Seeing Hachiman so fired up, Isshiki just smiled calmly.
"Looks like he finally had a breakthrough."
Everyone could hardly wait for Hachiman to tell them what dish he just thought of. They didn't even bother eating breakfast, simply following him straight into the kitchen.
At that moment, Hachiman was pulling out jars of fruit, then mixing them with salad dressing and sweet-and-sour sauce before setting them on the table to wait.
Marui: "What on earth is he making?"
Ibusaki: "Who knows? But let's trust him this time. After all, almost all the curry spices for the whole dorm came from his blends. Sure, we decided the final dish together, but he's already done plenty for us."
Ryoko looked a bit guilty. "Yeah… if it weren't for us, he probably would've already decided on his dish. He wouldn't be this nervous right now."
Tadokoro: "But still… Hikigaya-kun is amazing. Even now he's shouldering the responsibility for everyone."
The truth was, Tadokoro had always wanted to be that kind of person—someone who could help others and give them peace of mind. But because she never had much confidence in herself, she had never managed it.
Still, looking at Hikigaya now, there was no way she wasn't feeling at least a little admiration.
Meanwhile, over at the Shiomi Lab, Hayama Akira was still working on his dish. He had full confidence in himself, but he wasn't the kind of person to slack off. Since he recognized Hikigaya Hachiman as a true rival, he had to give it his all.
Thanks to Hikigaya's involvement, the lab had recently made new progress, pushing Hayama into nonstop trial runs. Just like Hachiman, he hadn't slept a wink all night.
But unlike Hachiman, Hayama's all-nighter had paid off. Building on Shiomi and Hachiman's earlier research, he tested over forty different spices, and finally came up with a new secret weapon.
Mixed spices.
This blend broke through the usual limit of ten to twenty spices. True to the name, it contained far more than that—too many to count, really. And within it was the combined effort of all three of them.
Shiomi couldn't take it anymore. With the Autumn Selection so close, she spoke up:
"Hayama-kun, you stayed up again? This isn't good for your health. If your body gives out, no one can take your place in the competition."
Faced with Shiomi's nonstop chatter, Hayama casually shot back:
"Jun, that's funny coming from you. Aren't you the one always staying up late?"
"Don't call me Jun! Call me Professor Shiomi!"
"Yeah, yeah, Jun. Also, maybe you should drop that bad habit of sleeping on the floor. You're in your thirties, how can you still act like a kid?"
Shiomi's face turned red from the teasing, and she muttered with annoyance:
"Idiot Hayama, I care about you this much, so just hurry up and lose already!"
"I'm going to help Hachiman!"
After driving Shiomi out, the kitchen finally grew quiet again. Calming down, Hayama's thoughts turned once more to Hikigaya Hachiman.
Recently, since most of Hachiman's work was done at the research group, Hayama Akira had been watching his progress step by step. But...
Even though he had only just started learning, his pace was like he had a cheat code, rising nonstop. In just one month, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he had reached a year's worth of growth.
Honestly, Hayama Akira had always known of Hikigaya's existence, but only now did he truly feel how insanely fast his progress was.
Against such a rival, Hayama Akira couldn't afford a single mistake. Especially for the curry challenge, he had already prepared perfectly.
...
The day of the Autumn Selection came quickly. Following the signs, the students of Polar Star Dorm arrived at the legendary competition site.
It was only the preliminaries, yet the sheer scale of the venue was overwhelming. As expected of Totsuki, always making everything so grand.
In the past, Hachiman had been terrified of stepping onto that stage. But now, he had cast away those thoughts.
Freed from hesitation, he no longer had any reason to hold back.
Everyone seemed to be in good condition, at least not scared by the atmosphere. After all, they had survived the school trip together, so they weren't like before.
At the center of the venue, a familiar old man sat on the stage.
Then, Kawashima Urara slowly descended from above. With her appearance, the atmosphere in the hall lit up.
Kawashima Urara:
"Now, please welcome the academy's Headmaster, Nakiri Senzaemon, to give the opening speech..."
Hachiman: "Headmaster..."
Tadokoro: "What is it, Hikigaya?"
Hachiman: "Nothing..."
Hachiman finally remembered that familiar face. Back when Erina rejected him during the entrance exam, it was because of this old man's approval that he was admitted into the academy.
But...
He never thought that this old man would turn out to be the academy's Headmaster. According to what Marui had said before, his status was even above the Elite Ten.
Still, what's past is past. Hachiman had no desire to repeat what happened with Senior Dojima Gin.
The headmaster took a deep breath, then swept his sharp gaze across the entire hall. Even though he was already an old man, his body was strong like an ox, clearly well maintained.
The aura he gave off was so intense that people couldn't help but step back.
Headmaster: "This hall is called 'Between the Moon and Heaven.' It was originally a place only used for the Elite Ten's Shokugeki battles. To honor the winners of the First Seat from each generation, it is our tradition to hang their portraits here."
Marui: "Looking closely… Dojima Gin-senpai really is here."
Hachiman also noticed the red-haired senior — sure enough, it was Shinomiya. So this guy wasn't bluffing after all.
But Yukinoshita's gaze stopped on another portrait. Across all these years, very few women had ever held the First Seat, yet…
Among the portraits, there was a woman who looked strikingly similar to Yukinoshita.
Headmaster: "Countless famous battles have taken place here, giving birth to dishes known around the world. Because of that, the air itself carries the weight of those memories."
"And now, the main event of the Autumn Elections will be held here."
Marui: "So only those who pass the preliminaries can keep competing here."
Ibusaki: "Exactly…"
Looking at the grand building, Hachiman couldn't help but think — his father once stood here in a cooking duel as well. And now…
By a twist of fate, he had also stepped into this place.
Perhaps what lingered here was more than just the passing of time.
Headmaster: "Everyone, create new history here."
"Let us meet here, chefs!"
After finishing, the headmaster jumped down from the stage without hesitation. The hall instantly erupted in thunderous noise again.
At that moment, Kawashima Urara began announcing the rules.
"As written in your invitations, the theme this time is curry. The time limit is three hours. Out of 100 contestants, only 10 will move on to the elimination round. That means five from each group."
"Contestants, please head to your assigned areas. The preliminaries will begin at 11 sharp."
With Urara's announcement, everyone started pumping themselves up. Unlike the school trip, this time, they could only rely on themselves.
Since only five could advance from each group, the success rate was one in ten — extremely harsh.
The only relief was that the Polar Star Dorm members were evenly split between groups. Ryoko, Yoshino, and Ibusaki were placed in Group B, while Marui, Hikigaya, Tadokoro, and Mito were put in Group A.
Not only that, Alice, Kurokiba Ryo, and Hayama Hayato were also in Group B. In Group A were Takumi, Isami, Yukinoshita, Hisako, and Hayama Akira.
No matter which group you looked at, the pressure was immense. For many ordinary students, having only ten advancement slots was simply brutal.
But that was the nature of the competition. Knowing this well, Hachiman could only accept it calmly.
Ryoko: "Alright then, we'll head over first. See you in the finals."
Hachiman: "Yeah, let's all do our best."
At some point, Alice had appeared behind Hachiman. She lightly tapped his shoulder and said with a cool smile: "I'm really looking forward to facing you, Hikigaya-kun."
After saying that, Hachiman still wanted to add something, but the other side raised a hand and cut him off:
"Whatever you want to say, save it for the finals."
Bang!
A huge mark landed right on Alice's face, and the buzzing feeling almost made her think she was dreaming in Wonderland.
Hachiman: "Uh, actually I just wanted to tell you the lights are kind of dim and there's a pillar behind you."
Since her cool act failed, Alice's face quickly turned red and she ran off, leaving a very confused Kurokiba Ryo standing there.
"Well then, see you in the finals."
"Yeah, I'll win."
...
The rules for the preliminaries were pretty interesting. Each group had as many as 50 people, and the dishes were judged one by one. That meant freshness really mattered. But Hachiman didn't worry much about that, since the dish he planned didn't need to be eaten right out of the pot.
With Kawashima Urara's announcement:
"Begin the match!"
The whole venue instantly filled with the excitement of cooking. Both arenas were packed with spectators, since matches like this were always famous. And right as the cooking began, the last judge finally arrived, joining the Totsuki Elite Ten who were watching from the VIP seats.
It was none other than the world-famous idol Hoshino Ai. She was still under 16, even younger than many of the students here, but she had countless fans across the globe.
The moment she appeared, it was like she carried a natural spotlight. Sparkling stars seemed to shimmer in the air around her, and all eyes followed her from the second she entered.
Plenty of Totsuki students were fans too. But the Ninth Seat, Tsuneya, didn't quite get it.
"Can a judge like her really tell the difference in cooking?"
His words were quickly countered by Erina:
"As chefs, if we can't even win over an ordinary person, then we might as well quit now. Whether or not she gives high scores will just depend on skill."
Isshiki added:
"Well, only one of the judges isn't a pro. The other four have absolute experience. They'll be able to judge dishes accurately, so it won't make that big a difference."
Hearing this, Tsuneya could only nod.
From the moment Ai entered, her curiosity was like that of a child, her eyes darting over each dish. She had clearly been waiting a long time for the chance to serve as a judge, and now her wish was granted.
Hachiman, on the other hand, had no impression of this idol at all. His only goal was to make his dish properly and move on to the main tournament.
Maybe because of his heritage, Takumi quickly drew Ai's attention.
"So he's Italian? Looks like he's using chicken and beef stock as a base… it looks delicious!"
"I've never had curry made with chicken and beef broth before!"
"And the guy next to him—he looks a lot like him. Probably not a younger brother, right? But his ingredients are totally different. Vegetables with curry? And those tomatoes taste so fresh!"
"..."
For Hoshino Ai 's chatter, the other judges couldn't do much. After all, she wasn't a pro, but judging by her eyes, she really did look like she couldn't wait to taste the dishes.
Meanwhile, in the corner, Hachiman just kept following his plan, step by step pushing toward his finished dish. Yukinoshita beside him didn't seem to shine either — while cooking, the two of them had almost no presence at all.
In front of them, Hisako was busy using her specialty in medicinal cooking to prepare her curry. Just in Area A alone, you could say it was a scene full of blooming flowers, each dish unique.
Since there were way too many contestants in the prelims, no one could possibly keep track of every detail of their cooking. The hall was filled with so many different aromas that the judges probably had no choice but to rely on smell to decide whose dish to focus on.
And sure enough, Hayama Akira still stood out above everyone else. Just like people had imagined, the moment he added his blended spices, the fragrance instantly swept through the entire venue. In that instant, the smell of beef, chicken, and even vegetables couldn't compare at all to Hayama's spices.
Hoshino Ai was immediately drawn in. Without realizing it, she stood up from her seat:
"So fragrant... it smells way too good."
Hayama Akira then pulled out a red fish head from his prepared ingredients. The moment his main dish appeared, nearly everyone understood what he was aiming for.
Fish Head Curry — made with the head of a whole white fish. The fish head was the main star, but it wasn't just that. By roasting, he also brought out the deep flavor of the fish bones.
From the audience, Professor Shiomi calmly explained:
"This is a curry dish that originated in Singapore. The main sides, besides the fish head, also include naan."
Since he was already one of the favorites to win, the attention on him far surpassed others. But when he revealed this dish, some of the crowd couldn't help whispering in disbelief:
"It looks surprisingly ordinary... can a dish like that really work?"
Professor Chapelle shook his head. Sitting among the audience, he quickly saw through the trick.
"The naan — that's where the key is."
At the same time he said this, Hayama poured his spices into the broth. A refreshing wave burst out, impossible to put into words, yet anyone's nose would insist — this had to be tasted.
In this venue, everyone was making curry, but only Hayama Akira's dish stood apart, so overwhelming that it completely covered the presence of the other dishes.
But wasn't this proof that he had pushed spices to the very limit?
If no one could fight against that fragrance, then in the end, Hayama's dish would dominate from the start. Even before other dishes reached the judges, they would already be smothered in his cage of aroma.
The next moment...
"Boom!"
"Hey, look, did someone's pot explode?!"
"No way, in a contest like this? How could someone blow up a pot... that's hilarious."
"Look at that girl, damn..."
Inside the VIP viewing room, Erina just gave a faint smile:
"Hisako, show them your real strength."
By combining medicinal cooking with spices, even though Hisako's skill with spices wasn't at Hayama Akira's level, she had her own unique insight when it came to medicinal food. Because of that, she quickly set her strategy, fully bringing out her strength.
If Hayama Akira's spices gave people a sharp and refreshing feeling, then Hisako's dish gave people a deep sense of comfort. Just a whiff was enough to instantly feel clear-headed and awake.
Meanwhile, the brothers Isami and Takumi started adding their own spices. With the help of their mezzaluna knife, the wild duck was crushed in no time. In just a moment, the duck was covered in golden powder. That special honey aroma shaped the path of Takumi's dish. Unlike the others, he decided to make...
Sweet curry duck.
With three strong contestants standing out, even the audience couldn't sit still anymore. Yuigahama and Miura, sitting in the crowd, were clearly restless too.
Yuigahama: "Hey Miura, why aren't you cheering for Hayama?"
Miura flipped her hair and said proudly:
"I think Hayato's already amazing, no need to worry. But look at Hikigaya — if we don't cheer for him, people might not even notice he exists."
Yuigahama: "That's kind of true. Oh! I see Yukino."
Miura: "Yukino...?"
Yuigahama: "I mean Yukinoshita."
Miura: "You two that close?"
Yuigahama: "Not really... but still..."
"Do your best, Hikki! You too, Yukino!"
Her voice instantly rang through the whole venue, drawing everyone's attention. Miura, who had been so smug a moment ago, suddenly turned red with embarrassment, while Yuigahama looked quite pleased with herself.
Miura: "Yui, what... what are you doing?!"
Yuigahama: "Now we're all close!"
Hearing that familiar voice from afar, Hachiman and Yukinoshita both instinctively turned their heads. When their eyes met for just a moment, they quickly looked away. Yukinoshita gave a small nod, and her face turned more serious, while Hachiman's lips curved into a slight crescent smile.
Then Yukinoshita gently poured cream over her dish, and with a special baking method, the fragrance of her spices spread across the entire hall in an instant.
"What... what is this?!"
"Yukinoshita's dish! That legendary Yukinoshita..."
"Damn, it feels like she's the only real rival to Hayama Akira here. What a crushing difference."
"Who knows... but this dish..."
"Wait, is that a dessert? She actually made curry into a dessert?"
"That's not the point. The point is, even as a dessert, it's releasing this kind of aroma..."
The chatter around Yukinoshita grew louder and louder. With the spotlight on her, Hikigaya beside her also quickly became the center of attention.
"Hey, isn't that Hikigaya?"
"The one rumored to be dating Yukinoshita?"
"Where'd you hear that crap? I thought he beat Shinomiya-senpai."
"Where'd you hear that crap? I thought it was both."
"No, no... this has to just be nonsense, right? I honestly don't see what's so great about this guy."
"Looks like that's true. This guy's basics are terrible, and even now we still don't know what dish he's making. What the hell is he even doing?"
"Who knows... but we'll definitely find out soon enough..."
---
You can read 30 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu
Free member can read 2 chapters in advance