"Our captain agreed. The Shokugeki Bureau will handle the logistics, but someone from their office will contact you soon to confirm the details. Just look everything over and sign off if it looks right."
With that, Hiroshi Ishikawa turned and left. The duel between Kael and Terunori Kuga—a match between a transfer student and an Elite Ten member—was officially set in motion.
At this point, backing out wasn't an option. If either of them tried, their reputation at Totsuki would be done for.
"Ka–Kael-kun, did I hear that right? You actually agreed to a Shokugeki with Kuga-senpai?!"
Before Alice Nakiri could say anything, one of the nearby students blurted it out first.
Kael tilted his head slightly. "Yeah. Is that a problem?"
He didn't even recognize the student who spoke—someone he'd only seen in passing during the last class assessment.
"I mean... aren't you scared?!" the student stammered. "Sure, the instructor praised your skills, but you're going up against a member of the Elite Ten. They're the strongest chefs in the entire student body!"
Alice chuckled softly. "You can't really blame him for being surprised. I'd take on an Elite Ten member too if I didn't have to worry about the stakes—but let's be honest, beating one of them? Nearly impossible."
Kael shrugged. "What's there to be afraid of? I'm just a transfer student with zero reputation. If I win, it's Kuga-senpai who loses face. If I lose, well... losing to an Elite Ten isn't exactly embarrassing, is it?"
The calm confidence in his tone silenced the room.
Alice smiled. "You've got an interesting way of looking at things. Not many people here think like that."
She wasn't wrong. Most of Totsuki's students—pampered heirs and heiresses of powerful culinary families—feared failure more than anything. To them, losing wasn't a lesson. It was humiliation.
The idea of willingly challenging an Elite Ten was unthinkable. Even if the duel required no wager, most wouldn't dare step up.
But Kael? He had no such fear.
It didn't take long for the news to spread.
By that afternoon, the entire academy was buzzing: the new transfer student was going head-to-head with Terunori Kuga in an official Shokugeki.
Technically, Kael wasn't an Elite Ten member—but most students agreed his skill already put him at that level. So, as far as they were concerned, this was a showdown between equals.
The forum exploded. The previous debates about who was stronger had barely cooled off, and now there was an even bigger storm. Every student on campus was talking about it.
"That idiot Kuga still can't keep his temper in check, huh?"
In his office, Etsuya Eizan, one of the Elite Ten, scrolled through the forum on his phone and shook his head.
"So, you think Kuga-senpai should've ignored it?" asked Subaru Mimasaka, his hulking assistant, standing by the desk.
Eizan smirked. "No, ignoring it would've hurt his reputation. But he shouldn't have jumped in himself. He should've sent one of his subordinates to test Kael first."
He leaned back in his chair. "You don't dive in headfirst just because someone talks about you. When you're an Elite Ten, perception is everything. By challenging Kael personally, Kuga looks like he's desperate to prove himself. And people at the top? They shouldn't have to prove anything."
That was the difference between Eizan and Kuga.
Eizan's ambitions went beyond cooking—he wanted to build a culinary empire. For him, reputation, control, and image were everything. Every move he made was calculated for long-term gain.
Kuga, on the other hand, couldn't care less about appearances. He only joined the Elite Ten to gain access to more resources and freedom to pursue his own growth.
The concept of "saving face" didn't mean anything to him.
Mimasaka crossed his arms. "So... should we try to recruit Kael?"
Eizan tapped his pen thoughtfully. He was always on the lookout for promising talent, recruiting or eliminating anyone who might interfere with his future plans.
But after a moment, he shook his head. "Not yet. Let's see how this Shokugeki plays out. If he beats Kuga, he's practically guaranteed a seat among next year's Elite Ten. Someone like that wouldn't work under me. But if he loses..." He smirked. "Then we make our move."
Meanwhile, in another corner of the Elite Ten hierarchy—
"Hah! I thought the drama would drag on for a few days, but that little firecracker already sent a challenge letter?" Rindo Kobayashi laughed as she scrolled through the forum.
Eishi Tsukasa, the First Seat, looked up from his paperwork with an amused sigh. "That's just who he is. You know how Kuga gets. The new transfer student specializes in Chinese cuisine—same as him. The moment he heard that, there was no chance he'd let it go."
Rindo grinned. "True. Even without the forum drama, he probably would've hunted the kid down eventually. Still... I wanna see it for myself. If this Kael guy really has Four-Star-level skill, it should be fun to watch."
She stretched lazily, then sauntered toward the door.
"Rindo, wait—"
Too late. The door clicked shut behind her.
Tsukasa frowned, glancing down at his desk—and froze. A mountain of unfinished paperwork sat there, neatly stacked... all Rindo's responsibility.
"RINDO!" he shouted.
Outside, Rindo broke into a run, laughing as she escaped down the hall.
Tsukasa groaned, rubbing his temple. "Every time..."
Back at the director's office, Senzaemon Nakiri had just been briefed about the upcoming duel.
"A Shokugeki between a transfer student and a member of the Elite Ten, hm?" He chuckled deeply, the sound like rolling thunder. "Excellent. Let's see just how far this new generation can go."
He picked up the phone and dialed. "This is Nakiri Senzaemon. Connect me to the Shokugeki Bureau. I want to oversee this match personally."