Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Soma Yukihira and Liu Yu faced each other across the arena, with a huge number of people below them.

　Because it was the semi-final, there were an unusually large number of spectators this time.

　"These two look unfamiliar. They shouldn't have been famous before. How did they suddenly make it to the semifinals? Are this year's students really that weak..."

　In the stands, some spectators who were watching the game for the first time this year murmured to themselves, their voices filled with doubt.

　He had never met either Soma Yukihira or Liu Yu. Neither of them had any reputation in the Japanese culinary world, yet they had made it to the semi-finals.

　"I don't know. Maybe they are the kind of scholars who devote themselves to honing their culinary skills. A few of these people appear every year, and they are not bothered by fame and fortune."

　A beautiful woman shrugged and voiced her guess: "Famous people aren't necessarily capable, and capable people aren't necessarily famous. That's common sense."

　"Stop guessing. Both of them are transfer students who only joined in the first half of this year. They probably haven't been in Far Moon for more than half a year, so naturally they're not famous."

　A person familiar with the matter spoke up from the side.

　"Both of them are transfer students?!"

　"So that means they didn't receive any training from Totsuki Culinary Academy before, and got to where they are today on their own. Could they come from some kind of culinary family?"

　Upon hearing his words, everyone around turned to look at him, their eyes filled with surprise and curiosity, many of whom were visiting the Moon Sky for the first time.

　All the students who made it to the semifinals were transfer students.

　Let's take a look at the new developments!

　"The theme this time is desserts, which is a relatively niche culinary category, to be honest. I wonder what kind of dishes they will serve."

　"Desserts are still a niche food? They're considered mainstream in the West!"

　"You know that's in the West. Here, just look at how many dessert shops there are in the whole country. Compared to others, it's pitifully few!"

　"Comparing a main course to a snack, you're quite something, bro!"

　Before any sound came from the field, the audience had already started discussing it, with two people even arguing heatedly, neither willing to give in.

　At this moment, on the field, Kawashima Rei stood between Yukihira Soma and Liu Yu, holding a microphone, and delivered the official opening remarks to pique the audience's interest.

　"So now..."

　At this point, Kawashima Rei turned her gaze to Dojima Gin, who was sitting at the very top. Upon receiving her gaze, Dojima Gin stood up from his chair.

　"Game start!"

　Holding a microphone, with his arms outstretched and pointing forward, a powerful voice came from Dojima Gin's mouth, and the two on the field started to move the next moment.

　"Look, that girl brought out a lot of materials!"

　"Almond paste, milk, hazelnut spread, crisps, whole egg liquid, cocoa powder, egg yolks, dark chocolate, gelatin, egg yolks, milk chocolate chips, cream, cake flour, butter, water and butter..."

　An elderly pastry chef looked at the large screen in the sky, which was showing Liu Yu's cooking station, and he couldn't help but be surprised.

　Although making desserts is complicated and time-consuming, it doesn't require this many ingredients, does it? What kind of dessert is this girl making?!

　"Soy sauce...?"

　As luck would have it, the old man was sitting next to Bai Yuan and Nakiri Alice, who were also somewhat surprised as they looked at the ingredients on the big screen.

　Unlike the old man who marveled at the large quantity of materials Liu Yu used, Bai Yuan focused his attention on some inconspicuous soy sauce among the pile of materials.

　Is there anything special about this soy sauce?

　Hearing Bai Yuan's mutterings, Nakiri Alice asked curiously, "Speaking of which, why is there soy sauce in the ingredients for making desserts?"

　"Adding a touch of salt to sweetness can more effectively enhance the sweetness, and the flavor of soy sauce is rich and unique, which is a good idea."

　Bai Yuan didn't hold back his praise; Liu Yu's unconventional approach could be considered a revolution in the culinary world.

　Although it may seem like only minor changes, the development of the culinary world is precisely driven by these small, incremental steps.

　"Adding salt to desserts can make them sweeter. It's similar to adding sugar to enhance the flavor of dishes, right?"

　Beside her, Alice Nakiri seemed to be deep in thought after hearing Bai Yuan's words, and then asked a question that drew inferences from the previous one.

　"It uses the same theory, but you can tell that, which is quite good."

　Bai Yuan patted Nakiri Alice's head approvingly, saying that the worst thing for a student is to try to memorize things by rote, which is a stupid approach.

　Intelligent people often only need to grasp one point to apply it to other situations and deduce other theories. Such people progress the fastest.

　"What?! He's a master chef, not a child anymore. He can tell the difference! And my hair is all messed up!"

　Helplessly, she removed Bai Yuan's hand that was messing with her head, but then felt it was a waste to just put it down, so she pressed it against her own face.

　"Don't touch my head when you compliment me in the future. My hairstyle was messed up this morning. Just touch my face and it will be fine. I'm wearing makeup that's hard to smudge."

　Feeling the faint warmth on her cheek, Alice Nakiri said coquettishly, half of her body leaning against Bai Yuan, looking very affectionate.

　"These couples nowadays, tsk tsk."

　Not far away, a girl who had come alone clicked her tongue softly, her eyes filled with jealousy, because Bai Yuan was very handsome.

　"Ahem, let's continue watching the game."

　Hearing the sound, Bai Yuan felt a little embarrassed and tried to pull his hand back, but Nakiri Airi stopped him.

　She clenched her hands tightly and placed them on her lap.

　Bai Yuan naturally noticed this, but because the audience seats were dimly lit, and after confirming that other people couldn't see their little actions below, he let it go.

　"Is that kid Yukihira making wagashi? It's quite Japanese. He must have spent the last three days learning how to make it at a Japanese confectionery shop."

　Looking at the materials laid out in front of Yukihira Soma, Bai Yuan made his guess. At this moment, he was making tea. In addition, there were ingredients such as fentanyl, trehalose, fine sugar and maltose on the table.

　"Can this kind of dish be considered an original dessert?"

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Nakiri Alice couldn't help but feel puzzled. The message displayed on the big screen should have been for an original dessert.

　"The difficulty of creating a dish from scratch is self-evident."

　Therefore, the original desserts proposed by the competition organizers refer more to dishes that others don't have, and unique to them, rather than creating a new category.

　Bai Yuan was speechless.

　No matter how innovative a dish becomes, its essence is hard to stray from. For example, there are hundreds of ways to make fried rice. Similarly, when making cookies, different people will produce cookies that look and taste different.

　As long as the recipe is improved, rather than being a one-to-one replica, it can be considered original in a certain sense, because its roots cannot be moved.

　Chapter 204 The Final Victor

　Time passed slowly, and the large screen in the sky broadcast the event live. The audience below watched the two people sweating on stage with curiosity on their faces.

　The reason is simple: in less than an hour, Soma Yukihira's dish was ready.

　As he picked up the dessert and strode confidently toward the judges' table, a drone filmed him in real time, and the footage was displayed on a large screen.

　"What beautiful desserts!"

　"As dazzling as a galaxy! The ancient tung-colored speckles are like stars, and the surface is solidified into a creamy texture, somewhat like yokan (sweet bean jelly), no, it should be said that it is a type of yokan!"

　Soma Yukihira presented the finished wagashi (Japanese sweet bean yokan) to the judges, his face radiating confidence: "Just wait and see. This dessert is called 'Starry River Yokan.' Please enjoy."

　"These desserts are so beautiful, it's almost a shame to eat them!"

　"It's just like the starry sky."

　Looking at the exquisite and beautiful yokan (sweet bean jelly) in front of them, which was filled with images of the universe and stars, the judges couldn't help but exclaim in amazement and picked up their small spoons in unison.

　"You must have frozen it before serving it, right? Eating yokan, especially frozen yokan, in the summer is absolutely the happiest thing in the world!"

　As Inui Hinako's voice rang out, she looked at the beautiful yokan in front of her, unsure of where to begin. In the end, she gritted her teeth and scooped off a piece from the corner.

　"This flavor... comes from the unique aroma of red oolong tea, which permeates the entire yokan, providing a deep and rich base for it."

　The crisp aroma of oolong tea spreads through the mouth, followed by a strong citrus flavor, a refreshing and sweet-and-sour taste!

　"The taste of candied orange peel and lemon juice... if I'm not mistaken, you added these two ingredients before the yokan was set."

　The subtle sweetness of candied orange peel and the tangy sourness of lemon juice intertwined in the mouth. Next to Hinako Inui, Gin Dojima looked up at Soma Yukihira and spoke.

　"The candied orange peel has a slightly sweet taste with the natural sweet and sour flavor of oranges, while lemon juice is known for its distinct sourness. The combination of the two can add a rich sweet and sour taste to the yokan, making the overall flavor more complete."

　In addition, adding candied orange peel and lemon juice can improve the color and enhance the taste; the granulated orange peel adds a unique textural layer to the yokan.

　When asked, Soma Yukihira talked at length about the benefits of adding the two ingredients, explaining that the recipe proportions were the result of his three days of research.

　"The aroma of orange peel complements the flavor of tea, creating a warm and pleasant taste experience that feels so peaceful."

　Hinako Inui closed her eyes, and an illusion appeared before her.

　It was a quiet afternoon, the weather was exceptionally hot, but she was in a shady room at home, eating a refreshingly cool yokan (sweet bean jelly), and it felt wonderful!

　"While the lower layer of citrus soup was not completely set, a layer of red oolong vinegar was poured in, resulting in two distinct layers of flavor."

　Kikuchienka comfortably squinted her eyes, the silky taste on her tongue intoxicating.

　The sourness of fermented vinegar combined with the mellowness of black tea creates a unique sweet and sour taste that is neither too stimulating nor too harsh, yet it can stimulate the taste buds.

　In addition, the refreshing taste brought by agar powder is also a major highlight of this dessert.

　It gives the yokan a unique elasticity and chewiness, allowing you to experience a refreshing yet delicate taste with every bite.

　"It has the charm of tea, the freshness of citrus, and the unique flavor of fermented vinegar. Combined with its icy coolness, it's truly a wonderful dessert!"

　Dojima Gin gave his evaluation with a broad smile.

　The three flavors come together in the yokan, layer upon layer, and with its own coolness, each chew releases a new flavor, making it truly wonderful!

　"By combining traditional yokan (sweet bean jelly) with candied desserts, the final product is a superb delicacy in both appearance and taste. It's excellent."

　After finishing the last bite of yokan, Kikuchi Sonoka raised her head and praised Yukihira Soma. This was her...

　The best yokan I've ever had!

　"It's so wonderful to be able to eat something like this in the summer!"

　Hinako Inui put the last bite of yokan into her mouth, then put down the spoon in her hand. The icy yokan in her mouth released its flavor and brought a chill, which was perfect for summer!

　"Could I have a piece later, Soma Yukihira?"

　Hearing the judges' praise, Liu Yu walked up unhurriedly. She did not rush to present the dish, but first addressed Yukihira Soma.

　"Sure, I made a special portion for you, but I'd also like to try your dessert."

　"Of course, I'll do it for you too."

　Upon hearing Soma Yukihira's words, Liu Yu smiled and nodded without refusing. She then presented the mille-feuille cake in her hand and gestured for the judges to proceed.

　"Sister Liu..."

　In the audience, Wang Jing looked at the scene before her with some nervousness. She hadn't expected that Liu Yu would also encounter Soma Yukihira after her.

　Will she win? To be honest, Liu Yu is much stronger than her, and she has studied systematically during this period, so the possibility of her losing is very low.

　"A mille-feuille cake? It's surprisingly ordinary, but judging from the ingredients used, it's not hard to tell that this little cake is actually quite sophisticated!"

　Looking at the small, delicate cake in front of her, Hinako Inui looked puzzled.

　From the outside, it looks no different from a regular mille-feuille cake, but considering the ingredients used, something feels off.

　"No matter what, what determines the outcome of the competition is the taste of the food."

　As he spoke, Dojima Gin reached out with his fork, scooped up a piece of cake, and put it in his mouth.

　"What's with this superior texture and sweetness?! When you poke it with a fork, you can feel an amazing elasticity."

　Feeling the flavor on her tongue, Dojima Gin, who had been calm, was shocked. It was just a mille-feuille cake, so why was it so bouncy and chewy!

　"However, once you start tasting it, the sensation of it melting in your mouth is as gentle as a light drizzle falling on your tongue!"

　Hinako Inui squinted her eyes, her face filled with enjoyment.

　"Most importantly, what's with this sweet taste that's spreading deep into my mouth!?"

　Kikuchi Sonoka's voice was filled with disbelief. Logically speaking, she had only eaten a small piece of cake, and the sweetness shouldn't have spread deep into her mouth.

　"This is the answer."

　As they were talking, Liu Yu returned from the audience and placed a bottle of soy sauce on the judges' table. The surrounding drones immediately flew over and captured the scene.

　"soy sauce!?"

　The audience gasped in surprise, their voices filled with doubt. Even the veteran pastry chef, who had previously thought Bai Yuan was pretending to know what he didn't and hadn't bothered to argue with him, looked at him in astonishment. He hadn't expected that bottle of soy sauce to be the key to this dish!

　"I mixed the heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla extract, egg whites and soy sauce together and whipped them until foamy. Then I spread it on the cake base and put it in the refrigerator to chill."

　This makes the sugar taste even better. By the way, I used brown sugar because it has a richer flavor!