Shirou's clones number 30 million

"Heh...you really have a lot of confidence in yourself." Shirou chuckled lightly. "Let's just say that's how it is for now, and then what?"

"If I lose, in the future... I'll only cook for you. The future world's number one chef as your personal chef, that's a pretty good offer, isn't it?"

"Haha...not bad indeed. So, what do you want me to do? Today or forever? If it's just today, you obviously have too many chips, but if it's forever, you obviously don't have enough chips."

"Only today! Because I have more leverage, I'm adding one more condition: you can't use any underhanded tricks; you must face me head-on."

"A head-on confrontation."

These are words I haven't heard in a long time.

Shirou didn't reply, but stared at the documents on the table, lost in thought.

"You cook, I taste; this kind of competition is anything but fair. After all, you lose if I just tell one lie."

Even so, are you still going to insist?

"Hmm." Erina Nakiri pursed her lips and nodded slightly. "I can't think of a better way than this."

"does it worth?"

“It’s not worth it. I don’t like my mother, and our relationship is just so-so. In my memory, we’ve actually argued more often. But even so, a mother is a mother.”

"I see..."

Her words unconsciously brought back memories of the past for Shirou Sakurai.

My past self had an expression almost exactly like hers now.

Do you know about the feud between your mother and me?

"Yes, I've heard my grandfather mention it."

Erina Nakiri took a deep breath, lowered her voice, and said again:

"Honestly, I don't think you did anything wrong, but as your mother's daughter, this is the only method I could think of."

Even if it means losing your life?

"I...don't want to see my mother die."

silence.

Shirou fell silent for a moment, lost in thought for a long time.

"Fine, you accept the duel. But since it's a fair duel, it's not appropriate to treat it like this, with you cooking and me tasting."

“Let’s go to the cooking class. The two of us will make a dish at the same time, and then we’ll select ten students from the school to come in and taste it.”

"Don't specify who wrote which document; let the students judge for themselves."

"This method should be fair enough."

"You want to have a food battle with me?" Erina Nakiri asked, her face showing surprise.

Previously, she hadn't really held out much hope, so she hesitated for a long time before speaking.

But now, for the first time, she felt that perhaps she could win.

“That’s right, a food war that will cost you your future.” Shirou nodded. “If you win, I will not target her personally again except for defeating Totsuki through fair competition. If you lose, from now on, you are mine.”

"It's just cooking skills, not me! Don't use such misleading statements."

Erina Nakiri emphasized it again and asked once more:

"Why did you want to defeat Totsuki? Your mother is your enemy, this shouldn't have anything to do with Totsuki, right?"

"No, the reason she can act so arrogantly and bully others is entirely due to the support of the Totsuki and Nakiri families. If she were just an ordinary commoner, who would listen to her?"

"You're taking your anger out on others."

"No, this is keen insight. If the target were your mother, I could have easily hired someone to kill her thirteen years ago. It's precisely because the target is the Totsuki and Nakiri families that I've held back until now."

"With your abilities, you shouldn't have waited until now to be confident in dealing with Totsuki, right?"

"No, only now do I have complete confidence."

Shirou shook his head slightly, without saying anything more.

How could such an innocent girl, who has never left school, know the cruelty of the world?

Before the advent of the cheat system, although I was proficient in magic such as hypnosis and suggestion and had outstanding personal combat ability, I was still just a flesh and blood body.

If you push someone too far, and they resort to assassination methods such as poisoning, explosions, or sniping, you're doomed.

While Senzaemon Nakiri probably wouldn't do such a thing, the Totsuki Cu Chuan Group, with its massive interests, has never belonged to him alone.

What I'm doing now is actually the same as what Nakiri Managi did back then—ruining countless people's livelihoods and leaving them with nowhere to go.

In this process, many families will inevitably fall apart, and it is not uncommon for some people to choose to assassinate themselves when they are desperate.

Chapter Ninety: Victory and defeat are cruel.

Section 91, Chapter 90: Victory and defeat are cruel.

"A?"

Upon hearing his test scores from the teacher, Soma Yukihira couldn't help but smile.

Because my right hand wasn't fully healed, I didn't get to use my full potential when grilling meat this morning.

I thought it would be B or C, but it turned out to be B.

"Those teachers have good taste, Xiaohui. How are your grades?"

“I’m a B+,” Tadokoro Megumi said now.

"Huh...? B+? So, above A, there's an A+?"

Soma Yukihira looked surprised; he had thought he had gotten the highest score, but it turned out he hadn't.

"There can't be an S above an A, right?"

"Soma got an A? That's amazing! If it weren't for his right hand injury, he probably could have gotten an even higher."

"Haha... Xiao Hui's B+ is pretty good too, she should be ranked in the upper-middle range in the school, right?"

As they were talking, Soma Yukihira noticed that Yaeko Minesaki was speaking to several students, and instinctively stopped in his tracks.

Whenever he sees her, Soma Yukihira is reminded of the time when she and her people destroyed all the food in his house.

"Soma, you two are just in time. With the two of you, we'll have ten people."

"Minezaki, what are you planning to do now?"

“Soma, I’m the principal now, you know. You should at least show me some respect!” Minezaki Yaeko said with a light laugh.

"Uh...right, you're the principal now. So...shouldn't you compensate me for damaging the ingredients in my shop back then?"

"Brother Chuangzhen, you're really joking, aren't you? How could I do something so outrageous? Isn't the whole street your property now?"

"So, why are you asking us to come with you now?"

"I don't know. The boss only told me to find ten students to go to the cooking class, but didn't say what I was looking for them for."

"Never mind, let's go."

Soma Yukihira didn't ask any more questions and followed behind Megumi Tadokoro, slowly walking towards the cooking classroom.

Upon entering, the first thing everyone saw was Erina Nakiri.

Her appearance was exceptionally outstanding, and her demeanor was equally extraordinary. Just by standing there upright, she could attract countless eyes.

"Boss, I've brought them back. What do you need them for?"

As she spoke, Yaeko Minesaki glanced at Erina Nakiri without making a sound, secretly analyzing why she was there.

“Erina made two dishes. Have them taste them in turn and then vote to decide which dish is more delicious.”

"I see, I understand now!"

Minesaki Yaeko immediately made the arrangements, and soon, ten students, including Yukihira Soma, stepped forward, picked up their chopsticks, and began to taste the food.

After tasting both dishes, Soma Yukihira seemed to be deep in thought.

In terms of cooking skills alone, the two dishes are equally good, no wonder they were made by the same person.

However, the dishes on the left contain a wonderful feeling; eating them makes you feel as if you are at home, dining with your family.

Soma Yukihira took another bite, his gaze shifting to the girl named Erina, thinking to himself:

Both dishes are perfect, but the one on the left is clearly different.

This feeling is as if it carries a personal touch.

Thoughts!

In that instant, Soma Yukihira suddenly realized what was happening.

So that's how it is. The highest level of culinary skill is probably related to one's heart and soul.

Apart from him, almost everyone had their own judgment.

Seeing that the gazes of all ten students lingered on the left for a while, Erina Nakiri felt a sense of foreboding and hesitantly asked:

"So, which dish is more delicious?"

“This one,” Soma Yukihira said thoughtfully, pointing to the dish on the left. “In terms of culinary skill, these two dishes are actually about the same, but the dish on the left contains the power of the heart, which is clearly superior.”

Tadokoro Megumi followed up with:

"I don't understand what Soma is talking about regarding the power of intention, but the left side is more delicious."

"And you?" Erina Nakiri turned to look at the other students.

"Left side, please."

"Me too."

"The one on the left tastes better."

After hearing the last person's comments, Erina Nakiri felt a sense of defeat.

We've already lost?

Moreover, it's such an important food battle.