A beautiful girl who transmigrates into a Herrscher of the Void is treated like an elf and conquered

"Wuhe, it seems we both understand that ultimate freshness doesn't just rely on the main ingredient itself."

She gestured to the ingredients in front of her.

"The salty and savory burst of salmon roe can instantly elevate the freshness of the red snapper; the spicy rather than pungent flavor of freshly grated wasabi is the soulmate of sashimi, far superior to mass-produced products; and the slight spiciness and vibrant green of the watercress, whether incorporated into the sauce or used as a final garnish, can inject this dish with natural vitality and sophistication."

Her words were clear and logical, like a statement of scientific theorems, and every choice was filled with irrefutable rational considerations.

"My dishes will be the perfect product of calculation and understanding. From knife skills to seasoning, everything will be the optimal solution. Are you ready?"

Shido did not back down in the face of Chinatsu's declaration, which was full of technological superiority.

He placed his hands on his hips, a smile on his face that was usually gentle but now unusually firm. He glanced at the tangerines, roasted white sesame seeds, and tender ginger sprouts he had chosen, and responded loudly:

“Phoenix Academy student, your choice is indeed impeccable, just like a precise machine.”

He first affirmed the other person's point of view, then changed the subject, "However, cooking is not about pursuing the ultimate parameters, but about making people feel deliciousness and happiness!"

He picked up an orange-yellow mandarin orange: "The sweet and sour taste of mandarin oranges is more mellow, bringing a warm feeling like sunshine, rather than the sharp sourness of lemons."

He then pointed to the white sesame seeds and tender ginger sprouts, saying, "The roasted white sesame seeds have a stronger aroma and can whet the appetite; the crispness and slight spiciness of the tender ginger sprouts can remove the fishy smell and will not steal the spotlight from the main ingredient like wasabi."

"My dishes may not have many 'optimal solutions,' but they will definitely be filled with 'heartfelt intentions' that will bring smiles to everyone's faces! This 'heartfelt intention' is my strongest weapon! And I'm ready!"

Their gazes clashed in the air, one as calm as ice, the other as warm as fire. Their ideologies were completely different, yet both were filled with unquestionable conviction.

"Wow! Pre-match declaration! It's got a real fighting spirit!" Yamabuki Ai exclaimed excitedly.

"Data comparison: Technical approach vs. subjective approach. Contradictory composition established." Ye Ying Mai analyzed. "Majikku! Ideological conflict!" Fuji Hakama Mii took a picture.

And on the judges' panel...

Teacher Xiaozhu: "Wow... both students are so impressive! What they said makes a lot of sense!"

Origami Tobiichi: "Chinatsu Hououin's logic is more rigorous. Shido Itsuka's viewpoint focuses more on the emotional feedback from the end consumer."

Murasame Reine: "...The nucleotides in salmon roe and the inosinic acid in red sea bream create a synergistic umami effect. The ratio of fructose to citric acid in mandarin oranges is indeed milder..."

Hiroto Tonomachi: "Chinatsu-chan! Well said! Let's crush him with our theories!"

The trio: "The final battle begins!"

After the verbal sparring session ended, both parties turned around and faced the chopping board and the stove fire.

The first round, the battle of "knife skills and freshness," has officially entered the practical stage!

Chapter 39 True Sea Bream Duet: Ice Blade and Warm Colors

Round One: "Knife Skills and Freshness"

"Time's up—the match begins!" Ai Yamabuki shouted excitedly into the microphone, announcing the official start of the first round.

The timer started ticking. Phoenix Inu Chinatsu instantly got into focus, as if the surrounding noise was shut out by an invisible barrier.

Her slender fingers gracefully stroked the chilled red snapper, her gaze focused and calm, like a master craftsman examining a precious gem about to be sculpted.

Without the slightest hesitation, her left hand pressed down steadily on the fish's body like a precise mechanical claw, while her right hand gripped the gleaming Deba bōchō.

However, her next action was not a brutal chopping, but rather—

The blade vibrated rapidly at a minute amplitude that was difficult to detect with the naked eye, emitting a deep and unsettling "hum" sound, like the hiss of a venomous snake poised to strike.

With a deft flick of her wrist, the vibrating blade seemed to come alive, precisely wedging itself into the junction of the fish's gills and body, and then sliding down!

In the first row, a girl who often prepared her own lunchbox suddenly stood up, her eyes wide:

"Liar...! That part is incredibly difficult to handle! The tendons and bones are very complex, and you usually have to be very careful not to break the gall bladder or crush the fish meat... How did she slice it off so smoothly, like cutting tofu?! What kind of technique is that?!"

The blade continued to move smoothly, closely following the curve of the central fishbone, emitting an extremely faint "rustling" sound.

That wasn't the sound of cutting; it sounded more like the blade guiding the fish bones and flesh to separate naturally.

With a glint of silver light, a whole piece of flawless, even translucent fish meat was perfectly separated, while the fish skin was left cleanly on the cutting board.

The whole process was smooth and seamless, without the slightest delay, as if it had been rehearsed a thousand times.

Mai Ye Ying spoke rapidly, pushing up her non-existent glasses:

"It's here! The Phoenix Academy contestant is using an extremely advanced 'blade-drawing' technique! By using high-frequency micro-vibrations, she makes it easier for the blade to cut into the gaps between the food fibers, while minimizing damage to the cell membranes to preserve the ultimate freshness! Look! Her understanding of the red sea bream's skeletal structure has reached the anatomical level! Absolutely perfect!"

At this moment, the large screen in the middle of the venue lit up as if on cue, showing a diagram of the skeletal structure of the red sea bream, highlighting the complex parts where Chinatsu had just made her cut, as well as a diagram illustrating the principle of the "blade draw" technique, which drew another gasp from the audience.

Next, she placed the perfect piece of fish on the cutting board and replaced it with a thinner and sharper Yanagibashi bōchō.

She took a deep breath, leaned forward slightly, forming an elegant and stable bow shape.

The next moment, she moved. Hikigiri—the blade is almost parallel to the cutting board, and the movement is not propelled by the strength of the arm, but rather by the waist as the axis, using the strength of the whole body to guide the blade to make a long and smooth cut.

Her movements possessed a unique sense of rhythm and power, with each breath synchronized with the movement of the blade.

Yamabuki Ai gestured excitedly:

"It's the legendary technique 'Yin-kiri'! The ultimate in sashimi technique! Look at the Phoenix In's movements! As graceful as a dance! This requires perfect coordinated control of the wrist, elbow, and waist! The angle and force of each slice must be exactly the same!"

You can barely hear the sound of the knife blade hitting the cutting board; there is only a very faint sound of the fish being separated.

With each graceful pull of her fingers, a slice of sea bream sashimi, thin as a cicada's wing and almost transparent, quietly took shape and was gently pushed aside.

Each piece is exactly the same in thickness, size, and shape, and it gleams with a lustrous sheen under the light. You can even clearly see the wood grain of the dark cutting board underneath through the fish.

A sustained murmur of amazement filled the audience:

"Wow...that's amazing..." "This thickness...it's incredible..."

"It feels like I could float away if I just blew on it..."

"How did she manage to achieve such evenness?! Even a machine can only do so much!"

Origami Tobiichi, sitting on the referee's bench, calmly commented:

"The timing of the knife switching is perfect. The angle control error of the 'draw cut' technique is less than 0.5 degrees. The integrity of the fish meat texture is 99.8%, and the juice loss rate is far below the standard value. The efficiency is extremely high."

Also seated on the referee's bench, Murasame Reine, though slightly sleepy, hit the nail on the head:

"...The vibrating knife technique effectively reduces muscle fiber tearing, slows down ATP degradation, and preserves umami substances intact. A perfect demonstration of technology."

Just as everyone was still immersed in Chinatsu's gorgeous and precise performance—

Fujihakama Mii abruptly turned the camera to the other side: "Majikku! Just as we were marveling at Hououin's amazing skill, Itsuka is not lagging behind at all! Look!"

The scene shifts, revealing Itsuka Shido equally focused. He's using a standard Santoku bōchō, his technique completely different from Chinatsu's flashy moves.

His movements were more solid and steady. His cuts were decisive and precise, relying on years of experience and feel.

He skillfully skinned and deboned the sea bream, slicing it into sashimi.

His fish slices may not be as thin and translucent as Chika's, but they are evenly thick, with a moist texture and a genuine handmade feel.

He would occasionally touch the thickness and elasticity of the fish slices with his hand, a serious and satisfied expression on his face, as if confirming that each "family member" was in its best condition.

Ai Yamabuki, holding the microphone in her hand, shouted:

"Wuhe's contestant is just as good! Look at his solid basic skills! Every piece is full of the warmth of handmade craftsmanship! He truly deserves to be recognized as the strongest stay-at-home dad in our class!"

"Itsuka-kun is amazing!"

"He looks very reliable!"

"Two styles, but they both taste delicious!"

"Go for it, show this beautiful transfer student your Tamashi!"

"As expected of Itsuki, he easily accomplished what we couldn't!"

Hiroto Tonomachi, also a judge, sat on the judging panel, constantly taking photos with his phone in both hands:

"Hmm... While Shido, you're certainly skilled, my little Chinatsu is still better... (her mouth is covered by someone next to her)"

"Tieme, what are you saying?!"

Teacher Xiaozhu, standing next to Hongren, rested her chin on her hand and smiled excitedly:

"Oh my, Shido's technique is so steady! It's obvious he cooks for his family and friends often; he's full of love!"

Both competitors, with their distinctly different styles, flawlessly prepared the red sea bream, laying a solid foundation for the next steps. On the competition field, the contrast between ice and fire became increasingly striking.

Chapter 40 Two Answers to Cooking

After finishing with the red sea bream, Chinatsu's movements didn't pause for a moment, like a precise program moving to the next sequence. Her gaze then turned to the white radish and cucumber beside her.

She changed her knife again, and a thin-bladed bōchō fell into her hand.

Instead of cutting the radish into sections and then shreds like most people would, she placed the whole radish on the cutting board, slightly bent her left hand, and lightly touched the surface of the radish with her fingertips like a ballerina to stabilize and measure it, while her right hand began an astonishing operation.

With a tiny, high-frequency flick of her wrist, the blade remained almost perfectly parallel to the cutting board, slicing into the radish at a near-vertical angle and then pushing it forward—Katsura-muki—she created paper-thin, rollable radish slices! She was actually planning to use the most difficult technique to obtain the thinnest and most translucent raw material!

The girl who stood up exclaimed again:

"Karasaki peeled! She's actually using karasaki peeled! That's a technique even professional chefs might not master! Is it to achieve the ultimate thinness and texture?!"

Mai Yezakura spoke even faster: "Amazing! Phoenix Inu abandoned the safer slicing method and chose to challenge 'Katsura Peeling' instead! This is for radish slices that maximize surface area, absorb the sauce most fully, and have the lightest texture! Look how thin they are! They're almost translucent!"

An animation demonstrating the "kashibaki" technique appeared on the big screen at just the right time, along with close-ups of radish slices as thin as cicada wings.

Next, she layered the enormous radish slice several times and cut again. This time, the blade flashed like a silver rain! Itogiri!

The thin slices of radish she had previously cut instantly transformed into extremely fine radish shreds, as thin as hair, perfectly uniform, and even almost the same length, under her knife!

They piled up, resembling a pure white, fluffy, and soft snow cloud. She treated the cucumbers in the same way, and the emerald green cucumber shreds resembled meticulously woven jade gauze.

To prepare the sauces and toppings, she brought out a set of utensils resembling a small culinary workshop. Her movements remained as precise as if she were conducting an experiment.

Lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, a small amount of carefully filtered kelp stock, and a little bit of freshly grated wasabi are measured and precisely added to a glass bowl using measuring spoons and droppers of different sizes.

Using an extremely thin glass rod, he dipped a tiny amount of sauce and gently dabbed it on the inside of his wrist to taste, avoiding food contamination. He frowned slightly, then precisely added a crystal of sea salt with tweezers. The entire process was as calm as mixing perfume or chemical reagents.

The students watching asked, "...Adding salt with tweezers?"

"This level of self-control... I could probably only manage a handful..."

"I feel like she has absolute control over the flavor..."

The expensive jar of salmon roe was opened, and she gently scooped it out with a chilled tamagoyaki spatula (not a spoon).

To minimize the impact of hand temperature on its freshness and bursting flavor.

She trimmed the watercress to a perfectly uniform length using tiny scissors, as if measured with a laser.

Then, she did something that caused another uproar in the audience.

She took some herbs and olive oil and walked over to a small liquid nitrogen tank next to her.

Yamabuki Ai screamed excitedly:

"It's here! It's the realm of molecular gastronomy! The Phoenix Academy contestant is going to concentrate the vanilla flavor to the extreme!" She dripped vanilla oil into liquid nitrogen, which instantly froze into tiny, emerald-green powders, like tiny gemstones.

Next, she poured some yogurt into a siphon bottle, added gas, shook it, and then squeezed out fluffy, white foam with a subtle sour taste.

Audience: "Liquid nitrogen! Not again?!"

"A siphon bottle?! Isn't that for making milk foam?!"

"This is completely beyond my culinary knowledge!"

"I don't understand it, but it's amazing!"

Judge's comments from Murasame Reine:

"...Using liquid nitrogen for rapid freezing to form fine powder maximizes the specific surface area and instantly releases the flavor. Nitrous oxide is aerated to form mousse foam, changing the texture density and enhancing the layers of flavor perception."

Her work surface remained spotless, all ingredients and parts prepared, like precision components awaiting assembly. A cool, complex fragrance filled the air.

Fujihakama Mii turned the camera to Shido: "Majikku! Hououin has completed all the preparations, and his precision is breathtaking! Now let's see how Itsuka is doing!"

The scene shifts, and Shido is also busy. His art style remains as warm and grounded as ever.

His radish was cut into evenly thin strips, demonstrating solid knife skills. Although not as extremely delicate as Chika's, it was clear that he had put in a lot of effort.

He used the Jabara-giri technique to cut the cucumber into a continuous, straw-like shape, which not only looks beautiful but also allows it to fully absorb the sauce.

Ai Yamabuki: "Look! Itsuka's knife skills are also excellent! 'Snake belly cut' really tests patience and skill! Cucumbers cut like this will be very flavorful and refreshing!"

"Oh! It's a cucumber with a '蓑衣' (蓑衣) coating! I've tried it, and I always end up cutting it in half!"

"It looks delicious!"