"Don't overthink it. You guys know everything now anyway. Oh right, Nakiri-san, let me introduce you..."
Kael turned toward Alice Nakiri and began introducing the members of the Polar Star Dormitory. Knowing Alice's outgoing personality, he was sure she'd get along with them just fine.
Alice returned the favor with a bright smile, introducing herself—and the sleepy-looking young man standing behind her, Ryo Kurokiba.
"Wait a sec, Soma-kun… you and Kurokiba-kun know each other, don't you?" Zenji Marui suddenly asked, making everyone blink in confusion.
"Don't look at me like that," Marui said, waving his hands. "Just look at their arms."
Everyone turned instinctively—and sure enough, both Soma Yukihira and Ryo Kurokiba had bandanas wrapped around their arms. Soma's was white, tied neatly around his left wrist. Kurokiba's was red, bound tightly to his right.
"You wear that... all the time?" Soma asked, a little surprised.
Kurokiba gave a curt nod. "Yeah. It's my headband."
Alice couldn't hold back a laugh. "You two are practically mirror images—one red, one white, one on the left, one on the right. It's almost cute. Good thing neither of you's a girl, or people might start shipping you."
The Polar Star students burst out laughing.
Alice, meanwhile, had come mainly to see Kael in action. Classes had been boring lately, so she'd taken the day off. She hadn't expected to run into someone who looked—and acted—so much like her own assistant. Maybe these two idiots would actually get along.
After chatting for a bit, it was finally time for the assessment to begin.
The test's theme: seafood.
For Kael, that didn't matter at all. With no weaknesses and the Divine Senses enhancing every move, themes were just minor flavoring to him.
The others, knowing they probably wouldn't pass the Four-Star Chef exam, focused most of their attention on Kael's station.
And soon, they saw it for themselves—Kael's legendary efficiency.
His speed was unreal. His precision, machine-like. Except… even machines couldn't match this. The way he moved, chopped, seared, plated—every action was fluid, deliberate, and beautiful.
It was no surprise when he finished first.
And, of course, he passed the assessment without suspense.
One by one, the others completed their dishes as well and brought them forward. They knew they wouldn't pass, but none of them half-assed it either—they gave it everything they had.
The examiners were quietly impressed. Even if their skills weren't yet Four-Star level, their foundation and creativity at this age were remarkable. These were clearly Totsuki's finest students.
"Congratulations, Kael-kun," Alice said with a grin once it was all over. "You made that Four-Star test look effortless. I've gotta ask, though... just how high is your actual skill level?"
She was genuinely curious.
From what she'd seen, Kael had breezed through the Four-Star exam. But according to her intel, he'd only taken the Two-Star Chef and Three-Star Chef tests last month. And the month before that, his One-Star Chef exam.
It didn't add up.
If he'd already been capable of Four-Star-level cooking back then, why bother with the lower exams? Why wait a whole month between each?
At first, Alice thought maybe he'd improved rapidly—rising to Four-Star in just a month. But after seeing his composure, precision, and depth just now... she tossed that theory out the window.
This wasn't the performance of someone who had just reached Four-Star.
It was something beyond that.
His growth defied logic—and it only made her more curious. Just what kind of chef was Kael? Had he even gone all out today?
She never once considered the real answer—that Kael had gone from One-Star to Four-Star in only two months. Because that wasn't "genius." That was something else entirely—something inhuman.
Of course, Alice had no way of knowing she'd just dismissed the truth. But who could blame her? No one in their right mind would believe Kael was basically a walking cheat code.
"My true skill level?" Kael smiled faintly. "It's Four-Star."
It wasn't a lie. Whether anyone believed him or not wasn't his problem.
A few minutes later, his name officially updated on the WGO website.
All over Totsuki, students were waiting for that moment. The second the results went live, they flooded the site—and gasped.
Kael's profile had changed. The Three-Star Chef listing was gone. In its place: Four-Star Chef (Certified).
"He really passed..."
Whispers filled the classrooms, the halls, the dorms. Even though everyone already believed Kael's skills were at that level, seeing the WGO's stamp of approval made it real.
Tomorrow's Shokugeki was now officially a clash between equals—an Elite Ten-tier battle.
"Man, I can't wait for tomorrow!" one student said excitedly. "Even Erina-sama's Shokugeki matches never hit this level! None of her opponents were Four-Star Chefs!"
Excitement rippled across the campus. Erina Nakiri had fought countless battles since entering Totsuki, but none against an opponent this strong.
This one was different. This wasn't a one-sided show of dominance—it was a true fight between monsters.
On the way back to school, Megumi Tadokoro turned to Kael. "Kael-kun, have you decided what you're going to cook tomorrow?"
"Of course," Kael said, smiling confidently. "It's a Chinese dish everyone here knows well. You'll see soon enough."
He'd been ready for this match long before the challenge was ever issued.
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Every 60 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter