The strongest anime shop owner

"I'll just drag him out—I really can't do anything with him. Honestly, Ibuzaki seems cool on the surface, but he's actually quite childish." At this moment, Yoshino Yuuki stood up, put her hands on her hips, sighed, and said, looking like she was completely helpless with Ibuzaki.

"The official knockout stage will begin in two weeks... This is a battle to determine the strongest first-year student besides Erina Nakiri!" Isshiki thought to himself as he walked in carrying the dishes and watched them discussing this matter.

"You have to do your best, brother," Isami Aldini said to Takumi Aldini. Although Isami Aldini was somewhat disappointed that he wasn't selected, he still cheered for his brother. He usually seemed to be undermining Takumi Aldini and not giving him any face, but in fact, the two had a very good relationship.

"Of course... I will definitely win." Takumi Aldini readily accepted Isami Aldini's words of encouragement. It wasn't that he didn't value it; it was simply a friendly gesture between the two brothers. However, he then added with great enthusiasm.

However, after saying that, Takumi Aldini seemed to remember something, and looked at Soma with a fierce gaze, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit, and said fervently, "Listen up, Soma! If you dare to lose before you face me, I won't forgive you!"

“Oh…that suits me perfectly. Bring it on!” Since the other party had said so, he had to give them face. However, compared to Takumi Aldini’s fiery attitude, Soma still appeared quite casual.

Then Soma went out, and Tadokoro seemed to have seen something and followed him out.

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Chapter 183 My Oni-san is not picky about food or cold drinks

"What are those two talking about...?" Mito Ikumi watched from the sidelines as Tadokoro and Soma chatted and laughed on the balcony, seemingly oblivious to what they were saying. But as she uttered these words, a sudden thought struck her: "...Why am I hiding in the shadows...?"

"Hey, Soma's wife, what are you looking at? You're not checking if Soma's cheating, are you?" Just as Mito Ikumi was engrossed in watching, she clearly hadn't expected Su Luo and the others to have arrived beside her. She must have been too focused. At that moment, Su Luo spoke to Mito Ikumi.

"Whoa!!? When did you guys appear?" The sudden voice startled Mito Ikumi. Turning around, she saw Su Luo, Yoshino Yuuki, and Sakaki Ryoko had somehow appeared beside her. However, after uttering this subconscious question, she seemed to remember what Su Luo had said, and her face flushed red. She roared at Su Luo, "Who...who is Soma's wife? And besides, I just happened to be passing by. I didn't see Soma cheating or anything like that."

"Don't be so nervous. Actually, you have a pretty good chance." When Su Luo said this, Mito Ikumi clearly showed a hint of joy, but what she said next left her unsure of what expression to make. At this point, Su Luo held up her fingers and said one by one, "Let me see. Besides you, there seems to be Kurase Mayumi, Tadokoro Megumi, and, well, Nakiri should count too, and finally, Takumi Aldini. Hmm, that's all."

“By the way, Su Luo-kun, isn’t Takumi Aldini supposed to be a man?” At this moment, Ryoko Sakaki put a finger to her lips and said thoughtfully.

"Huh, really?" After hearing Ryoko Sakaki's words, Su Luo tilted her head and said in a very cute and innocent way, but then she explained in a serious tone, "What kind of relationship is this? My brother-in-law is not picky about sex, he just likes it when others take the initiative, umm, that's right, that's how it is."

But seriously, Su Luo-jun, is it really okay for you to badmouth your own brother behind his back like that? Be careful you don't get caught and chopped up and fed to the dogs.

"Is it really...like that?" Upon hearing this, Mito Ikumi was clearly tempted, but she had never dared to say it. She was truly a conflicted young woman.

"Of course, he's my Onii-chan." Su Luo patted her chest and stomach, saying with great certainty.

However, at that moment, several lecherous eyes were fixed on Mito Ikumi. Realizing the situation was dire, Mito Ikumi immediately spoke up, but her stammering words, actions, and expression were anything but convincing: "You...why are you all looking at me like that? I...I don't like Soshin-kun..."

"Hmm...we know you don't like Soshin-kun." The group didn't care about Mito Ikumi's words at all, but their eyes and words felt so evil. Also, Sakaki Ryoko and Yoshino Yuuki patted Mito Ikumi's shoulder as if they knew very well, and then walked into the room.

"Really... as long as I take the initiative, it'll be fine... But... in that case..." After Su Luo and the others left, Mito Yumi paused, her face flushed. Listening to Su Luo's previous words, she immediately started to have her own thoughts, and no one knew what she was thinking.

"Huh?" Tadokoro asked, holding the teacup in both hands.

···

"Isshiki-senpai, are you going out tomorrow?" Soma asked while eating his food.

"Yes... I have to go to the next town. Actually, I started a small business using the vegetables I harvested from Polaris Vegetable Garden. Also, a client needs to discuss something with me, so I'm going there." Isshiki explained in this way, listening to Tadokoro's doubts and Soma's questions.

"Oh - so you're doing business with the vegetables in your garden, senior." Iroha was clearly a little surprised by this answer, but thinking about it, it made sense. Although this vegetable garden couldn't compare to those of professional growers, it was still a considerable amount. If it were just for personal use, there would be no way they could eat it all.

"If you have time, would you like to come along, Soshin-kun? It would be easier for me if there were more people." After explaining, Isshiki said again. Although the vegetable garden wasn't very big, it wasn't small either. If one person were to do it all, it would be quite strenuous, especially since it was about growing high-quality vegetables. No wonder Isshiki said before that he put all his work into the vegetable garden.

“Great! That sounds interesting. I’d like to go with you, senpai.” Soma said without hesitation after Isshiki extended the invitation.

"Of course, Tadokoro and Suro can come too." As she said this, Isshiki looked at Suro and Tadokoro and extended her invitation. As for the others, they all had their own things to do. For example, Yoshino Yuuki had to take care of her chickens and a group of animals and didn't have any time. The others were in similar situations. In the meantime, only Suro, Soma and Tadokoro had this free time.

"Um... okay! I'd like to go take a look." Tadokoro usually participates in these kinds of things, after all, she's a country bumpkin, and it's a good way to pass the time, so why not?

"As for me... well, forget it. Look at my skinny arms and legs, I really can't take any more strain. Besides, I'm not short of money. But it's a different story for those who have no income and whose allowance has been forgotten by someone. I'm really lucky to be alive now, it's like I've struck gold." As she said this, Su Luo gestured to show off her thin arms and legs. When she got to the last part, she glanced at Soma intentionally or unintentionally, the meaning of which was self-evident.

"What do you mean by 'luckily survived'? And what do you mean by 'you're called Onii-san'? And finally, you're stronger than us, stop pretending." Hearing Su Luo's words and that unspoken look, if Soma still couldn't understand that she was talking about him, he would truly be an idiot. After hearing this, Soma's expression changed completely, and he complained in a grumbling manner, even directly exposing Su Luo's pretense. After all, Su Luo did indeed look small and thin, but her physical strength was astonishing, as had already been revealed during that training session.

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Chapter 184 On the Eve of the Second Round

Many people were surprised to see Soma's expression. After all, since Soma entered the academy, he had always been nonchalant about everything, which obviously overturned their impression of him.

"Que'er, I don't want to call a man who's lost 600 games 'Onii-san'. Besides, only little lolis can call someone 'Onii-san' with any feeling. What kind of nonsense is it for me to call him that?" Su Luo didn't care about Soma's expression and said without giving him any face.

"Don't call me the man who lost 600 games. I only lost 490. Also, it only feels right when a little girl calls me 'Onii-san.' What kind of setting is that?" Hearing Su Luo's indifferent words, Chuangzhen was practically going crazy. Perhaps he would only show such an expression and say such things when facing his younger brother.

"Gentlemen - the second round has begun!" Just then, Yoshino Yuuki's voice came from the doorway. Yoshino Yuuki was seen dragging Ibuzaki Shun in by the back of his collar, as if she were dragging a sack.

"Okay - to liven things up... I'll make something for everyone to eat!" As he said this, Soma stopped worrying about these things. After hearing what Yoshino Yuuki said, his eyes lit up, radiating a strange light and a smile.

"Never mind, never mind, Soma-kun, you're the star of the banquet, so just sit down." Upon hearing Soma's words, Ryoko Sakaki and Yuuki Yoshino's expressions changed drastically. Yuuki Yoshino immediately waved her hand and said, because Soma's eyes were the kind that indicated he was going to challenge the strange ingredients. Just thinking about the dishes he would make was still fresh in her memory.

"Wow... Mrs. Sato is really generous!" Sato Shoji took the dishes that were served and looked at the super high-end meat on the plate. Just looking at it made his mouth water.

"I won't be polite-" After Sato Shoji took it, Aoki Daigo, who was standing to the side, was also eager to try it. He quickly picked up the soy sauce bottle, wanting to add soy sauce to the dish.

"Stop right there!" Just as Aoki Daigo was about to add the soy sauce, Mito Ikumi's voice rang out. She was clearly very dissatisfied with Aoki Daigo's actions, and her face was almost bulging with veins as she said, "If that Wagyu beef is served with any soy sauce, its delicate flavor will be lost!"

"You bastard, do you look down on meat... Say something?" As a meat expert, she would never allow anyone to waste such a high-grade meat. Mito Ikumi grabbed Aoki Daigo by the collar with both hands, and her powerful strength almost instantly lifted Aoki Daigo up.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Nikumi!" Aoki Daigo apologized almost immediately upon seeing the angry Mito Ikumi.

"Don't call me Meat Charm! The only person who can call me Meat Charm is..." Mito Ikumi hated being called by her nickname, especially to her face. It was practically asking for death. However, just as she was about to say the last sentence, she suddenly realized that she seemed to be about to reveal a secret. She immediately became furious and punched him, almost roaring, "What do you want me to say, you bastard!"

"Oh? What? A fight broke out?" The commotion had clearly attracted a lot of attention, and Soma, seeing this, just casually remarked.

"Soma! I...! I will definitely defeat you...!" At this moment, Takumi Aldini held the cup, trembling all over, and said while tears streamed down his face, as if he had turned on some kind of hot-blooded switch.

“When my brother does something meaningless like that, it’s usually best to just leave it alone,” Isami Aldini explained to Yoshino Yuuki, referring to what he did when Takumi Aldini did the same thing.

Upon hearing this, Yoshino Yuuki had a thought that flashed through her mind: "Truly, they are family...the way they treat each other is so ruthless."

"Soma-kun...shouldn't we go and rest for tomorrow's sake?" At this point in the gathering, Tadokoro Megumi suddenly realized that something seemed amiss and hurriedly said to Soma beside her in a flustered manner.

“That makes sense,” Soma said, clearly remembering something after being reminded by Tadokoro Megumi.

"Hehehe... What are you talking about? The night... is just beginning!" However, it was obviously too late when they said this, as Isshiki had already heard them. At this moment, Isshiki made a surprising move.

"It's here! Isshiki-senpai's third form, Racing Swimsuit!"

"Gaaaaaaahhhhhh!"

When Isshiki appeared, wearing only swimming clothes, the people from the Polar Star dormitory cheered enthusiastically. The non-Polar Star students, on the other hand, looked stunned, clearly finding it hard to accept. They suddenly felt like they had stepped out of the realm of normal people. As for the Polar Star students, they were already used to it. Besides, they were all like weirdos, with a really strong ability to accept things. It could be said that they didn't find Isshiki's behavior strange or perverse at all.

A night of revelry, living a life of debauchery—what a decadent lifestyle! And so, one falls into this joyous atmosphere until one collapses.

Early in the morning, Isshiki's voice came from the loudspeaker, and soon Tadokoro and Soma went out with Isshiki. Although Tadokoro was eliminated, the plot did not change much.

Final confirmation: For the first round of the official selection competition, basic ingredients, cooking utensils, and equipment have been prepared at the venue. Contestants may bring their own knives and other specialized tools. The competition groups will be determined based on the preliminary round results and a draw... Each group's theme will be randomly selected. Furthermore... the two competitors and their themes will be announced the day before the first round.

So, a week may seem like a long time, but it actually passes in the blink of an eye, and after six days, I received the notification.

"Little brother, are you awake yet? Open the door quickly." At this moment, there was a knock on the door and Ryoko Sakaki's voice.

Although Su Luo's cooking practice in the space wouldn't be affected, QQ would still send reminders. In his spare time, Su Luo was quite busy. To others, he might be seen as a homebody who spent almost all his time in his room. In reality, he was busy writing novels and drawing comics. Good works were essential for the company's rapid development. As for other aspects of his life, there was no need to worry; Yi Ya would handle everything.

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Chapter 185 Receiving Notification

"Ryoko? Hasn't Xiao Su Luo gotten up yet?" Just then, Soma and Yoshino Yuuki walked towards them while talking. Since Soma and Su Luo were both going to the operations headquarters, they planned to go together, so they walked towards them.

"Ah, it's Soshin-kun and Yuuki." Upon seeing the newcomers, Ryoko Sakaki looked over and said, "I've been calling for a long time, but there seems to be no response."

"Let me do it." Yoshino Yuuki walked over and frantically pounded on Su Luo's door, shouting, "Open the door! Open the door! Open the door now!"

“Yuuki, I think we should ask Mrs. Fumio for the key…” Seeing Yoshino Yuuki desperately shouting, Soma really didn’t want to say anything, because it was completely useless. As for why he knew this, it was because this kind of situation had happened too many times.

boom!

"...I think it's no longer necessary." Ryoko Sakaki looked at the door that had fallen to the ground, realizing that Soma's words were a little too late, and said belatedly.

"Get up! Get up!" Before Ryoko Sakaki and Soma could do anything, Yuuki Yoshino grabbed Su Luo and shook her while calling out.

"Alright, alright, what's going on here so early in the morning?" Su Luo slowly opened her eyes and said weakly.

Before they could say anything, they heard Mrs. Wenxu's voice from downstairs: "The car's here! Hurry up!"

"Get up quickly, little brother! Don't you know today is the day to receive notifications?" Sakaki Ryoko said as she watched Su Luo rubbing his eyes and mumbling sleepily.

"Ah, I almost forgot about that... But it's just a notification, is it really that urgent?" So busy with things that she'd almost forgotten about time, she only remembered after being reminded. A look of sudden realization crossed her face, but that was all. Honestly, this kind of thing wouldn't disappear, there was really no need to rush. Of course, this was Su Luo's true feeling.

Seeing Su Luo's initial startled reaction followed by complete indifference, appearing utterly dejected, left everyone speechless.

"Hurry up and get ready. The car is here. It's very impolite to make others wait there, little brother," said Ryoko Sakaki.

"Okay, okay." Su Luo reluctantly got up and quickly washed up before going to the operations headquarters with them. This time, it seemed to be a more upscale place, as there was even a private car to pick her up.

“Su Luo and Jing × Gua∈Zheng, Yuan Sang Ke Yun Jie Yu Gu Chu Chu ぁぁぁBi Huan Fei Xi Ji Qie Xiong �Nuo Na Si Cong  Ji, Zhang Bang Yun Yang Tu Chuo Sou Huan Zhui Ci Hu Chun Ji Ji Ji Zhao Xie Na Pai Ai,  Huan Hui Pai Ba Zui Pang Huan Gu ┳Pan Ran An Ran Pai Dang Na Shuo Zai Pan Zhang Bang Wang Mu Chang Liang said.”

The person opened the door and gestured for Su Luo to enter. Seeing this, Su Luo and the woman from the village greeted each other warmly.

Once inside, the interior was very luxurious. There were three people inside: Eizan Ezuya, who was sitting in front of his desk with his hands crossed and his chin resting on them, and Nakiri Erina and Isshiki, who were standing to the side.

"Thank you for coming, Su Luo and Jing Geng!" After entering, Iseko, with a smiling face, spoke to the two first.

"Of course! I could have slept in, but they dragged me out of bed. It's just a notification, why make it so complicated?" Su Luo complained without hesitation after hearing Yi Se's words. To be honest, there was no need to go in person for this. Just sending the notification to the contestants would have been enough. Su Luo couldn't think of any special purpose in doing it this way, so she was quite upset about it.

"You poor man, shut up! This is a sacred food festival. I really don't understand how someone like you could have been selected, let alone made it to the elimination rounds. It must have just been a stroke of luck. But I think you won't be so lucky next round." Hearing Su Luo's nonchalant words, Erina Nakiri felt it was an insult to the food festival and immediately jumped out, yelling at Su Luo.

"Oh my, this tsundere old lady is really a bit unbearable. No wonder that guy who lost 600 games kept saying he couldn't stand you." Su Luo's face remained unchanged as she faced Erina Nakiri, who was roaring there. She still looked indifferent to everything.

"What?! Old lady? You're the tsundere old lady! And who is that guy who lost 600 games?" Hearing Su Luo's inexplicable words, Erina Nakiri was genuinely confused for a moment.

“It’s Soma Yukihira, don’t you recognize him?” Su Luo said.

"So it was that despicable guy." Upon hearing the name Su Luo mentioned, Erina Nakiri immediately gritted her teeth, as if she harbored some deep-seated hatred.

Looking at Erina Nakiri's indignant face, Su Luo suddenly remembered something and said, "Speaking of which, your attitude towards me is really bad, like an old woman going through menopause. Are you still angry about eating my kind of food? Although I've never eaten it, or even tried it, judging from your expression at the time, you didn't seem to enjoy it."

"...Ugh... You bastard, you've said that again! This is an insult to me! I challenge you to a duel!!!" Erina Nakiri had almost forgotten about it, but upon hearing Su Luo's words, her body trembled. She seemed to immediately remember something, and the thought of that incident made her gag. It seemed to have left a deep impression. After a few retches, she raised her angry head, pointed at Su Luo, and said furiously.

Meanwhile, Isshiki, watching the shouting and furious scene unfold, leaned back leisurely on the table and said to Eizan Etsuya, who was sitting next to him, "Oh, this is quite rare. Nakiri is actually shouting like this. It seems to be the second time today. Maybe Soma and his brother are quite good at getting along with Nakiri."

Hey Isshiki-kun, which eye of yours saw that you two were a good match? Not immediately starting a fight is already a very elegant and polite thing to do.

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Chapter 186 Showdown Theme: [Ramen]

As for Eizan Etsuya, he remained seated, quietly blowing on the rather hot tea, seemingly indifferent to the matter, or even as if he hadn't seen it at all. He simply sat there quietly without answering, as if he wanted to be a quiet and handsome man for once.

"Sigh, I really don't know how you became one of the Elite Ten. You made such a fuss over such a small matter. You were clearly enjoying that dish when you were eating it earlier." Su Luo sighed and said casually, as if she hadn't even seen the furious Nakiri Erina.

puff!

"I want to have a food battle with you! Now! Immediately! Right now!!!" After hearing Su Luo's words, Erina Nakiri almost vomited blood. She was so angry that she roared at Su Luo.

"Alright, Nakiri, let's talk about this later. We have other important things to do right now. But speaking of which, you really have a good relationship with Soma and Su Luo. You're so enthusiastic as soon as you meet them." Just as Nakiri Erina was about to lose control, Isshiki spoke up from the side. After all, there were still several contestants to receive, and things were quite busy. As for the contestants, it was best not to worry about them.

"Hmph! I didn't expect them to be brothers. No wonder they're both so annoying." After seeing Isshiki speak, Erina Nakiri snorted and turned her head away. After all, no matter what, she still had to give Isshiki face, whether in terms of seniority or cooking skills.