Seeing them like this, Tang San felt a bit nostalgic. When he first met Han Yu, he had been just as eager when the latter presented his dish.
Seeing that they didn't understand the rules of the Food Duel, Senzaemon stepped forward and explained, "A Food Duel requires an odd number of judges to taste the dishes, to avoid a tie. After the judging is done, we can all eat together."
Hearing the explanation, Ultron and the other two nodded in understanding.
Actually, Fire Fist Ace, Whitebeard, and Tsunade were also eating here for the first time. However, after hearing Xiao Yan's words, they didn't bother to compete for the "first bite" opportunity; they would all get to eat eventually.
Han Yu was the first to bring out his dish, and he introduced it.
"This is a simple appetizer. It features a Dragonscale Python, a ninth-rank magical beast from the Land of Different Flames, paired with five-thousand-year-old Water Lingzhi. It enhances resistance to water-attribute damage. Please, everyone, enjoy."
Everyone turned their attention to the plates in front of Ultron and the others. The dish looked similar to a regular steak. The meat looked juicy. When the knife touched the meat, no force was needed; the weight of the knife alone was enough to cut through it. On the surface of the steak, there was a sauce that seemed like a garnish but shimmered with a faint golden light.
Those who cultivated with spiritual energy could sense that the shimmering sauce was extraordinary. Perhaps it was made with the five-thousand-year-old Water Lingzhi.
Once the dish was served, Ultron and the other two lost their eagerness, replaced by a sense of bewilderment. They didn't know how to eat it, afraid they'd ruin the dish with a wrong move.
Someone kindly reminded them, "Just eat it normally."
"Then... I won't be polite."
The first to give in was actually Ultron. The aroma of the meat had stimulated him to the point where, despite all his online analysis of food flavors, none had ever compared to this.
He placed his knife against the meat, and with the weight of the knife alone, a piece was cut off. He forked up the small piece and carefully chewed it.
At that moment, everyone saw the look of surprise and satisfaction on his face. It was a full minute before he recovered, exclaiming with delight:
"This dish, though it seems to be easily cut with a knife, offers a distinct chewiness when you bite down. If you don't chew, the meat melts into a warm stream of meat flavor, filling your mouth. The aroma lingers even after you swallow. It's amazing! There's no dish on Earth that can reach this level!"
With the first one starting, the second one naturally followed. Quicksilver and Wanda also picked up their knives and forks, their expressions mirroring the others, all clearly showing their approval of the dish and Han Yu's cooking skills.
This level of cuisine is already out of this world!
"As an appetizer, this is excellent. It doesn't fill the diners up, but rather stimulates their appetites, making them more curious about the dishes to come and giving them higher expectations. In a way, this is also putting pressure on the opponent."
Xiao Yan stroked his chin, his eyes filled with admiration. Just by looking, he could see the special qualities of this dish.
"It's just an appetizer, the real show is yet to come."
A voice filled with a strong sense of tsundere came from behind Han Yu. Erina walked up and placed her dish in front of Ultron and the others. Even though Ultron and the others had reacted strongly to Han Yu's dish, Erina didn't feel discouraged at all, and her queenly aura remained undiminished.
Opening the lid, the dish that met their eyes made everyone stunned.
That wasn't a dish, it was a work of art!
The food arranged on the plate was mainly red. The entire dish looked red at a glance, but no chili or other seasonings could be seen.
It looked similar to the dish Han Yu had served, also a meat cut. Every detail showed her superb technique. The visually impactful thick meat cut had exquisite embellishments.
It felt like a meticulously made-up hunk, creating a huge contrast.
"For my dish, I've selected the flesh of a certain magical beast. This beast leans towards the fire attribute. To complement its nature, I've specially chosen a Natural Lava Stone and a sauce made with Blazing Berries."
Erina's unwavering words and choice of ingredients, which were fire-attributed and the opposite of Han Yu's, made her challenge clear and undisguised. She wanted a direct head-to-head competition against Han Yu.
"This little girl has such spirit. Impressive," Tsunade said, looking at Erina with surprise. Erina appeared to be the youngest person in the shop, yet her cooking skills were not inferior to Han Yu's. Indeed, those who could dine at this shop couldn't be ordinary people. Everyone had achieved a high level of accomplishment in their respective fields.
Looking at the dish, which was considered "perfect," Han Yu was also quite surprised. From the initial resistance towards these otherworldly ingredients, to the current perfect application, Erina's growth was very obvious.
Xiao Yan said, "If she wins this time, it will be Erina's 16 losses and 1 win!"
"16 losses and 1 win?"
Hearing this result, those who were eating here for the first time, including Whitebeard, were all taken aback. In their opinion, if they were to judge Erina's dish, it would definitely be the most perfect. But hearing Xiao Yan's words, Erina, who could make a dish of this level, had never won?
Impossible!
The words of those around her didn't shake Erina's heart. She calmly brushed the hair from her cheek behind her ear, her eyes fixed on Han Yu in front of her.
That's right, she had indeed lost to Han Yu sixteen times. Ever since the first time her grandfather, Senzaemon, brought her here, she had never been able to win.
For the naturally arrogant Erina, this was the biggest blow. After all, her world was ruled by cooking. Erina was the cooking queen of the younger generation, and few could beat her.
That's why Han Yu's victory stimulated Erina, making her compete with him in a Food Duel every time she came. Each failure would ignite her competitive spirit, leading to a more fierce "attack" next time.
"Whether it's a win or a loss, it depends on their evaluation!"
Everyone looked at Ultron and the others. The latter didn't waste any time. They picked up their knives and forks, cut off a piece of the steak, and put it in their mouths.
At that moment, the moment the steak entered their mouths, the three of them stopped chewing, their eyes widening.
If Han Yu's cooking was like a sea, sometimes calm, sometimes surging, then Erina's dish was a direct, violent punch, delivering the most intense gustatory impact to Ultron and the others.
All three of them looked up, surprised that a seemingly tsundere girl like Erina could present such a beautiful dish yet deliver such a powerful taste sensation. The contrast was enormous.
They had initially thought it would be a very elegant, beautiful piece of music, but it turned out to be a wild rock concert.
Senzaemon said, "Alright, tasting complete, let's begin the judgment. Those who believe the other's dish is superior, push that person's plate forward!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the environment suddenly fell silent.
-----------------------
Completed English PDF of this fan-fic on my Patreon shop if you want to support and own the full fan-fic in one go. Just grab the PDF and binge the entire story from start to finish!
Guys, I've uploaded some High Quality english translated fanfic on my Patreon shop! Feel free to check it out-if you're interested, you can grab a copy and support me there.
Here are a few titles of recently uploaded fanfics:
" Marvel Rise of the Spider-Verse "
" Marvel: The Multiverse Wanderer "
" Marvel: Wrath of the Dark Superman "
"Marvel's Power Fusion "
" Marvel's Divine Game Producer "
" Marvel: System of the Cosmic Devourer "
" Marvel: Hyperion Journey "
"Marvel of the Genesis Transformation"
many more are available
Your support means a lot-thanks in advance, legends!
patreon.com/SuperTL
(End of Chapter)