Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Kakuzaki Taki leaned back lazily in her chair. Kurokiba Ryo's cooking had given her an unprecedented shock, and now the dishes exuded a calming and peaceful atmosphere.

　"That's right! This is the taste of gentleness."

　Like a haven the soul yearns for after a raging storm, this dish offers that perfect refuge.

　Mizuhara Fuyumi nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with surprise. This dish seemed to have anticipated the turbulent waves to come, and thus chose tranquility instead!

　"The sweetness of maple syrup intertwines with the natural sweetness of the vegetables, creating a wonderful flavor that is both sweet and not cloying."

　The skillful incorporation of lemon juice creates a perfect balance between sweet and sour, resulting in a delightful and layered flavor experience.

　Hinako Inui closed her eyes and enjoyed herself, her hands moving very leisurely. When she came to her senses, she had already finished eating the whole plate of vegetable salad in front of her.

　"The refreshing taste of the vegetable salad, the sweet allure of the maple syrup, and the addition of chopped nuts give this salad a unique taste experience."

　These elements blend together to create an exquisite feast for the taste buds!

　Opening his eyes, Dojima Gin uttered these words in a long voice, while looking at the two contestants in front of him with a complex expression on his face.

　If we're talking about cooking alone, Ryo Kurokiba has the edge because of his superior ingredients.

　However, Megumi Tadokoro's cooking skillfully combines the flavors of Ryo Kurokiba's cooking, using the taste of his dishes to elevate her own cuisine to new heights!

　"Using her opponent's strength against them, she seemed to have known all along what dish her opponent was going to make."

　Zhou Tai's words carried a hint of inquiry, and his gaze involuntarily turned to Bai Yuan, secretly wondering if it was this person who was giving him pointers.

　Either someone leaked Kurokiba Ryo's recipe, which led Tadokoro Megumi to use this trick.

　Faced with Zhou Tai's probing gaze, Bai Yuan gently shook his head, a faint smile appearing on his lips. His gaze then fell on Tadokoro Megumi's confident figure, his heart filled with satisfaction.

　The timid and self-conscious little girl I remember has now transformed into a radiant and confident young woman, which is truly a cause for celebration.

　At the same time, Tadokoro Megumi on stage seemed to have a telepathic connection and inadvertently turned her gaze to Shirobuchi, who was in the audience.

　Their eyes met in mid-air, and the girl's smile was as bright and warm as the spring sun.

　On the judges' panel, Gin Dojima crossed his arms and closed his eyes to rest; the other judges also fell into deep thought, and the whole scene froze briefly.

　"What are you all still hesitating about? Do you think my carefully crafted dish of peony shrimp sashimi, made with the finest ingredients, would lose to a simple vegetable salad? Announce the result now!"

　Kurokiba Ryo finally couldn't contain his anxiety any longer. He frowned, slammed his hand on the table, and spoke with a tone full of humiliation and resentment.

　He uses top-quality ingredients to make botan shrimp sashimi, how could it be inferior to a mere vegetable salad?! Do these guys even know anything about cooking?!

　"No need to rush, we already have the answer."

　Dojima Gin slowly opened his eyes, the aftertaste still lingering in his mouth. He exchanged a glance with the other judges, then calmly addressed the two contestants in front of him.

　As soon as these words were spoken, all eyes of the audience turned to them, and everyone was filled with curiosity about the answer that was about to be revealed.

　On the surface, Kurokiba Ryo's botan shrimp sashimi is undoubtedly more luxurious and high-end. However, the judges seem to have given higher praise to Tadokoro Megumi's dish, so they are not sure whose dish will win the competition.

　"Gudu."

　Kurokiba Ryo stared intently at the judges' panel. Although he firmly believed deep down that he could not possibly lose, a strange sense of tension still crept into his heart.

　Beside her, Tadokoro Megumi also clenched her fist.

　Just then, the large screen suddenly flashed with Tian's image.

　With So-hui's name on the scoreboard, the final score was 4-1.

　In an instant, the scene erupted in cheers, with many people standing up excitedly, their eyes gleaming as they eagerly awaited the judges' explanation.

　"How is this possible? I actually lost, lost to an unknown person?! How did you even make that judgment?!"

　Looking at the scores on the big screen, Kurokiba Ryo's face was full of disbelief. He slammed his hand on the table and looked at the judges with a questioning gaze.

　"Someone actually voted for Kurokiba."

　"I just feel that it would be too tragic if he didn't get a single vote after working so hard."

　Looking at the scores on the big screen, the five judges began their discussion. Kakuzaki Taki was surprised that Kurokiba Ryo received this vote, while Inui Hinako, who gave Kurokiba the vote, spoke in a gentle tone.

　"You're being a little too kind."

　Upon hearing Hinako Inui's words, Taki Kakuzaki made a speechless remark.

　"That dish was clearly outstanding, but because the opponent anticipated it in advance, it became a stepping stone for the opponent to climb to the top, which is indeed a pity."

　Mizuhara Fuyumi shook her head slightly, revealing obvious regret over Kurokiba Ryo's crushing defeat.

　If Tadokoro Megumi had served her dish first, Kurokiba Ryo might have had a great chance of winning the competition. However, he beat her to the punch, or perhaps this was all part of Tadokoro Megumi's carefully laid plan, as she had already anticipated the dish Kurokiba was about to prepare.

　"Insight, stepping stone... utter nonsense!"

　"In short, Tadokoro skillfully utilized the impact of your cooking to elevate the deliciousness of his dishes to another level."

　Seeing Kurokiba Ryo's furrowed brows and puzzled expression, Dojima Gin explained succinctly.

　How did you know what dish I wanted to make?

　Kurokiba Ryo stared at Tadokoro Megumi with a dangerous look in his eyes, but he couldn't detect the slightest bit of guilt in her eyes, only composure and indifference.

　"Because Kurokiba's performance is too obvious. Since you enrolled, you have never tried any dishes other than seafood, and your taste is often heavy and impactful."

　Therefore, with this in mind, I carefully crafted this vegetable salad, which cleverly utilizes the impact of your cooking to give diners an unprecedented sense of happiness.

　Tadokoro Megumi explained with a smile that she acknowledged the other person's expertise in seafood cooking, which was why she used that expertise to elevate her own cooking.

　After all, Kurokiba Ryo is very strong, and a head-on confrontation would be very disadvantageous for her. Although it is a cooking competition, it does not mean that you cannot use someone else's strength against you.

　Adaptability is also an important skill for chefs!

　"Teacher Bai Yuan, am I now someone you can be proud of?"

　Looking at the score on the screen, Tadokoro Megumi's gaze gently turned to Shiroyuki, who was sitting in the audience, and such thoughts couldn't help but arise in her heart.

　"Are you solely obsessed with seafood dishes...?"

　Kurokiba Ryo gently untied the headscarf on his head, muttering to himself. Indeed, he rarely ventured into anything outside of seafood cuisine... because seafood cuisine was precisely his comfort zone, where he excelled.

　"He's about to transform."

　Watching Kurokiba Ryo leave the competition venue with his head down and heavy steps, seemingly lost in deep thought, Shirai whispered in the audience.

　"A setback can lead to a leap in culinary skills, which is undoubtedly a very worthwhile trade."

　Beside him, Zhou Tai began to speak with a smile.

　Although Kurokiba Ryo lost the match, he realized his shortcomings, which can be considered a blessing in disguise in some ways.

　Chapter 198 Subaru Mimasaka's Provocation, Hisako Shinoto's Trump Card

　"Congratulations on advancing to the semifinals, Xiao Hui. You performed very well this time."

　As the match came to a successful close, the audience gradually dispersed, and the arena returned to tranquility. Tadokoro Megumi walked towards him, and Shirabuchi stepped forward, his voice filled with praise.

　"Thanks to Teacher Bai Yuan, otherwise things wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

　Tadokoro Megumi smiled sweetly, secretly relieved. Before Kurokiba Ryo's dish was served, she had been on edge, afraid that her guess was wrong.

　Fortunately, the result was as she expected. Kurokiba Ryo couldn't give up seafood dishes and didn't change her style, allowing her to win the competition by taking a shortcut.

　"This victory cannot be attributed to me; it was your diligence and hard work that won you the game. Moreover, your strategy was truly outstanding."

　Hearing the girl's words, Bai Yuan shook his head.

　He hadn't expected that Tadokoro Megumi would use Kurokiba's cooking to elevate her own; she must have thoroughly investigated her opponent before the competition.

　"hey-hey."

　Shiro's praise made Tadokoro Megumi smile. She had been worried that her opponent would look down on her or even hate her for winning the game in such a clever way, but now she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

　"Keep up the good work, you can do even better, after all, you're someone I've taken a liking to."

　Seeing Tadokoro Megumi's somewhat awkward thoughts, Bai Yuan patted her head, telling her not to think too much, and then said in a gentle voice.

　"Yes, I will definitely work harder!"

　Looking at Bai Yuan's face, Tadokoro Megumi nodded earnestly. She had been working hard, hoping that one day she could truly become his pride.

　Like the Nakiri sisters, Alice and Erina.

　"Small

　Hui, you're amazing! Congratulations on advancing to the semifinals!

　"Yeah, you actually beat that powerful Kurokiba! My heart almost stopped when the results were announced!"

　Not far away, the voices of Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko drifted over, filled with surprise and excitement.

　Bai Yuan looked in the direction of the sound and saw two girls running towards him, panting heavily. They were clearly in a great hurry and had run all the way.

　"Xiao Hui has made it to the semi-finals, so you two need to work harder too. Don't fall too far behind, or you'll lose face."

　Seeing the two full of energy, Bai Yuan decided to put some pressure on them.

　"I've been reading an encyclopedia of ingredients lately. Once I've memorized everything, I can apply what I've learned when cooking!"

　Yoshino Yuuki couldn't wait to share her cooking plan, her eyes sparkling with a thirst for knowledge, while also hoping to receive Shirobuchi's approval.

　"I'm studying yeast. The internet is so advanced now that you can listen to professors' online lectures for just a little money. I've learned a lot these past few days."

　Not to be outdone, Ryoko Sakaki then reported on her progress, her voice filled with enthusiasm and a hint of expectant praise.

　"That's great. After the Summer Selection ends, you guys should be on fall break. I'll take you to China to watch the competition then."

　The cooking competition at Totsuki Culinary Academy was just a warm-up; the real challenge lay in higher-level competitions like the Fujian Youth Chef Competition.

　Therefore, he decided to take this opportunity to take them to China to broaden their horizons.

　Even if they can't participate in the competition, just watching from the sidelines can still provide them with a wealth of knowledge and experience, which will greatly benefit their future culinary journey.

　"Can we go together too?"

　Yoshino Yuuki's eyes lit up instantly. She excitedly grabbed Bai Yuan's arm, her big eyes sparkling with anticipation and longing.

　Although Ryoko Sakaki didn't show any reaction, she was looking at Shiroyuki with longing eyes, clearly very interested in his suggestion.

　"Of course, I'll cover your airfare and accommodation. You can study hard then."

　As the two approached, Bai Yuan's hand naturally and gently landed on their heads, as if soothing two obedient kittens and grooming their "fur".

　Seeing this, Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko not only did not feel uncomfortable, but instead moved even closer to him, their faces beaming with enjoyment and happiness.

　Tadokoro Megumi watched this scene with great envy. Although she had just experienced the warmth of being gently touched by Shirobuchi-sensei, she still felt a lingering sense of satisfaction.

　Teacher Bai Yuan's hands seem to possess a certain magic, making people unconsciously want to immerse themselves in them and be touched forever.

　"Alright, it's getting late, and I'm a little hungry. Let's go back for lunch."

　After stroking Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko's heads for a while, Shirabuchi let go of them, then looked at Nakiri Alice next to him and called her home for dinner.

　"Ah."

　Once he finished his pleasantries, Alice Nakiri immediately stepped forward, took his arm, and pressed herself against him, striking an intimate pose.

　People around her looked at her with envy, especially Tadokoro Megumi, who wished she could take her place, but she couldn't speak up because of her status, and could only look at her with a little regret.

　Just as he was about to step out of the moonlit sky, Bai Yuan's gaze was drawn to a familiar figure. He stared intently and was astonished to find that it was none other than Mimasaka Subaru.

　How did he end up here?

　Bai Yuan pondered to himself, and just as they were passing by Mimasaka Subaru, the other party suddenly spoke.

　"Teacher Bai Yuan, I will still win the next match."

　After speaking, Subaru Mimasaka turned away gracefully, leaving a group of onlookers looking at each other in bewilderment.

　What exactly is that guy trying to say?

　Yoshino Yuuki frowned, her expression full of confusion. Mimasaka Subaru's behavior seemed so abrupt and incomprehensible.

　"Perhaps he's trying to get Bai Yuan's attention?"

　Ryoko Sakaki voiced her guess: Subaru Mimasaka's repeated provocations seemed to have no ulterior motive, and no one present believed her.

　I agree with your opinion.

　Alice Nakiri chimed in, saying that Subaru Mimasaka's series of unusual actions were most likely intended to attract Hakugen's attention.

　The reason for this is currently unknown.

　"Oh right, Hisako is competing against him tomorrow."

　Tadokoro Megumi suddenly interrupted, breaking the brief silence.