Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Bai Yuan calmly began to analyze the situation.

　In terms of pure strength, Soma Yukihira could never beat Erina Nakiri.

　But the problem is that he has an extremely strong ability to improvise. If he encounters a theme that the other party is good at, or if he is in a good state and performs exceptionally well, he can still create a very amazing dish.

　That's why Hakugen instructed Nakiri Erina not to let her guard down.

　However, that was before the special training.

　After a week of special training, Erina Nakiri had already undergone a complete transformation.

　At this moment, although she is still a non-starred chef, she already possesses the ability to prepare dishes of the highest rank, even the highest rank, one-star and two-star! Everything depends on how well she performs on the spot!

　"Wow, genius, I never expected this match would be against you."

　"Back then, you were the examiner who introduced us to the profession, and now you're my opponent. It's truly ironic!"

　Looking at the masked Erina Nakiri in front of him, he knew without even thinking who she was, and said with a teasing tone.

　When they first met, they were completely in a superior-subordinate relationship, with his fate entirely in Erina Nakiri's hands. He never expected that they would become adversaries in the blink of an eye.

　"I'm really surprised that you've come this far, Yukihira-kun."

　Looking at the man in front of her, Erina Nakiri remained calm, showing no significant emotional fluctuations, as if she were looking at someone insignificant.

　"You'll be surprised by much more, you pampered young lady who grew up in a greenhouse."

　Seeing Erina Nakiri's indifferent expression, he knew in his heart that she looked down on him.

　Thinking of this, Soma Yukihira felt a surge of displeasure, and his words became sharper.

　"A pampered young lady raised in a greenhouse?"

　Although what you said is true, it still makes people very unhappy and is very impolite.

　Even though I grew up in a greenhouse, I'm still more upright than you. Someone sheltered me from most of the wind and rain until I fully matured and could stand on my own.

　Erina Nakiri couldn't help but sneer at Soma Yukihira's words.

　If it were the old her, she would have been furious if provoked like this, feeling that it was an insult for a commoner who could only cook B-grade food to point fingers at her.

　But now she can simply laugh it off, because Teacher Baiyuan often says the same thing to her.

　Chefs raised in a greenhouse have no resilience; they easily falter when faced with setbacks, resulting in dishes far below their usual standard.

　The first step to escaping the 'greenhouse' state is to accept that you are in a greenhouse environment.

　Through Shirabuchi's constant words, Erina Nakiri has accepted this premise. She has experienced a lot during this time, and the 'greenhouse state' is a thing of the past for her. If Soma Yukihira still thinks she is a flower in a greenhouse, he will definitely suffer a great loss.

　"Enough talk. Let me see your strength, Nakiri, the tenth Elite of Totsuki Academy."

　As he spoke, Soma Yukihira turned around in the center of the stage and stepped to his cooking station.

　"You are the one who should be disappointed. I hope you won't disappoint me, otherwise it will be too boring."

　As Erina Nakiri spoke, she returned to her cooking station. Seeing that the atmosphere had reached its peak, the host stepped forward with light steps, the crisp 'clack-clack' of her high heels on the ground drawing the audience's attention.

　This is also a required course for any host: how to quickly capture the attention of the entire audience.

　"It's clear that both players are ready to go."

　Before the competition begins, please allow me to introduce the judges for this round.

　As they spoke, the drone in the sky moved quickly and soon arrived at the judges' table.

　"What a beautiful girl! Wait, that face looks so familiar... Could she be...?"

　"Damn, I'd be willing to shorten my lifespan by ten years if I could become her boyfriend!"

　"I'll pay for twenty years!"

　"Don't inflate the market price. Besides, I'll pay for thirty years!"

　Soon, a bright and beautiful figure appeared on the big screen. She was smiling and waving at the drone, and her delicate features and stylish outfit immediately attracted the attention of all the men.

　"First up is our first judge, the ageless beauty known as the Queen of Desserts, Ms. Su Yan. I believe everyone here is familiar with her, after all, who didn't dream of becoming a dessert magic girl when they were young?"

　The spotlight shone on Su Yan, with the host's figure serving as a backdrop, making everyone in the audience hold their breath.

　As long-buried memories gradually resurfaced, everyone remembered the true identity of the woman before them.

　Their childhood goddess!

　"Hello everyone, I am honored to be selected as a judge by the Fujian Chefs Association."

　I promise to provide fair and impartial evaluations throughout the competition, without any favoritism or cheating. I trust everyone's support.

　As the host finished speaking, the beautiful woman stood up from her chair.

　Although she is known for her youthful appearance, she has the face of a mature woman and is a full 1.72 meters tall. When she stands up, half of her thigh covered by white stockings is revealed. Her smile is as bright as the sun shining on her, which immediately makes the scene boil over.

　"Oh oh oh oh oh oh!"

　"Suyan! Suyan! Magical Girl Sutian!"

　In an instant, many people stood up in excitement, waving their pink light sticks.

　Speaking of Su Yan, it can be said to be a memory of people born in the 1990s and 2000s. At that time, although the food industry was very popular and restaurants of all sizes were open all over the streets and alleys, due to insufficient technological development, people did not know many people related to food.

　Su Yan was active on television at the time, appearing in a children's educational film called "The Magical Girl of Desserts." The film tells the story of a girl who is skilled at making desserts. One day, on her way home, she encounters a bizarre event that attacks the human world. In the end, she uses the power of her heart to give life to the desserts, allowing them to destroy the bizarre event.

　Such a novel storyline left a deep impression on people born in the 1990s and 2000s.

　Su Yan, who played the magical girl, took the alias of a girl named Su Tiantian and fought against evil. At that time, she was a top-level chef and had just turned twenty.

　The various desserts featured in the film have become treasures that viewers desperately want to obtain.

　Countless parents are driven to despair by their children's "high demands".

　After all, the economy was developing at that time, and being able to eat a beautifully designed and delicious dessert was enough to be considered a wealthy person.

　Su Yan has now reached the level of a four-star chef, and is only one step away from becoming a five-star chef.

　Once you can overcome this hurdle, you can become a true high-ranking member of the culinary world!

　"thank you all."

　Looking at such enthusiastic fans and hearing their nicknames, Su Yan was reminded of her own impulsive decisions when she was young.

　Although it was a dark chapter in her life, it was also a precious memory. So she made the signature gesture of a dessert magical girl, which immediately brought the atmosphere to its peak.

　"It's so hot!"

　Bai Yuan's voice carried a hint of emotion; it was hard to believe that the scene would become so lively because of a judge.

　She's a truly magical woman.

　"Following closely behind is the second man, Tan Guai, who is known in the culinary world as a 'morbid chef'."

　After Su Yan sat down, the host wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead and continued his introduction.

　Although she had expected that Su Yan's appearance would cause a sensation, she never imagined that the effect would be so explosive!

　"Hello everyone, I hope to see some interesting dishes."

　As soon as the host finished speaking, the man who had been sitting next to Su Yan with his eyes closed stood up.

　He is also a four-star chef, but because of his bold and innovative culinary style, he often makes top-notch dishes that ordinary people would never think of or even feel physically uncomfortable, hence he is jokingly called a "sick chef".

　However, he himself didn't care at all about it, and even took pride in it.

　"The third person is a familiar face to everyone, Teacher Zhang Zhong."

　Compared to the explosive start of Su Yan, Tan Guai's appearance did not generate much discussion. Only a small number of people who were impressed by his cooking took out their phones to search for pictures and share the chef's story with those around them.

　As Zhang Zhong has been mentioned before, the response was also lukewarm.

　However, these are not the main points, because

　They are not the main characters in this match.

　Before the temperature drops.

　The host seized the opportunity and approached Soma Yukihira and Erina Nakiri to begin introducing them.

　"Soma Yukihira, from Japan, is sixteen years old and currently studying at the prestigious Totsuki Culinary Academy!"

　"Code name: Nagi, from the Dark Cuisine World, an extremely mysterious force, sixteen years old this year, possessing the combat strength of a top-level chef, a genius among geniuses!"

　Because the information was limited and only superficial, the host didn't elaborate much during the introduction, so the audience didn't react much, and some even started playing with their phones.

　"Alright, let's start drawing our themes!"

　Three themes flashed rapidly on the big screen, their faces obscured. Finally, the host handed over a button, which Erina Nakiri pressed, and the screen stopped abruptly.

　"May the country be prosperous and the people at peace."

　"This kind of theme is really rare. Can this even be expressed through food?"

　"This feels okay. Last year in the competition, there was a case of waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump. I really don't know how to describe that. But Liu Xiaotian, who participated at that time, used ingredients such as carrots, potatoes, onions, broccoli and chicken thighs, along with rosemary, thyme, olive oil, salt and black pepper, to create a pastoral idyll."

　His answer was: don't just wait for opportunities; learn to cherish and enjoy the present moment, because opportunities may be right beside you.

　"I remember! I remember! The opponent used seaweed gum, calcium lactate and other ingredients, along with rabbit meat, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, broth and edible gold leaf, to create a very beautiful dish. Finally, they used dry ice to create a smoky effect, creating a dreamlike and mysterious atmosphere."

　His answer was to avoid indulging in unrealistic fantasies and to be grounded in reality in order to achieve true success. It was a clash of titans, a battle of equals.

　The theme that appeared on the big screen instantly sparked a discussion among the audience. When the theme of last year's competition was mentioned, everyone's face lit up with excitement, and a thoughtful expression would occasionally appear.

　How can we express the concept of 'national prosperity and peace' through food?

　"Such a difficult topic..."

　As Yoshino Yuuki pondered, she bit her nails. Sitting between Tadokoro Megumi and Sakaki Ryoko, she gently touched her hair, thinking about what kind of dish she would serve if she were standing on the competition field.

　"If it were me, I would most likely choose pigeons, since pigeons are known as 'peace doves,' which in a sense coincides with national peace and prosperity."

　Mito Ikumi's voice rang out as she spoke, glancing at Shirayu out of the corner of her eye, as if hoping for his praise.

　"Doves are indeed known as 'peace doves,' but in a sense, cooking pigeons disrupts peace."

　Instead of receiving praise from Shiroyuki, they received evaluations from Hojo Miyoko.

　Cooking pigeons inevitably requires killing them, which disrupts peace and is inconsistent with the theme of 'national prosperity and peace'.

　"Although I want to argue, I have to admit you have a point..."

　Mito Ikumi paused, her words about to come out, and fell silent, realizing the problem.

　"Actually, as long as it makes sense, the most important thing is the taste of the food."

　Bai Yuan's voice rang out. These themed dishes actually test a chef's eloquence; as long as the food is good enough, you can get by no matter what you say.

　Of course, anything too far-fetched or outrageous will be rejected.

　"That's true. I wonder what kind of dish Erina will serve..."

　"Will the competition format remain the same as before? It would be difficult for the players to demonstrate their true abilities in that way."

　The girls started chattering amongst themselves, and the host seemed to have known their concerns all along. Before their doubts had even faded, her voice rang out from the audience.

　"The rules for these competitions are a bit different from the previous ones. In this competition, contestants need to prepare their own ingredients within a specified time, within the city of Fuzhou, with a budget of 1,000 yuan. Off-site assistance is not allowed, and violators will be eliminated."

　After a brief introduction to the competition rules, two staff members came forward carrying a tray containing the competition's operating funds.

　"Giving contestants a certain amount of funding to prepare their own ingredients? That's a novel idea."

　"By limiting the amount, we can't use high-end ingredients to overpower others, which is fair in a way."

　"Actually, there are unfair aspects to this. The restriction to Fuzhou gives Fuzhou residents a huge advantage!"

　"These many days should be enough for the contestants to familiarize themselves with their surroundings; the key is whether they've actually done anything about it..."

　Discussions continued, mostly among out-of-town viewers. Local viewers, having watched many competitions, were already very familiar with the rules and were not surprised.

　Moreover, this was written in the competition handbook, so it was considered public information.

　If a chef truly doesn't know the competition rules, then he deserves it.

　"No wonder you take us out to buy groceries so often, even though there are things right downstairs. You make a special detour to this market to get familiar with the area!"

　Thinking back to how Bai Yuan often asked her, Nakiri Erina, and Lia to go grocery shopping, she had initially thought that Bai Yuan looked down on the ingredients chosen by the staff, or even the ingredients around them, which was why they took a detour to come here. She never expected there to be another factor involved.

　"Boss Bai"

　Their wisdom is astonishing!

　Lia sat to Bai Yuan's left, holding him from the beginning, pressing her little face against him, showing great dependence.