"Who is it?! Wait, I'm coming right away."
A knock came from the door. Hoshino Sora impatiently asked who it was, then pulled Alice Nakiri, who was clinging to him, off his body. He got up and opened the door.
"I'm here to call you to the assessment, but your muscles are really well-trained! Looking at them makes me want to take a bite. If you were an animal, you'd be the best ingredient!"
With her small mouth slightly agape, Yumeko Jabami involuntarily swallowed her saliva as she gazed at Hoshino Sora's perfectly sculpted physique. She then praised him sincerely, her eyes fixed on him.
"There will be plenty of opportunities in the future, but certainly not as food. Please wait for us at the door for a moment."
Hearing Yumeko Jabami's words, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but tease her, seemingly in a very good mood. He then gave a quick instruction and closed the door.
"Who was that?"
As the door closed, this time it was Alice Nakiri who spoke.
She had woken up from the commotion and was propped up, half-sitting on the bed. The pristine white duvet had slipped halfway down, revealing her perfect curves. In the sunlight, the girl's figure was exceptionally captivating.
"It was Yumeko. It's getting late. Change your clothes; it's time to go to the final assessment."
He looked up at the wall clock; it was already seven in the morning. Most of the contestants had already washed up, eaten breakfast, and were gathered in the hall, chatting and waiting.
Only Hoshino Sora and Alice Nakiri, having had too much fun last night, had slept until now. If Yumeko Jabami hadn't come to call them, they might have really been late.
Because when they were doing that, no one thought to set an alarm.
"What? It's seven o'clock already!"
Looking at the clock on the wall, Alice Nakiri's expression panicked. She wanted to change clothes but had none; there were only some torn strips of cloth on the floor, which left her feeling a bit flustered.
"Here, wear these first."
Seeing this, Hoshino Sora directly took out the clothes he had bought for Aka-ri and Rika during their last shopping trip. He had kept a few pieces in his storage backpack for just such unforeseen circumstances.
Of course, the reason he was so well-prepared was that similar things had happened before.
The intricacies between men and women, unspeakable.
"Okay... it feels a little tight around the chest."
She quickly put on the clothes Hoshino Sora handed her, then twirled in front of the mirror. She had to admit, his taste in clothes was quite good, it was just a little small.
"Cough, cough, just make do for now. If it doesn't work, go back to your room and change into your uniform. No, I mean, hurry back to your room and change into your uniform. This outfit will burst if you make any slightly big movements."
Swallowing, Hoshino Sora suddenly felt he should keep clothes of different sizes in his storage backpack, otherwise, it could be quite awkward sometimes.
"No! This is the first gift you've given me. I'll cherish it."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Alice Nakiri shook her head seriously, her fingers gently caressing the fabric of the clothes. It wasn't too good but not too bad either, just right as a gift!
"Don't force yourself. I can give you a better one later. Be good, you won't be able to participate in the assessment wearing this, and it's easy to expose yourself. I'll be jealous!"
Noticing Alice Nakiri's cinched figure, Hoshino Sora said urgently. Such a sight was for him alone; if others saw it, it would be a huge loss.
"The last sentence was your real intention, wasn't it? You're unexpectedly petty. Well, I'll go back by myself. And take this as a souvenir, perverted Sora."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's last sentence, Alice Nakiri couldn't help but say coquettishly, but she didn't refuse anymore. As she spoke, she picked up the black silk stockings from under the bed and put them into his hand.
"Hurry up and take Yumeko. She's a good girl, and her cooking is good too. Most importantly, she lives next door to you. It's quite awkward bumping into her when I go to your place."
Standing at the door, Alice Nakiri suddenly winked at Hoshino Sora, then said something astonishing.
She also had her own little thoughts in doing this.
Because Yumeko Jabami lived next door to Hoshino Sora, they saw each other constantly. Thinking about how much the other person might hear of what happened at night was somewhat embarrassing, after all, she still cared about her reputation.
However, if Yumeko Jabami and Hoshino Sora got together, then all these problems would be solved. After all, in a sense, they were equals, and hearing each other's voices would be normal.
"Don't worry, but I didn't expect you to care about this."
"Good morning, little Yumeko."
"Good day, Alice."
Not responding to Hoshino Sora's laughter, she opened the door and greeted Yumeko Jabami, who was at the door, with a friendly smile. Yumeko Jabami also responded amicably.
However, her attitude was noticeably more reserved.
Her gaze also seemed a bit evasive. A man and a woman alone in a room, without clothes on, she knew better than anyone what had happened in there last night.
"I'm going back to my room to change. You and Hoshino go to the assessment site first; you don't have to wait for me."
Looking at Hoshino Sora who came out behind her, Alice Nakiri generously took his hand and Yumeko Jabami's hand and clasped them tightly together. The feeling of being a matchmaker felt quite good.
"Then we're off."
Looking at Alice Nakiri's back, Hoshino Sora gave an embarrassed smile, seemingly blaming her for her presumptuousness. However, he still held Yumeko Jabami's hand tightly, as she had willingly offered it.
"Mhm."
Yumeko Jabami didn't react much to holding hands. Yesterday's intertwined fingers had already made her accustomed to Hoshino Sora. The faint warmth made her heart beat a little faster.
Soon, the two arrived at the assessment hall. Because there were many participants in the final assessment, the hall was divided into two parts, and the two happened to be assigned together.
And, under someone's arrangement, the positions for their assessment were right next to each other, closely aligned. Many renowned gourmets were also invited to the scene.
"I see him, I see him! It's Hoshino-kun! Congratulations on becoming the Far Moon Ten Elite First Seat! I knew you had the strength!"
Wandering through the crowd, Chihaya Natsume and Chihaya Orie spotted Hoshino Sora at a glance, so they proactively went up to greet him and set up their main base there.
That's right, they wanted to monopolize Hoshino Sora's cooking! This was the Ten Elite First Seat! The strongest existence in Far Moon's culinary techniques, his dishes would definitely not disappoint!
"Hello, Natsume and Orie. I will let you experience the most delicious cuisine."
Looking at the two sisters, elegantly dressed and noble, Hoshino Sora bowed respectfully in a gentlemanly manner. They had met during the Moon Feast Festival.
They had dined at his establishment before.
"To call us both by our first names, Hoshino-kun, you're unexpectedly bold! But I don't dislike it at all, oh. When can Hoshino-kun become my personal chef?
How much money? Ten million a month? Twenty million? Or perhaps you want something else~"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's address, a subtle blush appeared on Chihaya Natsume's face, and a different glint appeared in her eyes as she looked at Hoshino Sora.
For a handsome boy with excellent cooking skills, it was impossible for her not to feel a little moved.
The reason was simple: Hoshino Sora exuded such strong masculine charm that it made people instinctively want to cling to him and feel the warmth of his chest!
It must be wonderful, she thought. Such a handsome boy should be hers! Why wasn't she assigned to Hoshino Sora's group during the Autumn Elections? If she had met him earlier, she might have already gotten him. What a regret!
"I apologize, but I currently have no plans to become anyone's private chef. However, I sincerely thank Miss Natsume for the invitation."
Hoshino Sora naturally declined Chihaya Natsume's sudden invitation. He didn't want to serve only one person, but he was quite interested in the payment method she mentioned.
After all, Chihaya Natsume was also a beauty, with a sexy and fiery figure and a tendency towards an older sister type. Her usual pampered lifestyle made her skin incredibly fair. Any man who saw her would feel a desire to conquer!
Hoshino Sora was naturally no exception, but he was a tsundere, so all his thoughts were hidden in his heart, only responding with a shallow smile.
"Alright, big sister, don't make a fool of yourself here. Mr. Hoshino is probably very distressed right now, being sexually harassed by a girl so much older than him."
Placing her hand on Chihaya Natsume's shoulder, Chihaya Orie, who was behind her, couldn't help but start complaining.
"Orie, I think you've been asking for a beating lately!"
"How could that be? I've always been like this. It's you, big sister, who's being too infatuated."
Looking at the two sisters suddenly making a ruckus in front of him, Hoshino Sora showed no expression, but some unrealistic fantasies surfaced in his mind.
Alas, as expected, there are no bad-looking girls in Shokugeki.
Especially those in high positions like Chihaya Natsume and Chihaya Orie; years of pampered living gave them a noble temperament different from ordinary people.
This temperament is very attractive to men. If you ask why? Ultimately, it's about wanting to pull such high-and-mighty women down, ruthlessly trample them in the mud, and enjoy their gradual degradation.
"Cough cough."
Thinking of this, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but cough twice, a subtle hint of embarrassment appearing on his face, difficult for others to detect. He seemed to have fantasized a bit too much.
"There are five minutes left. Students participating in the final assessment, please carefully verify your ingredients. If you need additional ingredients, you can purchase them yourself or write a list for the relevant staff to deliver."
Suddenly, Erina Nai Erina's voice came down from the high platform, and everyone's gaze gathered, not only the students but also the gourmets invited to participate in this assessment.
Their faces were filled with excitement, because this self-service feast was about to begin, and the rules were simple: if they tasted a satisfactory dish, they just needed to leave their identity plate.
At the same time, to prevent students from serving duplicate dishes, each student was accompanied by an 'invigilator' responsible for monitoring their every move.
Hoshino Sora was no exception, even though he was Far Moon's Ten Elite First Seat and Erina Nai Erina's lover.
"Alright, now I announce that the final assessment begins. The time is from 8 AM to 8 PM, and you need to present fifty dishes that satisfy the judges on site."
With Erina Nai Erina's command, everyone on site sprang into action. Immediately, the sounds of knives, wok tossing, and footsteps were incessant. Hoshino Sora and Yumeko Jabami were no exceptions.
Five iron woks were placed in front of Hoshino Sora, with fires burning under each one, meaning he had to cook five dishes simultaneously!
And during this process, he also had to be responsible for preparing the corresponding ingredients for each dish, which would undoubtedly be a fantasy for most people.
But Hoshino Sora was different. He lowered his head slightly, opened his mouth, and gathered his entire aura.
The surrounding judges cast curious glances at this sight. Who could refuse a student who could cook five dishes simultaneously? Such a live performance was rare even for them to witness!
"Tailed Beast Breathing · First Form · Flash of Inspiration!"
Silently reciting the name of his technique, with each inhale and exhale, Hoshino Sora moved with the swiftness of lightning! His Disassembly Knife unsheathed, he effortlessly cut the prepared ingredients to the appropriate size, then tossed them into the wok.
According to the requirements given by the system, he must perform the best in this upgrade assessment to receive the reward given by the system: one hundred low-level slaves.
Performing the best, according to Hoshino Sora's understanding, meant making the most variety and best-tasting pork dishes in the entire venue, gaining the unanimous approval of all judges; only then would he be the undisputed first.
And to achieve this goal, the first step was to win in quantity, which was a piece of cake for Hoshino Sora, who had mastered Silver Chopsticks Ten Pot Return.
However, if he only mastered Silver Chopsticks Ten Pot Return, although the cooking speed would increase, it wouldn't be terrifying, especially when one person also had to prepare side dishes.
But Hoshino Sora had Tailed Beast Breathing, which could speed up cooking, and also the Disassembly Knife, which could disassemble all ingredients in the world, legendary knife skills, and master-level experience.
With numerous buffs stacked, his current strength was terrifying, which allowed him to start cooking in five woks simultaneously in an instant.
And Hoshino Sora's start undoubtedly added a sense of tension to everyone, and looking at the young man who was moving rapidly in front of the stove, as if possessed by a deity, the gourmets were filled with surprise.
Is this speed a bit too fast? Operating five woks simultaneously, will the precision of the cooking really not decrease? Will the taste of the dishes worsen? Can such dishes meet their requirements?!
They didn't know, but they couldn't resist their curiosity.
As Hoshino Sora completed the first five dishes, he was already surrounded by famous gourmets from the industry. Their expressions were strange, their eyes filled with desire, and they occasionally swallowed saliva, their uniformity making one feel a little scared.
But Hoshino Sora was unfazed. He picked up five plates with his right hand and arranged them side by side, then looked at the judges in front of him and very quickly poured the dishes onto the plates.
"Please taste: Minced Pork with Eggplant, fish-fragrant shredded pork, Twice-Cooked Pork, Moo Shu Pork, and Stir-fried Pork with Chili."
These were the first five dishes Hoshino Sora made, all relatively quick to prepare.
Of course, a short preparation time does not mean the taste is not good, especially since these were dishes personally cooked by the Ten Elite First Seat. The rich aroma emanating from them was tantalizing.
"Gulp."
"Gulp..."
No one knew who started it, but unconsciously, the sound of swallowing saliva rose and fell across the scene. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the five plates of dishes laid out before them, their eyes filled with greed!
"In order, everyone can taste one dish."
To maintain order on the scene, Hoshino Sora, who had just finished cooking, couldn't help but speak up.
Fortunately, everyone present was a great gourmand in the culinary world, with a certain degree of self-control, able to restrain their excitement and save face, otherwise the scene would surely have devolved into chaos.
"What a fragrant smell! Is this the standard of the Ten Elite First Seat? Truly perfect in color, aroma, and taste!"
"It's clearly just a simple home-cooked Chinese dish, but why does it emit such an intense aroma? Ah! I can't take it anymore! A strange feeling is welling up!"
"Gulp." *2
Two more sounds of swallowing saliva rang out. Chihaya Natsume and Chihaya Orie, being the closest and having some fame in the industry, were given way by many people, so they were the first to grab the dishes Hoshino Sora placed on the serving table.
One was fish-fragrant shredded pork, and the other was Twice-Cooked Pork.
Raising the plate to her front, Chihaya Natsume's eyes showed a hint of excitement as she looked at the fish-fragrant shredded pork so close.
The raw ingredients in the plate were all cut into uniform shreds, mainly the most crucial shredded pork for fish-fragrant shredded pork, and also carrot shreds, black fungus shreds, and green pepper shreds as supporting roles.
These ingredients must be cut into shreds of equal length and size, so that the stir-fried fish-fragrant shredded pork will be translucent and delicious.
Because only ingredient shreds of equal length and size will have the same doneness after stir-frying in the wok, and the taste will be uniform, which is the key to fish-fragrant shredded pork.
Hoshino Sora grasped this very well. Although there were four different ingredients, the length and width ratios of the 'shreds' were all the same, showing his exceptional knife skills and high technique!
She picked up a portion of fish-fragrant shredded pork with chopsticks and put it into her mouth to savor it. It was spicy, salty, fresh, sour, and sweet all at once, with a rich aroma of scallions, ginger, and garlic. The fish-fragrance was achieved not by cooking fish, but by using various seasonings.
"This taste, this feeling! Yes, it's this feeling of being lifted to the clouds! It's amazing!"
Chihaya Natsume's face showed an expression of immense enjoyment, her body couldn't help but twist, and even her breathing became heavier. Her palms tightly gripped the table, fearing that her body would soften and she would collapse to her knees.
"Big sister, is it that exaggerated?"
Chihaya Orie frowned slightly at Chihaya Natsume's 'I'm going' expression, but her gaze at the twice-cooked pork in front of her became even more unusual, and her mouth watered profusely.
"You'll know once you taste it yourself!"
Hearing Chihaya Orie's somewhat subtle words, Chihaya Natsume wanted to snap at her, but the sound coming out of her mouth had already changed from stern to trembling, showing just how impactful this fish-fragrant shredded pork was!
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