Terunori's dish was unveiled before everyone's eyes. As the lid lifted, a surge of fierce, domineering aroma billowed out from the judges' table and swept across the hall.
"Waaah!"
The front rows actually leaned back on instinct, gasping as that sudden wave of fragrance crashed into them.
That smell made many people swallow without thinking.
"Th-This scent is way too strong! Just sniffing it makes my tongue tingle!"
"It's like the whole air turned spicy—yet it smells amazing!"
Catching that aroma and seeing the Mapo Tofu before them, the three judges grew solemn, bodies tilting slightly forward.
Lloyd-sensei raised his spoon, marveling, "The aroma alone radiates a 'kingly' intimidation and a will to conquer!"
Senzaemon and Erina didn't speak, but their eyes stayed locked on the dish, scrutinizing every detail.
"Hm…"
Senzaemon murmured once, then said, "Begin the judging."
Only after he spoke did the other two dare to taste—such is the intimidation of Totsuki's Commander-in-Chief.
One by one, the judges scooped a spoonful. The bright-red glaze pulled out an enticing strand as it trembled, the tofu wobbling, the "mince" glistening with toasty fragrance, and all of it went into their mouths.
In that instant—
"Mm!" Lloyd-sensei's eyes flew wide, as if struck by an invisible force. Beads of sweat burst across his forehead; his cheeks flushed, visibly reddening.
Spicy!
Delicious.
Spicy!
Exquisite!
"An overbearing deliciousness!"
Lloyd gasped, "This ma-la impact—like a volcanic eruption! The numbing from Sichuan pepper runs across the tongue like concentrated currents, while the chili's heat rolls over every tastebud like the fiercest flames! And yet…it's miraculously held right at the threshold that never turns painful! The precision of that control—astonishing!"
He hissed small breaths as he spoke.
Brutal heat—but wonderfully tasty.
Unable to stop himself, he scooped another bite, then another, as if enchanted, compelled to keep eating.
After Erina tasted it, her slender body gave a faint shiver, a rosy flush blooming over her porcelain cheeks.
Her "God Tongue" analyzed the layers with unprecedented speed and accuracy.
"The spice is remarkably pure, carrying the deep fermented savor of doubanjiang. The numbing is intense yet threaded with the elegant aroma unique to premium huajiao—no unpleasant bitterness at all. And this meat…"
Erina paused, deliberately lifting a little "mince" to inspect it. "It's unlike other meats—it has a distinctive 'crisp' crumble to it and a faint legume fragrance. My God Tongue tells me this isn't real meat at all—it's soy-based 'mock mince'!"
She set her gaze on Terunori, who wore an air of inscrutable composure.
Terunori let himself grin, then explained, "As expected of Erina-sama and her God Tongue—spot on! This is precisely what sets 'Phantasmal Mapo Tofu' apart from the ordinary—the most essential, most mysterious 'sixth note': su—that crisp crumble!"
He lifted his chin slightly, sweeping the hall, and raised his voice. "Typical Mapo Tofu uses pork or beef mince. It's fragrant, yes—but it cannot produce this extreme crisp-crumble texture, and it tends to toughen and dry out with repeated simmering."
"What I use is the result of countless trials: select, plump soybeans—soaked, steamed, pressed, seasoned, and put through a painstaking process—to finally obtain 'soy-based imitation mince'!"
In the stands, some students familiar with Mapo Tofu suddenly understood.
"So that's it."
Zenji—the self-styled "Professor of Flavor," a voracious reader—explained to the Polar Star crowd, "Traditional Mapo Tofu is a 'five-note unity': heat, fragrance, color, su (crisp-crumble), and numbness. Terunori's 'Phantasmal Mapo Tofu' adds an extra note—this soybean mince's su!"
"Six-note Mapo Tofu… how did they even come up with that? Does that mean Shun's Mapo Tofu also uses soy mince?" Ryōko glanced toward the arena.
Down by the judges' table—
Terunori continued his explanation.
"It doesn't just mimic meatiness and mouthfeel—more importantly, during cooking it forms a level of crisp-crumble regular meats can't reach! It also absorbs the sauce more completely, while its faint bean aroma weaves seamlessly into the whole, creating deeper layers of flavor! That is the true essence of the word 'phantasmal'!"
He wasn't afraid that others now knew the "secret." Knowing it didn't mean they could do it.
When he finished, the audience erupted again.
"So it is meat made from soy!"
"No wonder it's called 'phantasmal'—that's magical!"
"Terunori-senpai is incredible, to have developed a formula like this!"
Terunori basked in the reactions, satisfied, then added, "This is a proprietary formula I perfected with endless effort, reconstructed from ancient notes and improved through iteration! There is no way outsiders could learn it!"
He shot a meaningful glance at Shun.
At that moment, Senzaemon spoke again, and his words drove the atmosphere to its peak.
"The tofu itself is of exceptional quality—rare even for me to taste. Despite such a domineering profile, the tofu's own fragrance remains crystalline. Each flavor shows a sharp edge, yet all are reined in by mighty control, fused into a single 'ferocious' symphony. Without doubt, this is a perfect dish that pushes 'the aesthetics of violence' to their utmost."
As he finished, the ties of his kimono popped—one after another!
The loose black robe slid down his mountain-hewn arms and chest, the front falling open to reveal a body that, though aged, remained robust and powerful.
"His robe burst open! Th-The Commander's robe burst open!"
"Incredible! As expected of Terunori-senpai!"
"That kind of seal of approval… it's the highest honor!"
"We've won this! This is totally in the bag!"
Voices surged again in waves from the crowd.
(End of Chapter)
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