On the other side, the leader of Class 1-D, Tsubasa Nanase, also chose to hold her ground. She had no time to confront other classes; her priority was to safeguard her own class first.
As for revenge in the future, Nanase still felt hesitant and unsure of what to do. Her mind had been completely confounded by Ryunosuke and Ayanokouji...
She felt that she no longer needed to interfere with the competitive passion between those two. Let them determine their own fate!
In the distance, Ryunosuke and Ayanokouji suddenly sneezed in unison.
"Achoo! Who is talking about me?" (x2)
Meanwhile, the leaders of Class 1-C, Tsubaki Sakurako and Utomiya Riku, did not have many grandiose plans. They were participating in this exam purely with the intention of having fun. At the same time, they wanted to test Ayanokouji's level by occasionally tripping him up or pranking him.
After all, Sakurako held a personal grudge against Ayanokouji. The reason her brother ended up in a mental hospital was entirely due to that man's actions. How could she simply forgive him?
Sakurako removed the lollipop from her mouth, then said in a lazy tone to Riku:
"Keep an eye on Ayanokouji from Class C. If he dares to leave the castle, we'll steal his base immediately."
On the other hand, Class 3-A, the class managed by Kiryuin Fuka, had already begun packing and preparing to retreat. The reason for their retreat was very simple: the total number of members in Class 3-A was the smallest among all classes. At the moment, they had only reached a count of around 20 people, only half the size of a normal class.
The content of this exam was very disadvantageous for them. Therefore, they firmly abandoned their own castle and intended to forge a cooperation with Ryunosuke. Indeed, they had discussed the terms of cooperation from the start; now it was just a matter of executing the agreement.
After tidying up their belongings, Fuka turned toward Nazuna.
"Let's go!"
"Haaah..." Nazuna let out a long sigh, yet she had no choice but to follow her lead. She felt that they were like refugees right now...
It was true that they were "evacuating," because with their current number of personnel, they were undoubtedly the weakest. If they didn't leave soon, they would only become easy prey for other classes.
Fuka led all the members of Class 3-A toward the location of Ryunosuke's class.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
At that moment, Ryunosuke had just returned after taking Kei out for a walk all day, and he immediately crossed paths with Fuka, who had come to visit.
He said in a resigned tone: "Kiryuin-senpai, your arrival is sooner than I imagined."
Fuka draped her arm around Ryunosuke's shoulder familiarly, like an older sister.
"Don't say that. Coming to you early is also for the sake of safety. Besides, our Class 3-A is now the weakest, right? And this is all thanks to your doing, isn't it?"
"Akasaka-kun~" whispered Fuka in Ryunosuke's ear.
The implication was clear: you turned my grand Class A into this, so you must take responsibility.
Ryunosuke shrugged helplessly, indicating he understood, and allowed them to join.
Thus, the two classes officially merged. The number of personnel on his side now reached 60 people, more than half as many again as the other classes. Simultaneously, Ryunosuke handed over Fuka's blue crystal to Ayanokouji for safekeeping. After all, guarding one crystal or two was the same, so they might as well be consolidated.
Ayanokouji had shown signs of wanting to go on strike. Since he had no other choice, Ryunosuke decided to show off his skills.
Ryunosuke donned a signature chef's headband, instantly switching to chuunibyou mode, and entered the kitchen. He gripped a kitchen knife and grabbed a large tuna from the side—where did it come from? He had just fished it from the seaside...
Suddenly, he tossed the tuna into the air, using the Mogyu Seiryu Zhan (Blue Ox Dragon Slash) technique to dissect the tuna rapidly, removing its head and tail, then tapped the ends of the tail to extract the fish's veins from within. Because fish veins are very pungent, if not removed, they would ruin the flavor. Generally, people who eat fish rarely know this because their palates aren't sensitive enough to detect that faint fishy odor.
He arranged the fish and began slicing the sashimi. To get the best texture, he performed a low-temperature process, scattering ice chunks over the fish meat so the texture would be firmer and more delicious. After sharpening the knife until the blade emitted a cold light that reflected his own image, Ryunosuke raised the knife high. His hand movements were as fast as a shadow, making it difficult to see with the naked eye.
Not long after, the sashimi was sliced. He used minced garlic or ginger, combined with soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil to create a dipping sauce. Once everything was ready, Ryunosuke took a cucumber, sliced it at a 45-degree angle, flipped it, and sliced it again to form a spiral like a spring for a garnish.
The sashimi, cucumber, and carrots were arranged in such a way that they formed the shape of a Phoenix on the large table. The work was done. Ryunosuke wiped the sweat from his forehead and gave this dish a flashy name.
"Phoenix Tuna Sashimi, complete!" Ryunosuke removed his headband. "Everyone, please taste my cooking."
Ayanokouji was the first to grab chopsticks and a sauce bowl. Once he began to eat, his eyes instantly lit up. A deliciousness that felt as vast as the ocean exploded in his mouth. The tuna meat felt as if it were still alive, swimming in his mind. His body trembled, and two streams of tears flowed from his eyes.
He wept, touched by a taste that was simply too good. This dish was no longer a match for Suzune's cooking; its level was in a different dimension. Perhaps even ten Tootsuki elites wouldn't necessarily reach this level...
He stared at Ryunosuke deeply.
What kind of skill was this? This was too broken... It made him, who had trained for over a dozen years in the White Room, feel that his training had been in vain. The ability to reach the peak of a field just by changing "modes" was truly, incredibly enviable...
Ayanokouji ate another mouthful, continuing to chew without stopping. Ultimately, he became a "culinary prisoner." He agreed to Ryunosuke's request and guaranteed he would guard both crystals well. At the same time, he had a small request: could he frequently eat Ryunosuke's cooking in the future? He felt he was already addicted, instantly kicking Suzune's cooking out of his memory.
Beside him, Suzune also picked up her chopsticks and tasted a little. Deliciousness instantly blossomed in her mouth. She crouched down and nearly screamed from the pleasure. However, after that, she stared at Ryunosuke with a sharp, furious gaze.
"If you're this good at cooking, why have you been making me cook all this time?"
"You did this on purpose, didn't you?! From now on, just cook for yourself!!!"
Suzune slammed her chopsticks to the side and declared a cooking strike. She felt insulted; it was clear her husband could cook this deliciously, yet he had made her cook all this time...
Ryunosuke was instantly panicked and rushed to coax her.