Erina's God Tongue was satisfied to the utmost; she could clearly feel this unprecedented deliciousness.
"N-no way… this tofu's flavor—how can it be like this!"
It felt as if her very soul trembled, every cell in her body resonating.
She had thought the sixth note of "su" in Mirage Mapo Tofu was shock enough—but the tofu's innate flavor itself was so astounding it struck straight at the spirit!
A wave of pure joy and emotion swept through her, so intense she nearly wept.
Her God Tongue was utterly conquered; not a speck of critique remained—only boundless enjoyment and awe.
And Senzaemon—
Boom!
Everyone felt something erupt on-site, a presence far greater than before surging from him!
Not deliberate—this ultimate flavor had roused every last spark of energy within him.
Crack!
This time, the ties of his kimono didn't merely pop—they shattered in an instant!
The loose black robe, as if stripped away by an unseen force, slid completely from his body and fell to the floor!
This was the genuine… complete robe-burst.
Senzaemon's upper body—muscled and imposing despite his age—stood revealed.
Eyes closed, his face bore peerless shock and rapture, as though he had tasted the finest food in existence.
A deathly stillness fell over the hall.
All eyes fixed on Totsuki's Commander-in-Chief, bared above the waist like a gourmet arhat upon the judges' dais.
"Th-the robe… fully burst!"
Out in the outer aisle, the ever-cool Sixth Seat, Nene Kinokuni, showed rare surprise. "My first time seeing this. What level has that transfer student's cooking reached?"
Many understood what this scene meant.
It was a different world from Terunori's earlier, merely half-open robe. This was Totsuki's highest accolade—the flavor so powerful it stirred the taster's deepest gourmet energy into an involuntary eruption.
The pride and confidence on Terunori's face vanished in an instant, replaced by pallor and disbelief.
He stumbled back a step, lips trembling, voice lost.
"Im… impossible!"
He finally squeezed out the words, hoarse with shock and refusal. "A complete robe-burst—no way!"
He had believed making Senzaemon's robe open was the peak. But Shun…
This was no longer a question of "better flavor"—it was absolute difference in realm.
The gap in strength fully unfurled.
Senzaemon slowly opened his eyes, a keen light flashing within.
After a brief pause, his voice rang out like a bell: "Flawless! This is the true 'phantasmal'—heat, fragrance, color, scalding, numbness, su—the six notes brought into perfect harmony, then deepened with umami and grace! Mastery over ingredients to the point of the sublime, technique at its pinnacle! In ingredient quality, flavor layering, textural experience, and the final harmony—this surpasses the previous dish by far!"
His gaze swept past the shattered Terunori and came to rest on the serene Shun. Word by word, he pronounced: "The outcome of this Shokugeki needs no more discussion."
"The victor—Shun!"
There was no need for the other two judges to speak. Senzaemon declared the result outright.
The instant his words fell, the hall exploded into an unprecedented uproar.
Many had expected this, but hearing it delivered with such iron certainty from the Commander still struck like thunder. Some spectators didn't react at first, thinking they'd misheard.
"He… he won? The transfer student beat an Elite Ten!"
"My god—he really won!"
"A complete robe-burst… terrifying! What kind of flavor is that?!"
The Polar Star crowd soared from despair to joy in a heartbeat, shouting themselves hoarse.
"Awesome! Shun!" Miyoko Hojo nearly rushed the floor in her excitement.
"Beautifully done, Shun!" Yuki and Daigo jumped up, cheering.
"As expected… he did it." Satoshi smiled with genuine warmth—and a hint of meaning.
In this moment, applause and congratulations poured over Shun. A new Elite Ten had been born.
Yet within that storm of triumph, Shun remained unmoved, already planning ahead.
With a Ten Seat in hand… Father will acknowledge my skill now, right? And with Elite Ten privileges… maybe I won't have to stay at Totsuki all the time.
He wanted to return to the other gourmet world, to continue training at the Food Forest Temple.
There was no point staying at Totsuki; lingering here would only waste time.
Terunori stood stupefied for a long moment before his senses returned. Suddenly, he lunged toward the judges' table like a man possessed.
"How is this possible? My dish made your robe burst too! How can the gap be this huge? I don't believe it!"
Everyone could understand his feelings—especially the three judges, who knew well the chasm he now faced.
Shun had expected this. Calmly, he produced a small saucer he had prepared beforehand, holding a sample of his dish, and extended it to Terunori.
"Taste it. Then decide whether to believe."
"You—!"
Terunori bristled at Shun's composure, then snatched the saucer and shoveled a spoonful into his mouth.
The instant it landed on his tongue, he froze as if struck by lightning.
That flavor!
That texture—far beyond what he had imagined.
It pulverized his vaunted "ma-la deliciousness" and trampled his family's secret pride into dust.
An ultimate savor—a world apart.
Terunori's confidence, his pride—everything—collapsed in a crash.
The saucer fell from his hand and shattered on the floor.
He staggered back two steps, lifting his eyes to Shun, shock and a flood of emotions surging within them.
Thud.
Under everyone's stunned gaze, the Eighth Seat of the Elite Ten dropped to his knees—this time, a wholehearted prostration.
"I lost."
From the depths of Terunori's heart, he spoke the truth.
(End of Chapter)
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