July, in the middle of summer.
After nearly an hour's drive and transfer, Hoshino Sora finally arrived at the bottom of Far Moon. Looking at the majestic culinary kingdom in front of him, he was filled with excitement and anticipation.
Looking up, a mountain road stood in front of him, leading to the towering Far Moon Academy.
On both sides of the mountain road were cherry blossom forests in their dormant period. They looked no different from ordinary green-leaved trees. Occasionally, green leaves fell with the breeze on the brown-yellow road, adding a bit of color to it.
Further up were tall buildings rising from the ground, hundreds in total. Most of these were student apartments, as well as club classrooms, lecture classrooms, and various research rooms.
"Did I come after all? I wonder if that tsundere young lady will be the judge for this exam."
Stepping onto the mountain road, Hoshino Sora's mind was full of Eri Nai's figure. It wasn't that he liked her, but he mainly looked forward to the look of disbelief on her face after she ate his cooking.
He wanted to let her know what it meant to be treated with new respect after a few days of separation!
How should I put it? Because he knew what kind of theme he would face when participating in the transfer student exam, Hoshino Sora had already started trying various egg dishes a month ago, and finally developed a secret weapon.
A secret dish that would definitely satisfy her God Tongue!
"Ah ~"
Raising his hand and yawning, Chef Hoshino, who had been busy all night, was somewhat tired, but he couldn't make up for sleep in order to catch the transfer student exam. Fortunately, he had the buff of unlimited stamina.
Although he was a little mentally tired, his body could be said to be full of vitality. Last night, his performance could even be called a war god!
"There are so many people..."
Looking at the crowds of people coming and going around him, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but sigh. Judging from the expressiveness of the Food Wars anime, Far Moon didn't seem to have many people at all.
However, this scene in front of him exceeded his expectations.
No, perhaps his perception was wrong, because these guys in front of him couldn't be considered Far Moon students, but rather examinees participating in the transfer student exam.
Moreover, these people were more or less accompanied by butlers and bodyguards. With one person bringing two or three people, the people on the scene looked very crowded.
But it was also bad luck to run into Eri Nai.
Once one was commented by this person as having no talent for cooking, then their career as a chef would be completely over.
It was also based on this point that almost no one dared to challenge Eri Nai. That was the God Tongue! As long as there was the slightest deficiency in their cooking, it would be tasted instantly, and then they would be stared at with eyes that looked at maggots, and their talent would be completely denied.
He randomly found a long chair to sit down, Hoshino Sora looked at the identity information form in his hand, curled his lips, then turned the form upside down on his lap, closed his eyes and rested.
A dozen minutes later.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
A fragrant breeze swept over, accompanied by a girl's gentle voice. Opening his eyes and looking up, he saw an incredibly beautiful and intelligent face.
With long black hair and a hime cut, and enchanting red eyes, the girl bent down to look at Hoshino Sora, who was staring blankly in his chair. She tilted her head slightly, and when he opened his eyes, she playfully winked.
"Hmm? No, please sit."
Seeing the person in front of him, Hoshino Sora was first puzzled, then a little surprised, but he didn't show his emotions on his face, appearing as steady as an old dog.
"I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Yumeko Jabami. Could you tell me your name?"
Feeling the faint hint of danger emanating from Hoshino Sora, Yumeko Jabami revealed a gentle smile and then introduced herself, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
She had noticed the young man in front of her from over ten meters away and had observed him for a long time before deciding to approach him. He exuded an aura that only strong individuals possessed, specifically evident in his calm and confident demeanor. She thought he must be a powerful chef.
So she came over. She wanted to have a Shokugeki with him, to compete against him! But, before the match, it's better to start as friends. Abruptly proposing a Shokugeki might trouble this gentleman.
"Hoshino Sora."
Although he didn't know why the other party was talking to him, he nodded and smiled in response out of politeness. At the same time, he recognized the girl's identity, truly wondering why she was approaching him.
Could it be that she wanted to pursue him because he was handsome? Alas, being handsome indeed came with such troubles. In fact, in junior high, the love letters he received could fill an entire desk!
"Uh, is there something dirty on my face?"
Feeling a bit flustered from being stared at, Hoshino Sora touched his face and asked, puzzled. The other party's strange behavior truly made him a bit confused, and besides, shouldn't this person be at Hyakkaou Private Academy?
Did she go to the wrong school?
"Would you like to have a cooking battle with me?"
"Eh?"
Hearing the sudden question from the girl in front of him, Hoshino Sora's expression was a bit startled. What kind of development was this? So sudden? Was this person's brain circuit a little abnormal...
Trigger Side Quest: Yumeko Jabami's Challenge
Quest Description: On your first day at Far Moon Academy, you are approached by a dignified, voluptuous, top-tier beautiful girl. She is pure-hearted, enjoys having Shokugeki with people, and revels in the joy of competition.
Your calm confidence and the aura of a strong person attracted Yumeko Jabami's attention. She judged your strength to be astonishing, and thus approached you seeking an opportunity to compete and determine who is superior.
Quest Option ①: Refuse her and mock her harshly with words to make her retreat.
Quest Reward: Obtain a higher-level quest. Completing this quest will yield a luxurious silver-tier reward.
Quest Option ②: Accept her challenge and set a time for a Shokugeki.
Quest Reward: Xuan Tie Heavy Pot (Bronze)
"Shokugeki? Why must I have a Shokugeki with you? Please give me a reason."
Looking at the face so close to him, staring into her enchanting red eyes, Hoshino Sora's heart beat a little faster. To be honest, at this distance, if anyone were to push his head, they would directly kiss.
"Because Shokugeki can promote our growth. Whether we win or lose, we gain corresponding experience.
Setting a wager, bearing the risk of failure, and engaging in a cooking duel under extreme pressure to evolve the cuisine—isn't that a very worthwhile thing to do?"
Her cheeks flushed with excitement, and her enchanting red eyes stared intently at Hoshino Sora's face, a slight smile on her lips. Yumeko Jabami emphasized the word "risk" when she spoke.
She clearly enjoyed the thrill of taking and assessing risks.
"I actually agree with your idea. Then let's compete and see who can win over the judges. Is using that as the standard for judging the Shokugeki's outcome acceptable?"
The reason for agreeing to the Shokugeki was simple: the system didn't require him to win. In other words, as long as he accepted the challenge, he could get a reward, and participating in the transfer student exam was something he had to do anyway.
It was simply a plan that killed two birds with one stone, getting a bronze-tier cooking utensil for free. Seriously, could he get more side quests like this?!
"No problem! Then let's move together. What should we bet?"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Yumeko Jabami immediately clasped her hands together, looking excited. Then she pondered, troubled, as she couldn't have a Shokugeki without a wager.
"We'll bet on a favor. The loser has to grant the winner one condition that doesn't violate their principles."
Because he didn't know Yumeko Jabami's culinary skill, Hoshino Sora was a bit unsure, so he tentatively proposed the wager. The key was that he didn't have anything to use as collateral.
"Okay, then let's go, Hoshino-kun."
A look of anticipation appeared on her face. Thinking of the cooking duel about to begin, Yumeko Jabami gradually grew excited, and red light seemed to flicker in her eyes.
——————
Following the crowd into a vast hall, the butlers and bodyguards had already left, leaving only the high-class individuals participating in the transfer student exam.
"That person... could it be...?"
"No mistake..."
"What do we do? It's actually..."
Looking at Erina Nakiri, who stood in front of many people, wearing the academy uniform that accentuated her curvaceous figure, the surrounding examinees instantly stirred.
Anxiety spread through the crowd.
"To all examinees, I am today's sole examiner, Erina Nakiri."
With her arms crossed, further emphasizing her voluptuous figure, Erina Nakiri looked down at the anxious examinees with disdain. She paused, then looked at Hisako Arato and said, "The Admissions Department's announcement? Read it now."
"First, according to the material, group interviews will be conducted in groups of 10, followed by a three-dish technical test. Those who pass will then..."
"Hmph, utterly boring. How about this... bring over the cooking station."
Before Hisako Arato could finish, Erina Nakiri snorted disdainfully, then ordered her to bring the cooking station.
"Yes!"
"What are they doing? What is this for?"
"Ingredients?"
Seeing Erina Nakiri's actions, which went against the Admissions Department's announcement, the people below immediately started discussing, all somewhat confused about what she was going to do.
"The main ingredient is eggs. Make one dish with it. Only those who can create a dish that satisfies my tongue will be allowed to enter Far Moon Academy."
Holding an egg in her hand, she looked at the examinees in front of her, who were exchanging bewildered glances, and a playful smile appeared on her face.
"Furthermore, those taking the exam must make a decision within one minute from now. I allow you to give up the exam and forfeit."
Looking at the flustered examinees below, Erina Nakiri knew her goal had been achieved, and her mood instantly improved.
"Eh, one minute?"
"For... forfeit!"
In less than a minute, only three people remained at the scene. Erina Nakiri's gaze then turned to Hoshino Sora among the three, with a hint of something unusual in her eyes.
"You're not going to forfeit, Hoshino-kun? I won't give you special treatment just because I know you, you know."
Noticing this unusual glint, Erina Nakiri's expression hardened, then she revealed a playful smile, walking to Hoshino Sora's front and deliberately asking.
Hisako Arato stood beside her, and upon making eye contact with Hoshino Sora, she politely nodded to him.
"Naturally, how could I bear to easily forfeit and leave before I see Erina impressed by my cooking?"
"Boastful!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Erina Nakiri couldn't help but sneer. How long had it been? This guy had become so arrogant, even though every dish he had made before was not favored by her.
"Whether it's boastful or not, you'll taste it with your tongue later!"
Hoshino Sora was also very confident. He had made a lot of preparations for today, all in order to make Erina Nakiri acknowledge his cooking and gain her approval.
"Um, anyway, it's about making a dish with eggs, right? Any dish should be fine, I guess."
"That's right. As long as the main ingredient is eggs, any dish is fine. Please be creative."
While the two were talking, a red-haired boy next to them suddenly spoke up and asked. As he spoke, Yukihira Soma came to Hoshino Sora's side.
Hearing the question from behind her, Erina Nakiri responded softly. Normally, she might have scoffed at his overestimation, but now, her attention was focused on Hoshino Sora.
This guy was acting so confident, he must have come prepared. Although she didn't highly rate Hoshino Sora's dishes, that didn't mean she didn't acknowledge his progress. How much had he grown now?
Deep down, she felt a hint of anticipation.
"Egg dishes, huh, let me think..."
Looking at Erina Nakiri and Hoshino Sora somewhat unexpectedly, seemingly not realizing they knew each other, Yumeko Jabami also strolled to the cooking station and began observing the ingredients provided by the organizers.
The various ingredients were quite complete: eggs, various vegetables, and meats. Well, after all, the initial assessment was comprehensive, not just for egg dishes.
"What dish will you make to satisfy my tongue?"
Looking at Hoshino Sora, who had taken a basket of eggs, a yellow croaker, and four salted duck eggs to his cooking station, Erina Nakiri's eyes showed a hint of curiosity.
"Guess."
Cracking four eggs into two separate bowls, Hoshino Sora spoke mysteriously. This dish was something he had seen in a Chinese cookbook, and he hadn't seen it in any restaurants outside yet.
The difficulty level was low, but it was hard to do well, requiring a high degree of mastery over heat and seasoning.
"Hmph, if you don't want to say, then don't. I don't care to know anyway."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Erina Nakiri didn't dwell on it. She snorted lightly and walked away, then went to Yukihira Soma's side. Hisako, seeing this, immediately handed her an information sheet: "You are... Yukihira Soma? What dish are you making now?"
After observing for a while, looking at Yukihira Soma performing various unclear operations at the cooking station, Erina Nakiri couldn't help but feel puzzled, then frowned and asked.
Although she had given everyone present a chance, that didn't mean she was willing to waste time eating unpalatable dishes here.
This person in front of her, in all aspects, was just a second-rate chef at the bottom of the culinary world. She certainly didn't want to taste that kind of low-level flavor; her tongue would be ruined!
"Pfft, pfft, pfft, you still haven't figured out what I'm making?"
Hearing the question from not far away, Yukihira Soma couldn't help but cover his mouth and mock, his smug expression making Erina Nakiri a little frantic and her frown deepen.
"Let me state beforehand, I will not waste my time eating unpalatable dishes. Are you really confident that you can satisfy my tongue?"
After speaking, Erina Nakiri shook her head. Without waiting for his answer, she went to the last contestant on the scene, Yumeko Jabami. This person seemed the most reliable of them all.
However, at this moment, Yumeko Jabami was still choosing ingredients, looking very relaxed and nonchalant.
"Please hurry up. The assessment time is only two hours. We won't wait if you're late!"
This made Erina Nakiri very displeased. She had thought that those who remained were elites, but now it seemed they were all just reckless, rotten fish.
Circling back, Erina Nakiri returned to Hoshino Sora's side. At this point, he had completed the basic preparations, with a row of raw ingredients beside him, and was heating oil in a pan.
"Such a rich salted duck egg yolk aroma. You must have steamed this beforehand, but our theme is eggs. What are you doing with salted duck egg yolk?"
Looking at the ingredient bowls on Hoshino Sora's table, one of them contained salted duck egg yolk, with a layer of oil at the bottom. The aroma was rich and mellow, and it was clear it had been steamed beforehand, otherwise it wouldn't look like this.
"Steamed for ten minutes. You can even smell that? Your nose is more amazing than I thought, like a little dog's."
"You're the dog!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, which she wasn't sure were praise or insult, Erina Nakiri's face turned red. As she spoke, her gaze turned to the pot, where the temperature was set very low.
Scrambled eggs? Probably not. The egg whites and yolks are separated into two containers. The egg whites are mixed with yellow croaker meat and stirred, and the egg yolks are mixed with salted duck egg yolk. This method doesn't seem like simple scrambled eggs.
It should be some famous dish, but she couldn't find any related terms in her mind. Having grown up in Japan, she knew very little about Chinese cuisine.
The egg whites mixed with yellow croaker meat were added to cold oil, then gently pushed and pulled back and forth. The egg whites had a high water content, so a slight stickiness to the pan was normal.
Watching the changing temperature in the pot, Hoshino Sora continuously adjusted it. After acquiring the Warmth-Sensing All-Rounder skill, he had a deeper understanding of cooking.
This was the result of his extensive experimentation.
If a certain step of a dish is consistently cooked at a specific temperature, the final dish will receive a higher rating. However, maintaining high-intensity temperature control consumes a great deal of stamina, and ordinary chefs would never dare to attempt it.
Fortunately, Hoshino Sora had the 'Infinite Stamina' buff, allowing him to continuously control a dish with high precision. This was precisely where the dish's difficulty lay.
It was easy to make, but very difficult to make it high-class. The control over temperature required a master-level precision.
He scooped a spoonful of water, continued to stir-fry slowly, then added cornstarch slurry to create a thin glaze. After ten to twenty seconds, it could be served.
The next step was the egg yolks. The method was largely similar: first, cook them thoroughly over medium-low heat, then break them up, and finally arrange them in the middle of the cooked egg whites, creating distinct layers.
"This is a Shandong cuisine from China, isn't it? 'Mock Crab'? It looks quite ordinary, and it doesn't smell like crab. Is it just named that because it looks similar?"
Looking at the final plating, Erina Nakiri thought for a long time before finally recognizing the dish's name. Although the aroma emanating from it was exceptionally rich, to conquer her tongue with this dish?!
She could only say: "Wishful thinking!"
"Heh heh heh, next, this dish will reveal its true form!"
He glanced at Yukihira Soma, who was freezing chicken stock, and Yumeko Jabami, who was leisurely peeling shrimp not far away. The latter, seeing his gaze, offered a gentle smile.
As he spoke, Hoshino Sora began to prepare the soul sauce on the spot, according to the dish's portion.
Minced ginger, sugar, a little salt, and then a large spoon of rice vinegar, stirred evenly. Then, he lifted the bowl full of seasoning high and poured it evenly over the 'crab roe'.
The next moment, the aroma from the 'crab roe' area increased exponentially, like a concentrated scent bomb that exploded instantly upon ignition, with a huge destructive range.
This drew the attention of Yukihira Soma and Yumeko Jabami, especially Yumeko Jabami, whose enchanting red eyes sparkled with intense excitement.
"Gulp."
Compared to them, Eri Nai was the most affected by the aroma, being closest to it. When she came to her senses, she found her gaze was fixed, and the rich aroma rushed into her brain, taking control of her body.
"Please taste it, Eri Nai chief examiner!"
Watching Eri Nai's face gradually flush and her body become uncontrollable, Hoshino Sora directly scooped up a large spoonful of 'crab meat and roe' and fed it to her mouth.
As the dish approached, the rich aroma of crab roe filled her nostrils, causing Eri Nai's mouth to water profusely. Although being fed was a very embarrassing thing, she couldn't care less at this moment.
To be precise, her brain was completely dominated by appetite, and her body uncontrollably opened its mouth, swallowing a large mouthful of crab roe and meat, resulting in complete satisfaction.
The rich crab roe flavor and distinct layers of texture were even more delicious than real crab!
To make an egg dish to this extent, what exactly did this guy experience during the time she was away? Why would there be such a huge improvement!
Confusion arose in her heart. The taste of this dish had already exceeded her imagination. Her body unnaturally heated up, and she felt as if she were in an illusion.
"Mm, hot, but, hmm, oh, ah..."
The sticky crab roe and meat crawled over her body. The warm, hot sensation made her unable to help but cry out. Her hands clutched the corner of the table, and her two fair, jade-like legs rubbed uncontrollably.
It was as if this could eliminate the sensation coming from deep within her body, but the reality was that it simply couldn't stop the flavor from raging inside her. The mock crab was truly amazing!
The texture of yellow croaker meat combined with egg white was very similar to crab meat, and since it was a marine fish, the two combined to provide an ineffable umami to this dish.
The combination of egg yolk and salted egg yolk further increased the layers. The originally rich egg aroma, with the addition of ginger and vinegar sauce, caused the sensation of crab roe to burst forth.
This was unlike any dish she had ever eaten; it was a taste world she had never experienced! So wonderful, Chinese food is so wonderful! She was going to become his shape~
"How is it, did my dish satisfy the tongue of the Eri Nai chief examiner? Tell me your feelings, Eri Nai chief examiner!"
With a smirk, Hoshino Sora's voice carried a hint of provocation. The result was evident on Eri Nai's face, but some things were just not interesting unless spoken aloud.
Especially when dealing with this tsundere young lady, making her say the words 'delicious' with her own mouth was simply the most interesting thing in the world!
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/TripleCrown07
If you guys wanna check it out.