Can you handle my Hikigaya's cooking?

"You want to know why, right? Of course it's because it's so much fun!"

"interesting?"

"Of course, as a chef recognized by Nakiri Tsuki, I am qualified to cook whatever I want. When I see other people making dishes that are my own inventions, this sense of pride and satisfaction will make me very excited no matter how many times I do it!"

Having said that, Rindou-senpai did not intend to let Hachiman retort, and continued:

"I say, do you want to join us? With your ability, it is no problem for you to continue to develop cuisine, and I can accompany you at that time..."

"I'm sorry, but I have no interest in these things."

"Eh?"

“In fact, for me, the most important thing about cooking is the intention it conveys. If you just imitate and learn, the food you cook will only reflect the intentions of others, not your own. I hope everyone can express their own intentions through cooking. It has nothing to do with the taste, that’s all.”

Listening to Hachiman's clear words, Rindou-senpai's smile suddenly became meaningful. She just put away her hand and said lightly:

"There's nothing we can do about it. Isn't that what they mean when they say people with different ideologies cannot work together?"

At the same time, Jinye also walked over from his stove. In the end, none of the judges ate a single bite of his food. This great sense of failure made him unable to recover at all, and his red eyes showed that he was close to madness at the moment.

Tsuya: "I will beat you! Next time!"

Hachiman: "Well, next time, let's bet on your ninth seat!"

...

When I returned to Polaris Dormitory again, I saw that a lot of reporters had gathered in front of the door of Polaris Dormitory. Among them, Erina was standing in the middle, answering the reporters' questions one by one.

Hachiman: "This guy is stupid, isn't he afraid of Nakiri Tsuki coming to him if he reveals his image like this?"

However, Hachiman soon discovered that there was not only Erina there, but also Alice and Hisako, which made Hachiman a little confused for a moment.

However, seeing that the road ahead was so crowded that he couldn't squeeze in for the time being, Hachiman could only continue to observe from outside the door.

As more and more reporters gathered, Erina slowly walked up the stairs and finally said to the reporters below the stage:

"Hello everyone, I am Erina Nakiri, the tenth seat of the Ten Elites of Totsuki Academy. To this day, I still cannot adapt well to the central nervous system. Finally, after careful consideration, I decided to resign from the position of the tenth seat. From now on, there is only one identity, Erina Nakiri."

Listening to Erina's determined words, Hachiman knew very well that she was not joking, and if she stood here and announced all this, it meant that she was about to declare war on the father she feared the most.

Although Erina obviously had some questions that she couldn't answer when facing the reporters' questions, since Hisako and Alice were there, they would not let the reporters come to her easily. Moreover, this was just one of the things. After Erina's announcement, Isshiki Hui also slowly walked out of Polaris Dormitory. After all, she was the former seventh seat and was very famous no matter where she was. As expected, she was instantly captured by the reporters as soon as she appeared on the stage.

Unlike Erina, Isshiki Hui was obviously used to this. She just smiled faintly after picking up the microphone, and then generously began to introduce herself:

"Hello everyone, I am Isshiki Hui, the former seventh of the Ten Elites of Totsuki Academy. There is something I must announce. During my tenure, I established a 'Isshiki Rule'. You can look up the specific content in the announcements that Totsuki has issued. At that time, it was issued legally and with the permission of the former commander-in-chief."

After hearing Yi Se's words, many reporters immediately started searching online, and sure enough, after a short search:

"It's true! There are actually more than a dozen rules..."

"Why do I seem to have never heard of it?"

"However, it is indeed legally issued. In any case, we have the right to enforce it within Totsuki Academy."

Facing everyone's questions, Isshiki just smiled and said calmly:

"Because when the former commander-in-chief and I discussed this 'rule', there was no turmoil in the academy, so it is normal that there was no attention. However... the situation is different now. Please look at the eighth article of the 'One Color Rule'!"

"With the permission of three of the top ten students, we can start a joint food battle!"

"Article 9. The judges of the United Shokugeki Contest will draw lots to invite celebrities or actors from all over the world to compete in the final showdown in front of the public."

"United Shokugeki?!"

Many people were unable to understand this word for a moment. After all, in the many years of history of Totsuki, no one had ever heard of such a term as "Shokugeki no Mugen". And now... it just appeared in the ears of reporters.

However, Yi Se's explanation is concise:

"As the name suggests, the two camps draw corresponding cooks and compete in a round-robin battle. The side that loses the last person loses the shokugeki."

"Even though you say that? But Isshiki-san, even if you add Erina Nakiri, we don't have three players who are in the top ten, so we can't activate the 'Isshiki Rule'." A reporter asked in confusion.

Isshiki: "As for the top ten, of course we have one."

"Kuga Teruki-san, former eighth seat, everyone knows him, right?"

As soon as Isshiki Hui finished speaking, Kuga came out from behind Isshiki, stroking his hair, and suddenly said:

"Nakiri Tsuchiya, wait for your death!"

Even so, whether it is Isshiki, Kuga, or even Erina, they are only the last five among the top ten. Although each of the top ten is fighting very closely, there is still a big gap in their strength.

Everyone knows that only by occupying the seats of the top ten players will they have a chance to turn the tables. However...it is difficult for them to even get ten players together now, and it is even more difficult to be comparable to the top ten.

Although the broadcast went smoothly and left the rebels with a fierce flame of hope, after Hachiman won the ninth seat, their new challenge once again attracted the attention of the entire world culinary community.

As the reporters dispersed, Hachiman finally returned to the Polaris Dormitory. Hikigaya, who had thought he had escaped a little after this incident, obviously did not expect how much of an impact this incident would have on them. As soon as he returned to the door, he noticed the panicked expression on Tadokoro Megumi's face:

"Hikigaya-san, you...you better be careful!"

Hachiman: "Mei...I feel like you want to say something."

Tadokoro Megumi: "...Hikigaya-san, you went to participate in the food battle without saying anything. Even I... would be angry!"

Hachiman: "You said this... It's true that I was wrong, but think about it this way, if I told you in advance, it would be difficult to set off, right? Besides, I usually do this when I am confident, right?"

Listening to Hachiman's words, Tanadore Megumi seemed to start recalling the past, and said in a somewhat innocent tone:

"Yeah, it seems so, but no matter what, it's still very worrying!"

Hachiman: "Well, of course I still didn't discuss this with you. It's still my fault anyway."

Tansho Kei was a little flustered, and just shook his hand and said:

"It's okay with me. After all, Hikigaya-san has a reason for doing this. I mean to be careful..."

"Hikigaya-kun, you're back?"

Before Tadokoro Megumi could finish her words, Erina and Yukinoshita walked down from the second floor step by step with their arms folded across their chests. Just looking at the look in their eyes, it was obvious that something was not right.

Hachiman: "Well, that..."

Erina was obviously a little impatient, and before Hachiman could say anything, she spoke first:

"You bastard! You didn't take my words to heart at all! I clearly... I clearly care about you so much... If you... If you get expelled from school, I, I don't know what I would do."

Looking at Erina who was at a loss, Hachiman felt a little sorry for this former young lady. She had been ignorant of the ways of the world since childhood, but at this moment she stood on his side and chose to confront her father while giving up her last dignity. From then on, Erina was just an ordinary student.

Yukinoshita also sighed helplessly:

"You've been so reckless. I really can't forgive you so easily for what happened this time!"

Hachiman: "Yukinoshita, how come you are like this too..."

After hearing this, Yukinoshita's face turned red, but her words became hesitant:

"How dare you say that? Even if you have a great chance of winning, this kind of competition is totally unreasonable. You are such a cautious person, there is no way you don't know that. Besides... I can't help you at all right now."

Unlike in the past, when she could use the status of the Yuki family to change anything, now she is just like Erina, a young lady who has lost everything.

One was targeted by his own father, the other was targeted by his own sister. No matter how you look at it, the experiences of these two people have some similarities, yet they are completely different.

Both Haruno and Nakiri Tsuneishi are thinking for the two women, but Haruno stimulates Yukino's potential by forcing her into a desperate situation, while Nakiri Tsuneishi's is a bit more pathological.

Hachiman: "I'm sorry, I was wrong about this."

They originally thought that Hikigaya would fight to the end with the two girls, but they did not expect that Hikigaya would admit his mistake so quickly. However, this is only natural. After all, if he disappeared without saying anything, it would still make people worry.

But that's fine.

Erina turned around and wiped away the tears that were about to fall with her arm, but her voice became choked with sobs as she spoke:

"That's good..."

Hachiman: "I..."

He wanted to say something to comfort her, but without having experienced other people's experiences, comforting others in this way and thinking that he understood the other person was a kind of arrogance in itself. When the words came to his lips, Hachiman found that he couldn't say anything.

The next moment, Erina turned around again, tears flying from the corners of her eyes like butterflies, and her red cheeks seemed to tell of some emotions that could not be expressed in words, but at some point, Hachiman's body had been tightly embraced by Erina.

Erina's head was buried in his arms. It was obviously the first time for both of them to be so close to a member of the opposite sex, but at this moment they felt each other's warmth.

"That's good..."

"That's good..."

"Really, that's good..."

Yukinoshita just looked at the two of them. Although there was an inexplicable resentment of not admitting defeat rising in her mind, but... for some reason, looking at the girl in front of her who was even more miserable than herself, she was unable to pull the two apart.

He is her last warmth. Perhaps only at times like this can she feel a little safe.

Isn't it Yukinoshita, who is in the same situation, who is the one who can best understand Erina's feelings?

I don't know how much time has passed, but when I felt Erina's cheeks getting warmer, I reluctantly let go, but...

"Don't tell anyone what happened just now!"

Hachiman: "What a troublesome guy."

Komachi also came over at this moment, but soon showed a slightly embarrassed look:

"Um, Komachi...come back later!"

Hachiman: "Hey, are you an idiot?"

Komachi: "You are the idiot, the fool, Hachiman!"

Hachiman: "Hachiman isn't even a curse word!"

Yukinoshita couldn't help herself and just covered her face and laughed, and Erina's already shy expression seemed to rise to another level after being seen by Komachi.

"Hachiman! Asshole!"

"..."

Although Hachiman had no idea what he had done wrong, or even what he had done, but... at this point, it would be better to move on.

The two girls didn't stop him. After all, he had gotten up early to participate in the food battle today, and he was obviously exhausted. He had to take a simple rest in the afternoon. Moreover, after today's "Iseki Rules" revealed, maybe there would be no such relaxing rest days in the near future...

Komachi: "Brother, this is really a headache."

Chapter 6: Women's War, Please Don't Stand in the Middle

In just a blink of an eye, the sun had already set. As the last ray of sunlight disappeared, Hachiman was finally woken up by the intrusion of Senior Isshiki.

Isshiki: "Hikigaya-kun, it seems to be quite lively today, would you like to come and take a look?"

Just like usual, Isshiki Hui just lay on the ceiling with a nonchalant smile on his face.

Hachiman: "Can you please not appear on my ceiling so easily..."

Isshiki: "Hey, anyway, Hikigaya-kun, you should come too."

After being urged away by Hachiman, Isshiki still left Hikigaya's room. After Hikigaya put on his clothes, he once again came to the hall of Polaris Dormitory.

Just as imagined, the lively scene that Isshiki Hui described is exactly the cooking duel between the two people who have conflicts every day since Erina arrived. It is reasonable for Erina to be so impulsive, but...

Hachiman leaned close to Yukino's ear and asked with some confusion:

"You're also so excited, and it's not just once or twice. It's really strange..."

That's right, normally Yukino wouldn't compete for victory or defeat, and when faced with people deliberately making things difficult for her, she would just fight back with her unique personality. A situation like this...even though I've partnered with Yukino so many times, I've never seen it before.

Erina: "Ah, Yukinoshita, you don't dare, do you?"

Yukinoshita: "Before you say that, you also need to look at who your opponent is. There are some things you can give in to, but there are some things you can't. Please make this clear, Ms. Erina."

The two of them just hugged their chests and smiled faintly. They obviously didn't show any scary expressions, but they continued to exude terrible anger.

Iroha, who had been observing from the side, seemed to have discovered something first, and she just secretly followed Komachi and said:

"Hey, Komachi, is this the legendary Shura Field? It's so scary!"

Komachi: "Hahahaha, how is that possible? How could someone like my brother cause such a thing? No... You are not my brother! Tell me, who are you?"

Hachiman: "Alright, alright, stop messing around."