Food Wars!: Delicious Food of the Heavens

Isshiki Satoshi introduced the members of the Polar Star Dormitory to Lin Yu and Yukihira Soma one by one.

"This is Ryoko Sakaki, who specializes in koji (rice broth) dishes."

"This is Yoshino Yuuki, who is skilled at cooking wild game. She is the 'happy baby' of our Polar Star Dormitory."

"That man wearing glasses is Zenji Marui. He has extensive knowledge of classical culinary texts."

"This is Shun Ibuzaki, who specializes in smoked dishes."

"And there's Daigo Aoki and Shoji Sato. Don't let their fierce appearance fool you; they're actually very easy to get along with."

"My name is Isshiki Satoshi, and I'm a second-year student. You can just call me [Isshiki-senpai]."

Isshiki Satoshi looked around.

"By the way, where's Xiaohui? I just saw her."

"Xiaohui, come here! The most important thing today is welcoming our new classmates. Why are you all huddled in the corner reading by yourself?"

Yoshino Yuuki pulled a delicate-looking girl out from the corner, who was holding a book in her arms.

"I...I need to review what I learned in class today, and I also need to preview tomorrow's lessons."

"It won't make a difference if it takes a little more time, let's go!"

Yoshino Yuki pulled Tadokoro Megumi in front of everyone.

"Lin Yu, Yukihira, let me introduce you. This is Megumi Tadokoro, she's the jewel of our Polaris Dormitory!"

"Huh?!"

Megumi Tadokoro waved her hand in a flustered manner, "I don't deserve such a title."

We were all young people, so after introducing ourselves, we easily found common ground to chat with.

"Yukihira-kun, Hayashi-kun, by the way, what's the transfer student exam like? Is it difficult? How many people participate?" Yoshino Yuuki asked with a face full of curiosity.

Soma Yukihira replied, "The exam content is quite simple; it's just egg dishes."

"There were originally a lot of participants, dozens of people."

"But for some reason, as soon as the examiner appeared, they all ran away."

"They ran away?"

Everyone was somewhat surprised, and Yoshino Yuuki expressed strong incomprehension.

"Since you've already come to take the exam, why run away? It's just an egg dish, it's not that hard to make, is it?"

"How would I know?"

Soma Yukihira said in a malicious tone, "Maybe they were all scared away by that examiner's unreasonable behavior!"

"Is that exaggerated?"

"Of course!"

At this point, Soma Yukihira's face showed an angry expression.

"Let me tell you, that guy is awful!"

"When they tasted my food, they clearly looked like they were enjoying it, but then they insisted it was awful. I tried it myself later, and it was actually delicious, even an exceptionally good dish."

"That's outrageous!"

Soma Yukihira rubbed his nose. "But thankfully, I passed the test in the end, hehe!"

"What about Lin Yu? Was he also criticized for eating badly?"

No, not at all.

Soma Yukihira explained for Lin Yu, "This guy's cooking skills are even better than mine. Just standing next to him and smelling the aroma of the food makes my mouth water."

Even the most unreasonable examiner didn't say anything bad about it after eating it.

Everyone felt indignant on Yukihira Soma's behalf, saying, "Who was that examiner? He was so unprofessional and didn't deserve to be an examiner at all."

"I remember the examiner's name was... Lin Yu, what was his name again?"

Lin Yu rolled his eyes at him. "Nakiri Erina."

"Erina Nakiri!"

A gasp erupted from the room.

Soma Yukihira looked puzzled. "What's wrong with this name? Why is everyone reacting so strongly?"

"Yukihira-kun, don't you know? That's the legendary God Tongue!"

Honest Soma Yukihira shook his head, revealing a clear expression that had never been tainted by knowledge.

"God's Tongue? What's that? Is it very powerful?"

Ryoko Sakaki sighed, "Yukihira-kun, you really didn't know anything before coming to Totsuki."

"Marui, come here and explain."

Marui Zenji retorted angrily, "Don't talk to me like that, as if it's your right!"

"Well, you're the most knowledgeable one, so consider it helping out the newbie."

"Fine, I just can't do anything with you guys."

Marui Zenji pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"The God Tongue, that is, Erina Nakiri."

"She is the granddaughter of the academy's headmaster, the top student in the junior high school, and the tenth seat of the Elite Ten."

"It is said that she showed extraordinary taste from a young age, and even the slightest difference between different ingredients could not escape her tongue. She was a VIP at major restaurants, and the most famous chefs in the culinary world were all her regular customers."

"Now I understand why all the transfer students who took the entrance exam ran away."

Why?

"Can't you understand?"

"Of course, it's because once you're labeled a loser by that 'God Tongue,' you'll never be able to survive in the culinary world again."

Soma Yukihira exclaimed in surprise, "Is it that amazing?"

"Of course! Only someone as ignorant and fearless as you, Yukihira-kun, would be so."

Soma Yukihira raised his hand. "Excuse me, Marui-kun, I have another question. Could you answer it for me as well?"

"Go ahead and ask?"

"The Ten Heroes... what are they?"

The atmosphere in the room fell silent for a second.

Seeing the gazes directed at him, Soma Yukihira realized that he had probably asked another really stupid question.

"The Elite Ten of Totsuki Academy, officially known as the Elite Ten Council, is a committee composed of the ten most outstanding students in the academy."

"Many matters at Totsuki Academy are handled autonomously by the students. To put it simply, the Elite Ten Council makes decisions after joint discussions, making it arguably the highest authority at Totsuki Academy."

"The decisions made by the Council of Ten Heroes are equivalent to the will of Totsuki Academy, and even the academy's lecturers cannot object to them."

"The examiner you met today, Erina Nakiri, is one of the Ten Masters."

"Yukihira-kun, you are very lucky. If Erina Nakiri had initiated the Elite Ten Council to make a decision today, then no matter how good your cooking skills are, you definitely wouldn't have been accepted by Totsuki Culinary Academy."

Soma Yukihira scratched his head awkwardly. "Oh, I see. Well, it seems we were pretty lucky to get through today, hahaha."

"Alright everyone!"

Isshiki Satoshi stood in the center of the crowd.

"The fact that Yukihira-kun and Hayashi-kun were able to pass the assessment conducted by Nakiri-kun and also pass Aunt Fumio's cooking test on the first try is enough to prove that they are both very excellent chefs."

"From now on, let's get along well, study hard together, and make progress together, okay everyone!"

"OK!"

"Ah! This atmosphere is amazing!"

Isshiki Satoshi opened his arms wide, his face full of emotion.

"A group of like-minded young people live under the same roof, eat from the same pot, and even strive and sweat for the same dream."

"This is what student life is all about! That's why I chose to live in a dormitory – to experience this kind of youthful energy."

"Enough with the chit-chat! Now, let's celebrate!"

"Long live!"

The crowd erupted in shouts that nearly ripped the ceiling off.

"Ryoko, hurry up and bring out the sake you brewed. I'm going to drink my fill tonight."

"I've said it so many times, that's not wine. The correct term should be fermented rice juice."

"Whatever, anything that makes you happy is a good thing, cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Ibuzaki Shun, hurry up and get out your smoked jerky to go with your drinks, the more the better!"

"Cheers! Hahaha!"

The atmosphere quickly became lively, and even Marui Zenji, who was initially reluctant, joined in after drinking too much.

"Haha! Rice fermented fruit juice, it's so delicious!"

"Haha! I'm so happy, give me another one! Cheers!"

After saying that, he even started singing and dancing happily.

At some point, Isshiki Satoshi also put on that apron that was too much to look at, and danced and sang with Marui Zenji. Their comical movements drew laughter from the onlookers.

"What a bunch of weirdos!"

Lin Yu drank a glass of the so-called rice fermented juice and thought to himself.

......

Downstairs, Oomido Fumio listened to the commotion coming from upstairs and gave a helpless smile.

"Oh well, they're new students after all. Let them have their fun tonight."

After saying that, she turned her gaze to the table beside her, where two empty plates were placed, the remaining sauce indicating their identity.

Taking a sip of wine with his head tilted back, looking at the moonlight streaming in through the window, Fumio Ōmida couldn't help but sigh.

"What a pair of remarkable little devils!"

"The golden age of Polaris Dormitory is over; it seems a new era is about to begin!"

......

The party went on until midnight, and most people were drunk and fell asleep on the floor.

Only Isshiki Satoshi, Lin Yu, and Yukihira Soma remained, chatting casually.

"I see. I didn't expect Lin Yujun to have traveled to so many countries at such a young age. It's truly admirable."

Soma Yukihira listened with great interest, like a curious child, occasionally asking all sorts of strange questions.

"Lin Yu, do the Inuit people in the Arctic Circle really eat raw seal meat frozen into ice blocks all year round? Why don't they try grilling it?"

"The Inuit eat raw meat to obtain vitamins that are difficult to obtain in the extremely cold environment of the Arctic Circle. This is more of a necessity for survival than a pursuit of a better diet."

"Do Indians really only eat with their hands? But I heard they also use their hands to go to the toilet without paper. Isn't that unhygienic?"

"Indians use two different hands for eating and for using the toilet."

"What if someone accidentally gets them mixed up?"

"That's alright. How should I put it? The gut microbiota of Indians is so powerful that it's unimaginable for people from other countries."

"Is the 'Thousand Insect Feast' you just mentioned from Yunnan, China, true?"

"In fact, insects are a food ingredient in many countries and regions. As long as the chef cooks them properly, many varieties of insects can be turned into delicious dishes. They are not only crunchy but also high in protein."

The conversation began with Soma Yukihira talking about his family's small restaurant and recounting stories of his neighbors in the shopping district and regular customers.

Later, encouraged by Isshiki Satoshi and Yukihira Soma, and after drinking some alcohol and getting a little excited, Lin Yu simply told them some of his past life's stories.

Finally, unable to contain himself, he talked more and more until late at night.

......

"We drank so much tonight, and after chatting for so long, we're feeling a bit hungry. How about I make everyone some late-night snacks?" Isshiki Satoshi suddenly suggested.

Lin Qi looked at Isshiki Satoshi and advised, "Isshiki-senpai, it's already so late, there's no need to trouble yourself."

Isshiki Satoshi shook his head firmly.

"Yes, Lin Yujun told us so many stories. I would feel guilty if I let you go to bed hungry tonight."

"Besides, demonstrating your skills to a lovely junior is also a way for a senior to show reliability!"

With that, Isshiki Satoshi stood up and went into the small kitchenette that came with the room.

Before long, Isshiki Satoshi brought out three small plates and placed them in front of Lin Yu, Yukihira Soma, and Ibuzaki Shun, who was sitting in the corner.

Soma Yukihira exclaimed, "Ibuzaki Shun! You weren't asleep?"

"No."

Ibuzaki Shun raised his glass and drank the last drop of alcohol in one gulp.

"I've been listening to your stories the whole time, and they've been quite interesting."

Satoshi Isshiki spoke up, "Alright, let's try your senior's cooking."

"Roasted mackerel with Sichuan peppercorns and shredded cabbage."

Lin Yu picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks, covered it with silky green vegetable puree, and put it in her mouth.

The moment it enters your mouth, the mackerel, slowly roasted over a low flame, reveals its tenderness and juiciness.

It has a tender texture, a delicate umami flavor, and a hint of Sichuan peppercorn aroma in the finish.

Paired with a vegetable puree made from cabbage, a symbol of spring, the smooth and sweet texture is a perfect match for the mackerel.

The two flavors blend together in the mouth, and the delicate and refined taste is like a refreshing spring breeze blowing in your face, making you feel relaxed and happy.

"We made full use of two different Chinese New Year ingredients, allowing them to complement each other and enhance each other's flavor."

Lin Yu looked at Isshiki Satoshi and praised her generously.

"To be able to make such a delicate dish in such a short time, Isshiki-senpai, you are amazing."

"I'm really happy to receive praise from Lin Yujun."

Isshiki Satoshi spoke sincerely, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

Suddenly, he changed the subject.

"By the way, Lin Yu-jun, I heard from Yukihira-kun that your dish received the approval of that [God Tongue] during today's transfer student entrance exam."

As soon as he finished speaking, Isshiki Satoshi's aura suddenly changed, and a strong sense of oppression came over him.

"When I heard this, my heart started to itch with a little cat named [curiosity], and it made me so uncomfortable!"

"Especially after listening to so many stories you told me, the curious little cat inside me is getting more and more agitated."

"Lin Yujun, as a lovely junior, you surely wouldn't want me to be so upset, right?"

The oppressive aura emanating from Isshiki Satoshi's eyes grew stronger, even exuding a dangerous aura.

"Then, could you satisfy your curiosity and tell me the story presented on this plate?"

Wow! A culinary showdown!

Soma Yukihira excitedly urged from the side, "Lin Yu! Say yes! Say yes!"

"don't want."

Lin Yu refused very decisively.

"Eh?"

Satoshi Isshiki and Soma Yukihira both exclaimed in surprise.

Why?

Lin Yu sighed and uttered:

"I'm very tired today, let's do it another day."

Isshiki Satoshi was immediately a little disappointed. "Well, that's a real shame..."

"Isshiki-senpai, don't be disappointed!"

Soma Yukihira suddenly jumped up, his face filled with indescribable excitement.

"He can't, but I can!"

"Oh? Yukihira-kun is that eager to fight?"

"Of course! After tasting your cooking, I'm bursting with fighting spirit! I have inexhaustible energy!"

Yukihira untied the scarf wrapped around his arm and tied it around his forehead.

"I will use the popular menu from Yukihira Restaurant, combined with the emotions I felt from my senior's cooking, and use mackerel to create a dish that, like his, expresses the feeling of spring!"