The strongest anime shop owner

"According to the draw results, you will be competing in the second round... The theme of the match is... [Ramen], and the ramen will be provided by the tournament organizers." At this point, they were getting down to business, and Isshiki spoke to the two of them very formally.

"The ramen is prepared by the organizing committee, so is the ramen usable?" After Isshiki said that, Su Luo didn't hesitate to say what she wanted to say.

"What do you mean..." Hearing Su Luo's words, before Isshiki could even speak, Nakiri Erina couldn't stand it anymore and said aggressively.

"With your attitude, I'm even more worried," Su Luo said indifferently.

“You…” Erina Nakiri was so angry at Su Luo that she couldn’t speak.

“You should know that some noodles must be left to rest for several days until they are fully cooked before they can be used, right?” Compared to Erina Nakiri’s attitude, Isshiki’s expression remained unchanged as he spoke to Su Luo.

“I know that aging makes the bonds between the gluten stronger, making the noodles chewier, and if it’s Chinese noodles, aging also makes the odor of the lye water evaporate…” Su Luo was obviously aware of this.

"Then why did you say those things before?" Erina Nakiri looked at Su Luo, who clearly knew the truth, and still said those things. She really didn't know what to say. After all, after receiving the notice, the competition was to be held tomorrow. Some noodles would take several days to process, so many things had been prepared many days in advance.

"Just saying," Su Luo said casually, spreading her hands.

puff!

"You..." Erina Nakiri coughed up blood; her words and her ability to bear it were on completely different levels.

"Yes, that's why. Your official competition is tomorrow... so we've already put the noodles into the ripening stage. Also..." As she said this, Isshiki took out a form with various types of noodles listed on it and handed it over, saying, "This is a list. Just choose your noodles according to this form and contact us before tomorrow."

“I… want this… wide noodles.” After Isshiki took out the form, the girl who had been standing there silently finally spoke, her voice trembling.

"...Are you sure?" Looking at the woman's face, her eyes widened in surprise. "Are you sure?" she asked. "Is it true?" she asked. "Is it true?" she replied. "I'm so sure," the woman asked, her voice trembling. "I'm so sure," she said. "I'm so sure," the man replied. "I'm so sure," the woman said. "I'm so sure," the man said ... man said. "I'm so sure," the woman said. "I'm so sure," the man said. "I'm so sure," the man said. "I'm so sure," the man said. "I'm so sure," the man said. "I'm so sure," the man said. "I'm so sure," the man said. "I'm so sure," the man said. "I'm so sure," The judgment was made by the judge, who was determined to succeed. The judge was determined to succeed, who ...

"It's decided...because I've already decided...what kind of noodles I want to make." (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the initial statement.)

"I want ramen, Chinese ramen." (This is a quote from a Chinese writer, not part of the original text.)

"Su Luo-jun... actually, you don't need to be in such a hurry. Just contact us before midnight tonight. So, shouldn't you reconsider?" Seeing that Su Luo made such a direct choice, Yi Se thought that Su Luo had some competitive intentions, so she spoke up to remind her. After all, they were in the same dormitory, so it was natural to care about her.

"No need. I already knew what to do when you brought up this topic." Su Luo refused without hesitation because she had made the decision a long time ago, provided that the direction of the plot remained unchanged. However, coincidentally, the plot did not change much because of Su Luo's intrusion; Su Luo simply took Tadokoro's place.

"Really? That's something to look forward to." Su Luo's answer surprised the three of them, but only for a moment. They obviously didn't expect Su Luo to have decided what to do so quickly. Since Su Luo had said so, Yi Se naturally didn't say anything more and just said that.

"Hehe, these two brothers are quite interesting, but..." Looking at Su Luo's calm expression, Eizan Etsuya's lips curled slightly as he thought to himself.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now." Before they could reply, Su Luo walked towards the door. Seeing this, Erina Nakiri crossed her arms and muttered, "What a poor person, so rude."

Just as she was about to walk out the door, Su Luo suddenly turned around and said, "Oh, right, I think there should be a car to take me back, since you guys picked me up and ruined my sweet dream."

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Chapter 187 Su Luo's Appearance

"Your main point is that you ruined your sweet dream, right?" After hearing Su Luo's words, the three of them really didn't know what to say.

the next day···

Between the moon and the sky...

An atmosphere of excitement filled the venue well before the competition among these young talents.

With the start of the official tournament, there were far more people this time than before, not only in terms of quantity but also in terms of quality, which was on a completely different level compared to the elimination rounds. Moreover, the battle arena had changed to the 'Moonlight Room,' which is a venue that is only allowed to be used by the 'Elite Ten' for food battles, showing how difficult it is to use such a venue.

Even before the event started, the stands were already packed, creating a spectacular sight of a sea of ​​people, demonstrating the scale and high level of interest in the event.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you've been waiting for a long time! Now, the first battle of the first round of the Autumn Selection Competition is officially starting!" Just as everyone was getting anxious, a voice rang out and echoed throughout the entire arena.

"Look! The examiners' seat... Nakiri Senzaemon...!"

"The Gourmet Demon King himself is conducting the judging! No wonder it's an official competition."

"Wow, that's amazing... The tension during the preliminaries is nothing compared to this!"

Those in the audience were clearly paying attention to the judges, and soon they spotted an extraordinary figure: the academy's headmaster, the Gourmet Demon King, Senzaemon Nakiri. With someone like him making an appearance, the competition became even more anticipated, and it also highlighted the vast difference between the official competition and the preliminary rounds.

Amidst the murmurs of discussion, the first contestants entered the arena: Soma and Alice Nakiri. The theme of the competition was "bento." Alice Nakiri made an exquisite "temari sushi," while Soma made a heartwarming "seaweed bento." Both were exceptionally well-made, enough to make the Captain's "clothes rip," demonstrating the high quality of this year's first-year students. Although both were outstanding, a winner had to be decided, and Soma emerged victorious.

"Congratulations on losing 600 matches, man. You did a really good job." After the match ended, Soma breathed a sigh of relief and returned to the lounge, where Su Luo was waiting, as he was the next player to take the stage.

"Not 600 matches! It's 490 matches. And you have to call me Onii-san. I think you're next!" Soma said, clearly understanding something after seeing Su Luo there.

“Yes,” Su Luo said.

"In that case, you'd better do your best! I'll come cheer you on later. I want to see just how good you are," Soma said. After saying that, Soma waved and left with his toolbox. To be honest, he really didn't know much about his younger brother. In fact, not only him, but even Yukihira Joichiro probably didn't know much about him, let alone them. They didn't have that kind of in-depth understanding, just like Soma's understanding of his father.

"I don't think I'll let you down," Su Luo said with a smile, seemingly very confident.

Just then, a voice came from the arena: "Next... the second match of the first round, please have the two players enter the arena."

"Contestant Su Luo-!"

As the exciting sounds subsided, Su Luo appeared on the field. However, unlike the others, Su Luo didn't have any knives or similar items. Instead, she held some papers in her hand, leaving everyone puzzled about what she was doing. It was understandable not to bring knives to the competition, as basic cooking tools are usually provided. As for the papers, although their purpose was unclear, they didn't attract much attention, as most people assumed they were unnecessary for cooking.

"She's out, it's Su Luojun."

"Little brother-! Go for it-!" Originally, he should have been happy to have the Polaris dormitory members come to support him, but when he heard Sakaki Ryoko's words, Creative's lips twitched. Seriously, big sister, can you please consider the occasion? Even if you're going to say something, you don't have to shout it so loudly that everyone can hear you. Hearing these words, Su Luo wished he could disappear into a hole in the ground. Damn it, this is just too embarrassing.

"Very good, everyone, please prepare this!" At this moment, Yoshino Yuuki suddenly spoke to everyone, as if she had prepared something special. After she finished speaking, she took out the item and distributed it to everyone.

Since the opponents hadn't arrived yet, Su Luo looked towards the audience seats on the Polar Star side. What he saw almost made him spit out blood. He was completely dumbfounded because all the Polar Star members were holding cute, colorful fans with Su Luo's name or image written on them. Seriously? I'm a guy, okay? Is it really okay to make your support signs so flashy and cute? Or are you just doing it according to your own preferences?

"Ah! Soma - we're here!" After Soma finished his match and put away his tools, he went to the stands to look for the others. Just as Soma was searching, a sound came from somewhere.

"That area is really flashy..." Soma looked over there, and seeing their outfits and the signs they were holding, he seemed speechless.

"Yoshino...you absolutely have to have this...!"

Looking at the flashy sign in his hand, Aoki Daigo felt immense pressure, both for Su Luo and for themselves, so he couldn't help but ask.

"Isn't this great? Let's use this to send our cheers to Su Luo!" Yoshino Yuuki was clearly pleased with her arrangement and spoke with great enthusiasm.

"It's good, but... Su Luo seems to be a man, right? Is it really okay for him to hold this kind of sign?" Sato Shoji seemed to be unable to stand it anymore. To be honest, holding such a thing would make him stand out in the audience, and it always felt a bit embarrassing. However, looking at the pink color of the sign in his hand, his lips twitched a little, and he really didn't know what to say.

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Chapter 188 Su Luo VS Realm ×

"What does it matter? I think Su Luo will definitely like it. Look at the expression on Su Luo's face as she looks this way. She clearly likes it very much. So don't complain, just cheer for Su Luo!" Yoshino Yuuki waved the sign in her hand and said enthusiastically.

"Are you sure it's Su Luo who likes it and not just you? Besides, which eye of yours saw Su Luo's expression of liking it? She was clearly twitching." After Yoshino Yuuki said this, everyone thought to themselves. Looking at Su Luo's expression on the field, how could you say she liked it? However, they didn't want to spoil her mood. In any case, this was a way of supporting her, so they reluctantly accepted it.

"Meat Fairy...you should take it too." After Soma arrived, he saw that Mito Ikumi was also holding a similar token and said this.

"Because...because it's really hard to refuse..." Mito Ikumi said. After all, no matter what, there's no reason to refuse something like this. Supporting your partner is one of the things you should do as their partner, even if this way of supporting them is a bit...you know.

"Why would someone else's name be written on a round fan...?" Isami Aldini looked at the round fan in his hand and thought to himself, as if he had discovered something mysterious about Japan.

"Speaking of which... you did a great job, Soma! I think victory is in the bag!" Shoji Sato said to Soma as he walked over.

"Hmm? Oh, I'll do my best in the second round too," Soma said.

"Hey, hey, hey, what nonsense are you talking about?" Aoki Daigo interrupted when he saw Sato Shoji say this, and then said to Soma, "You defeated Nakiri Alice? She was the contestant with the highest score in the preliminaries!"

“Yes…you could even say you’ve become one of the champion candidates.” After Aoki Daigo spoke, Sakaki Ryoko took over the conversation. After all, that’s generally how it is, but whether the outcome will be the same or not, no one can guarantee.

"Yes, yes, yes! Let's keep this momentum going... You're one of the rising stars of our Polaris Dormitory." Yoshino Yuuki nodded in agreement. However, looking at Su Luo, who was about to start the match, with an excited expression on his face, Shinjiro seemed to be thinking about something. He said with great determination and certainty, "However, I think Su Luo will definitely win. After all, everyone has witnessed his achievements. In that case, his chances of winning the championship are even greater. If any of you really win the championship, Mrs. Fumio will be overjoyed."

"···yes"

"That's right..."

"Great! Let's cheer him on with all our might!"

"kindness."

Listening to Yoshino Yuuki's words, although Su Luo was very young and seemed quite casual, his true strength was not to be underestimated. After all, everyone had witnessed his abilities, and his progress was rapid, making his chances of becoming the champion very high. Just imagining someone winning the championship and hearing Mrs. Fumio excitedly talking about the golden age of Polaris Dormitory was quite exciting. So everyone cheered Su Luo on with all their might.

What they didn't know was that Su Luo was completely bewildered. If this was the kind of encouragement he was receiving, he would rather no one cheer for him. Although that was what he thought, seeing their enthusiasm still warmed his heart. Perhaps he hadn't felt this way in a long time.

In the other side of the players' lounge, Alice Nakiri wiped away the tears that remained in her eyes and walked in. At that moment, a man's voice came from inside: "The same as always... Your dishes are too beautiful. Although they are suitable for formal occasions, they do not have the power to make the opponent submit."

"Are you lecturing me? Get your facts straight..." Hearing these words, which were undoubtedly implying that her dishes were nothing but empty shells, Alice Nakiri retorted.

"Of course I spoke up after fully understanding my own position. And Miss... that last sentence..." Before Alice Nakiri could finish speaking, a voice suddenly cut her off, and she stammered, "I'm speaking with such conviction, it's like a knife twisting in my throat. I can't help but utter a sound like a curse." The voice trailed off, and Alice's voice trembled. "I'm so sure you know your place," she stammered. "And Miss... that last sentence..."

Alice's performance was indeed outstanding, even unmatched, but that was all. While she achieved the highest score in the preliminaries, it didn't mean she could continue like that. After all, there are too many conditions for victory, and not everyone can fully control them.

With the arrival of the new era, the world is changing rapidly, and the players are becoming increasingly competitive. (The text abruptly shifts to a seemingly unrelated phrase: "…the coffin-knocking dumplings…the present…the drought…the snail-like…the shore…the quality of the…the ...

"Oh oh oh oh - it's a [likely referring to a specific location or situation]."

"Following Alice, the next stop is the border crossing and tax."

In the world of Erina Shiki, Alice's reputation speaks for itself. Regardless of the circumstances, she is still a force to be reckoned with, just like Erina Shiki and Hisako.

For some, this might be exciting, but the subordinate of Eizan Alice is stronger than Alice herself. Even though this is true, when people think of his identity, they probably still consider him inferior to Alice. This is what it means to be someone's subordinate—having such strength but being suppressed. This is why Su Luo didn't want to directly refuse Eizan Etsuya. Because even if you stand at the peak and have left his side, this kind of thing is probably hard to escape.

What is the title of the dish?

"What exactly is the question?"

After the first competition, the entire arena was already buzzing with excitement, so the audience's enthusiasm for the next competition was clearly even greater. Because the last competition was so exciting, the next competition was also highly anticipated. So after the two contestants arrived at the arena, many people began to pay attention to the questions for this competition.

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Chapter 189 The Ramen-Themed Showdown Begins

"The topic of the duel is... [Ramen]!" A voice blared from the loudspeaker amidst the attention of thousands.

However, the environment is strange and the paper is fresh. The text is fragmented and lacks coherence. A direct translation is not possible without further context or clarification.

"Holy crap, what the hell is this? Ultraman transforming?" Although she knew this would happen, seeing it with her own eyes was a completely different experience. Upon seeing this, Su Luo couldn't help but complain in her heart.

"Cooking begins!" The gong was struck after both contestants were standing on the field and the question had been answered.

For large-scale events like this, preparations are very comprehensive, and there is a great deal of freedom. The event will provide some ingredients and cooking utensils for the participants to choose from. Of course, if needed, the participants can also bring their own. After all, the event organizers cannot prepare everything; they only prepare the basics.

After the match was officially announced to begin, Su Luo and Jing × Gou Yun Yang Tu Chui Jiao Shuo Ran Yuan Na Chuo looked at each other, and then... (The text abruptly shifts to a seemingly unrelated topic about a game, then back to the match.)

"【Ramen】- Noodles, toppings, and broth, these three elements make up a noodle dish...? But - this year's Elite Ten really seem to be deliberately giving the contestants some pretty tricky challenges." After watching and seeing the challenges of this round, one of the elderly men, who looked like a dorky teacher from a manga and wore a floral kimono, said. As for why they would set such a difficult challenge, it's probably largely because of Eizan Etsuya. Although all the Elite Ten decided on it together, Eizan Etsuya was the main person in charge. Considering what he said when recruiting Su Luo and Soma, this possibility is quite high.

"During the post-war reconstruction, ramen spread throughout society at an astonishing speed, because it was cheap and delicious... It could even be sold at roadside stalls, but that's all in the past... Now ramen has been promoted all over the world... It has become a representative dish of Japan! Its profound flavor and complicated process cannot be fully mastered by a mere student. To expect them to grasp the essence of ramen overnight, and... to demonstrate their culinary skills on this grand stage! In other words... this competition will test... their flexibility and explosiveness of thought!" Senzaemon Nakiri was known as the Gourmet Demon King, and that title was not just for show; he saw through everything almost instantly.

After saying that, even though he meant that this kind of food might not be something a student could master, he still looked at the two figures busy on the field with anticipation in his eyes: "Faced with this problem, how much of their accumulated experience can they bring out their strength?"

"The cookware and ingredients prepared by the two contestants have been delivered to the venue." At this moment, a staff member pushed over the cookware that Su Luo and her team needed on a trolley.

"The environment

"What kind of dishes will he serve up in the official competition...?"

Many people looked on with anticipation at what dishes he would prepare. Although he had performed poorly in the preliminary rounds, he was still very excited. He had shown great promise and confidence in his abilities.

"He's starting to filter the broth, preparing the soup base for the ramen!" A familiar figure appeared, straining against the broth. The broth was being strained and prepared, the noodles glistening with a soft, steady hand. The strainer, with its delicate, slender fingers, and the ramen noodles were now being prepared. The strainer, with its slender fingers, was now being prepared. The strainer, with its slender fingers, was now being prepared. The strainer, with its delicate, ...