Chapter 37: Thorough Domination
Shogo sighed deeply, as if he couldn't believe her, then took out his phone, opened a social media app, and showed her the screen. Countless posts filled the page, all about Santoku Shogo's stall. Comments praising the food, photos, and statements like "You absolutely have to go" were everywhere. No matter how far she scrolled, it was an endless flood of glowing reviews.
"In the modern internet age, social media is the cornerstone of business. The era when taste alone was enough to draw customers ended a long time ago."
As much as she hated to admit it, Nene couldn't deny his words.
Her stall had no customers. His stall was overflowing with them. No matter what she said, the results spoke for themselves. Anything she tried to argue now would just sound like the pathetic howl of a loser.
"The visual appeal that makes people want to take photos. The taste that makes them want to share their thoughts. The aroma that forces them to surrender the moment they smell it. The meticulously calculated customer-attraction tactics. —Sorry, but over these five days, including today, you don't have a chance in hell. My prediction? You'll probably just barely avoid going into the red. Well, you'll definitely be dead last in the area, though."
Facing a Sixth Seat of the Elite Ten, Shogo spoke with absolute confidence. His victory was assured, and hers was already defeat.
"Th-this can't… keep going like this! There's no way my soba… could lose like this!"
"It's impressive you can still bark after having your prime earning hours completely taken away. Don't you get it? My stall's main focus is meat dishes. In other words… my real money-making window is dinner time."
Only then did Nene regain her composure—and at the same time, fall into despair.
She hadn't earned anything during the crucial lunch hours, while her opponent's sales kept climbing. This wasn't even a contest anymore. It was a one-sided massacre.
"Why… like this…"
"I only bought the fight that was sold to me. Oh, and don't forget our promise. If I win the overall sales ranking over five days, you'll accept a Shokugeki… Actually, you said you'd accept one regardless. So this sales battle is pretty much meaningless, isn't it?"
Shogo's cheerful smile looked like a demon's sneer to Nene. She was being provoked, yet she couldn't say anything in return. Even if she claimed she hadn't lost in taste, it meant nothing in this situation. All she could do was endure the overwhelming sense of defeat.
As Nene stood with her fists clenched and head lowered, a third party's voice suddenly rang out. When she looked up, the person who appeared in her vision was someone she could not believe.
"Shogo-kuuun! I'm here~!"
With a sweet voice, the person who appeared was a recent Totsuki graduate—Kikuchi Sonoka.
Nene, who had advanced to the Autumn Elections main bracket and attended the Momijigari-kai, knew her well. As a fellow woman who had held the Second Seat, Sonoka had been like an unreachable figure in the clouds to Nene when she was still a first-year.
And now that admired senior was hugging the hateful underclassman with an expression Nene had never seen before.
"Sonoka, don't get too excited or you'll trip."
"But it's been so long… Was that bad?"
"I didn't say it was bad. I'm happy to see you too. But I'm worried about your body. Understand?"
"…Geez, you're so mean, Shogo-kun. …Actually, my chest has gotten even bigger lately. It's all your fault, you know."
What was she looking at? The senior she had admired was acting like she was in a relationship with the underclassman she hated. Nene's mind couldn't keep up. There was no sign of reluctance, no sense of discomfort. If anything, it looked like Sonoka was the one actively pressing her body against him.
"Haa~, I'm starving. I've been looking forward to your stall so much, Shogo-kun. I can't wait to eat."
"Yeah. Mimasaka might explode if we don't get back soon, and I need to return to the kitchen too. I saved a seat for you, so you can go right in."
"Yay! Hehe, I'm so happy. I love you, Shogo-kun."
"Go on inside first. We're doing live cooking, so you can watch us while you wait."
Completely forgetting Nene existed, the two entered their own little world. Sonoka didn't even glance in Nene's direction, as if she didn't exist at all. It wasn't that she was ignoring her; Shogo was simply the only thing in her eyes. In the end, without exchanging a single word, Sonoka was sent off by Shogo and walked into the stall.
"…Ah… Sonoka… senpai…"
"Ah, sorry about that, Kinokuni-senpai. You were still here."
"…! Santoku… Shogo…!!"
"Just as you heard. I need to get back to the kitchen, so excuse me. You should probably return to your own stall and do what you can, right? I said you'd probably just barely avoid going into the red, but if you don't even try to attract customers, you'll be expelled for sure. Losing the Shokugeki and then getting expelled on top of it… Haha, that wouldn't even be funny."
"You… How much do you have to mock someone before you're satisfied?! I am a chef who aims for the very top of Totsuki! I won't tolerate this insult!!"
Shogo's condescending attitude made Nene's face burn with rage. The only reason she didn't lash out was the last shred of her pride.
"If you want, I can handle the Shokugeki paperwork myself. …Let's see. How about we do it first thing in the morning on the fifth and final day, when sales are basically decided? Of course, if you're too scared, you're free to run away."
"I'm not running away! …I will definitely defeat you. You'll regret making me angry."
"I see. I've lived my life without ever having regrets, so I've never experienced it. Please do your best."
Even in the very last moment, Shogo continued to provoke her, then walked back into his stall without so much as a glance over his shoulder, leaving behind a mocking laugh as if pitying an inferior.
"…I will absolutely not lose…!"
Nene clenched her teeth and steeled her resolve, but she also understood how disadvantageous her position was. Right now, confidence in her taste alone wasn't enough to bring in customers. Unlike a Shokugeki where judges were guaranteed to eat the food, this was an entirely different situation. She hated accepting his snide advice, but she forced herself to calm down and focus on attracting customers.
Completely unaware that the outcome had already been decided long ago.
Moon Banquet Festival, Day 1 – Yamanote Area Sales Ranking.
1st Place: Fourth Seat Akanegakubo Momo
2nd Place: Tenth Seat Nakiri Erina.
3rd Place: Third Seat Megishima Tousuke.
4th Place: First-Year Santoku Shogo.
18th Place: Sixth Seat Kinokuni Nene.
Until the final day of the Moon Banquet Festival, Kinokuni Nene's ranking never rose above last place.
▲▽▲▽▲▽▲▽▲▽▲▽
The morning of the final day. While students were doing their final preparations at their stalls, two chefs stood facing each other across a kitchen.
Five adults were seated nearby, having been summoned to serve as both judges and witnesses for the serious match—the Shokugeki—that was about to begin.
The challenger: Santoku Shogo.
A powerful contender who had reached the final four of the Autumn Elections. Although he had lost to Hayama Akira, he was still one of the top first-years.
His opponent: Sixth Seat of the Elite Ten, Kinokuni Nene.
Born into the Kinokuni family, a prominent name in Japanese cuisine, she had honed her skills in washoku from a young age. She was especially unrivaled when it came to soba; her accumulated training had forged genuine ability.
If Santoku Shogo won, he would take the Sixth Seat of the Elite Ten.
If Kinokuni Nene won, Santoku Shogo would be expelled and forbidden from ever calling himself a chef again.
Both parties had agreed to these conditions, and the Shokugeki was officially recognized.
It was early autumn morning, so the room was rather cold. Amid the tense atmosphere, the pride-on-the-line battle began.
The theme was soba.
It was Nene's specialty, but she had not chosen it—Shogo had.
It went without saying that Nene was furious when she saw the details of the match on the official document.
"Both contestants—begin cooking!"
As expected, Kinokuni Nene finished first.
Her soba shone pure white, each strand a work of art. The sight alone was enough to satisfy the eyes. The rich aroma of the soba was, of course, first-class, and the shrimp tempura garnish only intensified the appetite.
"Delicious! What is this soba?!"
"The nine-tenths buckwheat aroma pierces the nose, and the rich flavor spreads through the mouth!"
"The shrimp tempura is so fragrant…!"
"What?! I've already finished! Can I… can I have another bowl?!"
"Me too! Another bowl!!"
Pure acclaim. Every judge was captivated by Nene's soba, devouring it with single-minded focus. They ate at a speed that rivaled even "wan-kosoba" eating contests.
She had won.
Nene was certain of her victory, and it was only natural.
She had suffered an undeniable, inexcusable defeat in the sales battle, but that had been a loss in business strategy alone. A chef's true worth was decided only on the plate.
If she won this Shokugeki, Shogo would be expelled. The fact of her earlier defeat would effectively vanish.
"You got too cocky, Santoku Shogo. Trying to beat me at soba was pure arrogance. But unfortunately for you… this match is mine. There's no way that soba of yours could possibly be judged higher than mine after they've eaten mine."
"Is that so?"
"Spare me the sore loser talk. Look at the judges. They haven't said a single word since they started eating… Eh?"
Only then did Nene notice how unnaturally quiet it was.
"What… is this?"
Every single judge was eating in complete silence. They were so focused it was as if they didn't want to spare even a moment's attention for anything else.
What was even more bizarre was that they weren't even making the usual slurping sounds. They ate slowly, almost as if they were deliberately trying to delay finishing.
"Please don't worry—there are plenty of extra servings."
At Shogo's single remark, the judges transformed. They doubled their eating speed and polished off the remaining soba almost instantly.
Then the requests for seconds began. They raised their voices shamelessly, each trying to be first.
"…What is… happening…?"
"Can't you see? —My soba is just that good."
"There's no way! There's no way that soba… could be better than mine!!"
"Judges, could you please announce the result? I'll bring out more seconds afterward."
At Shogo's call, the judges reacted instantly. Without the slightest hesitation, they pressed the buttons in front of them to declare the winner.
—Santoku Shogo [5] – [0] Kinokuni Nene—
An overwhelming conclusion. The match was decided before any explanation could even be demanded.
"…Why… something like this… th-this can't be…"
"Judges, here are your seconds. Please remember the result of the Shokugeki. Starting today, the Sixth Seat of the Elite Ten belongs to me."
The five judges answered like obedient dogs and resumed eating like obedient dogs. Even if someone spoke to them, they showed no reaction. The intensity made it clear they didn't want to be disturbed.
"Yes, that's it. All done. Thank you for your hard work~"
"W-wait! There's no way I can accept a result like this—!"
"I figured you'd say that. That's the standard loser's line. …Well, this is the quickest way, so just eat it. My soba."
As if following a script, Shogo held out a single mouthful of soba in dipping sauce toward Nene. He was declaring without words that one bite would be enough to understand.
"—!!? …There's no way… something like this…!"
The moment she took the single bite, Nene collapsed to her knees. She dropped her chopsticks and dipping bowl, falling to the floor with a look of utter despair.
Shogo watched her with cold eyes. He knelt down to bring himself to her eye level, then pierced her with a gaze so ruthless it was hard to believe it belonged to a first-year high school student.
"I'll teach you how weak you are."
"My… weakness?"
"Your technique is certainly impressive. I have no complaints about your soba-making skills. —But that's all it is."
He wasn't lecturing her, nor was he giving advice. Shogo simply stated the facts in a calm, detached voice.
"When I chose soba as the theme, you didn't think of anything new. You believed your best soba was already complete. Therefore, there was no need to consider any other options. You had no alternatives."
"Th-that's…!"
"By clinging to a single correct answer, you eliminated all your possibilities. A chef who refuses to change has no future. I'm not mocking traditional craftsmanship. I'm mocking the kind of chef who possesses that traditional skill but refuses to look at anything new."
She couldn't say anything. Not even a single word.
"You had no idea what kind of ingenuity I put into that soba, did you? Of course you didn't. You don't know any other soba."
Shogo grabbed Nene's face with one hand and forced her to look up.
"You said you would take the top of Totsuki… right? There's no way a chef who willingly chooses the path of stagnation can ever reach it. Do you know what people call that? —All talk."
He released her and stood up. His business here was finished. He turned his back on Nene and began to walk away.
"…W-wait!"
Even Nene herself was surprised by the sound of her own voice, but she kept speaking.
Shogo stopped when he heard her. She struggled to move her mouth.
"That soba just now… h-how did you… make it taste like that…? What steps, what measurements… what technique…?"
"…Sigh."
Shogo let out a deep sigh. He could tell she wasn't asking to broaden her own world—she was simply begging for a new correct answer to aim for. He gave her the honest, unvarnished truth that would deliver the final blow.
"I don't know."
On this day, Santoku Shogo became the Sixth Seat of the Elite Ten.
***
***
***
A/n: 500 power stones = +1 bonus chapter. Don't forget to vote with your power stones!!
For early access to 10 chapters ahead: p@tre~~.com/Demonic_Fiction (Link is in the synopsis and my profile).