"Okabe, I already heard about what happened with you and Erina! To be honest, I couldn't stand Uncle Azami for a long time now. Let me help you!"
A childish voice rang out from outside. Alice Nakiri came jogging into the room, a thin layer of sweat on her forehead. She had clearly rushed over as soon as she heard the news.
"Where did you hear about it?" Okabe looked at her, seeing her obvious excitement for the impending chaos, and couldn't help but be surprised. His eyes held a hint of inquiry. "It hasn't even been three hours since the Shokugeki was confirmed. Don't tell me... you have spies on site?!"
"Brother Okabe, you've been reading too many novels."
Hearing Okabe's words and seeing his wary expression, Alice Nakiri rolled her eyes at him in exasperation before adding, "You two are already famous online, how could you possibly keep it a secret? Someone filmed the video of you challenging Uncle Azami and posted it.
I never expected you to be a minor internet celebrity in the Tokyo area with over a thousand followers. But after this challenge incident, you're probably going to become a major one."
As she spoke, Alice Nakiri pulled a small, child-sized phone from her pocket, then leaned against his shoulder and opened up social media right in front of him.
Perhaps because she had just been looking at related information, the top three posts on Alice Nakiri's phone were all about his challenge to Azami Nakiri.
[SHOCKING! A Shokugeki Showdown in Ginza!]
[The Shokugeki in Three Days—Everything on the Line! The Loser Abandons Their Culinary Path, the Winner Gains the Right to Educate the God's Tongue! Who is Truly in the Right?!]
[A Bully's Game? The Nakiri Son-in-Law VS The Nakiri Adopted Son! The Theme is a Dish Rich in Flavor!]
Right now, looking at the content on her phone, Alice Nakiri's face was filled with excitement. It had been a long time since something this interesting had happened in the Nakiri family.
"This is a bit of a headache. I didn't expect it to cause such a stir."
Because they were so close, a pleasant fragrance wafted around Okabe's nose.
However, he paid it no mind, instead rubbing his temples with a bit of a headache. This was the risk of causing such a high-profile scene in public.
No matter which country they were from, people loved to watch a spectacle. He just hoped this video would stay within the country and not spread abroad.
Of course, while it was a bit troublesome, Okabe didn't take it too seriously. Reality wasn't a novel; not that many people could go viral and break out of their circle with just a single video.
In this fast-paced era, people's attention on trending topics only lasted a few hours. For some, it was just a few seconds before they forgot. So there was no need to worry too much.
"The way you stood in front of Erina and confronted Uncle Azami was so cool, Brother Okabe. If I were Erina, my heart would have been pounding like crazy at that moment."
She rewound the video on her phone to the moment Okabe stood before Erina Nakiri and made his declaration in a commanding tone.
Alice Nakiri spoke with a mischievous grin, nudging him with her elbow as she talked.
"You're teasing me too, aren't you!"
Watching the scene on the screen and listening to the girl's bell-like laughter, Okabe reached out to snatch the phone and turn off the video, but she dodged him nimbly.
"It's not polite to do that to a girl, you know. Brother Okabe needs to be more of a gentleman, or else girls will hate you when you grow up."
Clutching the phone to her chest and seeing Okabe's flustered expression, Alice Nakiri's smile grew even wider.
After a bit of roughhousing, she lay flat on the tatami mat, her breathing even as she stared at the ceiling. "What dish are you planning to make? I asked my mom to look up some information on Uncle Azami. It might be helpful to you."
Hearing Alice Nakiri's words, Okabe shook his head slightly. "I'm still thinking about it. But thanks for the intel."
Although he was confident in his own skills, knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory. With a Shokugeki on the line, getting information to increase his chances of winning was naturally a good thing.
This duel wasn't just a gamble on his own life, but on Erina Nakiri's future as well. He couldn't afford the slightest bit of carelessness.
"Don't mention it. I also think Uncle Azami's philosophy is problematic. The things he teaches Erina are the complete opposite of what Grandpa Qing taught us.
It's only because Erina is always by his side and doesn't want to defy him that she believes him, developing that personality where she doesn't care about the efforts of others..."
Staring calmly at the ceiling, Alice Nakiri's voice was laced with frustration.
Some time ago, she had personally baked a cake for Erina Nakiri.
It was a work she had poured her heart into, handling every detail perfectly, yet it was dismissed as tasting bad. She had been angry about it for days.
It was only now, after learning about Azami Nakiri's educational philosophy for Erina Nakiri, that she understood who the true culprit was.
Azami Nakiri had made Erina Nakiri taste too much gourmet food, including desserts, which made her cake seem unremarkable in comparison.
As a five-year-old just starting out, she naturally couldn't compare to the desserts made by pastry chefs in big restaurants.
But her cake was definitely not bad!
At this thought, Alice Nakiri sat up from the tatami mat, turned her gaze to the side, and said with a very serious expression, "So, Brother Okabe, you absolutely have to win this match. You have to defeat Uncle Azami, make him stop teaching Erina, and let Erina go back to normal!
Although I don't know how the God's Tongue is supposed to be trained, it's obvious you can't do it just by eating high-class cuisine. Even if you're trying to unlock gustatory potential, it's not that exaggerated. Aunt Mana is already in the hospital for an eating disorder. I don't want Erina to end up like that."
"Don't worry. Since I dared to propose a Shokugeki, I naturally have the confidence to win." Okabe wasn't entirely without ideas for the dish he would make.
The theme of this competition was 'a dish rich in flavor.'
However, the vast majority of dishes in the world are rich in flavor, so the theme was extremely broad. Logically, he could make any dish he wanted.
But thinking that way would be a huge mistake!
As the theme of a competition, it definitely meant more than just having many or strong flavors; it referred to the layers, complexity, and harmony of the gustatory experience.
The flavors had to be numerous, yet perfectly integrated.
This was Okabe's understanding of the theme.
Raising a hand to stroke his chin, he murmured to himself, "A dish rich in flavor... both Mapo Tofu and Yuxiang Shredded Pork would be suitable choices."
"I know Mapo Tofu. But what's Yuxiang Shredded Pork? Is it a stir-fry made mainly with fish?"
Hearing his muttering, Alice Nakiri turned her head to look at Okabe, her curiosity piqued by the dish he mentioned, Yuxiang Shredded Pork.
She knew Mapo Tofu; it was very famous in Japan. She had eaten it at a restaurant twice and was deeply impressed by its spicy, numbing, fresh, and fragrant taste.
As for the Yuxiang Shredded Pork Okabe mentioned, this was the first time she had ever heard of it.
A dish made by stir-frying shredded fish? Otherwise, why would it have the words 'fish-fragrant' in its name?
Hearing Alice Nakiri's interpretation, Okabe thought for a moment before explaining, "There's no fish in Yuxiang Shredded Pork. To be precise, the fish isn't in the dish.
Its main ingredient is shredded pork tenderloin, supplemented with shredded bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms. It's stir-fried in a 'fish-fragrant' sauce made from pickled chilies, pickled ginger, garlic, yellow onion, ginger, and vinegar. It doesn't taste of fish, but it possesses the fragrance of cooking fish!"
As the description became more detailed, the method for making Yuxiang Shredded Pork appeared in Okabe's mind.
The parts about cutting the vegetables and stir-frying were clear, but the seasoning part became blurry, to the point that the final Yuxiang Shredded Pork he envisioned tasted merely edible.
But that was fine. This was just the first attempt.
Okabe believed that as his understanding of Yuxiang Shredded Pork grew and he perfected the details, the flavor simulated in his mind would only get better.
"I see. So, Brother Okabe, are you planning to serve Yuxiang Shredded Pork in this Shokugeki?"
Alice Nakiri nodded, though she didn't fully understand, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"I'm still considering it. Mapo Tofu has an intense flavor that can instantly conquer the palate, but its richness leans more towards the layering of textures and a violent explosion of taste. The richness of Yuxiang Shredded Pork, on the other hand, is found in the subtle shifts of flavor and the progressive layers of aroma."
"Wait a minute... Thank you, Alice. I think I have my answer!"
After verbally describing the characteristics of Mapo Tofu and Yuxiang Shredded Pork, Okabe suddenly turned to look at Alice, his eyes shining with excitement. He had clearly made a decision.
"What? What answer?" Seeing Okabe's huge reaction, Alice Nakiri asked anxiously.
"Azami Nakiri's teaching methods... don't you think they're just like a Mapo Tofu pushed to the extreme?
He uses the most powerful flavors to violently overwhelm Erina's perception of other types of cuisine, making her believe that only strong and stable impact is correct. It's effective, certainly, but it also kills all her other possibilities."
"Therefore, what I will choose is Yuxiang Shredded Pork."
A sharp glint appeared in Okabe's eyes. Having decided on his dish, he felt a great sense of relief.
"Why?" Alice pressed.
"Because I'm going to prove to Erina, and to Azami Nakiri behind her, that a truly flavor-rich dish isn't about absolute dominance in strength, but about exquisite balance and harmonious change. Having the possibility of more flavors is what makes a dish truly rich!"
A confident smile played on Okabe's lips as he continued, "The salty, sweet, sour, and spicy notes in Yuxiang Shredded Pork... no single flavor is the absolute ruler.
They restrain and complement each other, ultimately forming a complex flavor that, by common sense, shouldn't exist in this world: the yuxiang, or fish-fragrance."
"If it's this dish, it not only fits the theme of the Shokugeki but even transcends it by fusing numerous flavors into a completely new one!"
After hearing Okabe's description, Alice Nakiri also looked excited. How could they possibly lose?
"Now, I'll just focus on researching Yuxiang Shredded Pork."
Of course, there was another important factor.
Compared to braising Mapo Tofu, he was much better at stir-frying.
Ignoring his well-honed stir-frying skills to study braising from scratch—what was the difference between that and dropping a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed?
If he were to study it, it would be after the competition.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go to the kitchen now! Do we have the ingredients? Just in case, let's go out and buy them, so Uncle Azami doesn't find out ahead of time."
With the dish decided, Alice Nakiri excitedly stood up and started walking toward the kitchen, then turned to head outside. However, before she could take more than a few steps, Okabe grabbed her arm.
"Hold on."
"What's wrong?"
"Right now, my understanding of Yuxiang Shredded Pork is only superficial. Before cooking, we'll do some field research. We'll visit every restaurant in Tokyo that sells it."
Looking at Alice Nakiri, who tilted her head with a puzzled expression, Okabe explained his idea.
Compared to Hot and Sour Shredded Potatoes, which had a simple method he could figure out on his own, Yuxiang Shredded Pork was undoubtedly several times more complex.
If he relied solely on his own exploration, three days would not be nearly enough time.
"Oh, so there's a trick like that!" Alice Nakiri had a moment of realization.
"And it just so happens I haven't eaten dinner since I got back. Ikaros, Alice, let's go."
Seeing that she understood, Okabe showed a relieved expression. Then, without any further delay, he spoke to Alice Nakiri and to Ikaros, who had just come in after washing some fruit.
_____
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