After finishing the first serving of the Huevos Pericos, Erina Nakiri found herself in a trance-like state, her hand moving almost reflexively to pick up a second portion. The lingering warmth of the Spider Eagle yolk and the spicy, savory kick of the traditional Colombian-style Huevos Pericos had bypassed her logical mind and gone straight to her primal instincts.
Ryusei watched from the side, leaning against his counter with an air of practiced nonchalance. Unlike Soma Yukihira, who lived for the thrill of teasing others, Ryusei remained silent. He knew the weight of Erina's position and the fragility of her pride. To taunt her now would be to close a door that he had just managed to kick open.
A moment later, Erina finished the last bite and fell into a heavy silence. Regarding Ryusei's dish, her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting evaluations. The double omelet—or more accurately, the Huevos Pericos—was undeniably the most impactful thing she had tasted in years. It had satisfied her Divine Tongue's insatiable craving for new, powerful flavors.
However, she struggled with the technical aspect. From a purely traditional standpoint, the dish was simple. The chopping of the scallions was precise, and the sautéing of the tomatoes was perfectly timed, but the core of the deliciousness seemed to stem from that impossible egg.
It was a "cheat" ingredient. Anyone with the same rare egg might have produced something spectacular. She didn't realize that Ryusei's use of Nen had actually fused the flavors in a way no ordinary chef could replicate.
After a long moment of internal struggle, Erina Nakiri looked at Ryusei very seriously, her eyes searching his for any sign of arrogance.
"You've passed," she stated, her voice regaining some of its formal authority.
She had set a clear condition: create a dish using eggs that would satisfy her palate. Although Ryusei relied on an unknown, high-fantasy-level ingredient, he had met the requirement with room to spare. She had no logical reason to disqualify him. Furthermore, she was secretly terrified that if she let him go, she might never taste that "Spider Eagle" flavor again.
As for Ryusei's true culinary skill level, Erina had already formulated a plan. Totsuki Academy was a battlefield where only the strongest survived. If his skills were actually poor and he had only relied on a single rare ingredient, the grueling curriculum would chew him up and spit him out within a month.
Only true geniuses could endure. By passing him, she was essentially inviting him to prove his worth on the grandest stage in Japan.
Hearing Erina announce his pass, Ryusei exhaled a long, measured breath. The first major hurdle of the Food Wars! world was cleared. Now, his only task was to ensure Soma didn't blow their chances by being an idiot.
Soon, Soma Yukihira finished his own preparation. With a confident flourish, he placed a bowl of what looked like simple scrambled eggs in front of the God's Tongue.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Soma exclaimed, grinning.
Startled from her thoughts about Ryusei's mysterious background, Erina focused her gaze on the dish before her. "Scrambled eggs?" she asked, her voice tinged with skepticism.
"No, it's egg rice!" Soma corrected her, serving a steaming, perfectly fluffy bowl of white rice alongside the eggs.
Erina immediately felt a wave of disappointment. Egg rice? A commoner's staple? After the high-octane flavor profile of Ryusei's exotic dish, this felt like a step backward into mediocrity. But before she could dismiss him, Soma leaned in, mimicking the serious tone Ryusei had used earlier.
"Of course, this isn't your average egg rice," Soma said, tapping his temple. "It's the eighth secret dish of the Yukihira Diner: the Transformed Egg Rice Bowl."
He had observed the interaction between Ryusei and Erina closely. He realized that Erina was a sucker for "secret recipes" and "hidden techniques." If a flashy name worked for Ryusei, it would work for him too.
Erina remained silent for a beat. The memory of the "Huevos Pericos" was still fresh, making her more receptive than usual. "A secret recipe, a transformed egg rice bowl... Fine. I will try it."
Soma didn't waste a second. He poured the egg mixture over the hot rice. Mixed within the eggs were small, glistening brown cubes. As they touched the heat of the rice, the cubes began to melt, turning into a rich, golden-brown glaze that coated every single grain of rice and every fold of the egg. A deep, savory aroma of concentrated chicken broth wafted through the air.
Soma sprinkled some freshly chopped green onions on top and pushed the bowl forward. "Please enjoy."
Erina took a bite. The flavor was a revelation of a different kind. The brown cubes were chicken broth aspic—chicken jelly. As they melted, they created a luxurious sauce that provided an incredible depth of umami, perfectly complementing the light, fluffy texture of the eggs.
While it lacked the "supernatural" impact of Ryusei's exotic eggs, it was a masterpiece of culinary ingenuity and home-style comfort. It felt like being wrapped in a warm blanket made of angel feathers.
"Alright, how does it taste?" Soma asked, resting his hands on his hips. "Yukihira-style egg rice. Delicious or not? Tell me!"
"It's... just a bit novel!" Erina replied, her face heating up again.
In her heart, she knew it was brilliant. Compared to Ryusei's dish, Soma's was technically superior in its use of common ingredients to create an uncommon experience. Ryusei had the better "raw power," but Soma had the better "technique."
"You also pass," Erina declared.
She realized that neither of these boys was ordinary. Soma's dish proved he had the technical foundations of a professional chef, despite his diner background. Totsuki was about to become a lot more interesting.
Soma let out a triumphant laugh. "Haha! I knew you'd like it! Even though you're in the upper echelons of gourmet society, you can't resist a good bowl of—"
Before he could finish his sentence and likely insult Erina's aristocratic pride, Ryusei moved. He clamped a heavy hand on Soma's shoulder, using just a hint of his physical strength to nearly buckle Soma's knees.
"Haha! Congratulations, partner! We both passed!" Ryusei said loudly, his voice drowning out Soma's next words.
Ryusei knew Erina's "Tsundere" personality well. If Soma kept pushing her, she might find a way to revoke the pass just out of spite. "Passable" could very easily become "failable" if the judge felt humiliated.
"Hey, let go! That hurts!" Soma complained, though he was still smiling. He then turned his attention back to Ryusei's station. "Oh, by the way, Ryusei... can I try some of your leftover Huevos Pericos? I've been smelling that thing since I started my rice, and I'm dying to know what that 'Spider Eagle' thing tastes like."
Soma was genuinely curious. He had seen the way Erina reacted—it was a level of "food orgasm" even he hadn't seen before. As a chef who had been competing with his father since he was a child, he recognized a fellow high-level competitor in Ryusei.
Ryusei looked at the remaining portions of his Huevos Pericos and then at the Pandebono. He picked up a piece of the cheesy bread and dipped it into the remaining spicy egg mixture.
"Sure," Ryusei said, handing it to Soma. "But be careful. It's a flavor that might just ruin every other breakfast for you."
As Soma took the bite, Ryusei looked toward the exit where Hisako was already preparing their official admission paperwork. He felt the weight of his journey—from the dangerous forests of the Hunter world to the prestigious halls of Totsuki.
He had the power of Nen, the evolution of Gourmet Cells, and now, a foot in the door of the greatest culinary school on Earth.
The real challenge was only just beginning.