Maybe it was a regional thing, but around here, almost no one used a Chinese chef's knife. Most students preferred the lighter, more delicate Sakura-style blades.
Kael, however, was different. After inheriting Kaiyu's culinary knowledge, he'd learned the secrets of forging special knives.
The Seven-Star Knives were exclusive to Rēn, but the Hundred-Hole Knife—that one Kaiyu knew like the back of his hand.
Unfortunately, Kael had been too focused on improving his cooking to bother forging one. Not to mention, he didn't exactly have the funds. If he did, a Hundred-Hole Knife would've been far superior to the blade he held now.
The school had already prepared all the ingredients needed for the test dish, so Kael didn't waste time choosing. That task, he handed to Alice Nakiri.
After all, he was responsible for cooking. Everything else could be handled by his partner. And Alice certainly wasn't the type to stand around doing nothing—though this time, she had another motive: she wanted to see what Kael could really do.
Watching her pick through the ingredients, Kael gave a small nod of approval. Her speed didn't compare to his, but her precision did.
Even without his Divine Senses, she managed to select the best produce and meat available. Her fundamentals were solid—exactly what he'd expect from a Nakiri.
Once Alice handed over the ingredients, Kael took up his knife.
In an instant, the classroom filled with a blur of motion—his blade flashing faster than the eye could follow.
Alice froze. The other students froze. Even the instructor at the front of the room froze.
He wasn't slicing vegetables. He was cutting fresh pork loin—soft, slippery, and notoriously difficult to handle at high speed. Yet his movements were precise, fluid, and shockingly fast.
When he finally stopped, the pork on the cutting board looked almost unreal. Every single strip was identical—same length, same thickness, same texture. Not a single uneven edge.
Alice gawked. "There's no way... Is that really the knife work of a Three-Star Chef? Don't tell me I'm the fake one here!"
Her worldview cracked a little. She might specialize in Molecular Gastronomy, but she was still a legitimate Three-Star Chef. Her knife skills were above average—yet what Kael had just done wasn't "above average." It was borderline superhuman.
The secret, of course, was his Divine Touch paired with Divine Sight. The former allowed him to control every micro-movement of his hands, his cuts perfectly measured to the micron.
The latter locked his perception onto the exact point of contact, ensuring every slice was flawless—even at impossible speed.
Combined, they formed an inhuman rhythm that left the rest of the class questioning their life choices.
"Kael-kun," Alice said, blinking hard, "you're sure you're only a Three-Star Chef? Because that knife work looks more like Four-Star to me!"
Kael smiled faintly. "Yes and no. My WGO certification says Three-Star, but I'm planning to take the Four-Star Chef exam the day after tomorrow. If all goes well, that'll change soon enough."
He wasn't trying to hide it—there was no point. Once he sat for the Star Rating Assessment, word would spread anyway. And he planned to use that fame to his advantage.
A Four-Star title came with a hefty amount of prestige... and opportunity.
"The day after tomorrow, huh?" Alice said thoughtfully. "Then it all makes sense. No wonder your technique's so refined. Passing Four-Star shouldn't be a problem for you."
Her tone was calm, but her mind was reeling. Among their generation, Three-Star Chefs were already top-tier. Even Ryo Kurokiba, who'd always managed to outcook her in head-to-head matches, was still at that level.
Reaching Four-Star was something most chefs didn't even dream about until years later. And Kael was already knocking on that door—matching the level of Erina Nakiri herself, wielder of the God's Tongue.
It was enough to make anyone's confidence waver.
Kael gave a small shrug, a relaxed smile on his face. "It shouldn't be too hard."
That nonchalance sent another wave of murmurs through the room. Students exchanged glances, whispering under their breath.
"If he passes the Four-Star exam, that's basically the same rank as the Elite Ten, isn't it?" one muttered.
"Pretty much," another agreed. "The seats are full right now, but once one of the upperclassmen graduates or gets expelled, Kael-kun could easily take their place. This year's transfer students are monsters!"
"And there's another one, right? Soma Yukihira? Wonder if he's anywhere near this level..."
The whispers grew louder. The very idea of a Four-Star transfer student had shaken the class. Even without the others realizing it, Kael's presence had already raised the prestige of the title "transfer student" to new heights.
Truth was, Soma wasn't far behind either. Under Joichiro Saiba's training, his growth rate was explosive—but for now, Kael was in a league of his own.
Within minutes, Kael and Alice had their Fish-Fragrant Shredded Pork plated and ready. His movements were so efficient it barely seemed human.
The instructor stepped forward, eyes wide. "I... can't believe it. You finished already? At that speed?"
Kael chuckled. "You watched the whole thing, didn't you?"
That simple reply left the room silent. They had seen everything—every blur of motion, every flash of steel—but it still didn't make sense. Anyone else moving that fast would've ended up with half-cooked meat or burnt sauce.
The aroma rising from the plate, however, was flawless. The glossy strands of pork shimmered under the light, perfectly coated in a deep red glaze.
"Unbelievable..." the teacher muttered, reaching for a pair of chopsticks. "Let's see if it tastes as good as it looks."
He lifted a bite to his mouth—
—and the entire class held its breath.
==========
Every 60 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter