Shokugeki no Soma World.
Totsuki Academy.
In the past, this place was largely self-governed, practically a small independent world of its own.
The Totsuki conglomerate held enormous influence, spanning both political and business realms, far beyond a simple culinary academy.
But now, the academy was in turmoil.
Patrolling Angeloids were everywhere.
Though the Starsea Empire did not trouble these students when taking over their world, the pressure they felt was overwhelming.
Especially when they saw the hovering starships above, and the shipgirls in uniform standing around.
Remembering the recent news of them crushing multiple allied fleets and eradicating the last resistance, many students felt their legs trembling.
I'm just a cook—when have I ever seen something like this?!
"Hi hi~"
In the great hall, Belfast stood on stage, clapping her hands.
She looked toward the gathered students below.
"Everyone, don't be too afraid. Under the Starsea Empire's rule, your daily lives won't be affected."
"Totsuki Academy will also continue to exist—under our management."
"As for its teaching philosophy… hmm, we may inherit it, or we may make some adjustments."
"..."
The students looked at each other in confusion.
Previously the Elite Ten and the Director had the final say. Now it was this foreign Empire.
At least they weren't going to harm ordinary people.
"In the future, outstanding graduates from here may enter the Starsea Empire and gain the opportunity to cook for the Commander."
"If he's pleased, perhaps there will even be rewards."
The head maid said with a smile.
Conquering a gourmet world naturally meant gaining skilled chefs, to add some variety to daily life.
What Belfast didn't say was that, knowing the Commander's preferences, those who would actually get the chance to cook for him in person at the capital were probably only cute girls.
"..."
The students scratched their heads.
In just a few days, they had already learned some things about the Starsea Empire from various channels.
Rewards from an imperial leader?
Hard to imagine. They were curious.
"Well then, next..."
Belfast tapped open a list on the holographic screen.
"Rindo Kobayashi, Momo Akanegakubo, Nene Kinokuni, Alice Nakiri, Hisako Arato... Pack your things and prepare to depart."
"The Commander has agreed to your request and permitted a cooking duel."
"Of course, the venue will be in the Starsea Empire, before the Commander himself. It wouldn't be fitting to trouble him to come here and play house with you."
"He wants to see your skills with his own eyes—so do your best."
"..."
The named girls glanced at each other.
When Belfast had been scouting them, they had half-jokingly requested a chance to compete with the Starsea Empire's chefs.
After all, their lives and their very meaning lay in cooking.
They hadn't expected the other side to actually agree.
And not just that—but to head directly to the Empire's capital and cook before its ruler!
The pressure was immense.
"Um, let me ask just in case..."
A red-haired girl with golden eyes raised her hand.
"This is a culinary duel before the Commander, right? If we lose… we won't be executed, will we?"
Rindo Kobayashi felt uneasy. To compete before an unfamiliar leader—losing seemed bad, but winning might be worse.
Lose, and she looked incompetent. Win, and if the other side was petty, that would be even more troublesome.
In ancient times, ministers even had to hold back when playing chess with emperors.
"The Commander isn't that kind of person."
Belfast and the cat-eared maid chuckled.
"If you win, it shows you have value in the Starsea Empire, and the Commander will grant you due treatment."
"As for losing… perhaps he'll just think Totsuki isn't all it's said to be, just empty reputation."
"?"
"Empty reputation?"
Hearing their school, the one they had poured their efforts into, dismissed so casually, the chefs suddenly felt an odd fire ignite in their hearts.
"In terms of cooking, Totsuki is number one in the world."
"No matter the opponent, the ingredient, or the dish, no one can defeat us."
Erina puffed out her chest and answered confidently.
"..."
"Any opponent? Any ingredient? Any dish?"
Belfast patted Erina's shoulder.
"Little Erina, don't go around raising flags..."
...
The head maid thoughtfully gave them time to prepare.
Rindo Kobayashi, Hisako, Erina, and the others packed their luggage at the academy, along with every kind of cooking utensil.
Even Alice's cutting-edge molecular gastronomy equipment was carried aboard the starship by Angeloids.
Two days later.
A small group of girls dressed in chef's uniforms, carrying their own tools, boarded the ship alongside the shipgirls.
"Mm..."
Rindo, Erina, and the others were brimming with confidence, walking tall with their heads high.
At the rear of the group, a blue-haired girl with braided pigtails kept scribbling words onto her hand and swallowing them.
Megumi Tadokoro had no idea how a failure like her, constantly on the verge of expulsion, had been chosen.
Especially when standing beside the Elite Ten, the pressure was crushing.
"Relax, relax. The Commander sometimes wants homestyle cooking too. That's your specialty, isn't it?"
The cat-eared maid tried her best to reassure the overly nervous country girl.
"!!!"
The moment they boarded the ship, the girls suddenly noticed there were some extraordinary people already there.
"Oh my, quite the crowd here, huh?"
"Little Erina, you came too?"
A big-sisterly woman in an apron with a side ponytail waved to the Totsuki students.
Beside her sat several others of similar age.
"Hinako Inui-sensei? Fumio-sensei?! Professor Jun Shiomi?!"
"You're here too?!"
Erina's eyes widened.
They were all graduates of Totsuki.
They had long since gone independent, running their own restaurants.
For the students, every graduate was someone to look up to.
"We heard there was another world and wanted to see its cuisine for ourselves."
Fumio explained briefly.
"Here, I feel I've reached the peak of my cooking. I need a new place to hone myself..."
"..."
The others nodded in agreement. Their thoughts were much the same.
Unlike the students, the graduates' reasoning was simpler.
Better to avoid offending an interstellar powerhouse. Instead, they could broaden their horizons in another world and continue polishing their craft.
"Hm? I heard you're going to duel against their chefs?"
"How bold. I'll go apply to be a judge, taste both sides' dishes..."
Fumio crouched on her chair, eyes scanning the students.
Brave, far too brave.
She had only one thought.
Before a shokugeki, one must always understand the opponent's strength before accepting—that was the wisdom of the seniors.
Only foolhardy students would charge ahead like this.
"..."
The students who had issued the challenge looked at each other, their expressions subtle.
Damn, they had walked right into something even the graduates wouldn't dare.
But since they had spoken, they had no choice but to go through with it.
...
Shua—
The starship passed through an anchor point.
Soon, the magnificent capital city of Constantinople appeared below their portholes.
"Whoa..."
The towering architecture of the interstellar era left the local girls speechless.
Even Tokyo couldn't compare to one ten-thousandth of Constantinople's splendor.
The sci-fi style of the ships and buildings aside, the sight of Angeloids soaring through the skies added an almost fantastical touch.
"What kind of cuisine would an interstellar civilization have?"
They began to wonder.
"Nutrient paste? I saw in documentaries that astronauts eat that. Surely they don't eat that down here, right? ..."
"It must be machine-processed. Molecular gastronomy is the future."
Alice raised her hand, lecturing the group.
"With technology this advanced, their molecular gastronomy must be far more developed."
She believed strongly in conceptual cuisine, excelling in using the most advanced scientific tools to cook like conducting chemistry experiments.
Alice felt certain that in a level 3.6 civilization like the Starsea Empire, their cooking style would be perfectly suited to her own.
"..."
The shipgirls simply smiled without comment.
Natives were natives. Cute, but lacking imagination.
The ship landed at a spaceport outside the capital.
With shuttles and Angeloids guiding them, the group was taken to the administrative center.
The building before them soared into the clouds, its footprint as vast as a small city.
Its azure walls gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.
Only by riding a small craft could one reach the very top, where the Commander resided above the clouds.
Click—
Belfast pushed open the grand door, bowed to Setsuna, and stepped aside.
"Commander, they're here."
"Mm."
Setsuna glanced at the trembling girls, nervous to the point of shivering.
He stood and spoke slowly:
"Young chefs, welcome to the Starsea Empire. Here, you will experience true cuisine from across the multiverse, and the life of the interstellar era."
"But first, let me see your talents."
"You wanted to compete against the chefs of the interstellar age, correct?"
"!"
An imperial leader.
That was the first impression the Totsuki chefs had upon seeing Setsuna.
He carried a strange aura. Though not much older than themselves, the difference in presence was overwhelming.
Students who had spent their lives within the academy inevitably carried a scholarly or innocent air.
But the man before them reminded them of the elites they had only ever seen on TV or in movies.
Cold, powerful, unfathomable.
"Uu..."
Megumi Tadokoro hung her head low, rubbing her hands nervously against her skirt, looking terribly uneasy.
"Commander, look, you're scaring them."
Formidable nudged Setsuna.
"Don't be so tense. The Commander is a kind person, nanoda~"
Yukikaze poked the equally nervous Alice.
"Mhm, relax. I'll arrange your accommodations and daily lives here."
"You came to see the Starsea Empire's cuisine, and for the culinary duel, didn't you?"
Setsuna asked with a smile.
"Ah... yes."
Rindo and Erina, standing at the front, nodded first.
"Then let's do it by shokugeki standards. As for judges... myself, along with a few graduates and shipgirls, should be enough."
"Rest assured, we will fairly judge every dish."
Setsuna got straight to the point. He was far more approachable than they had imagined, and the girls breathed a sigh of relief.
"By the way... doesn't a shokugeki usually have stakes?"
"Shouldn't we also add a wager?"
The cat-eared maid peeked in curiously.
At Totsuki, students decided everything through shokugeki—whether research clubs survived or not, or who held a seat in the Elite Ten.
A duel without equal stakes wasn't considered a true shokugeki.
"Eh?"
Everyone flinched.
They couldn't imagine what stakes they could put up against an interstellar emperor.
"If you win, as a reward, I'll grant you one not-too-excessive wish."
Setsuna said leisurely.
"As for losing..."
Before he finished, Grey shot her hand up:
"Send them all to the Eternal Snowfall to warm the Commander's bed!! Two shifts per day!"
"Ah??"
Erina's eyes widened in shock.
If an ordinary Earthling had dared say such a thing to her, she would've already smashed a soup bowl over their head.
But here, she had to restrain herself.
Bonk—
Setsuna rapped Grey lightly on the head.
"..."
Rindo thought for a moment.
"Then, as an equal stake, I'll promise you one request—as long as it's within my ability. If you want my cooking tools, I can even give them to you."
"..."
Setsuna smiled faintly.
For a chef, offering up their cooking tools as a wager took immense confidence and resolve.
For him, the match was mere entertainment, a way to spice up daily life.
For the Totsuki chefs, it was everything.
"Alright, go make your preparations. I look forward to your performance."
"My chefs are very eager to face you in battle."
...
"Whoa—"
The next day.
Inside the capital's grand banquet hall.
The chefs from the Shokugeki world marveled at the setting.
Luxurious.
Far more lavish than even the largest shokugeki arena at Totsuki.
The hall's vast center had been cleared by Angeloids for the competitors.
Cooking stations for both sides were laid out across from each other.
The Starsea Empire had provided every imaginable cooking utensil and tool.
Besides stoves, ovens, and grills, there was also a pile of strange equipment they had never seen before.
"The equipment is complete. Seems their culinary level must be quite advanced?"
Nene inspected the tools. Everything looked fine.
But then she pointed at a large drum-like metal machine, asking curiously:
"Is this also a kitchen tool? What's it for? I've never seen this at Totsuki."
"For plucking gryphons. It can also be used for smaller dragons."
Jeanne Alter answered expressionlessly.
"Gryphon? … Huh?"
A short distance away—
Setsuna sat at the judges' table with several shipgirls and Totsuki graduates. Beside him, the ahoge king sat as a special guest, eyes glowing with excitement.
The audience seats were packed with shipgirls and little lolis.
Culinary duels were rare in the Starsea Empire's history.
Especially when the challengers came from a gourmet world. Everyone was curious to see what tricks these young chefs had to offer.
By strength, Nene Kinokuni, Rindo Kobayashi, and Erina Nakiri of the Elite Ten, plus Alice Nakiri whose level was closest to them, would compete.
Hisako Arato, Megumi Tadokoro, Yoshino Yuuki, and the others watched from the sidelines, cheering them on.
"Ho~"
"Well then, let me be your opponent."
On the other side—
The Starsea Empire's chefs entered.
Dragon maid Tohru wore her maid outfit, topped with a chef's hat.
Behind her came Mio, Senti, the cat-eared maid, and Ning Hai.
"Wait, Commander, I get why Tohru and Ning Hai are competing, but why are little Senti and Cheshire here?"
Formidable was stunned by the lineup.
"Little Senti thought it sounded fun and insisted on signing up. If she loses, she'll get a spanking from the Commander."
"As for Cheshire, since there's a dark cuisine battle, I don't think anyone can match her mastery."
Richelieu cleared her throat.
"...Fair enough. In that case, her victory is assured."
With preparations complete, the duel began.
"This shokugeki will be five matches in total. Both sides will face off simultaneously, with themes decided by lottery."
"All ingredients are provided by the Starsea Empire—everyone, please look forward to it~~"
Urara Kawashima, in a JK uniform with a bow tie, naturally stepped up as host to introduce the event.
Shua—
The holoscreens displayed the matchups:
Tohru vs. Rindo Kobayashi.
Mio vs. Nene Kinokuni.
Senti vs. Erina Nakiri.
Ning Hai vs. Momo Akanegakubo.
Cheshire vs. Alice Nakiri.
Both sides took their stations, eager to begin.
"Each contestant, please write down five possible themes and place them in the lottery machine."
"The final result will be drawn from among them."
The Totsuki chefs thought carefully, each writing down ingredients they were most skilled with.
Nene unhesitatingly wrote soba, sushi, and other washoku staples.
Momo listed a variety of desserts.
Rindo, as expected, jotted down rare items like insects and crocodiles.
"I'll go first."
She stepped up to face her opponent, dragon maid Tohru.
"You draw. Any theme is fine."
Tohru spoke generously.
"Oh?"
Rindo chuckled lightly.
As the Elite Ten's second seat, her basics were impeccable, and she excelled at handling unusual ingredients.
Some were things only she at Totsuki could prepare.
"If I catch something strange, don't be surprised. Relax, I'll cook it deliciously~"
She even joked with Setsuna, brimming with confidence.
Shua—
She pulled out a slip at random.
Opening it, she froze.
[Chimera]
"?"
"What's this?"
Rindo and the other Totsuki chefs blinked, question marks popping over their heads.
"Oh, it's a specialty from my homeland. Kanna loves eating it. Tastes good, though a bit troublesome to process."
Tohru spread her hands.
Clang—
Two enormous cages were dragged over by Angeloids.
Inside, each held a lion-headed, goat-bodied monster with a serpent tail.
Boom!!!
The chimera roared, spewing a ball of fire that swirled within the forcefield cage.
Even from afar, the heat could be felt.
"Wha?!"
"Haa??!!"
The Totsuki students, along with the judges, went pale with fright.
"H-How can such monsters exist?!"
"I said it's a specialty. It's not even that strong—Kanna can hunt them easily."
Tohru answered nonchalantly.
She snapped her fingers, opening the cage. A magic circle flared, dropping the chimera instantly.
She began processing it smoothly.
"You'd better hurry. Chimera meat is tricky—needs detoxifying, de-fishing, tendon removal..."
The dragon maid kindly reminded her.
"???"
"Wait."
The Totsuki chefs realized, right from the first draw, this duel had completely surpassed their expectations.
Meanwhile—
Nene had also drawn her theme.
The green-haired girl pushed up her glasses, staring blankly at the slip.
[Kraken]
"???"
"What is this?!"
Rumble—
Several indescribable tentacles were dragged in.
The deep-black limbs writhed and twisted inside the cage. Each was at least as tall as a dozen-story building.
Even as severed pieces, they still thrashed violently, striking the cage with terrifying force.
"This one's from the Goblin Slayer world. Despite its size, only the tentacles are edible."
"I recommend sashimi. My husband loves it as a summer side dish."
Mio explained kindly to the bewildered chef.
"???"
"Ah?!"
Nene specialized in washoku—sushi, sashimi, sukiyaki...
But she had no idea how to transform the mountainous, otherworldly mass before her into her specialties.
Prepare the ingredient?
She now felt more like the ingredient was about to prepare her.
Did the Starsea Empire really eat this hardcore?!
—
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