Can you handle my Hikigaya's cooking?

Yang No: "Hey, Yukino-chan, I can finally compete with you!"

Yukino: "Don't call me that."

Yang No: "Really, Yukino-chan is really cute."

Tsukasa shook his head helplessly, and Hachiman didn't know what to say for a moment.

However, since it was a world stage after all, Yang No didn't say much. She just kept her eyes on Yukino, and her smile disappeared instantly.

"If you want to gain mother's approval, you must defeat me first."

This 2v2 competition uses a cooking competition of appetizers and main dishes. It is not simply a matter of two people working together to make a simple dish, but rather each of them makes a dish, and the cooking must pay attention to the matching effect. For example, if the appetizer and the main dish are both beef, although both dishes are very delicious, they will only get zero points in terms of coordination.

While considering the taste of the food, it is also necessary to match the flavor of the appetizer or main dish. As early as just now, Hachiman and Yukino had already agreed that Yukino would be responsible for the main course and Hachiman would be responsible for the appetizer.

Although in terms of strength, Hachiman might be more suitable to be responsible for the main course, but it is obvious that Haruno is going after Yukino, and if he doesn't do what the other party wants, then in the end he will return empty-handed.

In that case... let's take this opportunity.

In front of the four people, Kawashima Rei suddenly appeared. As she placed her hand on the lottery box, a note floated out.

Kawashima Rei flipped through the contents of the note, and after a burst of surprise, she slowly showed the note she had received.

【Soft-shell turtle】

Soft-shelled turtle is not a rare ingredient in daily life, but it is really difficult to make it taste unique and unforgettable, because its internal organs are too difficult to handle and the fishy smell is also unbearable. Naturally, it has become an ingredient that most people don't want to consider.

But on this global stage, in the final game, we were drawn with such ingredients.

This was unexpected to most people, of course... this is also a new beginning. After all, many people are still looking forward to what kind of collision the two sides will have over the turtle.

Hachiman looked at Yukino with some concern. After all, she was good at cooking dim sum, and might not be able to handle such ingredients well. However, in comparison, Yukino herself was much calmer. Perhaps it was because she had already made such preparations, so no matter what kind of ingredients she drew, it didn't matter at all.

Seeing Yukino's determined look, even her mother couldn't help but murmur with emotion:

"Yukino, you really seem to have changed... But the most important thing is action."

Her attention was once again focused on Hachiman. She always felt that this man was changing her daughter little by little, and she was not very clear about the reason.

only...

As a drum bell sounded, the four contestants who were preparing appetizers and main dishes instantly picked up their kitchen utensils. Although it was a 2v2 competition, the cooking time was only two hours. During this period, they had to make dishes that matched the other party's dishes. In a limited time, there were more things to consider, and words could not be conveyed accurately. No... it should be said that in such a time, there was no extra time to waste, so... this was a test of ultimate coordination.

Unlike Hachiman and Yukino, Haruno and Tsukasa moved very quickly, almost in a flash. Before the audience could see clearly, they had already processed the turtle's internal organs. The milling cutter in Haruno's hand could work at 200% of its speed. This skilled technique made everyone marvel at it for a moment.

I don't know when it started, but Si handed over the prepared spices, and Yang Noi didn't check it too much. He just put the spices in the pot and started stir-frying. There was not even any mistake or hesitation during the process. He made the absolutely correct judgment at the absolutely correct time, and after knowing the content of the dish in his mind, he highlighted each spice in different ways. Finally, with an error of almost milliseconds, he took out the prepared ingredients one by one.

Takumi was also shocked by Yang No's superb memory, but he was speechless for a while.

Alice: "Amazing... I've never seen a chef like her. She has such a relaxed expression on her face. It's like... she's just having fun."

Kurokiba: "There is a terrifying power emanating from her body, as if she is constantly calculating what will happen next with her brain. At this moment...she is the master of this stage."

Erina: "Whether it's Grandpa or anyone else, I have never seen such a dish... No... If I have to say, perhaps there is only one person who can compare with it, and that is Hikigaya-kun's father."

Komachi: "Eh? My stinky dad?"

Erina: "Although it happened a long time ago, he did give me this kind of oppression in the past, but that was when I was a child, and now..."

Even without Erina telling her, one could tell that even Seiichiro back then could not have given Erina such a strong sense of oppression after she became an adult. However...the young girl in front of her really gave her this terrifying sense of oppression.

Although Hachiman and Yukinoshita tried their best to control themselves and not be affected by each other, the aura exuded by Haruno was too terrifying, and the attention that had been focused on it before completely disappeared at this moment.

Yukino gritted her teeth. Having come this far, she didn't want to give up all her efforts. She came here precisely because she had always wanted to get rid of her sister's shadow, and now, she was only one step away.

The more she thought about it, the more painful Yukino felt.

For a person without a self, she always needs a host to survive as if nothing happened. This relationship, called symbiotic dependence, has always been a headache for her, but even so...

The movements of her hands slowed down without her noticing, but as past memories continued to flow out, she seemed to have lost her last resistance, until the movements of her hands stopped completely.

In contrast, Hachiman's movements were not affected at all, but became faster and faster. After noticing Yukino's expression, he took the initiative to break this state and came to Yukinoshita's side again:

"Are you okay?"

"Hikigaya-kun... I still can't do it... I can't do anything. I haven't grown at all."

"No...it's not like that. It's precisely because of the pain that it represents that you have overcome the demons of the past."

Seeing that Yukinoshita didn't answer him, Hachiman just continued:

"Do you know what it takes to make a good meal?"

"what?"

"That's what I've always pursued. Just as words cannot accurately convey to everyone, no matter how delicious the food is, it will never satisfy everyone. Life is such a complicated and troublesome thing."

"but..."

Hachiman's tone became heavy at this moment, and his expression became firm, which made Yukinoshita very puzzled:

"Even so, I still hope that the food I cook can satisfy the people I care about. When you and everyone else say that my food is delicious, I believe the joy in my heart at that moment must be absolutely real."

"And you are the same. You are in so much pain, but you just want your sister and your mother to say 'delicious', right? So... no matter how much effort you put in, no matter what others say, no matter how much it costs, it doesn't matter, right?"

Hachiman's words seemed to give Yukinoshita a glimmer of hope again. The essence of the words was silently telling the reality hidden behind the so-called cooking. This inexplicable calmness reduced a lot of the pressure on Yukino.

Yukino just smiled softly and said, "Hikigaya-kun, your food is delicious!"

Hachiman: "In that case, let's make a dish that belongs to both of us, which is made with our tacit understanding."

As the two returned to their own stoves, the competition will continue. Yang No and Xue Mu, who witnessed this scene on the stage, became emotionally turbulent for a moment.

Perhaps, she finally understood why her daughter had changed so much in such a short period of time, and all of this was ultimately inseparable from an inconspicuous man.

Chapter 24 Who said we lost?

Yukinoshita Haruno glanced at Yukino beside her lightly, her eyes full of joy, and she just murmured:

"You are quite capable... But in this case..."

At this moment, Yang Nai, who was thought to have entered the full-strength mode, instantly took out a waltz-like knife from his waist and continued to carve on the processed turtle.

In Japan, sushi has a very long history. From the simple combination in the beginning to the detailed division of meat, there are different definitions. Today, soft-shelled turtle is like a sushi, with traces of penetration constantly carved on the chopping board.

Every cut was made with the same controlled force, which seemed incredible. Even Si who was standing by could not help but sigh that this was something that humans could not do. Such powerful computing power and speed could even change everything as if nothing had changed. It would not be an exaggeration to call him the greatest chef of the new century.

Under normal circumstances, with Hikigaya's ability, he would be able to reproduce it to a certain extent, reducing the difference in ingredients by restoring the scene, but... perhaps because Haruno's speed was too fast, he didn't even have the chance to look, and a faint breathing sound came to his ears.

"Ah...done."

In just thirty seconds, such a heavy workload was completed. It is impossible to calculate it with human thinking.

As the number one seat, Si constantly cooperated with Haruno's cooking. Even so, he still couldn't make food that satisfied him. Although he was the number one seat, it took him all his strength to keep up with Haruno's progress.

If you think Yang Noi's cooking ends here, you are wrong. She sprinkles the prepared sea salt into each wound in advance, and then rubs it continuously through the pickling technique. When it is put into the oven, the aroma spreads all over the sky. When it is carefully fried for five minutes, the turtle remains tender and fried, which scares Si Du, and the others are completely confused about the current situation.

Is it true that someone can control the temperature to this extent? Just through the simplest cooking method, a new state is presented on the ingredients, and now, it is just the beginning.

On the other side, although Yukino has regained her momentum, even a discerning person can see that the gap between the two sisters is getting bigger and bigger. Haruno on the opposite side is simply a detail maniac. When various details are piled up, new flavors will definitely burst out. Even if Yukino wants to avoid being left behind by such a big gap, she can't stand the gap in strength between the two.

"It's fried cilantro, chopped mushrooms, and cheese."

Hachiman on the side did not stop his actions. At the same time, it was as if he had started the dual-opening mode. While taking care of his own appetizers, he also cooperated with Yukino.

Because the two of them often worked together, Yukino barely hesitated before adding the dish that Hachiman handed to her to the meal.

If the first time was just luck, then what about the second, third, and fourth time?

Under the gaze of everyone, the two of them clearly had no verbal communication, but they were able to provide a portion of food just when Yukino needed it. Such cooperation was simply astonishing.

Even Yuki's mother, who was sitting on the judges' panel, frowned for a moment. As Yukino's mother, she could clearly understand what she was thinking at this moment. Rather, if it weren't for Hachiman's appearance, perhaps she would have given up long ago, and now... everything happening before her eyes was also the masterpiece of this young man.

In the seemingly difficult-to-grasp rhythm, Hachiman and Yukino have been following their own rhythm, trying to get out of Haruno's encirclement. Although it is impossible to defeat Haruno with just this kind of cooperation, it is indeed eye-opening.

Hachiman was not worried about this. In the dual-opening mode, he still maintained absolute quality. The only difference was that the amount of calculation required for one project had increased to that required for two projects. Although he could not achieve the same speed as Yang Nona, it did not mean that he could not start from other places.

The smoked soy sauce and soaked rice wine were added to the appetizer in different ways, which instantly gave off a charming aroma, even overshadowing Yang No's dish for a while.

However, this made Yang No quite puzzled. It was obviously just an appetizer. If the taste was so strong, it would completely cover up the fragrance of the main dish. Is Hikigaya Hachiman such an idiot?

Not only Yang No, but others also realized this problem. After all, the so-called 2v2 does not only focus on the taste of the food, but more importantly, it is the chemical reaction produced when the two dishes are combined. In the eyes of others, Hachiman's move seemed like a desperate move out of desperation.

Alice: "Are these two okay?"

Kurokiba: "This is a really risky way of cooking. Hikigaya is really risking his life, but...it seems like he has always been like this."

Erina: "It's okay. He promised me that he would win. Besides, didn't he show off his new dishes on stage before? It's the same this time."

Tadokoro Megumi placed her hands on her chest, as if she was praying for something, and Komachi looked at the scene in front of her with great satisfaction, as if she was saying in her heart:

"That's great, my brother has really grown up."

She is obviously my younger sister, but she said such caring words, which is really a plus to some extent.

Different people may have different ideas, but it is undeniable that this cooking event has reached a critical juncture, and the entire venue has reached its climax.

The two scents from the soft-shelled turtle continued to collide, creating a situation where it was difficult to determine the winner.

'This is not enough, absolutely not enough!'

Yukino, who understood this, just looked at Hachiman who was silently supporting her. She was distracted for a moment and her hand accidentally hit the empty bowl beside her. At the moment when it was about to fall to the ground, her already panicked heart became unable to think.

However, at this critical moment, Hachiman reached out and took Yukino's empty bowl. He didn't let it fall on the stove and make a harsh sound. He gently placed it on the stove and said calmly:

"Don't panic, Yukinoshita."

Yukino nodded vigorously. The repeated blows had obviously weakened her momentum, but... no matter what happened to her, it was as if there was a protective umbrella behind her that cared about her, allowing her to give it a try.

If that's the case...

Yukinoshita Yukino took a deep breath and stopped the work in her hands for the second time under the gaze of everyone, but this time... it was definitely different.

When she opened her eyes again, she smiled faintly, and she felt her body become lighter. The train of thought that she had been relying on just now also became clear at this moment.

Yuki's mother and Yang No, who had been paying attention to Yukino, also clearly felt the aura that Yukino exuded at this moment, which was a little incredible.

"Hachiman, I'm going to speed up. Can you keep up?"

"of course."

There was no need for any more nonsense. Yukino gently placed her hand on her hat, adjusted it, and then picked up the knife again. Even though she was no longer the former Yukinoshita Yukino, she had to use all the practice she had during this period. After competing with Erina, she had to put into practice what she had learned. The two of them were moving faster and faster. Although the speed was something that could be followed by the naked eye, it was not that simple. After all, the cooperation between the two had never stopped since this moment. Hachiman's right hand and Yukinoshita's left hand were like a bridge connected together, and they were constantly exchanging at this moment.

Under the gaze of the whole audience, the rhythm was once again controlled by Yukino, and Hachiman also began to focus on his own cooking. After all, there would be no problem at all if the main dish was handed over to her.

When the whipped cream is poured onto the turtle meat, it instantly turns into a gorgeous firework that seems to be continuously blooming on the turtle, which makes people look forward to it.

On the other side, Yang No and Si's dishes seemed to have entered the final stage. The two nodded slightly and presented their dishes to the judges.

"Central cuisine modified to honey bomb."

"Snow under the stream fish fillet ice flower."

An appetizer and a main course. Although the two did not cooperate too much, they almost crushed Hachiman and the other two in terms of strength. Moreover, everyone has finally reacted. After all, the so-called tenth seat is actually responsible for the main course. This shocked them all, but... if you look carefully at all the signs just now, that guy's strength is not just as simple as the top ten.

A faint smile appeared on Xue's mother's face, and the other four judges were obviously unable to wait any longer, so they picked up their spoons and reached for Si's appetizers.

The combination of honey mille-feuille is truly an eye-opener for everyone. As we all know, honey is a liquid that is difficult to control. Not only is its greasy taste difficult to control, but it will be completely ruined if you are not careful during the production process. The chef who dares to combine honey and mousse is extremely bold. After all, these two ingredients, in some ways, already make the dish look greasy.

but...

As the smooth honey slid down the mouth, for some reason, although the dish was made in this way, it did not taste greasy at all. Only a sweet feeling like a warm current rose in the heart. There is no doubt that such a dessert is already difficult to surpass. There is no need to imagine how intense the chemical reaction will be after tasting such an appetizer and then tasting the main course.

Although they did not notice the problem at first, the judges only took a reluctant look at the food after the honey mousse in front of them was completely eaten.

After all, the portion is controlled. If there are too many appetizers, it will have a certain impact on the main dish. The fundamental reason why it is not greasy is because the company has made changes to the nature of honey. This so-called honey is processed by itself and added with a certain amount of starch and jelly. Coupled with the taste of chestnuts, the greasy taste has been completely removed.

Xue's mother was obviously quite satisfied with this appetizer. After all, the dish that could be made to match Yang No's main dish so well showed that the first seat of this year might be a genius. And now...

Seeing a faint smile on Yang Noi's face, Xue's mother put it into her mouth first. Although she usually eats a lot of her daughter's cooking, as a mother she can still feel when she really cooks, and this dish of ice flower fish fillet is undoubtedly her current all-out work.

The moment it entered the mouth, the salt particles that had been calculated long ago seemed to transform into honey and washed away it, forming a very prominent sweetness. As it was gently bitten, the fine lines that had been carved already showed the meaning of their existence at this moment. The juice that burst out instantly seemed to stimulate the entire mouth inexplicably. Even Snow Mother was shocked by this unique taste.

The powder made from the marbled beef is constantly cooperating with the soft-shelled turtle to provide the best protection at this moment, and the ice flowers that have been stored on the fish fillet are also completely integrated into the fish fillet at this moment. It is obviously the same dish, but it produces a different aroma in the second bite, which makes the judges show incredible expressions.

The fragrance filled the entire venue. This outstanding smell that could not be concealed had captured everyone's heart. As a judge, Eriri said frankly:

"This is the most delicious dish today, no doubt about it."

There was no time to continue talking nonsense. She seemed to have given up on her image and just started to eat voraciously. The same went for the other three judges. At this point, perhaps only Xue's mother could try to control her behavior.

She still maintained her elegant temperament, and said to Yang Nai with approval:

"Well, not bad, your cooking skills have improved again."

Yang Nai didn't take it seriously, and just said calmly: