"Delicious!"
As the spoon carried the dish into her mouth, Hisako Arato trembled, letting out a cry of enjoyment from deep within her throat. Her face was flushed, and her chest rose and fell noticeably with her breathing.
This was a dish served in a glass, covered with a generous amount of caviar, meticulously garnished with sauce and edible petals, with a base of shrimp stock jelly in the bottom layer.
After being covered with sweet shrimp and caviar, and accompanied by diced apple and onion, the overall flavor profile was very rich. One spoonful dug down, and the sweetness and crisp tenderness were eaten together.
Carefully savoring the deliciousness of the dish, although many comments had already surfaced in her mind, she just couldn't articulate them. The strong impact made her somewhat speechless.
In the end, she could only briefly and passionately utter the word "delicious" to express the joy in her heart.
"Next up is the next dish, Teriyaki Cod."
Watching Hisako Arato happily finish the dish in front of her, Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri cooperated perfectly, and a minute later, they brought out the second dish.
This was a pan-fried cod. The preparation method was simple: lightly dust it with flour, then pan-fry it until cooked, and finally pour a slightly sweet teriyaki sauce over it. The flavor profile wasn't complex, but it was simply delicious.
Complex dishes aren't necessarily the best. After countless cooking sessions, Hoshino Sora deeply understood this point, which is why he served this pan-fried cod in the set meal.
"The crispy exterior locks in the dish's form, while also forming a perfect resonance with the tender and juicy fish meat inside. It's truly a wonderful creation that makes one feel happy from the bottom of their heart."
"Not just this, there's another one."
As she spoke, Erina Nakiri brought the pre-stewed and tender wagyu beef to the dining table, paired with foie gras pan-fried in the same pot, and then accompanied by a well-adjusted red wine sauce. A concise stewed wagyu beef dish was completed.
"The stewed texture is amazing; a little force with a fork can easily separate it into strands. The foie gras is also perfectly cooked. The two combined directly burst forth with brilliant colors.
So delicious~ I'm going to heaven~"
Her face showed an expression of enjoyment, and even heart shapes appeared in her eyes. Should I say it's worthy of Hoshino Sora and Erina-sama's cooking?! It's just simple stewing, yet it can radiate such brilliance!
The perfectly stewed wagyu beef melted in her mouth, the aroma of the fat filling her oral cavity. A slight aftertaste brought a feeling of happiness blossoming from the bottom of her heart.
"This is just the beginning. Tonight, I will definitely make your stomach bulge! Are you ready?"
"Mm!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words and looking at Erina Nakiri standing behind him, Hisako Arato nodded heavily, her face filled with excitement.
"Can we join too?"
The kitchen was bustling with joy. Suddenly, the door was opened, and Yumeko Jabami's figure appeared outside. And besides her, Shiina Mahiru, Shiina Mashiro, and Mito Ikumi had all come.
Even Tadokoro Megumi and Alice Nakiri were there.
Even though they didn't live here, they rushed over late at night. Looking at Tadokoro and Alice, who smiled at him when they saw him look over, Hoshino Sora's heart was filled with warmth.
"Of course, then let's begin, Erina."
"Mm!"
— — — — — — — — — —
Days passed, and soon it was the third day, the night before the competition.
After tidying up the cooking station, arranging all ingredients neatly, washing dishes, sweeping the floor, and scrubbing pots, Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri returned to their room early to rest.
Because tomorrow was a two-person competition, to cultivate their chemistry, Erina Nakiri was still in Hoshino Sora's room. The two had been inseparable for three days.
However, today they weren't as wild as usual. They just lay on the bed, holding each other, bodies pressed together, feeling each other's warmth, their hearts incredibly peaceful.
"The competition is tomorrow, against Tsukasa-senpai and Kobayashi-senpai. I never thought we'd face them so soon."
Her words carried a hint of emotion. Erina Nakiri truly never imagined she would face the Elite Ten's first and second seats so early.
Speaking of which, ever since she met this man, everything around her had changed greatly, and her strength had improved by leaps and bounds like a rocket.
"What's wrong? Are you nervous?"
His voice was gentle with a hint of inquiry, and his hand gently stroked Erina Nakiri's small head. The soft hair felt wonderful, like stroking a little golden cat.
"Nervous, not really. I just feel that this day came much faster than I expected. I originally wanted to challenge Tsukasa-senpai when he was about to graduate."
"I see…"
Shaking her head, Erina Nakiri naturally wouldn't be nervous about such a thing; at most, she was just a little emotional.
"Then are you confident for tomorrow?"
Looking into Erina Nakiri's eyes, Hoshino Sora suddenly asked this question.
"Are you confident?"
Erina Nakiri countered.
"Aren't I the one asking you a question? Why are you asking me back? Of course I'm confident, this time we're going for the win."
"Since you're confident, then I naturally can't be disheartened. At this time, we need to be of one mind to win the competition. Haven't we been cooperating very well during this period?"
"Then let's work hard together."
Holding Erina Nakiri's hand, Hoshino Sora said very seriously.
"I know. Let's sleep."
Nodding gently, Erina Nakiri felt sleepy and closed her eyes.
"Good night."
After kissing Erina Nakiri's forehead, Hoshino Sora also closed his eyes, and soon the room returned to silence.
Only faint breathing could be heard.
——————
On the day of the competition.
Tsukiten Space was packed with people; discussions, conversations, sounds of sitting and standing, and the cracking of melon seeds came from all directions.
Due to the previous commotion, dozens of additional security guards were present to maintain order. Once everything was settled, Kawashima Rei picked up the microphone and tested the sound.
"Hello, hello~"
"Good evening, everyone. In this..."
Kawashima Rei began her opening remarks in a clear voice, a long string of formal phrases that made the audience drowsy. It wasn't until 8 PM that the four contestants appeared from the aisleon both sides, and the atmosphere in the venue finally heated up again.
"First to appear are the first-year students, the strongest newcomers, Hoshino Sora, and the Queen of Cuisine, Erina Nakiri!"
Kawashima Rei held the microphone, her voice filled with excitement.
"Hoshino! Hoshino! Soar to the sky!"
"Hoshino-sama, I want to have your baby!"
"Hoshino..."
"Erina-sama! Ah! She looked at me!"
"Get lost, she's looking at me!"
"Erina-sama! We love you~"
Seeing Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri appear first, the atmosphere was enthusiastic, with continuous cheers.
"Your fans' slogan is so lame."
Hearing the cheer 'Hoshino, Hoshino, soar to the sky,' Erina Nakiri couldn't help but chuckle, then patted Hoshino Sora's shoulder and mocked him.
"Yours isn't much better, is it?"
Hoshino Sora couldn't help but roll his eyes at Erina. He wondered which genius came up with that recommendation, and it even got approval from a bunch of people. Speechless.
"Next to appear are the third-year soon-to-be graduates, and also the former first and second seats of the Elite Ten, Senior Eishi Tsukasa, known as the White Knight of the Dining Table, and Senior Kobayashi Rindo, known as the Master of Rare Ingredients!"
After Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri appeared, Eishi Tsukasa and Kobayashi Rindo followed onto the stage. The venue erupted in another round of cheers. Eishi Tsukasa showed no expression, while Kobayashi Rindo waved at the audience with a joyful face.
In addition, five judges also appeared from backstage and took their seats at the judging table. At this point, all personnel were ready, just waiting for the full moon to appear to start the competition.
As the skylight at the top of Tsukiten Space opened, the starry sky appeared before everyone's eyes, and all contestants were in position, just waiting for Azami Nakiri to announce the start of the competition.
Azami Nakiri didn't keep people in suspense. Seeing everything ready, he snatched the microphone from Kawashima Rei: "Then, let the competition begin!"
On the competition stage, as Azami Nakiri announced the start of the competition, Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri moved almost simultaneously. After discussion, he was responsible for the appetizer and dessert in this competition, and during this process, he also had to assist Erina in completing the main course.
"So, are the legendary cooking utensils really in Neon? We've been searching for a week, but we haven't even seen a single hair. Even the fluctuations from the legendary cooking utensils have disappeared."
"Who knows? All clues about the cooking utensils were lost after we got here, and the compass didn't react at all. The previous signs seemed fake."
"Who cares? The people from the Dark Cuisine World are still here. As long as they don't get the legendary cooking utensils, it doesn't matter who does."
In the audience, among the Chinese chef delegation, Cao Jun's face was filled with exasperation. Hearing his words, several people sitting nearby chimed in, only Fu Bo remained silent.
They had been here for over a week, originally planning to find the legendary cooking utensils and return. At most, they expected one competition with the Dark Cuisine World, but after all that effort, they hadn't found anything.
If the people from the Dark Cuisine World hadn't also stayed, they would have suspected that the legendary cooking utensils had been stolen by them. Of course, it was also possible that they were playing hard to get.
They came to watch the competition today because they truly had no other clues.
It is said that cooking utensils choose their master. They also wanted to see if the legendary cooking utensils had already been subdued by someone. And if the cooking utensils were subdued by a genius, then these four people on stage became the biggest suspects!
Clearly, the people from the Dark Cuisine World thought the same. They had been waiting in the VIP seats prepared by Azami Nakiri since early morning, their eyes fixed on the few people on stage.
Who? Who exactly took the legendary cooking utensils?
The disappearance of the aura wouldn't happen for no reason, and even the compass became completely still.
This situation either meant the cooking utensils had chosen their master, or they had been secretly stolen and sent far away. Compared to the second scenario, they were more willing to believe the first.
The cooking utensils chose their master.
If the cooking utensils were obtained by one of the two factions, to avoid further complications, they would retreat as quickly as possible and would absolutely not remain here.
Thinking of this, the people from the Dark Cuisine World became even more convinced of the fact that the cooking utensils had chosen their master.
And since the cooking utensils weren't taken by the Chinese chef delegation and had vanished, their whereabouts became obvious.
Neon geniuses.
One must know that for a cooking utensil to choose its master, it must first undergo an incredibly difficult cooking utensil test, because legendary cooking utensils would never recognize a mediocre person as their master. This is a universally acknowledged fact.
On stage, Hoshino Sora naturally couldn't know that he was being targeted by multiple factions, but he slyly did not use the legendary cooking utensils in front of everyone.
After all, such a place was crowded and had too many eyes. If the news of him possessing legendary cooking utensils got out, it would inevitably have a negative impact on the people around him.
Although with his current strength, he was not afraid of these influences.
But how does that old saying go? It's not the thief you fear, but the thief's constant Remember. Rather than taking an unknown risk, it's better to act as if you know nothing.
Time flowed, and the competition stage saw constant changes. A faint tension permeated the air.
The audience watched intently, and soon, the first pair of contestants to complete their dishes appeared.
By this time, the moon had reached halfway across the sky, and half the time had passed.
Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri exchanged glances, realizing they had to slow their pace, trying to wait for Eishi Tsukasa and his partner to finish presenting their dishes before serving their own.
Unlike solo competitions, multi-person competitions cannot have sudden interruptions during an opponent's presentation of a set meal. That would cause the flavor rhythm created by both sides' dishes to collapse.
"The taste is amazing!"
"It's gone!"
As Eishi Tsukasa and his partner brought out their appetizer, the judges immediately let out incomprehensible shouts after tasting it, their faces showing the delicate, charming expressions unique to young girls.
The appetizer was smoked salmon, and its rich smoky aroma served as an excellent appetizer.
The main course was Wellington steak, divided into two layers: the upper layer was raw beef with horsehair sea urchin and caviar, and the lower layer was a perfectly shaped Wellington steak made with high-grade Wagyu beef.
A very traditional Western meal pairing. Compared to innovation, Eishi Tsukasa and Kobayashi Rindo chose a more conservative approach: the Wellington steak set, a classic Western meal template summarized by countless predecessors!
"Tender and juicy M9 Wagyu beef with foie gras and mushroom sauce, served with black truffle butter and sauce. A very traditional Wellington steak preparation, but it's rare to make it this delicious."
Greedily licking the fork they had used, from the smoked salmon appetizer to the Wellington steak, these were all traditional Western meal routines. But, if a routine is done well, it's a trump card!
"Ah! The feeling of high-grade ingredients layering in the mouth is wonderful! The complex flavors cannot be a bit more or a bit less, only like this can it achieve perfection!"
Kuraji's thumb gently slid below her lips, her face filled with infatuation. Classics are called classics for a reason, they must have their outstanding qualities, and Wellington steak is one such thing.
A dish that has been passed down for hundreds of years, enduring and timeless, blossomed with a unique brilliance in the hands of this White Knight. Being able to taste a dish of such perfection made this trip worthwhile!
Because every component used the highest quality ingredients, coupled with the chef's superb culinary skills, this Wellington steak reached a new height!
So, how will Hoshino Sora break through?
-------------------------------
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