Extra chapter for reaching 200 Power Stones.
...
26th of June.
The drive to the Nakiri estate was unlike any journey Haruya had ever taken.
Their car didn't just pull up to a large house; it drove up the winding roads of a mountain, through the sprawling campus of Totsuki Culinary Academy itself.
Haruya's nose was pressed against the window, his eyes wide with a different kind of awe than before.
It wasn't about the size of the estate, since his own family's home was just as large, but about the sheer scale of the school.
He watched as they passed grand, European-style buildings that seemed to be carved right into the mountainside, massive professional kitchens with windows revealing busy students, and perfectly manicured gardens that stretched for miles.
The campus was a world unto itself, a living, breathing mountain that was humming with a focused, almost intimidating energy. It was a place where people lived and breathed a passion he was only just beginning to understand.
His mom, Akari, watched him with a knowing smile. "This is it, dear. This is where I spent my school days."
Haruya just nodded, completely engrossed. He could already feel the atmosphere, the high stakes, the constant drive for perfection. It was a different kind of pressure, and it was exciting.
The Nakiri estate was situated on a hill overlooking the main campus.
It was a magnificent European-style mansion, with soaring white columns, ornate stone carvings, and a perfectly symmetrical facade. The home was a symbol of tradition and power, a quiet contrast to the vibrant, modern energy of the academy below.
Senzaemon, Soe, and Alice were waiting for them at the entrance, their smiles just as warm as they were yesterday.
"Welcome, welcome!" Senzaemon boomed, his laugh echoing across the silent grounds. "I am so glad you decided to visit! I've been waiting for a student with true potential. Come in, come in!"
"You're finally here! Let's go, Haruya!" Alice dragged him by the hand and into the mansion.
They were led into a beautiful, spacious living room with regal decor and large windows that offered a breathtaking view of the Totsuki campus. The air was formal, but the warm smiles of their hosts made it feel less so.
And then, she entered.
A girl with long, light blonde hair and deep purple eyes. She was a little taller than Alice, and she carried herself with an air of refined grace that made her seem older than her age.
Erina Nakiri.
Alice, who had been sitting calmly on the couch, suddenly bounced up.
"Erina! You're here! Haruya's here to visit!" Alice said, grabbing her cousin's hand. "I told you last night!"
Erina simply pulled her hand away, her expression not changing. "Alice, please. We have guests. And I have no time for childish games." Her voice was cold and precise, like a perfectly sharpened knife.
She then turned her gaze to Haruya, her eyes sweeping over him as if he were a specimen to be analyzed. There was a flicker of something in them.
Recognition, maybe?
But it was gone in an instant, replaced by a cool indifference.
'He's here. After all this time...'
Haruya felt a flicker of surprise.
This was Erina?
The same Erina that Alice had talked about?
The girl in front of him was a complete contrast to the bubbly Alice.
He had heard about her famous God's Tongue, a genius praised for its divine accuracy, but seeing the cold distance in her eyes, he felt a wave of curiosity.
To be honest, he wasn't sure what to make of her.
Erina then turned her attention to Haruya's mom, Akari. Her gaze softened slightly, but the distance was still there. "Hello, Auntie Akari. It's... good to see you again. I remember how delightful your pastries were."
Just like how the Nakiris were Haruya's godparents, Alice and Erina were also godchildren of Akari and his dad, Kenjiro.
Akari's smile was gentle, tinged with a hint of sadness. "Hello, Erina-chan. You've grown so much since we last saw you."
Erina just nodded, a polite, distant gesture.
Akari didn't press.
She knew the history, the tragic story of a genius child trapped by her own power and her father's cruelty. She had heard about how Erina's father, Azami Nakiri, had put her through brutal training, forcing her to taste and criticize thousands of dishes, stripping away her joy in cooking and replacing it with a ruthless pursuit of perfection.
Senzaemon, upon discovering his son-in-law's monstrous methods, had exiled him from the academy and the family.
But the damage had been done. Erina had changed greatly since then.
"Alright, that's enough talk," Senzaemon said, clapping his hands together. "Young Haruya, since you are here, let us go to the kitchen. I want you to cook for us. I want to see what that excellent palate of yours can produce."
Haruya nodded, his nerves fluttering with a mix of excitement and anxiety. This wasn't just a friendly cooking session anymore. This felt more like a test.
The Nakiri kitchen was a chef's dream.
It was massive, sparkling clean, and filled with every kind of utensil and ingredient imaginable. It was clear this was a place where cooking was a sacred art.
Haruya, Akari, Alice, Erina, Senzaemon, and Soe gathered around a large central island. The atmosphere felt almost like a cooking show, but with a tension that was very real.
"Today, you will make a simple dish," Senzaemon announced, his voice filled with authority. "But it is a dish that requires extreme precision and care. You will make an omurice."
Haruya fell into thought.
Omurice, a fluffy, perfect omelet served over fried rice. It seemed simple, but the secret was in the omelet itself.
It had to be soft, golden, and perfectly runny on the inside. It required a special technique that he had only seen on cooking shows.
"Observe," Senzaemon said as he picked up a pan and a few eggs. "A true chef understands that even the simplest dish can be a masterpiece."
Senzaemon began.
He moved with a grace that was almost mesmerizing. He cracked a few eggs, whisked them into a perfect yellow liquid, and poured them into a sizzling pan.
Next, he began to stir the eggs with a single chopstick, his wrist a blur of motion.
It was as if he were dancing with the pan; each flick of his wrist seemed like an elegant step.
As the eggs cooked, he effortlessly folded them into a perfect oval, then slid them onto a plate of fried rice. Finally, with a clean slice, he cut open the top, and the golden egg spilled out, a river of perfect, silky goodness.
He added a few toppings and voila, it was done.
Soe and Akari gave a light nod, highlighting the old chef's expertise.
"Now, it's your turn," Senzaemon said, handing a pan to Haruya. "Cook the dish as I did. Show me what you can do."
Haruya took a deep breath.
His heart was pounding, but his mind was clear. The image of Senzaemon's movements was perfectly seared into his memory.
He didn't just see the technique; he felt it.
With his Adaptability, he was confident he could replicate the motion and the result, even transforming it potentially into something better.
He took three eggs and cracked them into a bowl, whisking them until they were a perfectly uniform shade of yellow. He then took a pan, added a generous amount of butter, and waited for it to melt and foam. The moment it did, he poured the eggs in.
Haruya similarly began to stir the eggs with a single chopstick, his wrist flicking back and forth in a quick, controlled motion.
Next, he kept the eggs moving, creating delicate, soft curds, his hand an almost perfect copy of Senzaemon's.
When they were almost done, he stopped, letting them cook for a moment before tilting the pan forward and folding the omelet into a perfect oval.
Senzaemon watched, a look of pure astonishment on his face. He had seen many chefs try this technique, but he had never seen a novice execute it with such skill.
It was as if Haruya had done it a thousand times.
Haruya then gently slid the fried rice onto the center of a plate and placed the soft, golden omelet on top of it.
He took a knife and, with a single, clean slice, he cut open the top of the omelet. The golden, runny egg spilled out, covering the rice in a perfect, silky blanket.
A collective gasp filled the air. Alice's eyes were wide with wonder, and even Soe had a look of genuine surprise on his face. Akari watched her son with a proud, loving smile, seemingly used to such a sight.
The dish was beautiful, a perfect, golden beacon of simplicity and flavor.
Haruya then drizzled a little more of the ketchup sauce, creating a perfect zig-zag pattern on top of the omurice.
He looked at the finished dish, his heart pounding in his chest. He had done it. He had cooked a dish with the soul of a chef, a dish that he was proud of.
He then presented it to the audience, his gaze falling directly on Erina. Alice, who was already drooling, rushed to grab a fork.
"Wow! It's so good, Haruya-kun!" she exclaimed, her mouth full. "This tastes amazing!"
"It's a very elegant dish," Soe added, taking a polite bite. "The fried rice is seasoned perfectly, and the eggs are incredibly delicate."
Haruya's mom, Akari, simply smiled, a dramatic tear of pride in her eye. "It's wonderful, my son!"
Senzaemon took a bite as well, chewing it slowly with a thoughtful expression. He looked at Haruya with a glint in his eye. "It's indeed very good. You have a refined touch that I haven't seen in a long time. However, this omurice is far too simple of a dish to measure a chef's true capability. It can only demonstrate a chef's technical skills, not their true art."
Haruya nodded. He knew Senzaemon was right. This was just a small taste of what he could do.
He still had more to learn than following simple instructions.
Erina then looked at the dish, her expression unreadable. She picked up a fork and knife, and with a formal, almost surgical precision, she took a small piece of the omelet and the rice.
Her expression didn't change.
She chewed slowly, deliberately, her eyes closed in deep contemplation. Haruya watched her silently.
This wasn't just a critique; it was a judgment.
Her God's Tongue was analyzing every single flavor, every single texture, every single nuance of his dish.
The silence was deafening. He wanted to know the opinion of the legendary God's Tongue.
Erina then opened her eyes, and her gaze fell upon Haruya. The flicker of surprise was back, stronger than before, but it was quickly hidden by a cold, formal mask.
"It is... acceptable," she said, her voice flat.
...
POWER STONE GOAL - 1 EXTRA CHAPTER WHEN REACHED:
100 POWER STONES (✔)
200 POWER STONES (✔)
300 POWER STONES (X)
400 POWER STONES (X)
500 POWER STONES (X)
600 POWER STONES (X)