"Exactly. It doesn't even sound like something a human would say," Lexon chimed in calmly.
"Are you joking, transfer student Soma Yukihira?" Ikumi Mito frowned slightly.
"I'm not joking," Soma Yukihira replied, arms crossed and looking quite proud of himself.
He seemed to be reveling in the decision he had just made.
However, in the very next moment...
"Ah, ow, ow, ow! Stop pinching me, Lexon! Let go, let go!" Soma cried out in pain, swatting at Lexon's hand as it yanked on his cheek.
Lexon showed no signs of letting go.
"There's a reason... there's a reason!" Soma quickly whispered to Lexon.
"Let's hear it then." Lexon released his grip.
Soma immediately pulled Lexon into a corner to whisper, as if terrified of being overheard.
"I don't know how strong she is, but after eating your cooking last time, I'm certain your level is higher than mine. It's much safer if you step up; you're guaranteed to win this Shokugeki!" Soma said to Lexon with utmost sincerity.
"Is that really the reason?" Lexon whispered back, then added doubtfully, "That doesn't sound like you at all. Usually, you'd be the first one to jump at a cooking duel like a Shokugeki."
In Lexon's mind, Soma wasn't the type to fear 'failure' and hand over a fun opportunity to someone else.
"What's the catch?" Lexon pressed.
"How could you say that? I'd never have bad intentions toward you, Lexon..." Soma's expression was one of sincere hurt, as if he were genuinely saddened by his friend's suspicion.
What an actor.
You definitely weren't like this in the original story.
Lexon felt a hint of bewilderment at how the once straightforward Soma Yukihira had turned out this way.
Just who did he learn this from?
The person responsible didn't have a shred of self-awareness.
"So, Lexon, do you agree?" Soma asked.
"Yeah, fine. I agree," Lexon replied with a smile.
"All right!" Soma cheered.
But in the next second, as he looked at the smile on Lexon's face, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.
'Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?'
The two of them returned to Kanichi Konishi's side.
"Well? Did you reach a decision? Which one of you is going to Shokugeki me and then pack your bags?" Ikumi Mito asked impatiently. "Or you could both come at me together. I'll kick both of you out of Totsuki."
"Heh... we're destined to reach the summit of Totsuki. How could we bully someone two-on-one?" Soma said proudly, still with his arms crossed.
"So, who's it going to be?"
"Him!"
"Me."
Soma and Lexon spoke at the same time.
"So it's you in the end..." Ikumi's gaze shifted to Lexon's face.
'He is pretty handsome...'
'But... Totsuki doesn't need arrogant punks! This guy is going down by my hand and leaving this school for good!'
"Are the terms of the Shokugeki clear?" Ikumi asked haughtily.
"Of course!" Soma shouted back. "If Lexon wins..."
"The Don RS will be preserved," Lexon added.
"And if you win!" Soma continued, addressing Ikumi.
"Soma Yukihira will drop out," Lexon cut in again.
"Exactly!" Soma said.
But immediately after, he realized something was off. After mentally replaying the conversation...
He whipped his head toward Lexon and let out a bewildered sound.
"Huh?"
...
"The following Shokugeki will be between first-year student Lexon, representing the Don RS, and Ikumi Mito!"
"The main ingredient is meat! The theme is Donburi!"
The loud voice of the moderator, Urara Kawashima, echoed throughout the arena.
"Lexon? Is that the guy who made that incredibly arrogant speech at the entrance ceremony?"
"That's him!"
"He's already in a Shokugeki with Mito so soon after enrolling? And it's meat-themed... Isn't Mito's victory guaranteed?"
"True. Everyone knows Mito's strength in that field is unparalleled!"
Instantly, the audience erupted into chatter upon hearing the names of the participants.
"If Lexon is victorious, the Don RS will remain in existence!"
"If Ikumi Mito is victorious, the Don RS will be abolished! And..."
At this point, Urara Kawashima's voice suddenly faltered.
After a few seconds of silence, as if she were double-checking her notes, her voice rang out again: "And Soma Yukihira will be expelled!"
As those words fell, the crowd instantly went into a frenzy.
"Soma Yukihira? The other transfer student who talked big? Why is the other one getting expelled if Lexon loses?"
"Hahahaha, what a bizarre arrangement!"
"Expel him! Expel him! Mito, win this! Get that transfer student expelled!"
"It would be even better if both of them got the boot!"
"Why?"
"Because that Lexon guy is too handsome! I heard he already has a fan club on campus!"
It was easy to tell from the audience's remarks that the speeches those two made at the entrance ceremony had drawn a massive amount of animosity.
"There will be three judges!"
"And now, the battle begins! Both sides, enter the arena!"
Urara Kawashima's final announcement concluded.
Ikumi Mito entered from one side.
But on the other side... there was no one to be seen.
Even after Ikumi had taken her place at the cooking station, no opponent had appeared.
"Oh? What's going on? One of our contestants is missing!"
"This won't do! If a contestant is more than five minutes late, they will be disqualified and forfeit the match!"
Urara's voice reached every spectator through the loudspeakers.
"Hahaha, did he run away because he knew he couldn't win?"
"What a coward!"
"They shouldn't just expel Soma; that Lexon guy should be expelled too! Totsuki has no use for students like them!"
The noisy jeers continued incessantly.
"Heh... so the guy who talked so big is just a coward after all?" Ikumi Mito looked at the empty entrance on the opposite side. Recalling his speech at the ceremony, she shook her head in amusement.
"Your friend... sigh..." Kanichi Konishi sighed from the spectator stands. He didn't say much more, considering Lexon was fighting for his club.
Even as a second-year student, he didn't have the courage to face someone as strong as Ikumi Mito.
Since the other party was just a transfer student, he didn't feel right scolding him.
"Lexon... is he really not coming...?" Beside him, Megumi Tadokoro clasped her hands tightly, her face filled with worry.
"Don't worry... Lexon isn't that kind of person!" Soma Yukihira said with a confident look. He had complete trust in his friend.
However, as the seconds ticked by after saying those words... memories of Lexon's past antics began to surface in his mind.
"Surely... he wouldn't... right?" Soma's confidence wavered as he muttered hesitantly.
'If I get expelled like this, it'll be a bit hard to explain to my old man...'
"Won't what?" A familiar voice suddenly sounded from behind Soma.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]