After the Shokugeki world's group arrived at Kikkaro, the restaurant instantly brimmed with unprecedented vitality. At their insistence, Master Pai reluctantly put down her spatula and wok, turning into an idle old man strolling around the kitchen.
"Erina, knead it three more times here—"
"Mr. Jōichirō, a tad too much pepper—"
"Mr. Gin, a bit more force—"
Leaning against the kitchen door, Hayashi watched the graduated Elite Ten swiftly cooking while the current students toiled away washing vegetables and cleaning. He couldn't help but smirk slightly.
"Oh! Hayashi, perfect timing!"
At that moment, Sōma Yukihira's eyes lit up upon seeing Hayashi's figure. Grinning widely, he waved at Hayashi and said, "Hayashi! Come try my new fermented tofu peanut butter squid tentacles!"
"!"
Upon hearing this, Erina and her mother, both possessing the God's Tongue, immediately turned pale. Just the mere thought seemed to conjure up a nauseatingly bizarre taste in their mouths. Jun Shiomi, who had once suffered under Jōichirō's culinary experiments, shot a furious glare at the culprit—truly his son, just as detestable as him!
"..."
Noticing Jun's glare, Jōichirō rubbed the tip of his nose and thought, 'Could it be that because I haven't fed her any strange ingredients in so many years, she's actually starting to miss it? Maybe I should whip something up too?'
Truly a villain through and through.
...
...
After spending a month in the world of "Cooking Master Boy," Hayashi returned to the world of "Food Wars" at Erina's insistence.
"Why the rush? I told you we could wait until you've completed your studies before heading to the Pokémon world," Hayashi leaned against the doorframe of Erina's bedroom, watching helplessly as she packed her luggage. "Isn't learning from Chef Pai your dream?"
"I can't let my studies delay your plans! I can always train with Chef Pai during the breaks between your travels," Erina turned to look at Hayashi and said matter-of-factly, "Besides, traveling itself hones a chef's skills. It's not like I'm wasting time!"
Well, that did make some sense.
Hayashi stroked his chin and didn't press further. Instead, he pulled out his phone and opened the Pokédex app, muttering, "Guess I should figure out which Pokémon to catch first—"
What he didn't know was that Erina had her own ulterior motive: in her eyes, with so many people currently at the Kikkaro, Chef Pai's attention would inevitably be divided. By the time she returned from her travels, the others would likely have finished their training, leaving her to enjoy Chef Pai's undivided one-on-one guidance!
She'd secretly grow stronger and outshine everyone else!
When Erina finished packing and wheeled her suitcase out, she found Hayashi grinning foolishly at a manga on his phone. Unable to resist, she asked, "What are you looking at? You're laughing so weirdly."
"Check this out—" Hayashi handed her the phone, excitedly recommending, "You're gonna love this! Guaranteed to make your heart melt!"
"Is it really that good?" Erina took the phone skeptically and looked down to see a series of short manga comparing a Trainer's early days with their Pokémon to their fully evolved forms.
As a Bulbasaur, it loved nibbling on my sleeve—now as a Venusaur, it prefers holding my arm in its mouth;
As a Charmander, it adored sleeping with the plushie I gave it—now as a Charizard, it still clings to that same worn-out plushie;
As a Squirtle, it was timid and afraid of strangers—now as a Blastoise, though stronger, it still gets nervous around new people;
"Mmm..."
Watching these heart-meltingly adorable comparisons, Erina couldn't help but show a doting smile at the corner of her lips.
Hayashi moved closer to Erina and asked with a wink, "So, isn't this incredibly heartwarming?"
Nodding excitedly, Erina replied, "Ahh, how can Pokémon be so comforting and cute! They're absolutely adorable!"
At this moment, Erina was already itching to catch her very own Pokémon!
What are we waiting for? Let's set off right now!
...
...
The Pokémon World.
Kanto Region.
Pallet Town.
"Pallet Town—where the Pokémon series' dream begins!" Hayashi said to Erina and Hisako beside him. "This time, we're here to visit the Pokémon Professor of Pallet Town, Professor Oak."
"Then let's hurry up and go!" Erina's face was brimming with barely contained excitement, like an elementary schooler on a field trip bus. "I can't wait to start this journey!"
"Alright, let's go!" Hayashi nodded. He stepped forward and pressed the doorbell at Professor Oak's house. While waiting for a response, he turned to the two and said, "You must be wondering why I insisted on bringing you to visit Professor Oak first, right?"
"A little..." Hisako nodded timidly. "Couldn't we just start traveling right away?"
Hayashi shook his head and explained, "No way! In the Pokémon world, without proper credentials, you'll be stuck as a Trainer! You wouldn't want to join Team Rocket and start with a Koffing, Ekans, Grimer, or Caterpie, would you?"
The scene from the original series where Satoshi got checked for his Pokédex in Viridian City proved that Trainers without identification like a Pokédex would be completely stuck in the Pokémon world! He definitely didn't want to end up like those undocumented Pokémon protagonists, forced into a hellish Team Rocket start!
After hearing Hayashi's explanation, both Hisako and Erina instinctively shuddered before frantically shaking their heads—while they didn't discriminate against any Pokémon, surely no girl would actually like Grimer, right? No way, no way!?
Soon, the doorbell was answered, and Professor Oak's voice came through: "Hello? Who is it?"
"Professor Oak?" Hayashi looked at the camera nearby and smiled. "I came specifically to visit you—I have something very important to tell you!"
Without suspicion, Professor Oak quickly opened the gate and said, "Oh, come right in!"
"???"
Staring at the now-open iron gate, Hisako widened her eyes and said, "H-he just opened the door like that?"
Wasn't this way too easy? This was Professor Oak, whose academic standing was at the very top of the Pokémon world! His status in the Pokémon world was probably comparable to the Director's in the Shokugeki world, right?
So, if a stranger rang the Nakiri Family's doorbell and said they had something important to tell the Headmaster, would they actually get to meet him? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Yet Professor Oak just opened the door!? Hayashi didn't even provide any proof—he just said, "I have something very important to tell you," and the door opened!?
Hayashi sighed sincerely, "After all, this is a world shaped by kindness, so most people here are pure-hearted."
Apart from the handful of villains who make people grit their teeth in frustration, the majority of residents in the Pokémon world are like characters from a fairy tale! They treat others with sincerity and regard Pokémon with familial affection.
...
...
Soon, under Professor Oak's guidance, the three arrived at the lounge of the Oak Research Lab—where the professor cheerfully served each of them a cup of honey water made from honey collected by his Beedrill.
After taking a small sip, Hisako immediately narrowed her eyes in bliss and murmured, "Sweet but not cloying, gliding down my throat like the softest silk—this is the highest quality honey I've ever tasted—"
"?"
Professor Oak gave Hisako a puzzled look, then glanced down at the honey jar in his hand—it was just ordinary honey his Beedrill had casually gathered. Why was this girl reacting as if she'd tasted a rare delicacy?
'Could it be... her childhood was so tragic she never even had ordinary honey water!?' Heart aching at the thought, Professor Oak said sympathetically, "Here, little girl, take this whole jar! Drink as much as you like!"
"Really!?" Hisako accepted the glass jar of honey with delight, treating it like a treasure as she carefully stored it in her backpack—using honey of this quality in cooking would undoubtedly elevate the flavors to new heights!
Her reaction only confirmed the professor's suspicions. He pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the tears forming at the corners of his eyes, his mind spinning an elaborate soap opera spanning roughly 114,514 episodes—chronicling the hardships of Hisako's impoverished upbringing.
So moving! Professor Oak was nearly brought to tears by the tragic backstory he'd imagined.
Completely unaware of why the professor had suddenly become teary-eyed, Hayashi, Erina, and Hisako exchanged glances before Hayashi muttered under his breath, "Did we interrupt him making instant noodles, and now they've gone soggy?"
"Ah—!" Snapped out of his melancholy, Professor Oak jolted up from the couch and scrambled toward the lab in a panic, wailing, "M-my noodles! That was my last beef-flavored pack!"
"Uh…"
Erina twitched her lips and shot Hayashi a sidelong glance. "I feel like if I weren't handling your meals, you'd end up just like him."
"Ehe?"
Erina shook her head helplessly. Since she'd be responsible for Hayashi's meals from now on, she wouldn't let him resort to instant noodles or takeout—honestly, can't I satisfy you!? Sneaking off to eat junk food?
That's cheating!
"Ahem, sorry about that—"
Professor Oak hurried back, placing a beaker of now-soggy noodles on the table. "You rang the doorbell right when I was cooking! I completely forgot about it."
"'Cooking? Cooking?' Erina turned her gaze to the beaker on the table, her eyes widening in disbelief. 'How... how dare he call this cooking!?'"
The pride of a chef made Miss Erina subconsciously clench her fists—she refused to acknowledge instant noodles as cooking! Unacceptable! A Shokugeki is in order!