"Speaking of which, my research club is still very short-staffed, Senior Eizan, are you really not interested?"
Satou smiled and countered.
Eizan Etsuya's face immediately turned ashen, and he snorted coldly, "You don't know what's good for you!"
"Next, please ask the two of you to create a stewed dish."
Isshiki Satoshi, who was standing nearby, took over with a smile and said, "The dish format is unrestricted, and the time limit is two hours."
As the Shokugeki officially began, both sides quickly started to move.
Sadatsuka Nao revealed an evil smile, then took out something from the ingredients she had prepared.
When this item appeared, a foul odor immediately spread throughout the entire venue.
"It stinks!"
"As expected of the Witch of the Pot! Is that dried salted fish?"
"I can't take it anymore!"
The item Sadatsuka Nao took out was indeed several pieces of dried salted fish.
The salted fish in Neon is different from that in Huaxia.
Huaxia's salted fish is simply cured with salt and then sun-dried; while it has a fishy smell, the stench is not heavy.
However, Neon's dried salted fish is cured in a fermented liquid, commonly known as salted fish sauce, before being sun-dried. This salted fish sauce is usually several years, or even decades, old, and its smell is extremely foul.
Unlike the audience's reaction, the three judges, Erina Nakiri, Isshiki Satoshi, and Eizan Etsuya, had solemn expressions.
"What a pure stench. This dried salted fish is very well made."
Isshiki Satoshi said in surprise.
"Heh heh, although most people avoid that person and keep their distance, in reality, her mastery of stewed dishes and dried goods is exceptionally high."
Eizan Etsuya's face showed a cold smile, "How foolish, to actually agree to this, to duel in the opponent's strongest domain!"
Isshiki Satoshi said with a solemn expression, "This time, Satou has met his match."
"But then again, Senior Eizan, isn't it a bit unseemly for you to treat a freshman like this?"
Erina Nakiri said coldly from the side.
"Heh heh, Miss Erina, you're not in a position to lecture me. You've used similar tactics plenty of times, haven't you?"
Eizan Etsuya chuckled, saying meaningfully, "It seems you really do feel something special for that kid, to be so concerned about him."
Erina Nakiri's face immediately flushed, and she quickly said, "What are you talking about? I'm not familiar with him at all, why would I be concerned about him?"
On the other side, Satou was focused on making his dish: Milk Pork Rib Soup!
He put the washed pork ribs into a pot to boil, adding a little vinegar—a small trick to enhance flavor—and then added sliced ham.
Ham itself has a savory flavor, so there's no need for salt, and it can also enhance the umami.
Next, he added Miltank milk, Cream Matsutake, ginger, and so on.
Before long, a rich aroma wafted from the pot.
Sadatsuka Nao's situation was completely different from Satou's; she threw various dried salted fish into the pot, and a strong, foul odor emanated from within, causing nearby students to instinctively pinch their noses.
She looked like a medieval witch throwing various strange things like toads and spiders into a pot.
Below the stage, Yuki Yoshino pinched her nose and exclaimed, "It's absolutely stinky! There's no need to even compare, is there?"
"No, you mustn't underestimate your opponent. Although it stinks, this stench can also become an unexpected weapon."
Ryoko Sakaki said, "Just like natto, even though it smells bad, many people still like it."
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, an hour and a half had gone by.
The first to finish her dish was Sadatsuka Nao.
"Hehehe, please enjoy, my Pitch-Black Laksa Curry."
She cackled eerily, like an evil witch, presenting her magic pot.
Time passed quickly, and soon an hour and a half had passed. The first to finish her dish was Sadatsuka Nao.
She slowly pushed her serving cart towards the judges, emitting a terrible stench along the way, as if she were spreading chemical weapons.
Poor Kawashima Rei was almost overwhelmed by the smell.
At this moment, even Eizan Etsuya felt regret. Why did he choose this person as his helper?
"Please, my special Pitch-Black Laksa Curry."
Sadatsuka Nao lifted the lid, and immediately the stench became even stronger.
Erina Nakiri felt a surge of regret; if she had known, she wouldn't have worried about that guy and volunteered to be a judge.
"To have Miss Erina taste my cooking with her own mouth, just thinking about it makes me excited."
Sadatsuka Nao caressed her cheek, her face full of ecstasy.
Erina Nakiri: "..."
Next, they began to taste it.
Although Erina Nakiri didn't want to eat it, burdened by her duty as a judge, she could only bite the bullet and take a bite.
"Huh? It smells so bad, but it's delicious!"
Erina Nakiri was surprised.
Laksa is a famous Southeast Asian dish, mainly cooked with shrimp, coconut milk, rice noodles, etc., combining the freshness of shrimp with the flavor of coconut milk.
"Is it because of the salted fish sauce? It enhanced the umami of the curry and fish broth, and with the addition of lemongrass and coconut milk, it created a more complex flavor. As for the black soup, it's probably due to squid ink, right?"
Erina Nakiri said in surprise.
"Hmm, although it smells bad, the more you eat, the more addictive it becomes!"
Isshiki Satoshi said with a smile while eating, "The salted fish sauce not only perfectly integrated into the laksa but also made its flavor even more distinctly prominent."
"So… so amazing! It smells terrible, but the three judges are eating faster and faster!"
Tadokoro Megumi said blankly.
"As expected of the Witch, truly terrifying!"
Yuki Yoshino also had a solemn expression.
"Although dried salted fish smells bad, its flavor is very strong. This will undoubtedly leave a deep impression on the judges, making it incredibly difficult for Satou to break through her flavor blockade."
Ryoko Sakaki said, "In other words, the tongues of the three judges have already been chained by that witch!"
"Hehehe. The taste buds of the three judges have been completely controlled by me."
Sadatsuka Nao chuckled, "No matter what, you won't be able to break through."
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