"Every grain of rice is stir-fried to perfection, distinct and separate, with golden egg liquid coating each grain, forming a perfect 'gold-wrapped-silver,' paired with vibrant green scallions—what beautiful colors!"
Looking at the golden rice on the spoon, as it was flipped and poured, one could clearly see the gaps between the grains as the rice fell, with not a single grain sticking together!
Seeing this, Akame and Kuroame exchanged glances; to bring eggs and rice to such a level, this girl's skill was evident!
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Hoshino Style · Special Golden Shrimp Fried Rice!"
And just as the three judges were immersed in the exquisite skill of the chef who made the Golden Fried Rice, Hoshino Sora strode forward, pushing a food cart, a mysterious smile on his face.
"Special Golden Shrimp Fried Rice?"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, and smelling the rich aroma of fresh shrimp in the air, anticipation appeared on Akame and Kuroame's faces. As the plates before them were uncovered, a golden light seemed to rise.
The surrounding people looked closely!
A plate of shimmering Golden Fried Rice appeared before their eyes, and within this golden rice, there were a few bright red and pure white pieces—those were shrimp, stir-fried river shrimp!
The aroma of shrimp and the aroma of rice converged and intertwined, finally condensing into a single point, gathered within this one bowl; scooped onto a spoon, it gathered within that single spoonful, both merging and remaining distinct!
If Hojo Miyoko's fried rice just now was the amateur pinnacle of an industry, then Hoshino Sora's fried rice now was the professional pinnacle of an industry, a perfect professional paradigm!
The difference between the two was that great!
When the first spoonful of fried rice entered her mouth, Hojo Miyoko directly fell to the ground, her expression a mix of disbelief, shock, and surprise.
The fried rice released an extreme deliciousness in her mouth. With a slight chew, the absolute texture and flavor it brought made her lose her composure, causing her to fall to the ground.
"How is it? Between my fried rice and yours, whose fried rice tastes better?"
Looking at Hojo Miyoko, whose face was flushed red, her thighs uncontrollably twisting, as if an unknown sensation was welling up beneath her, Hoshino Sora asked with a playful expression.
Being stared at by Hoshino Sora like that, Hojo Miyoko felt utterly humiliated and angry. She bit her lower lip slightly, and after a long while, finally managed to utter from her throat: "You win."
After saying this, Hojo Miyoko couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief, her face filled with ease. She truly was not as good as Hoshino Sora; the moment she saw his dish, she understood.
There was no special reason, Small JZ she saw his dish at first glance, she wanted to eat it, as if it had magic! That unparalleled appeal was something her own cooking lacked.
Don't underestimate this appeal; having it and not having it is a world of difference. And this thought became even more certain the moment she ate the Golden Shrimp Fried Rice.
A faint warm current flowed from her heart to all her limbs and bones; her soul felt as if it had been sublimated. This feeling was so exaggerated that she temporarily couldn't find words to describe it.
Unbeknownst to her, only the last grain of rice remained on her plate. Without any hesitation, Hojo Miyoko stuck out her tongue and licked it clean, just like a small dog.
And her exaggerated action naturally ignited the audience, who began to discuss it animatedly.
"What's going on? This bowl of fried rice is actually that amazing? It can make such an arrogant chef lady do something as vulgar as publicly licking the plate!?"
"This is just too outrageous..."
"But that fried rice really was very appealing. The first time I saw it, I couldn't help but drool," a front-row audience member said.
"I suddenly want to try that fried rice. What kind of taste could it possibly have? To use river shrimp for the shrimp in shrimp fried rice, I can't believe he managed to make it in such a short time!"
"Both dishes have been tasted. Now, judges, please cast your votes."
"Will the winner be Hojo Miyoko, from the Yokohama Chinese Cuisine Restaurant, known as the 'Iron-Fisted Fire Dragon Lady'?"
"Or will it be Hoshino Sora, the transfer student from an unknown small restaurant, known as the 'Justice Chef'?!"
Seeing the atmosphere in the venue intensify, Kawashima Rei picked up the microphone and spoke in an energetic voice.
Hearing her voice, everyone in the audience focused their attention on the three judges on the stage. Before them lay a white cloth, on which they were to write the winner's name.
"The winner of the first round is..."
"Hoshino Sora!"
As she spoke, the three judges on the stage had already cast their votes, writing down three large characters with bold strokes. All three voted unanimously.
The winner is Hoshino Sora!
Immediately, thunderous applause erupted in the audience. Having witnessed a spectacular match, everyone cheered with joy.
Hoshino Sora, as if nothing had happened, ate all the fried rice Hojo Miyoko had given him, closing his eyes and remaining silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts.
"Your cooking is also very good. It would be even better if you could reduce the heat by one more degree. Although Golden Fried Rice is meant to be dry and fragrant, being this dry is a little excessive."
Possessing the soul of Golden Fried Rice, Hoshino Sora only took one bite before discovering Hojo Miyoko's problem. Although such a dish was also high-quality, it was clearly not enough for him.
The dish's level only reached Silver (Intermediate).
"Sorry, I was just saying. You can do it." Seeing her look up with a somewhat puzzled expression, Hoshino Sora shrugged and chuckled, then prepared to leave.
"Master!"
Suddenly, a shout from behind left Hoshino Sora stunned.
Turning his head, he found Hojo Miyoko kneeling on the ground, her face filled with sincerity. Although facing someone her age, the other party's strength was clearly far superior to hers.
That's right, this is a senior!
It's not embarrassing at all to be defeated by a senior!
Hojo Miyoko hypnotized herself like this. The other party's memory and technique were completely unlike what someone her age could display, so strictly speaking, Hoshino Sora should be considered her senior!
"Oh, this... I can't be your master. I don't have the ability to take on disciples right now, and I can't teach you anything."
Hearing Hojo Miyoko's words and seeing her sincere gaze, Hoshino Sora hurriedly stepped forward, wanting to help her up. However, she was like someone who had eaten a weight, refusing to get up no matter what.
"No, you are the teacher in my heart! Through this plate of Golden Shrimp Fried Rice, I can feel it. So please accept me as your disciple. I can do anything you ask. Please, Master Hoshino!"
Seeing Hoshino Sora's reaction, Hojo Miyoko immediately began to kowtow. In China, this is a mandatory ritual for apprenticeship; only by kowtowing and acknowledging the master will the other party truly accept the disciple.
Hoshino Sora's strength was extremely formidable, surpassing all Chinese Cuisine chefs she had ever met, even more impressive than her father. This was why she intended to take him as her master.
"It's just a plate of fried rice. With practice, you can also stir-fry to this extent. My other dishes are quite ordinary."
Looking at Hojo Miyoko, who suddenly started kowtowing, Hoshino Sora felt a headache coming on, especially hearing the audience's discussions. Her sudden act truly threw him off.
"Even so, I still want to be your disciple. Please accept me!"
Her gaze was exceptionally firm. No matter what Hoshino Sora said, Hojo Miyoko refused to back down. Having finally found such a formidable master, she had to firmly seize this opportunity!
The purpose of doing this was simple: to become stronger. For a chef, nothing is more enticing than becoming stronger!
"Alright, alright, you've got me. Don't just kneel down to people, especially in front of so many. To be honest, that makes me quite awkward."
Hoshino Sora raised his hand to help Hojo Miyoko, who was about to kneel again, his face filled with helplessness.
He really didn't know what this girl was thinking. Wasn't she quite individualistic in the anime? But perhaps it was precisely this individuality that made Hojo Miyoko act so boldly in love and hatred.
After all, publicly kneeling to someone also requires courage.
At least, most people wouldn't do such a thing.
"Really? You're willing to accept me, Master!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Hojo Miyoko's sinking body suddenly paused. She looked up, her eyes filled with pleasant surprise, then shouted loudly.
"Lower your voice, lower your voice. But I'll only have time to teach you after the Elite Ten selection ends. Until then, please wait patiently."
"I know, the Elite Ten selection is definitely more important now!
With your master's strength, you'll surely be elected First Seat! However, Eishi Tsukasa is no simple character; I heard about him back in Far Moon's elementary division.
They say he's called the White Knight of the Dining Table, capable of communicating with ingredients at will, thereby choosing the most suitable cooking method to unleash 200% of the ingredient's flavor!"
Having tasted that fried rice, Hojo Miyoko understood that Hoshino Sora was not on the same level as them. Among so many competitors, the only one he needed to watch out for was Eishi Tsukasa.
However, what Hojo Miyoko didn't know was that the reason Hoshino Sora could make such delicious fried rice was entirely due to the Soul of Golden Fried Rice, which could enhance the flavor of other types of fried rice.
For example, the final rating of that Golden Shrimp Fried Rice was Golden (Incomplete). Influenced by the Soul of Golden Fried Rice, Hoshino Sora had a certain flavor bonus for all fried rice dishes.
This was the real reason he could make such delicious fried rice.
Under normal circumstances, his strength hadn't reached that level, so if he were to make other dishes, it would be easy for him to be exposed. However, it wasn't a big problem, because he would reach that realm sooner or later.
"You go back and rest first. I still have some things to deal with."
Knowing this in his heart, Hoshino Sora waved his hand and greeted Shinohiru, who was running towards him from not far away.
"Understood, Master!"
Noticing Shinohiru running towards them from behind, Hojo Miyoko nodded and left tactfully.
"What happened?"
Looking at Hojo Miyoko's departing back, Shinohiru, who had arrived in front of Hoshino Sora, was a little puzzled.
The other party suddenly knelt down to Hoshino Sora just now, which startled her. She thought something else was going to happen.
"Nothing, I just took on a disciple. It's rare to have time today, let's go out and play."
He glanced at his phone; it was ten in the morning.
His competition was over. The sixteen-person, eight-group competition would take at least two days, with a three-day interval in between. In the evening, someone should come to Yōbi Dormitory to deliver his next opponent and theme.
Before that, Hoshino Sora decided to go out with Shinohiru first. There were two purposes: first, to relax from the recent tension, and second, to taste delicious food at various famous restaurants.
The second was Hoshino Sora's main purpose for going out. Chef's Heart could absorb part of the original chef's cooking experience through dishes, which was his only way to greatly improve his strength in a short time.
The last time he used this was in the Autumn Elections finals. He ate at many famous restaurants nearby, and his cooking skills increased significantly as a result, which he could truly feel.
That's why he wanted to go out now.
"I don't have anything to do, so let's go out together, but are you sure your competition is okay?"
When she said this, Shinohiru's voice became a little more hesitant. Although she really wanted to go on a date, if it would affect Hoshino Sora's competition, she would undoubtedly refuse.
"Don't worry, this outing isn't just for fun; it's more about enhancing my cooking skills."
"Enhance cooking skills?" Hearing this, Shinohiru couldn't help but tilt her head, showing her confusion.
She looked quite charming and adorable.
"That's right, I'll use my own method. You just need to stay by my side."
Reaching out and grasping Shinohiru's hand, intertwining their fingers, Hoshino Sora said with a gentle expression. Then, they headed towards Far Moon's school gate. Soon, the two arrived at the foot of Far Moon.
"The air nearby is really good, and the surrounding atmosphere is quite peaceful and tranquil, suitable for retirement. It's much better than inside Far Moon."
Nodding his nose and taking a deep breath of fresh air, Hoshino Sora spoke with a hint of emotion, then led Shinohiru's hand and strolled around leisurely.
Without a destination, without a direction, just admiring the beautiful scenery along the way, and then chatting and bragging with her, the tense mood also relaxed to some extent at this moment.
Fresh air, cool breeze, warm sunlight shining on them. Because it was daytime in Tokyo, there weren't many pedestrians on the road.
Office workers started work earlier than now, and housewives had already bought lunch ingredients and gone back to prepare lunch.
As for students, they were on the same schedule as office workers, ostensibly to get used to working life from now on.
Walking on such a street, Hoshino Sora felt incredibly relaxed, especially since he had a beautiful woman by his side at this time.
"Let's go, I'll take you to the mall to buy something."
"Aren't you going to enhance your cooking skills..."
"Sharpening the axe doesn't delay chopping wood. That's not urgent!"
Holding Shinohiru's hand, Hoshino Sora seemed to suddenly think of something and quickly headed towards the largest local mall.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded over 40 chapters of this story on Patreon.
If you're enjoying it and want to read ahead, feel free to check them out here:
[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]
Thanks a lot for your support, it really helps me keep going.