...AAH! I can't figure it out!" Takumi vented in frustration.

Deciding to prevent themselves from acting as Takumi did, the other members quickly removed their attention from Soma to Alice.

Perhaps noticing their gaze, Alice looked up at them and gave them a friendly smile. Then, she walked over to one of the machines with the vacuum bags in hand and began sealing them. Once it was sealed, she placed the sealed vacuum bags in another machine before leaving to continue on her cooking.

"The first machine is called a chamber sealer. Its function is to lock liquids and sauces into the bag along with the ingredients. The second machine is called water bath..." (Hisako)

"Bathwater?! Alice's bathwater?!" Yuki shouted out too loud which caused the people around them to look at them in shock.

"It's not bathwater! It's called a water bath! It's a piece of laboratory equipment that is used to incubate samples at a constant temperature over a long period." Hisako explained louder to clear up the misunderstanding.

"I see...She is using 'that' technique. She really is pulling all the stops to win." Shun said as he understood the underline meaning of using such a means to cook.

"Yukihira Soma is using an unusual ingredient, Nakiri Alice is using an unorthodox cooking method. What is Nakiri Erina making?" (Hojo)

Just as Hojo posed the question, Erina began chopping through the stalk she was first shown and all of her other ingredients at a rapid pace. Then, she placed a bowl of caster sugar into a hot pan and waited for it to caramelize.

"The red stalk...It looks familiar...Is it a Rhubarb?" (Isami)

"You're correct Isami-san. Erina-chan is making a Rhubarb chutney." (Megumi)

"A rhubarb chutney?!" Everyone gasped in shock.

"Chutney is the gluten-free and savory condiment that originated from India right? (Ryoko)

"Yes, Erina-chan had decided to combine a few different cuisines into her dish~~" (Megumi)

"There's still more?! Chutney is from India, Salt-grilled Saury is from Japan, what else is she incorporating?"(Marui)

"Hehe~~you all just have to wait and see~~" (Megumi)

With their interest piqued, the Hoseki members focused intently on Erina as they watched her place raisins into the caramelized sugar.

"Raisins?" (Shun)

Feigning ignorance, Megumi decided to nod along and leave it as a surprise for later.

Noticing that her girlfriend has grown a bit cheeky compared to before, Kurokiba let loose a smile and decided not to call her out on it.

However, that smile soon faltered as a suffocating aura suddenly enveloped everyone in the stadium. Everyone was forced to hold onto their breath until help came from an unexpected source.

"Haa…Did you really need to do that Pops?"

Once they heard Soma speak, they felt the pressure around them alleviated and immediately began gasping for air.

"Heh, you can't blame your old man for checking out your fellow student's skill." A roguish voice said as he emerged from the main gate.

As everyone turned to face the newcomer, their eyes widened in shock as they took in his appearance. The man had long, brown hair that was swept back. A very well-toned body was highlighted by the tight blue shirt he was wearing and a pair of sharp and serious eyes that just enhances his manliness.

As the man walked closer and closer to the stage, they could see a blazing aura surrounding him and a silhouette of a demon holding a knife behind him.

To rub salt on their wounds, the hallucinations they dismiss earlier as a joke returned as they could now clearly see Soma, Alice, and Erina in their demon lord, valkyrie, and angel outfits respectively.

"Am I hallucinating again..? I must have watched too much anime recently…There's no way that this is real…"

"Someone pinch me…I think I might have just reincarnated into the dragon ball universe…"

With the crowd in chaos, Gin decided to take the reigns and calm the situation down by doing something only he could do. And that is to scream at his best friend with full might.

"JOICHIRO! YOU BASTARD!"

As the crowd desperately held onto their eardrums, the scene in front of them dispersed again and was replaced with Soma, Alice, and Erina laughing at the newcomer.

"Heh, get ready for a lecture dad. By the way, I could still smell the lingering scent of cigarette on you."

"Hehe~~Baldy has become mad mad and you are to be scolded for being bad bad~~"

"Hehe~~even I can't save you this time Saiba-sama."

On cue, Gin appeared beside Joichiro with a stern expression as he placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Care to explain to me why you're an hour late and why you are coated with the smell of cigarettes?!"

If the crowd was expecting the newcomer to owe up to his mistakes then they were dead wrong as he once again prove their expectations wrong.

"Shut it Gin. I'm here now and they are not done with their dish so I'm all clear." Joichiro casually dismiss as he was not the least intimidated.

"There's something we call etiquette and rules you know! You for one should know about this competition's tradition!"

"Aah! Who cares about that gathering under the moon…The tradition we always follow is that the one's competing will cook and the one's judging will judge."

"You and your illogical responses and arguments…Haa…"

Finally giving up, Gin admitted his loss as it would be even more tiring to reason with Joichiro.

Seeing an opportunity for her to get some screen time, Urara appeared beside the two gentlemen and asked the question on everyone's lips.

"Gin-senpai, could you introduce your friend to us?"

"Very well. He is Yukihira Joichiro, formerly known as Saiba Joichiro. He is the fifth judge and an alumnus of Totsuki Academy."

"Yukihira?" Urara asked as she wanted to double confirm if she heard it right.

"Yea, Yukihira." Joichiro answered as he pointed at the Yukihira badge on his shirt.

"..."

"EHH?!"

With Urara's reaction serving as the torch, the crowd's thoughts were lit in flame at the thought of Soma's dad being one of the alumni.

"Haha, was it such a shock?" Joichiro laughed at the over-exaggerated reaction.

"Uh…Hai…Yukihira Soma has surprised us all since he transferred but it never occurred to me that he was the son of an alumnus." Urara answered truthfully.

"Heh, Soma is Soma. What he did was his own achievement, not mine. He had put much more effort than I ever did." Joichiro said as he looked proudly at his son.

"Pops.."

"Hai! I'm sorry if my words have offended you!" Urara apologized immediately.

"Haha, it's not a big deal. In fact, this just makes Soma even more excited to prove himself." Joichiro said as he casually laughed it off.

Infected by the laid-back attitude of Joichiro, Urara, and the crowd gradually warmed up to him and began asking him questions.

"Joichiro-senpai, what year were you in?" (Crowd)

"Haha, now you have done it. Asking an old man about his younger days. Oi gin, what year we were in?" Joichiro said as he turned to Gin for help

"You…You're just lazy to think…Haa…We were both in the 69th generation." Gin reluctantly replied.

"The 69th generation?! The golden generation?!" (Crowd)

"Oh, is that what our generation is called now? Yeah, I was part of that." (Joichiro)

"Amazing! What seat were you in?!" (Crowd)

"Hmm? I was the second seat behind Gin here." (Joichiro)

"!" (Crowd)

"Shut it Joichiro, we both know the only reason I was first because of your lack of attitude." (Gin)

"?! Does that mean that Joichiro-senpai was the best chef in your year, Gin-senpai?"

"Yeah, I'm not proud of boasting my record against him but I'm proud of having the opportunity to face him." (Gin)

Before the crowd could ask why someone so popular was not included or featured at any end-of-year school magazines or publications, Senzaemon quickly ordered calm to prevent them from touching a sore spot of his student.

"Everyone, it's nice to see you bonding with your seniors but we are still in the middle of a match. Please be mindful of the place and time."

"Hai, Headmaster-dono!"

Abiding Senzaemon's words, the crowd relented and allowed Joichiro some breathing room. Flashing a grateful smile to his formal teacher, Joichiro followed them back to the judges' seat and sat down beside Gin.

Once everything was back in order, Senzaemon told everyone that there were 30 minutes left.

Not the least concerned about their remaining time, the trio headed back to their kitchen and calmly resumed their work.

With everyone riding on their highs of meeting Soma's father, their gaze turned to Soma filled with expectation.

Noticing their gaze, Soma decided to put on a little show for them as he began making something similar to Erina's chutney as well. However, the main difference was that Soma 'chutney' consists of raw ingredients.

Not one to let Soma harness all the attention, Alice placed her ingredients into a blender to lightly crush it into water. Then, she sieves the water through a cloth before bringing out a white powder and straining it with the water.

While Alice and Soma were busy making their dips, Erina was already done with hers and was preparing a salad. Bringing out a flower pot with beautiful bright blue flowers, she precisely trimmed off the leaves and place them into a bowl. Then, she brought out a red-looking cabbage and cut the tips of the head, and placed them into the bowl as well. To finalize her salad, she added two more kinds of vegetables into the bowl with segmented orange as well.

As they were near the closing stages, the trio suddenly looked up at each other with a knowingly smirk before suddenly dipping their hands inside their cooler box.

Wondering what were they up to, everyone leaned in to take a closer when they suddenly brought out a second one of their main ingredients with similarly high quality.

"!"

"They have brought out another one!"

"What are they going to do with the other one?! There's barely any time left!"

Before the crowd could ask any more questions, the trio immediately began slicing up their fish into thin pieces. After only a minute, the trio was done and placed the fish into a plate and brought it to the judges' table.

"Oagariyo" (Soma)

"Bon Appétit" (Erina)

"Enjoy~~" (Alice)

As the crowd was still confused about what they were doing, Anne spoke up and enlightened their ignorance.

"Here's a free lesson for you all. Sashimi is the first course in a formal Japanese meal and is considered the finest dish in Japanese formal dining. However, that's not the only reason why we eat it."

"Exactly, eating raw fish/Sashimi is a sign of respect to our religion." (Gin)

"You millennials may not know but our country Japan has a strong Buddhist and Shinto root which discourages us from consuming meat." (Shinomiya)

"However, since our country is an island nation and has a long-standing history of ocean and freshwater fishing, we can use fish as our alternative source for dietary protein." (Joichiro)

"Thus, eating raw fish is proof of our roots as Japanese citizens. Although it was born as a necessity, it has now become a substantial part of our National diet and serves a tradition that we must value. Therefore, I thank you three for displaying our tradition in the most glamorous of stages." (Senzaemon)

"Heh, it's just a preview of what's to come." (Soma)

"Hehe~~we just want you to have a taste of the freshest of fishes and prove our skills in selecting ingredients~~" (Alice)

"It's nothing much, we were just following our nation's philosophy of "Mottainai" (Erina)

"Hahaha, I see. By using every part of the fish, it indeed ties with our nation's philosophy of avoiding waste whenever possible. Not only did you three show the importance of our tradition, but you also reflected the aesthetic of our Japanese culture." Senzaemon complimented after looking at the three glistering plates in front of him.

"Well then, let's not waste their effort and judge their skills in selecting ingredients first." Gin said as the judges picked up their sashimi and dipped it in soy sauce before tasting.

"Tch, it's as I thought. You have gotten your hands on the best Salmon. It has such a rich and smooth taste that it kinds of melts in your mouth like butter." Shinomiya praised as Soma gave him a funny look.

"Alice, you have gone for a bolder tasting fish in Saba. Your precision in your selection was able to bring out the fatty rich taste amidst the boldly fishy flavor and oily taste." Senzaemon praised as Alice thanked her grandfather.

"Erina-chan, you have chosen the highest risk out of the three as Saury is extremely high in fat content, it must be extremely fresh if served raw. But, with your skills, it's a no-brainer that you were able to bring out the smooth, light flavor of your saury." Joichiro praised while Erina took it wholeheartedly from one of her mentors.

"Mmm~~The light and subtle flavor of Sashimi really serve as a well-needed appetizer." Anne praised next.

"Indeed, guess we are being treated to a two-course meal then. I'm looking forward to the main course/entree but you don't have much time left." Gin said to the trio.

"Oh don't worry baldy~~we know about the etiquette between courses~~~" Alice said as she began tidying up the plates.

"Yeah, who doesn't know the 5-7 minute rule between courses." Soma said as he looked at the crowd.

And to his expectation, many of them were facing away from him in guilt.

Deciding to give them another lesson, Erina explained briefly to them.

"Hmph…In a fine dining restaurant, there are five to seven-minute breaks in between courses. This gives ample time for the customers to enjoy their appetizers or order another drink before the next course. However, that may not always be the case. Sometimes, it varies on their company or the occasion they are dining in. For example, young couples and elderly couples. They might want to have a longer interval between courses to chat with each other or just enjoy each other's company. Thus, this is where we chefs need to know the importance of reading the table. From the first moment a customer walks in, it's not just the waiters' responsibility, it's us, chefs, as well."

"Well said, Miss Erina. But, thanks to your explanation, you three have barely 3 minutes left~~~" Anne informed the trio with a smirk.

"No problem." (Soma)

"Easy~~" (Alice)

"Not a challenge" (Erina)

"Sit tight and wait dear judges, your main course will arrive shortly." The trio said together before heading back to their station to place the finishing touches on their dish.

Removing their fish out of the oven simultaneously, Soma placed his on a plate and began decorating the plate with chutney and watercress. Alice and Erina on the other hand both brought out a blowtorch and lightly charred the skin of their fish. After that, Alice placed her fish into a shallow bowl while Erina placed hers on a plate similar to Soma.

Then, they continued on and prepared their own garnishes. While Alice decided to grate some cinnamon sticks and basil leaves for hers, Erina decided to trim her leftover rhubarbs into ribbons and placed them on top of her dish.

Once they had finished, they turned towards Soma who was patiently waiting for them and signaled to him that they were done. As it was customary for them to do everything together, the trio walked side by side up to the judges' panel and placed their dish down just as the moon disappear from their view.

"Beep! Time!"

Time seemed to stand still as the realization struck everyone in the room. This was it, the judging for the finals of the Autumn Elections. There are no retakes nor second chances, there is only your opponent separating you from victory.

Grasping each other's intention, the trio lifted up their lid simultaneously and revealed their completed dishes to everyone.

The crowd could only stand in awe and admiration as even the plating was on a completely different level compared to the ones before.

"Oagariyo" (Soma)

"Bon Appétit" (Erina)

"Enjoy~~" (Alice)

"Well well…It looks like we're being treated to a full-course demonstration of cooking skills and etiquette today." Gin reacted first.

"Heh, I never expect Soma to be able to dress a plate this neatly. Just look at what he wears all the time." Joichiro teased as he can't resist a jab at his son.

"Shut it pops, or you will get more than just a jab." (Soma)

Ignoring the father-son duo, Anne, Senzaemon, and Shinomiya gave their own verdict about the authenticity of the dishes.

"The dishes are extremely appealing and pleasing to look at, just what I would expect of you three. Hehe, this really fits the cliche of eating with our eyes." (Anne)

"Hahaha, you three cheeky rascals are teasing this old man's appetite too much. First, you brought out appetizers, and now you demonstrate the art of food plating as well." (Senzaemon)

"Tch, food plating is not just important to enhance the customers' appetite but also for chefs to create many different possibilities. It's a way to reintroduce flavors that work well together and present them in a unique style. But, the authenticity would mean nothing if the taste is not up to par." (Shinomiya)

"Mou! Is it too hard for you to admit it's already enticing enough that you can't wait to try it?" Alice said as she called out Shinomiya's bluff.

"Now now Alice, they still have their dignity to keep. I'm sure that the judges are just waiting for the right time to taste our dishes." Erina said with a glint in her eyes.

"You look like you're having a lot of fun Erina. Why don't we save your dish for last then~~Alice, let's start off with yours shall we?" Anne suggested as she was the most intrigued about Alice's dish which was served with liquid.

"Hehe~~I thought you never asked~~~This is my Sous vide Saba/Mackerel with cinnamon-spiced tomato water~~Please enjoy~~" (Alice)

"Sous vide?!" The crowd exclaimed with shock to the unfamiliar term.

"Sous vide means 'under vacuum' in French. It refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath. This technique produces results that are impossible to achieve through any other cooking method." Shinomiya was the first to explain as he was most familiar with French cooking techniques.

"Also, it's a cooking technique only utilized by the pros as it requires precise temperature control." Joichiro followed up next.

"Hehe~~It's not a surprise to me that the Darling of Molecular Gastronomy can utilize this technique but, what I am surprised about is the second part of your dish." Anne said as she gently lifted her spoon filled with tomato water.

"I'm intrigued as well. Although Tomato water is a fabulous ingredient for cocktails and vinaigrette, how does it blend in with a strong flavored main ingredient like mackerel?" Gin asked as he closely analyzed the dish in front of him.

"Hehe~~Why don't you find out~~The dish is just right in front of you~~~" Alice taunted cheekily and caused Senzaemon to grin at her granddaughter.

"Very well then. Judges, let's commence the tasting."

With that, the judges started off by gently slicing a piece of the mackerel fillet and dipping it into the tomato water. After ensuring it was coated with the water, the judges brought it to their mouths and began tasting this weird combination.

Just a second later, Senzaemon's robe disheveled as he was overwhelmed by the complex flavor within the dish.

"This is just not any ordinary tomato water, this water carries a more in-depth flavor than just purely tomatoes!" (Senzaemon)

"What is this unique taste…It tastes like pepper and vinegar…I remember! It's Tabasco!" (Anne)

"Bingo~~I added in two drops of Tabasco sauce to give it that unique taste no other hot sauce can replicate~~" (Alice)

"Hmm…I can also taste basil, shallots, garlic cloves, and celery salt…But, it should be impossible to integrate this much ingredients in a soup without them separating…Unless…" (Gin)

"Heh, she used xanthan gum when sieving them. Xanthan gum is a food additive that effectively acts as a thickening agent and stabilizer to prevent ingredients from separating." Joichiro answered from experience.

"Wow~~As expected of my father-in-law~~" (Alice)

"Oi Nakiri, I'll give you marks for following the tradition of pairing mackerel with tomatoes but, don't you think this is too much?" Shinomiya suddenly asked as he scooped up a piece of sliced green tomatoes.

"Mou! Just taste it first! This is not a regular tomato slice!" Alice pouted in anger.

Deciding to humor her, Shinomiya placed his sliced mackerel and the sliced tomatoes together and brought them to his mouth. Almost spontaneously, he felt something different about the tomatoes as it carries a hint of saltiness. Widening his eyes, he saw Alice grinning at him teasingly.

"Told you so~~This is also not a regular green tomato slice, it's actually a pickled green tomato slice~~"

"Tch…you got me there. By using pickled tomatoes which are more tangy and salty, it stimulates the salivary glands, causing them to produce the saliva that distributes flavor to your taste buds. It blends harmoniously with the strong flavor mackerel." Shinomiya admitted in defeat.

"Oh, that's not all~~There's still one part you all have neglected~~" Alice said as she lifted up the mackerel to reveal some white cream underneath it.

Fascinated by the hidden ingredient, the judges dug in without hesitation. However, once they took a bite, they were unable to stop.

Seeing that the judges had no intention of stopping until they clean their bowls, Soma decided to ask Alice what final ingredient did she add.

"Heh, you really got them munching down. What's the white cream you added? It looks a bit like mozzarella."

"Ooo keen eye Soma~~But, it's not mozzarella, it's burrata~~"

"Burrata? The Italian cow milk cheese (occasionally buffalo milk) made from mozzarella and cream?" Erina asked with wide eyes.

"Exactly~~It uses mozzarella as a casing on the outside while the inside contains stracciatella (cheese produced from Italian buffalo) and cream, giving it a creamy, soft, and loose texture."

"Haa…Haa…There's also a final reason why burrata is more suitable…While mozzarella has a more delicate taste and a more elastic texture, burrata is softer and more flavorful." Anne suddenly spoke as she was the first to recover.

"Ooo~~you was the first one to finish the dish Anne~~Just proves that young blood is filled with vigor~~" Alice teased and caused Anne to blush slightly at the words she used.

"Hahaha, a dish comprised of complex flavors. A dish indicative of your cooking style. I'm proud of you my dear." Senzaemon praised as any proud grandfather would.

"Hehehe~~thanks Ojii-sama~~But…" Alice suddenly paused as a distinctive aroma assaulted her nose.

"Oops, sorry for ruining your moment Alice but it seems like my ingredient has finally taken effect."

After taking a second to identify where the smell came from, the judges looked at Soma's plate that was emitting a scent that could only be described as heady and pungent.

"This smell…This heat…It resembles garlic but it doesn't carry a strong enough scent compared to normal" Gin said confusingly.

"Heh, that's because it's not your ordinary garlic. It's black garlic." Soma answered to the shock of the judges.

"Heh, good choice kiddo. Compared to fresh garlic, black garlic is low in alliin and allicin that are substances responsible for the garlic's characteristic smell. While fresh garlic is pungent, black garlic has a mild, sweetish smell which is similar to that of oven-roasted garlic." (Joichiro)

"Tch…Once again, you managed to find an unusual ingredient to increase the flavor of your dish. The rich, sweet taste of black garlic is a stroke of genius as it perfectly enhances the slightly sweet and savory taste of the Salmon." (Shinomiya)

"Heh, I finally got a compliment out of you huh." Soma said cheekily which caused Shinomiya's eyebrows to furrow.

"Hehe~~Don't get too carried away Soma, your dish is still a bit dry compared to the other two who have used chutney and tomato water as the base." Anne commented as she look over the dish.

"Hoh? Why don't you give it a try Anne? You know I'm the best when it comes to surprising someone." Soma tempted Anne.

Can't help but agree to Soma's words, Anne gently sliced the salmon and placed it into her mouth. Immediately, she was assaulted by a creamy texture that seemingly appeared from no way.

Following Anne's example, the judges widened their eyes when they felt the rich and buttery flavor assaulting their mouths.

"This crunchy, rich, and buttery flavor…There's no doubt in my mind. It's macadamia!" Anne shouted after recognizing the ingredient.

"Macadamia, arguably the most delicious nut due to its unique flavor. Not only that, but Macadamias is also the most healthy nut due to them containing more monounsaturated fats (heart-healthy fat) than any other type of nut. Because of their fiber and vitamin B, they help with reducing LDL cholesterol levels, which are known to clog arteries." (Gin)

"Haa…he even managed to replicate the buttery taste, which is the mainstay of salmon dishes without actually using butter…" Shinomiya sighed in defeat.

"Heh, you sound deflated former 1st seat. Is my son really causing you that much of a headache?" (Joichiro)

"Shut up…One Yukihira is enough…I can't imagine dealing with more than one...Oh…I'm already dealing with more than one…Haa…"

For the second time today, Shinomiya was sighing in defeat as he just can't rack his brains around the Yukihira family. Little did he know that he would be dealing with even more in the future.

"Boy, there's still a part that I don't understand. I can taste something similar to fennel and anise but I don't recall seeing you adding any of these two spices." Senzaemon asked with a sense of confusion.

"Hehe~~That's because he didn't Senzaemon-dono. He used yet another substitute to bring out both of those flavors." Anne answered as she held up the macadamia crust.

"Heh, as expected of your taste buds Anne. The ingredient that I used when grinding it with the macadamia nuts is licorice." Soma revealed as he brought out the stick he used earlier.

"No wonder! Licorice root is a sophisticated cooking ingredient as it carries an elegant, herbal taste with notes of anise and fennel inside of it. Hahaha, you truly are a sore loser boy." Senzaemon laughed after noticing why Soma chose this ingredient.

"Hey! I would rather you called it learning from failure!" Soma pouted after being called out.

"Heh, I heard about your semi-final match. It seems that the old man voted against you due to health benefits and now you decided to adopt the same tactic and use this ancient medicinal ingredient to get back at him. Hahaha, you really are the biggest sore loser." Joichiro revealed which caused Soma to glare at him.

Having nothing to rebuke back the claim, Soma just remained silent as the judges continued to laugh at his expense.

"Hehehe~~Anyways~~Despite you being a sore loser, your choice of licorice was a masterstroke as it works just as well in savory dishes as it does in sweet. Fortunately for you, your salmon is both" Anne teased.

"Why thank you Anne, I would have never thought of it before I made this dish." Soma replied sarcastically which earned him a grin from Anne.

Suddenly remembering something, Soma slowly walked towards Anne with a devilish smirk as he thought of the perfect way to pay her back.

Noticing Soma's expression, Anne deliberately leaned away from the table as she knew this spelled trouble for her.

Ignoring Anne's blatant attempt of escaping, Soma gently sliced a piece off the salmon and dip it in a green sauce before slowly bringing it to his target.

"Open wide Anne, this is part of your job as a judge you know~~ You have to taste everything on the dish~" Soma whisper as Anne felt her back shiver in fear.

Noticing that she had no room left to escape, Anne turned to the only option she have left. "Alice! Erina! Your boyfriend is trying to feed another girl! Hurry and come sort him up!"

However, her final hope was cruelly dashed as Alice and Erina seemed enamored with the domineering side of Soma.

Just as she opened her mouth to scold them for being traitors, Soma took advantage of that instant and placed the piece of salmon inside her mouth.

Widening her eyes, Anne felt a completely new flavor assault her taste buds.

"This…This tangy and vegetal flavor. It's entirely different from the sweet and savory salmon I just ate." Anne said in bewilderment.

"Heh, did you really think I would fool around…"

"YES!"

Before Soma could even finish his sentence, everyone who had gone through his 'torture' immediately spoke up and shut him down.

Feeling a sense of deja vu, Soma used his MC cheat skills to the fullest as he ignored the awkwardness to say something cool.

"Cough…As I was saying, I would never take this match as a joke. It's too important to me."

Deciding to help his son, Joichiro did the same thing Soma did and dipped his salmon into the green sauce before tasting it.

"Heh, it looks likes it's not a chutney like we first expected. This is in fact a salsa."

"Different to chutney, Salsa is a dish that is typically a mixture of vegetables or fruits in their raw form. Furthermore, Salsa can also include herbs inside of it." (Gin)

"Hmph, This salsa contains three herbs, in which are coriander, chervil and mint. However, the most prominent ingredient of this salsa is no doubt tomatillo." (Shinomiya)

"Tomatillos also called husk tomatoes or baby tomatoes in Spain resemble green, unripe tomatoes due to their beautiful bright green. Also, due to their denser and less watery interior texture, tomatillos have a slightly more acidic, slightly less sweet flavor than ripe and unripe tomatoes." (Senzaemon)

"By presenting this salsa, he has offered a refreshing tangy counterpoint compared to the sweet and savory flavor he highlighted earlier in the dish. This is a masterclass in ingredients utilization." Anne wholeheartedly praised as the crowd stayed silent in awe at Soma's performance.

"Good work Soma, a dish that fully highlights your creativity in ingredients selection and pairing. Truly a Soma-style dish" Erina praised as she walked next to Soma.

"Mou~~why do you have to interrupt my moment with your dark magic? I'm gonna curse you for that." Alice pouted as the smell of Soma's black garlic ruined her moment.

"Heh, placing a curse on a demon king, you hear something new every day." Soma laughed as he gently pinched Alice's pouting cheek.

"By your logic, if it was a judgment from heaven, then you have no choice but to relent right?" Erina asked as she joined in on the banter.

"Hoh? Did you hear that Valkyrie Alice? It seems like our battle has tempted the participation of her holiness." Soma joked as he assumed his role of the demon lord.

"Hehe~~The angel always seating on her throne is going to confront us herself~~Let's see what she is made of~~" Alice teased as she lightly bumped Erina on the shoulder.

"Hmph, Very well then, it looks like I have to show this defected little Valkyrie and the demon lord who's the boss among us." (Erina)

After Erina finished saying her line, the trio burst out into a series of laughter at the chuunibyou (Eight-grader disorder) act they put on just now.

Deciding to try it out for themselves, they finally understood why people called it a shameless play, as it was just embarrassing to reenact the roles.

Finally calming down from their laughter, Soma and Alice bid Erina good luck as she walked forward to introduce her first 'real' dish to everyone in the room.

"Bon Appétit, this is my pacific saury rhubarb chutney with salad"

Taking a moment to admire the dish made by Nakiri Erina, the judges gave their own verdict.

"Heh, as expected from Erina-chan. If we based it on just visually, your dish would score the highest out of the three." (Joichiro)

"However, Rhubarb chutney is a very unusual choice as rhubarb has a very tart/sour taste that most people find unpleasant." (Gin)

"Similarly to your choice of fish, you have taken a huge risk in pairing the natural sour-tasting rhubarb with the light flavor of Pacific saury." (Shinomiya)

"Erina, you really are treading on a thin line. It seems like you have forgone any wow factors to achieve the perfect balance on your dish." (Anne)

"You're right about me balancing out my dish Anne, but, there are still two things you got wrong." Erina said to Anne's confusion.

"Firstly, do you really think I didn't pick up on their good points? Arguably, there are some questionable ones as well."

"Hey/Hey!"

Flashing the duo a grin, Erina continued: "And secondly, there is no such thing as perfection, there is only progression. This dish here shows my development as a chef."

"Hahaha, very well said my dear. Judges, let us not waste this dish of hers." Senzaemon said as the judges eagerly partake in Erina's dish.

Immediately, they were dealt a heavy blow as the wow factor in Erina's dish does not pale compare to Alice and Soma.

"This texture?! This is not the Indian chutney we are used to, this is English Chutney!" (Shinomiya)

"Different from the aromatic, spicy and deep-flavored Indian chutney, English Chutney is a cold, vinegar-based pickle made from vegetables, fruits, spices and sugar." (Joichiro)

"There's one thing I don't understand, even though we say the texture resembles English chutney, this taste completely different." (Gin)

"This chutney I made is not based on the vinegar pickling process where water, salt, and vinegar (and sometimes sugar) are combined and heated before immersing the fruits or vegetable inside it. My chutney is made by caramelizing caster sugar before placing the ingredients inside it." (Erina)

"I see! By doing so, it not only reduces the time, but it also changes the whole dynamic that chutney needs to be eaten cold." (Anne)

"People in England regularly use it as relishes or even jams for their sandwiches and bread, but you adopted the idea and used it for a Japanese pacific saury dish. That's a trait you learn from Yukihira Soma." Senzaemon pointed out as Erina nodded in response.

"Heh, don't take the credit away from her old man. Although she may get the idea from Soma, this chutney is made by her alone." Joichiro stepped in and said as he tasted the delightful chutney again.

"Of course, I'm not discrediting her. I'm just lauding the influence your son had on her." (Senzaemon)

Hearing the interaction of her grandfather and her father-in-law, Erina can't help but wonder out loud.

"Why do their lines sound familiar…I swear I read something similar in one of those manga Alice forced me to read…"

"Hehe~~those are the typical lines grandparents and parents used during matchmaking~~Always bragging about the other person's son/daughter instead of their own~~" Alice explained and caused Senzaemon and Joichiro to cough awkwardly.

"Hmm, if they aren't matchmaking you two with someone other than me then we will have no problem. You both are mine after all." Soma said possessively as he gave the two a glare that sent shivers down their spine.

"Cough…Anyway, this chutney you made really has an intense flavor to it, Erina. I can practically taste a multitude of flavors on the tip of my tongue." Anne said as she brought the conversation back on track.

"The most distinguishable is the taste of rosemary. Due to it containing notes of evergreen, citrus, lavender, pine, sage, pepper, and mint inside of it, it produces a taste so powerful that is unforgettable and instantly recognizable." Gin said as he took in the aromatic smell of the plant.

"Furthermore, she added apple cider vinegar, orange juice into the mix as well. However, there is one other ingredient that stands out. A certain ingredient made from grapes." Shinomiya said as the crowd eagerly replied with raisins.

"No, the ingredient she chooses to use is called sultanas. Unlike raisins, sultanas are typically coated in an oil-based solution before drying to speed up the process." (Senzaemon)

"For this reason, sultanas are typically smaller than raisins and are sweeter, juicier and lighter in color than raisins as well." (Joichiro)

"Erina, this chutney you made is nothing short of perfection. The minuscular details, the way it compliments your pacific saury, the progression of flavors as you continue eating, this truly is a wow factor. I'm sorry for doubting you earlier." Anne apologized as Erina just replied with a smirk.

"Don't worry about it, Anne. However, there is still something on my dish you all haven't tried."

"Hmm? Did you mean the salad? Surely not, even you can't make a salad taste any better than it actually is." (Anne)

"Are you doubting me again Anne? Would you like me to do the same tactic Soma did and feed you?" Erina threatened as she moved closer to Anne.

"?! I can eat by myself, thank you very much! Huff, for an angel, you act more like a devil in my opinion." Anne complained as she placed the salad inside her mouth.

Almost like she was anticipating it, Anne welcome the freshness and sweetness of the salad as she finished up the whole dish in seconds. Following her example, the remaining judges silently enjoyed the savory flavor before realizing it was all gone.

"The leaves you trimmed off the blue plant, it tastes quite familiar. If I recall correctly, these leaves are chicory leaves" (Gin)

"While edible raw, wild chicory leaves usually have a bitter taste. But, by cooking and discarding the water, it will bring out a rich and sweet flavor while also reducing the bitter flavor as well." (Shinomiya)

"Heh…besides using the raw leaves, you also used cultivated chicory. Cultivated chicory is generally divided into three types, the type you chose to use was Radicchio." (Joichiro)

"Radicchio is a red chicory, also sometimes called Italian chicory. It has purple-red leaves with white veins and is sometimes mistaken for a tiny head of red cabbage." (Senzaemon)

"Similarly to the leaves, radicchio is bitter, but there is a lot of natural sweetness too, making it rather enjoyable in salads. Furthermore, there are also pea shoots, dill, celery, and orange segments to give it a fresh, sweet flavor. To top it all off, you added in rapeseed oil for the dressing to give it a more earthy and nutty flavor." Anne praised as the crowd was left astounded at the amount of flavor coming from just a mere salad.

"Heh, you not only adopted my creative ideas, but you also adopted Alice's method of preparing her dishes." Soma suddenly said as he and Alice moved closer to Erina.

"Mou~~You should have told me how much you love me Erina~~To go all this way to present your dish in my style~~" Alice teased.

However, her teasing immediately backfired as Erina admitted upfront that Alice inspire her dish. "I do love you Alice, your way of making dishes and presenting unique flavors from every part within it captivated me."

Caught off guard by the honest response, Alice did something everyone thought was impossible. She stuttered her words with an embarrassed expression.

"...U…Uuu…That's…That's not fair…"

Smitten with the gap moe, Erina and Soma disregarded everything occurring around them to 'tend' to Alice's unusual condition.

Trying their best to ignore the cries of embarrassment from Alice and the wicked laughter from Erina and Soma, the judges gather together to come up with a consensus.

Just as Alice recovered from her momentary loss of character, the judges were too done with their discussion. Bearing faces that gave nothing away, the five judges got off their chairs and faced the trio.

While the trio was calm and unfazed, everyone else was shaking in their boots in anxiety about what the result could be.

"Hehe~~I knew this trip was worth it. Not only do I get to see my three friends, but to be able to taste their dishes once more. This was supposed to be your clash but, it seems we have a clash of opinions as well." Anne said as it further increased the tension around the room.

"Heh, you three really are not making this easy for us. In terms of cooking skills, you all are equal. In terms of judging ingredients, you three are equal. In terms of ingredients utilized, you three are equal. In terms of flavor, you three are also equal." Joichiro said and caused the crowd to wonder what was left.

"Tch, normally when this happens, we decide the match by whether the dish could show the faces of the chefs. A dish only that particular chef can make. A specialty! But!" Shinomiya stopped as Gin took over.

"A dish crafted with complexity, A dish comprised with creativity, A dish created collectively. Three different dishes that capture each of your own images perfectly."

"That means…?" (Crowd)

"Yes, these three have demonstrated their own specialty in this final" Senzaemon confirmed.

Before the crowd could ask any questions, Senzaemon immediately cut them off by saying.

"But, a winner has been decided!

"?!"

"The winner of the Autumn Elections is …"

And done~~~~No! Stop with the pitchforks! I have my reasons for ending it here~~So hear me out guys pls~~ Firstly, this will not end in a draw. I have already decided my winner for this so I'm excited see your guesses~~ Secondly, about their nicknames/personnel. How do you find it? Soma obviously as Lucifer, Alice as Vanadis (Valkyrie), Erina as Lumiere nova which means light star (Angel). I will explaining how they earned those nicknames in future chapters so don't worry about that~~

PS: Once again, very sorry for the long delay. IRL stuff has been bothering me and tired me out. I was even lazy to turn on my phone on somedays... But don't worry, I'm back now and hopefully resume monthly updates."

PS: Here's the surprise, I was thinking of doing it for christmas but I got my booster a day before so that sucks. I will be releasing a Christmas special chapter this month.(Yes, this month, I'm already half way done). If you guys want a bonus New year/Chinese New year special let me know. I'll include it in the Christmas special or make another chapter for it~~

PS: Lastly, here are the dishes for Soma, Alice and Erina. You can just google it and you will see the pictures~~

Alice dish: Saba Sashimi, Sous vide mackerel with cinnamon-spiced tomato water, burrata and pickled green tomatoes.

Soma dish: Salmon Sashimi, Black garlic, liquorice and macadamia crusted salmon with tomatillo salsa.

Erina dish: Saury Sashimi, Mackerel with rhubarb chutney and orange and chicory salad. (I substitute Mackerel with Saury as there are no dishes I found good enough for Pacific Saury lmao)

PS: Thank you for all your patience everyone~~ Have a wonderful 2022 and I will see you all in the next chapter~~