The fish meat was white, immersed in a clear, shimmering broth.
A few slices of lemon and parsley adorned it, enhancing the fish's flavor while adding a colorful touch to the plate.
Without any hesitation, Okabe picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth.
Instantly, his eyebrows subtly rose.
The fish was incredibly tender, almost melting the moment it entered his mouth. The acidity of the white wine perfectly enhanced the fish's sweetness without overpowering it.
The aroma of olive oil permeated throughout, while the freshness of lemon balanced the richness. Parsley and a hint of thyme provided complex herbaceous layers, making the paper-wrapped fish exceptionally rich in flavor.
However, the most impressive aspect of this dish was the heat control.
The essence of paper-wrapped fish lies in steam circulation and constant temperature heating within a sealed environment. Taki Kakizaki clearly had mastered this to perfection.
The fish was cooked evenly from inside out, its fibers bursting with juices, without any dryness from being overcooked.
If his skewers were the last summer carnival on a night beach, then Taki Kakizaki's paper-wrapped fish was the joy of uninhibited diving during the perfect early summer season.
Both were of the sea. Yet, the experiences were distinctly different.
"Was it sea bass...?"
Opening his eyes, the paper-wrapped fish in front of him had already been largely shared by everyone. Feeling the lingering taste on his tongue and looking at the remaining characteristics of the fish, Okabe murmured softly.
"That's right. For Spanish paper-wrapped fish, sardines are best. Summer sardines are plump and flavorful, reaching their peak taste from feeding on plankton. Unfortunately, Polaris Dormitory didn't have any, so we had to settle for sea bass. Its flesh is white and tender, with good fat, and a springy texture. It's also very suitable for the paper-wrapped method, making it an excellent substitute," Taki Kakizaki replied upon hearing Okabe's words.
"Indeed, sea bass is also a classic choice for Western-style baked fish en papillote. As a white fish, its firm flesh and moderate internal fat perfectly absorb the flavors of the herbs, lemon, and white wine used during cooking."
Picking up another piece of fish, this thought emerged in Okabe's mind.
The method was common; any chef in Spain could make it.
What truly made it delicious was Taki Kakizaki's incredibly solid fundamental skills and her ability to perfect every detail.
"Without any prior preparation, to perfectly showcase the seasonal freshness of summer sea bass in such a short time—is this the strength of a high school student? No, an ordinary high school student could never make this dish!"
Soma Yukihira opened his eyes, a serious look in his gaze as he looked at Taki Kakizaki. The others were the same.
As chefs, no one knew better than them the true value of this dish.
It was, without a doubt, an Elite Ten-level dish.
So this seemingly harmless senior before them...
Everyone already had the answer in their hearts, but at this moment, no one spoke.
"What are you all doing gathered in a circle? I've prepared some refreshing vegetable salads. Does anyone want to try some?"
Looking at the silently gathered crowd, Sonoka Kikuchi walked over with the salad, her face full of gentle warmth.
"Kikuchi-senpai. I want salad!"
"I've eaten too much grilled meat and it's starting to feel a bit greasy."
Sonoka Kikuchi's appearance broke the somewhat solidified atmosphere. Yuki Yoshino and Ryoko Sakaki rose from in front of the paper-wrapped fish and jogged over to her, taking the vegetable salad from her hands.
The others weren't interested in the vegetable salad but used the opportunity to disperse.
The atmosphere became lively once again.
However, one person still lingered at the table where the paper-wrapped fish was placed: Soma Yukihira, who had been significantly struck by Okabe and Taki Kakizaki.
He looked at the paper-wrapped fish before him, lost in thought.
Initially, he had been somewhat conceited about coming to this academy, which primarily taught cooking, as he had several years of restaurant work experience, serving customers at high intensity daily.
During the entrance exam, because he had incorporated his own creativity into his dish, the chief examiner had highly praised his cooking, granting him an honor others didn't have, which made him once believe he was special.
But now...
He glanced at Okabe, who was chatting and occasionally laughing with Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato not far away, and Taki Kakizaki, who was leisurely lying on a recliner, drinking juice, enjoying the noisy surroundings and the myriad stars.
He fell silent.
He seemed to have become the bottom of the food chain in Polaris Dormitory.
But soon, as if realizing something, his eyes grew firm again.
He then returned to the barbecue grill with the pineapple skewers he had just peeled.
"Oh, oh, it seems you've regained your confidence," Rindo Kobayashi said, glancing at Soma Yukihira as he returned to the grill, her voice carrying a hint of teasing.
"There's nothing to be down about. There are many people better than me in the world. It's not like I can get disheartened every time I meet someone better, right? That would be utterly spineless."
"Besides, just because they're better than me now doesn't mean they'll be better than me in the future."
"As long as I keep learning new things, I'll surpass them someday."
Brushing the leftover honey water from Okabe evenly onto the pineapple skewers, Soma Yukihira's voice was not loud but quite resolute. He never thought of himself as weaker than others.
Even if temporarily inferior, he could make up for it with later effort.
"It's remarkable that you understood so quickly. I've seen too many self-proclaimed geniuses who were so individualistic outside, yet quickly became disheartened and never recovered after entering Tōtsuki."
Looking at Soma Yukihira, who was silently studying the grilled meat, a strange glint flashed in Rindo Kobayashi's eyes.
To this, Soma Yukihira did not respond.
At this moment, he was completely immersed in the world of skewers. Heat, seasoning, the condition of the meat skewers, and the condition of the pineapple were all areas he needed to focus on.
On the other side.
Okabe also moved a recliner and lay down in a quiet corner.
"So beautiful!"
With no exhaust fumes in the mountains, the sky was naturally free of smog, completely clear at this moment. Gazing at the myriad stars, feeling the gentle breeze around him, Okabe closed his eyes.
When he awoke again, it was already morning. He had been brought back to the dormitory by Ikaros and was lying on his own bed.
"Good morning, Master."
Okabe opened his eyes and saw Ikaros's delicate face, her gaze filled with tenderness as she looked at him.
Despite her expression being the same as always, he could clearly feel it.
"Morning," Okabe replied with a smile, leaping off the bed. He then changed into his sportswear and went to the bathroom to wash up.
The morning sets the tone for the day.
To him, not exercising with a morning run daily was no different from wasting his life.
But...
"What a fragrant smell."
Coming down the stairs from the second floor, Okabe sniffed, his gaze drawn towards the kitchen, from where the aroma wafted from behind the main hall.
Without hesitation, he strode towards it.
The next moment, the kitchen door was pushed open, and the scene inside was exposed to his view.
"Yukihira? Are you preparing breakfast...?"
Watching Soma Yukihira skillfully manage two pots simultaneously, Okabe asked with a hint of confusion.
"Yes, after yesterday's gathering, I clearly felt my shortcomings. From now on, leave Polaris Dormitory's breakfast to me."
Hearing the voice, Soma Yukihira didn't turn around. Instead, with one hand gripping a frying pan and the other a spatula, he used a slight technique to flip the tamagoyaki in the pan. Its interior egg liquid was moist, and its exterior was charred and fragrant, creating a marvelous crispy outside and tender inside texture.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Looking at the highly motivated Soma Yukihira, Okabe left the kitchen.
It truly was fitting for the fated protagonist of the original world.
Even if temporarily disheartened, he would unleash new motivation under pressure and quickly grow.
Perhaps it was Okabe's appearance that caused a butterfly effect, leading Soma Yukihira to enroll early, in an attempt to make him grow rapidly through competition.
"Ikaros, let's go."
Glancing at Ikaros, who was waiting for him at the dining table, Okabe waved to her, then pushed open Polaris Dormitory's main door behind her and ran out along the mountain path. Today's morning exercise was three laps around the mountain.
Simply put, it required breaking a bit of a sweat.
At the same time.
Inside a small, domed building. Two exquisite cooking stations stood to the left and right, with the large characters "Shokugeki" written in the center.
A muscular monk stood at the right cooking station. Facing him at the opposite station was a quite kind young man.
This person was Junichi Wasu, the 71st general of the Vegetarian Research Society.
However, at this moment, his eyes were filled with fury, and he looked at the bald monk with gritted teeth.
"You truly are an arrogant, rotten-to-the-core fellow! You will pay the most tragic price of your life for your provocations these past two days!"
"Namu-san, Benefactor, your temper is too great."
Looking at Junichi Wasu, who was glaring at him in anger, the bald monk Fuxiang performed a one-handed gassho, a gentle and refined smile perpetually on his face.
"How could I not be angry? Someone like you, who joins our Vegetarian Research Society with evil intentions, trying to plunder it with despicable means. If I could, I'd truly bury you in the dirt!"
Junichi Wasu gritted his teeth.
This fellow had joined their Vegetarian Research Society as a new student.
In one day, he challenged and defeated three generals, then erected a sign at the entrance of the Vegetarian Research Society, claiming their standards were too low and they were unworthy of operating under the name of the Vegetarian Research Society.
This caused some students who genuinely wanted to join them to back away and leave after seeing the sign. Even the two new students who joined with him yesterday had all run off.
And the mastermind behind all of this was this smiling monk before him!
If he wasn't removed, their recruitment plan for the year would be ruined. The Vegetarian Research Society would face a generational gap, and then other cooking clubs might take advantage of the weakness to seize everything they had.
This was something he, as a general of the Vegetarian Research Society, absolutely could not accept.
Only a Shokugeki and blood could wash away their humiliation!
"According to our prior agreement, if I win, the territory of the Vegetarian Research Society will be mine," Natsuo said calmly, smiling at the enraged man before him, his voice sincere.
"If you lose, you'll prostrate yourself every step of the way around the entire campus, admitting to everyone you meet that you shouldn't have underestimated the Vegetarian Research Society, and then get out of Tōtsuki!"
Looking at Natsuo's nonchalant attitude, the fury in Junichi Wasu's heart had burned to its peak, but he had not completely lost his reason.
The opponent had managed to defeat three generals of the Vegetarian Research Society, so his strength was not to be underestimated. He had to put in a hundred percent effort to win this battle!
"Naturally. Then, according to our agreement, the theme for this Shokugeki is 'New Student', and the dish type is 'Vegetarian'."
Looking at Junichi Wasu, the now calm general of the Vegetarian Research Society, Natsuo performed a gassho, then walked to his cooking station.
Without haste, he took out several unremarkable items from the cloth bag he carried.
A few rough-skinned, dark-colored tubers, a wild carrot with roots and an irregular shape, a few bunches of herbs that looked like weeds, and a small, dusty packet of what looked like stones.
"What is this?"
"Is he really going to cook with these weird ingredients?"
"What a joke!"
Seeing the ingredients Natsuo took out from his cloth bag, the members of the Vegetarian Research Society, who were cheering for their general, cried out in surprise, their faces showing anger at being humiliated.
"Looks pretty good, pan-fried salmon and tamagoyaki, paired with miso soup?"
Finishing his morning run, Okabe returned to Polaris Dormitory. A rich aroma assailed his nostrils the moment he entered the dining area. Okabe's face showed an expression of enjoyment as he then strode towards the restaurant.
At this moment, everyone in Polaris Dormitory had gradually woken up and were sitting at the dining table, waiting for breakfast.
"Everyone's up."
"Of course, if we sleep any longer, we'll miss breakfast and be hungry all day."
Hearing Okabe's question, Rindo Kobayashi rolled her eyes cutely, then continued to lie on the table, waiting.
It was clear she was trying her best to restrain herself.
"Just a moment, the rice still needs some time."
Hearing the commotion from the dining area outside, Soma Yukihira's voice came from the kitchen.
"No rush, I still need to take a shower."
Briefly replying in the direction of the kitchen, Okabe left the dining area and went upstairs to get his clothes.
Ikaros stayed behind. As an Angeloid, even intense exercise wouldn't make her sweat, so there was no need for her to shower.
However, to give Okabe a pleasant experience, she would shower twice a day, ensuring her body was filled with the scent of bath gel.
Unfortunately, there were no free spots in the bathroom right now, so she decided to take a bath after everyone had gone to class.
On the other side.
Okabe returned to his room and rested for a while.
He "gulped gulped" down a large glass of water before grabbing his change of clothes and heading to the bathroom, preparing to start a fresh day with a morning wash.
"I love to bathe, good for my skin~"
"Ah-oh, Ah-oh ~"
"Put on a shower cap, sing and dance~"
Humming a tune, Okabe tentatively pulled open the bathroom door.
Warm, moist steam rushed out.
He stopped at the doorway, his cheerful singing abruptly cut off, his pupils unnaturally widening slightly.
The sight before him instantly froze him.
Sonoka Kikuchi had apparently just finished rinsing off and was standing in front of the mirror in the changing area, holding a white bath towel, seemingly preparing to wipe her wet hair.
Her skin was a faint pink from the hot shower, and water droplets slid down her slender neck, flowed over her delicate collarbone, lingered on her chest for a long time, before continuing downwards...
Her drenched cherry-pink long hair clung to her smooth back and shoulders, with a few strands sticking to the sides of her face.
Under the dim bathroom lighting, she seemed enveloped in a soft halo, and the warm steam caused one's body temperature to unnaturally rise quickly.
Time seemed to freeze.
"Eeek—!?"
Sonoka Kikuchi belatedly reacted, a soft, flustered shriek escaping her lips.
The next moment, she spun around abruptly, her hands frantically crossed over her chest as she crouched down. Her entire body visibly flushed from her cheeks, neck, and ears, all the way below her collarbone, like a thoroughly cooked red shrimp.
"Hahahaha, Okabe, you've just arrived, so you wouldn't know, Kikuchi-senpai takes a bath every morning. She probably didn't lock the door because the dorm has only had girls for a while, so she was careless!"
Rindo Kobayashi laughed teasingly, looking at the two immensely awkward people sitting at diagonal ends of the dining table.
"Sorry, I really didn't know that. When I used the bathroom yesterday, I didn't see any signs of it being used, so I thought I was the only one using it."
Feeling Erina Nakiri's scrutinizing gaze from across the table, Okabe scratched his head.
"I didn't have class yesterday morning, so I slept in until noon..."
Sonoka Kikuchi mumbled softly, scooping rice with her spoon.
She truly hadn't handled this well. She had locked the shower stall door when bathing, but completely forgotten about the bathroom door.
Because normally no one would shower so early in the morning like her, she had never bothered with the bathroom door and didn't even have the awareness.
Right, many juniors had arrived at Polaris Dormitory; she couldn't be as casual as before.
Damn it, why didn't she think of that earlier!
"In that case, to avoid similar accidents in the future, let's also schedule separate morning shower times for men and women. If there are urgent situations, you can discuss them with others in advance," Fumio Daimidō said, placing the pickles she had prepared for herself on the dining table, looking at everyone.
"Agreed."
"Seconded."
The other girls present immediately agreed, and the boys had no objections.
Thus, the morning shower time for boys was set from 6 AM to 7 AM, and for girls, it was 7 AM to 8 AM.
The matter was dropped.
However...
As a very traditional woman, after this incident, Sonoka Kikuchi was somewhat afraid to look directly at Okabe.
Honestly, being seen by a twelve-year-old child was nothing.
But Okabe was too big; he looked several years older than her, completely meeting adult standards, so it was truly difficult to treat him as a child.
Moreover, even though it was just a fleeting glance...
Sonoka Kikuchi lowered her head, not daring to think any further.
At this moment, her face was completely flushed.
"The judgment is in! The winner of this Shokugeki is Natsuo!"
Natsuo's and Junichi Wasu's names appeared on the large screen suspended in the sky. Next to Natsuo's name were three circles, while next to Junichi Wasu's name were three crosses. The opinions of the three judges were surprisingly unanimous.
"How is that possible? With those random ingredients! He actually won the match!?"
"It's a fix! Absolutely a fix!"
"We want new judges! A new set of judges!"
As the judges' words fell, a flurry of intense curses immediately erupted from within the Vegetarian Research Society. However, the judges on stage remained unmoved.
As Shokugeki judges, what scenes hadn't they witnessed? Naturally, they wouldn't be swayed.
"It seems they haven't quite grasped the situation, Namu-san."
Looking at his score on the big screen, Natsuo's expression remained as calm as an ancient well, as if everything was within his expectations.
"Impossible! What kind of mind-altering potion did you give the judges? How could a mere middle school student who just enrolled possibly compare to me, who has trained for years at Tōtsuki!?"
Junichi Wasu's eyes were bloodshot, his expression, which had finally calmed, turned ferocious again.
He had lost, lost to this seemingly unremarkable new student.
He had trained at Tōtsuki for five years, passed numerous assessments to advance to second year, and become the general of the Vegetarian Research Society.
Yet now he was defeated by a new student...
The image of the former club president, who had been expelled, entrusting the Vegetarian Research Society to him, flashed in Junichi Wasu's mind, and a strong sense of shame welled up in his heart.
"Cooking isn't necessarily about how long you study to achieve something; talent is what matters," Natsuo said simply, looking at the grief-stricken Junichi Wasu.
"Talent? I don't believe it! With just a bowl of vegetarian murky soup, a dish that doesn't even inspire the most basic desire to eat, how can it outweigh my years of accumulation!"
"Years of accumulation? A lavish dish piled high with various high-grade ingredients? Benefactor, your accumulation is truly cheap."
Stepping to Junichi Wasu's cooking station, he picked up chopsticks and took a piece of his dish.
The richness of morel mushrooms, the tenderness of pea cake, the mildness of yam—each flavor was unique, but they had no connection to each other.
It was almost like a completely segregated vegetarian dish.
Closing his eyes.
The ingredients grew aimlessly in the mountains, displaying "a vibrant scene, yet completely independent and unrelated. It was just like a performance that was flavorless to eat and regrettable to discard."
"It's simply a waste of precious ingredients," Natsuo said, opening his eyes and speaking from the heart.
"I've saved a portion for you. Why don't you try it and see how your 'vegetarian murky soup' received the judges' approval!"
As he spoke, he used a wooden stick to push aside the leftover ashes from the charcoal fire on the ground, taking out wild potatoes and carrots with charred skins and soft interiors.
He then peeled off the charred skin with his bare hands, steam rising, revealing golden and orange-red flesh intertwined within.
He put them into a wooden bowl and, using wooden sticks with herb juice, crudely mashed them into an uneven paste.
Next, he directly reached into the charcoal fire and retrieved a previously scorching hot "stone," quickly dropping it into the wooden bowl.
"Sizzle—"
White steam fiercely billowed out!
A unique aroma wafted forth.
There was no delicate plating, no complex seasoning, only a steaming, murky-colored, coarsely textured thick soup.
Upon closer inspection, one could even see incompletely mashed fibers and herb fragments.
It was precisely this bowl of vegetarian murky soup. That defeated the general of the Vegetarian Research Society!
"Have a taste," Natsuo said, holding up the dish, his eyes filled with pity as he looked at Junichi Wasu.
____
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