Time flowed by, minute by minute, and both contestants were cooking with all their might.
Especially Hoshino Sora, within the two-hour cooking limit, he barely stopped his movements, constantly busy, with the sounds of knife chopping and wok tossing. In contrast, Soma Yukihira's movements were orderly, leaving himself ample time.
"The first to finish is, Soma Yukihira!"
Kawashima Rei's voice echoed through the venue. Hoshino Sora looked up and saw Soma Yukihira pushing a cart towards the judges.
Without speaking, Hoshino Sora lowered his head and continued his cooking.
At this point, less than ten minutes remained until the end of the competition.
"Please enjoy, Soma Yukihira Style: Chicken Risotto!"
Placing the foil-covered dish on the table, Soma Yukihira secretly glanced at Hoshino Sora, who was still cooking, feeling anxious for him in his heart. Winning without a fight was not something he wanted to see.
"It looks like a very traditional chicken risotto."
Looking at the chicken risotto, its true appearance revealed after the foil was removed, an old man with white hair on both sides and a bald spot in the middle pinched his chin and commented.
"Indeed, it looks very plain at first glance, but..."
Sniffing, a rich aroma lingered at his nostrils. This scent was very different from traditional chicken risotto. If traditional chicken risotto's main flavor was soy sauce...
Then this one in front of him was purely fresh and savory, with soy sauce only playing a minor supporting role.
Traditional risotto tends to be salty, dark in color, and contains more liquid. Although delicious, its appearance affects appetite and it's not suitable for formal occasions.
This was also the real reason for everyone's surprised expressions when they learned Soma Yukihira was making chicken risotto.
However, Soma Yukihira's risotto did not have the aforementioned problems. Its color was elegant and slightly yellow; despite being risotto, it didn't look messy, and the various side ingredients in the risotto were neatly arranged.
Clearly, Soma Yukihira had put a lot of detailed refinement into this dish before serving it, but these were not the key points.
"Is the key in this rice?"
Scooping a spoonful of the richly fragrant risotto, Nakitiri Senzaemon twitched his nose twice. This smell was... chicken broth?
There's no mistake, besides the chicken broth, it also contained dried scallop shreds, diced sea cucumber, and even the aroma of ham. This recipe is Yangzhou Fried Rice!
No, it's different!
Putting the risotto into his mouth, unlike the distinct grain texture of Yangzhou Fried Rice, the risotto's texture was slightly sticky, and the core was a little firm, but it was undoubtedly cooked through.
Foil!
The purpose of the foil is to allow the heat in the rice pot to spread evenly throughout the rice grains, using residual heat to allow moisture to easily penetrate the rice grains, making the rice taste richer.
This was also the fundamental reason why the rice grains were plump and moist, coupled with a hint of saltiness, it was vastly different from the distinct grains of Yangzhou Fried Rice, a completely different culinary realm!
Closing his eyes and carefully savoring the dish in front of him, Nakitiri Senzaemon's mind conjured a world, a boundary between the ocean world and the land world, giving a sense of the bizarre and kaleidoscopic.
"This is too delicious!"
"It's completely different from traditional risotto. I was too hasty just now, old man."
"What a beautiful dish. After eating it, I feel my body becoming warm. Did you add green onions, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorns when simmering the chicken broth?"
"That's right. Considering it was a bit cold this morning, I added a certain amount of green onion segments, minced garlic, and minced ginger for seasoning. If possible, please leave some rice to eat with the chicken and side dishes next to it."
Looking at the judges frantically shoveling rice, Soma Yukihira pointed to the relatively untouched chicken next to it and said, compared to the risotto, chicken was the main theme of this cooking competition.
"Oh no, the risotto was so delicious I forgot there was chicken next to it! But this chicken just looks like it's been simply teriyaki-ed, the taste..."
"This is!"
The first judge to taste the chicken part immediately widened his eyes. What he had initially thought was simply stewed and then teriyaki-ed chicken released its true nature in his mouth.
The skin of the chicken thigh was pan-fried until golden brown, then it was put into a sauce made from chicken bones and beef bones. To make the chicken bone flavor more prominent, the ratio of chicken bones to beef bones was strictly controlled. Besides that, there was also the taste of white miso.
The consequence of this was that the stewed chicken thigh was so incredibly delicious that one couldn't stop eating it. Paired with the rice infused with chicken broth, the texture and flavor were further enhanced.
"If possible, please open the bowl next to you now and pour the egg yolk inside the rice."
When Soma Yukihira saw that only about a bowl of rice was left on the judges' plates, he suddenly spoke.
"You mean egg yolk?"
Opening the lid, a translucent egg yolk appeared before the judges. While the rice still had residual warmth, they immediately poured it in and began to mix. The thick, golden-yellow rice looked exceptionally tempting.
"The rich texture elevated the overall flavor to another level again! I simply can't stop! The intermingling flavors are like one treasure chest after another, truly satisfying!"
Considering that the rice might not be hot enough when mixed to bring out the egg yolk's aroma, did you preheat the egg yolk in a double boiler? That's a good idea!
"Truly the ultimate deliciousness!"
As the dish was emptied, Nakitiri Senzaemon's clothes burst open, revealing large expanses of muscle. Seeing this, the people in the audience immediately began to discuss amongst themselves.
"The General Director's clothes burst again, how many times has it been? Is clothes bursting really that common? I thought it was a rare occurrence."
A first-year student in the audience asked in confusion. Before coming, he had heard that it was extremely difficult to make the General Director's clothes burst, but now after watching a few matches, it seemed like anyone could make him burst.
"What the hell do you know?! In previous Autumn Elections, the number of times the General Director's clothes burst could be counted on one's fingers. This year, who knows what happened, so many geniuses have gathered!"
A second-year student next to him immediately cursed with a cold face. At this moment, his face was full of shock. What kind of monsters are in this batch? He felt that even the weakest among them could be in the top five of their own year.
"Is that so? Then isn't it very bad for me to be in the same year as these monsters!?"
"What are you thinking? You don't even have the qualifications to compete on the same stage as them. For ordinary people like us, it's already good enough if we can manage to graduate."
Looking at the first-year student's terrified expression next to him, the second-year student snorted disdainfully. Living in the same era as these monsters, just work hard and endure until graduation!
"There are sixty seconds left, but Hoshino Sora doesn't seem to have finished his dish yet. According to the rules, if a dish is not completed within the allotted time, it will be considered a voluntary forfeit."
"What are you doing?! Hoshino, hurry up and finish the dish and serve it!"
Looking at Hoshino Sora, whose movements were calm and showed no sign of urgency, Mito Ikumi shouted loudly from the stands. She felt like she couldn't breathe and was even more nervous than Hoshino Sora on stage.
"Shh, he knows what he's doing."
Alice Nakiri was unexpectedly calm, making a shushing gesture with her hand, then focused on Hoshino Sora, who was engrossed in plating.
Finally, as the ten-second countdown arrived, Hoshino Sora completed his dish and pushed it to the judges' table on a cart. Only after placing the dish down did he let out a long sigh of relief.
"That was really cutting it close. Let's see what kind of dish required two hours of non-stop work, barely finished at the very last moment."
Looking at the relieved Hoshino Sora, the judge on stage couldn't help but tease, then his gaze fixed on the covered plate in front of him, and he swallowed.
Inside, a restless, spicy aroma was emanating.
"That was really something, I was so scared just now. I thought you were going to be disqualified."
Soma Yukihira sighed from the side. He didn't like winning without a fight; such a victory had no value.
"Don't worry, everything is under control."
Hoshino Sora smiled and made an OK gesture, then stepped forward to uncover the dish for the judges. A rich, spicy aroma instantly assailed them the moment the lid was lifted.
And lurking behind the spicy aroma was a whole chicken feast, assembled on one plate using several cooking methods, utilizing every part of a chicken.
"You really did... literally use an entire chicken!
But, with such a chaotic dish, do you intend to serve it as one dish, or several? Are our evaluation standards based on one dish or several?!"
Looking at the dish on the plate, a judge couldn't help but question. Although it was impressive to make so many dishes in 2 hours, how exactly should such a dish be evaluated?
"Since it's assembled on one plate, then naturally it's served as one dish, and they are indeed one dish. You'll know this once you taste it."
Facing the doubts, Hoshino Sora showed no panic, but instead pointed to the dish that had been placed on the judges' table.
No matter how many explanations there were, none were as effective as letting them taste the flavor for themselves.
This was definitely a dish that could overturn their preconceived notions about cuisine!
It must be delicious!
Looking at the dishes on the judges' table, the spicy aroma, sealed by the lid, spread out in all directions the moment the lid was lifted, filling the entire venue in no time.
"Achoo, it's so spicy but so fragrant!"
"This smell is amazing, my mouth is watering, I just had lunch, why am I hungry again?"
"Me too, my stomach is rumbling."
As the aroma spread, sneezes and exclamations filled the venue. Fragrant but not overly spicy is one of the characteristics of Sichuan Cuisine.
"You want us to taste it before we judge? That's quite a boast."
"Then let's taste it. Let's see what's so special about your All-Chicken Feast! Next to it is Mouth-Watering Chicken, in the middle is Spicy Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken made from chicken breast, and the chicken head, neck, and giblets are spicy."
"Did you use a different cooking method for each one? If so, it just looks like a bunch of messy dishes thrown onto one plate."
"As for the taste..."
Picking up a piece of Spicy Chicken, a rich, dry aroma spread in the mouth, followed by the fragrance of roasted peppercorns, and then the spiciness—spicy but not overwhelming, with a long aftertaste and excellent chewiness.
"This Spicy Chicken, the part used must be the chicken wings."
"Is that why there are only two pieces? The taste is really great!"
For a Spicy Chicken dish, this was undoubtedly a top-grade one, with a flavor profile that rivaled Soma Yukihira's Chicken Risotto, but if this was all it was, it definitely wouldn't win.
So, Hoshino Sora made an entire chicken?
But, cooking more doesn't necessarily mean a higher score!
"Wait?! The flavors of the dishes are merging!"
Just as this thought surfaced in his mind, with the next dish entering his mouth, his original idea immediately changed. His eyes widened sharply, filled with disbelief.
"Even though they are two different types of dishes, the flavors can blend so well! It's incredible, no wonder they say this is one dish."
"It's the layer of red oil underneath! This layer of red oil concentrates all the essence of the chicken and chilies used in these dishes, connecting all parts of the cuisine at the bottom of the plate, forming a bridge that links the flavors!"
A gleam appeared in the bald judge's eyes. As the most professional judges, they could understand the key to this dish with just a slight taste: it was the layer of red oil underneath!
"That's right, this is red oil I extracted from chicken fat and the chilies used in these dishes, supplemented with some spices, then poured hot over the entire dish before serving."
Hoshino Sora explained with a smile, he had done a lot of research to make the flavors of this dish blend!
"Therefore, all the flavors are connected, layer after layer, like waves, simply unstoppable!"
While speaking, he tasted the dishes next to the Spicy Chicken: Mouth-Watering Chicken made from chicken thighs, Kung Pao Chicken made from chicken breast, and the spicy three-flavor dish made from chicken head, neck, and giblets.
The flavor of each dish seemed independent, yet they merged with each other, layering like wave after wave of surging spicy flavor, endless and continuous!
Closing their eyes, feeling the hot waves assailing them, all the judges wore expressions of ecstasy, especially Nakitiri Senzaemon, whose clothes tearing apart became a common sight.
"Please wait a moment, if possible, please save the chicken head for last."
Seeing the judge pick up the chicken head, Hoshino Sora quickly stepped forward to stop him. At this point, the chicken head hadn't reached its peak flavor yet and needed to slowly absorb more aroma from the spicy oil poured over it just before serving.
"Okay."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, the judges eagerly devoured the other parts. The delicious flavors of various Sichuan Cuisine dishes bloomed and intertwined on their tongues, reaching a state of extreme pleasure.
Soon, some judges who had finished their dishes turned their attention to the last chicken head.
"They even deboned it, no wonder they were in such a hurry. A dish with such attention to detail is truly enjoyable to eat!"
As he popped the entire chicken head, mixed with spicy oil, into his mouth, Nakitiri Senzaemon's eyes instantly widened. A warm current surged within his body, and a certain area also became erect and proud.
Immediately after, not just his clothes, but his lower half of his pants also burst open, leaving only a loincloth, which was captured by the camera and projected onto the large screen above everyone's heads.
"What's going on? It's the first time I've seen the Chief's pants explode!"
"Chief, amazing!"
"Where are you looking?! Hey!"
"Holy cow, so there's a setting where pants can explode too?"
"Ah ah, so weird, I can't help but look again."
Almost instantly, the audience erupted, with all sorts of sounds echoing. Even though Nakitiri Senzaemon had weathered many storms, facing this situation, he couldn't help but blush.
He quickly called for a staff member to bring him pants and clothes, changed quickly, and then turned his gaze to Hoshino Sora.
"You are very good. To think you could make me completely defenseless with just one dish! How many years has it been since I last showed this appearance?! I can't remember! Bring me a brush."
Overconfident for a moment, his pants had burst. This chicken head was truly exquisitely delicious, concentrating all the essence of these dishes, and the impact when it burst in his mouth was too fierce.
Glancing at the judges behind him who had been impacted to varying degrees, Nakitiri Senzaemon picked up a brush and walked to the center of the competition arena, then took a deep breath.
"Then, Chief, please announce the qualifiers."
As Kawashima Rei's words fell, the drone flying in the air also focused its view on Nakitiri Senzaemon, who was writing the list of qualifiers.
"Congratulations, Hoshino Sora, for advancing to the semifinals!"
As the three large characters for Hoshino Sora landed, Kawashima Rei's voice echoed through the venue. Yukihira Soma also walked up, looking at the person a head taller than him, his face filled with unwillingness.
"You won this time, but I won't lose next time."
"I'll be waiting for you."
Making the young Medicine King taste defeat for the first time, Hoshino Sora felt secretly pleased, but his expression remained calm. He raised his hand, formed a fist, and lightly punched him on the shoulder.
[Phase Task ③ Completed]: Duel of New and Old Protagonists
[Task Requirement]: Defeat Yukihira Soma in a cooking battle
[Task Reward]: Cooking Skill: Precision Control
[Precision Control]: Possesses an excellent sense of perception for an object's weight, with a physical deviation of no more than 0.01 grams.
As the system prompt sounded in his mind, Hoshino Sora inexplicably felt something new within his body. Picking up the salt from the nearby kitchen counter, its weight actually appeared in his mind!?
"Great, Hoshino-kun won! Next is..."
A satisfied expression appeared on her face. Looking at Hoshino Sora, who was leaving victoriously, Shiina Mahiru was happy but also a little worried, because the next match was Yumeko Jabami against Feng Xuanya.
And Feng Xuanya...
Her peripheral vision glanced behind her, looking at Alice Nakiri, who was silently clenching her fists. Shiina Mahiru then turned her gaze back to the competition arena.
Being able to easily defeat a top genius like Alice Nakiri, Feng Xuanya was definitely not a simple opponent. Facing such an opponent, how much chance did Yumeko Jabami have of winning?
"Good day, I will do my best."
Carrying a suitcase, she elegantly walked onto the competition stage. Looking at the beautiful Feng Xuanya, Yumeko Jabami curtsied lightly, then spoke with a gentle expression.
"I will also give my all."
Responding in broken Japanese, she naturally wouldn't mock an enemy who showed respect first. Of course, it was mostly because she couldn't figure out the person in front of her.
She had enrolled in Far Moon Academy as a transfer student a few months ago, and aside from achieving second place in her region during the training camp, she had no other outstanding achievements.
Pretty, gentle, and most importantly, a great figure—this was the male students' evaluation of her.
Indeed, useless big breasts.
With a hint of resentment in her eyes, did people in Neon eat hormones when they were young? Why are they all growing bigger than the last? If this continued, even if she won the competition, she wouldn't be happy.
What a pity!
Feng Xuanya, full of resentment, had barely reached the cooking station when she heard a shout: "Cooking, start!"
"Whew..."
She gently exhaled a turbid breath. Listening to the clear, resonant gong, Feng Xuanya's eyes were filled with clarity, no longer the complexity from before.
The core of dumplings lies in the filling. If the filling is delicious, the taste will be good. After much thought, Feng Xuanya decided to make the Three Delicacy Dumplings her master had just taught her recently.
Following instructions to the letter, using whatever she was taught—that was her approach.
But Yumeko Jabami was not like that. She started with the dumpling wrappers and had also researched the fillings and sauces. It was precisely because she wasn't very good that she researched it thoroughly.
Returning to the waiting area through the contestant aisle, Hoshino Sora watched the live broadcast of the competition on the TV with a serious expression. No matter who won between the two below, they could become his opponent next.
"Hoshino-kun, you're here after all."
"Hmm? It's Hisako. Is there something you need?"
Hearing movement at the door, Hoshino Sora turned his gaze and saw Hisako Arato. The girl's face held a hint of embarrassment.
"I came to ask you for a favor."
Entering the lounge, Hisako Arato closed the door, let out a long sigh, and then walked up to Hoshino Sora.
"Speak. I'll help you with anything within my ability."
"It's just... because of my disastrous defeat in the Autumn Elections, I want to go out and train myself. I'm not worthy to stand by Erina Nakiri's side right now, so, I hope that while I'm away, you can take care of Erina Nakiri for me. Please!"
"No."
Hoshino Sora refused without thinking.
"Just take care of some daily life matters, and I'll give you a generous reward when I return!"
Reaching out and grabbing Hoshino Sora's arm, he was the only person she could ask for help now. After all, if she suddenly left, what would happen if Erina Nakiri wasn't taken care of?
"She's not a baby; she doesn't need someone to look after her twenty-four hours a day. You should let her be more independent."
Hoshino Sora said somewhat speechlessly. She wasn't a baby incapable of acting. Erina Nakiri should be sixteen or seventeen years old, right? Why would she still need care at this age?
"I really can't rest assured. How about this, please protect Erina Nakiri and prevent her from any accidents. Especially, watch out for someone named Nao Sadatsuka. That person is very dangerous. Can you do that?"
Blinking her sparkling big eyes, this was her first time asking for a favor. To be precise, Hoshino Sora was the second person she was familiar with in this school, besides Erina Nakiri.
In this situation, there was no other way but to ask Hoshino Sora for help. She really couldn't bear to just leave Erina Nakiri like that.
Of course, the main reason was that there was a solution.
That was to seek the help of the person in front of her!
"Then... can you agree to any condition I have?"
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