As old rivals, the two knew each other well. But this was the first time they really had a chance to compete against each other on stage.
He had seen Isshiki's skills with his own eyes when he was the seventh seat. With his talent, he should have been able to get a better seat, but... Isshiki didn't seem interested in ranks at all. He just took the seventh seat and stopped trying to climb higher.
At first, Tsukasa thought he had reached his limit.
But...
When you really taste his cooking, you can feel an indescribable pressure. He was someone Tsukasa looked up to. How could he have reached his limit already?
Isshiki was getting faster and faster. Unlike traditional Japanese cooking, Isshiki was an expert in every style. And since he got rabbit meat, he had countless ideas running through his head.
But...
This time, he decided to make something extra special.
He would make a bowl of [Special Isshiki Soup] full of good ingredients.
When they saw the wan dish, everyone on stage was shocked. As his roommates, they knew that Isshiki only used that name when he was just messing around.
Yoshino: "Why call it Isshiki soup? Sounds gross."
Mito: "Are you sure you don't want to think about this?"
Ryoko: "We're done for. He's being weird now."
But Komachi thought it was a pretty good idea. Erina, who understood all kinds of dishes, knew how hard it would be.
Rabbit has a strong, gamey smell. Isshiki changed his usual style and chose the most delicate method in Japanese cooking. The freshness and richness you get from other dishes could easily become unwanted flavors in a wan dish.
Using strong-smelling game meat to make wan dishes was like stacking all the bad things together.
Hayama Akira didn't know what to say. Even he, as a spice master, couldn't promise that his cooking could keep that balance in a wan dish. But Isshiki...
Because he knew how difficult game meat was, the dish he was making wasn't something you could normally consider.
But Isshiki still looked like he had everything under control.
He took out a plate of rabbit bones and said calmly,
"The winner will be decided from here."
Hachiman: "He's going to put the stir-fried rabbit bones in boiling water with kelp broth to bring out the flavor of the game meat."
"But... he has to avoid making it taste bitter or harsh. He has to watch for the exact moment..."
It was incredibly difficult.
Isshiki was calm and focused on the wan dish. The most important part was when the water started to bubble.
The rabbit bones and the wan dish seemed to be merging together. But you couldn't tell what was happening inside just by looking.
But...
Hoshino Ai: "They say you can tell how good a wan dish is just by lifting the lid."
Eririri: "That's not an exaggeration. You can tell how good the dish is just by the first whiff of the aroma."
The judges opened the lids, and as the aroma burst out, they turned into cute little rabbits, drawn in by the warmth and making the dish the most important thing.
Yoshino: "Wow, really? That's amazing, Isshiki-senpai."
Ibusaki: "The rabbit broth didn't ruin the flavor. It actually brought out the original flavor of the rabbit. It's real, pure aroma."
Sakurajima Mai: "The gentle, mellow aroma of the kelp broth really blends with the rabbit's usually sharp smell. But it only removes the harshness. It's so pure it could be a kaiseki dish."
Togawa Sachiko: "It's enchanting."
Komachi: "He's already won over the judges just with the aroma. He's using the ultimate depths of Japanese broth and applying its essence to the essence of the dish."
The colors of the ingredients and the way it's plated make it look like a work of art. You can't help but be drawn to it.
As a dish, it has a classic feel but is still unique. You could definitely call it a genius dish.
Yukino: "As expected of someone from the Isshiki family. The Isshiki family values tradition, and they're excellent at this kind of dish. But I also see another miracle in you: you're not afraid to break free."
Isshiki: "I'm from the Isshiki family, but I'm also just Isshiki Satoshi. The dishes I make only represent myself."
Yukino picked up the wan bowl, took a sip, and a look of surprise flashed across her face.
"This taste... You're really good, Isshiki."
"It's already hard to make a delicate wan dish with just rabbit and kelp. But if I'm not mistaken, you also added clam broth, right?"
Isshiki: "Yes."
An admiring look crossed Yukino's face. "Using shellfish with game meat in a wan soup is amazing."
The clam broth added a shellfish flavor and a thickness to the soup, and it wasn't easy to combine them perfectly.
Isshiki had created a brand-new broth for this competition. This Japanese flavor was like a bewitching dance that Isshiki was offering to the judges.
Meanwhile, Tsukasa had finished preparing his dish. He wasn't surprised by Isshiki's performance. That was Isshiki's real skill, which he had never shown before because he didn't care about the ranks.
And now...
Tsukasa smiled softly.
"Please enjoy, everyone."
"Royal Style Rabbit Meat."
Tsukasa's dish was completely different from Isshiki's. As a dish that was beloved by royalty like Louis XIV, it was the classic choice for French nobility at the time.
The rich aroma and Tsukasa's skill made it look like a top-class dish.
The five judges tasted the dish one by one, captivated by its deep chocolate color.
The front leg, hind leg, and shoulder muscles were chopped and mixed together and wrapped in a large piece of sliced rabbit meat.
He had controlled the unique smell of the rabbit meat very well and cooked it perfectly to make it tender and juicy.
Hachiman looked at the ingredients on Tsukasa's table and quickly guessed how it was made.
He simmered the meat broth in red wine until it reduced, then added foie gras, chocolate, and rabbit blood to make a perfectly balanced dish. In some ways, this dish was even more amazing than Isshiki's playful creation.
But there was more. Much more.
Underneath the sauce was Tsukasa's own twist: a layer of smooth egg custard that melted in your mouth. The rich egg custard and the sweet and sour fruit made the rich rabbit meat light and refreshing.
Even with the egg custard, the impact was still strong. Most chefs wouldn't dare to try it because it's too difficult. But because it was the first seat...
Even in a competition like this, Tsukasa would choose the riskiest option if there was even a small chance of success. There's a fine line between genius and madness, and Tsukasa was right on that line.
Without a doubt, Tsukasa-senpai was the winner of this round.
Three wins in a row! As the first seat of the Totsuki Ten Masters, he had achieved a luxurious record of three consecutive wins after three battles. He was now far ahead of everyone else, and the cheers erupted once again.
Tsukasa: "So, it's over."
Isshiki: "No, no, it's not over at all. You have a big misunderstanding, Tsukasa-senpai."
Tsukasa: "Oh? I must say, you're a very talented person, Isshiki. If you surrender now, I can ask the director to withdraw your expulsion order. How about it?"
Isshiki: "That's where you're wrong, senpai..."
Isshiki looked at Hachiman with a strange trust in his eyes.
"I'm not standing here because of myself."
"It's strange. Only the second-year students are left..."
"Those second-year students might surprise you."
With that, Isshiki walked off the stage without saying anything more.
Now, with the Totsuki Ten Masters having lost no one, the rebels were down to only four: Erina, Yukino, Tadokoro Megumi, and Hachiman.
The original plan was to have Hikigaya Hachiman go next. But with the current situation, it wasn't something that could be solved by just sending anyone out. The real problem was defeating Tsukasa.
But luckily, after three matches in a row, Tsukasa was clearly running out of energy. So, in the next match, the third seat, Akanegakubo Momo, would fight. And the rebels chose Tadokoro Megumi to go first.
After all, she had been studying with Shinomiya for the past month, and she had made a lot of progress with vegetable dishes.
This match could determine the direction of the Regiment de Cuisine and lead to the final chapter. If the rebels lost this round, it would be 3 to 7, and that huge advantage would be impossible for one person to overcome.
Akanegakubo Momo was ready, but Tadokoro Megumi was clearly still nervous. She had overcome this problem countless times, but it would always come back. And right now...
Hachiman gently put his hand on her shoulder, as always.
"Don't worry. Just enjoy the match. Don't think about anything else."
Tadokoro Megumi: "Yes!"
After Hachiman encouraged her, Tadokoro Megumi's expression changed a lot. The confidence on her face seemed to tell everyone her determination.
As she took a deep breath, the cheering around her became her motivation. For some reason, her body felt so light. Since she had made up her mind, she would win. She knew that she was always troubling Hachiman, but... she always found the strength to get back up because of him.
"I'm going to win this time."
Akanegakubo Momo: "Can I draw a card?"
With her purple hair and small body, Kuga looked like a little girl when she held her doll. Tadokoro Megumi was surprised when she heard Kuga's words, but she quickly nodded.
"Okay."
Kuga skipped to the drawing machine, danced around with her doll, and drew a card.
"Apple."
It's a common ingredient. But it's not easy to make a dish with a strong apple flavor.
And now...
Ever since Tadokoro Megumi felt her body lighten up, her ideas had become wilder.
Maybe... it wouldn't be hard for her.
Crack the eggs and add [Wasanbon sugar] with a refreshing sweetness and mix well without making foam, then add honey and mirin, and then...
She wasn't fast, but as long as she did every detail right...
Add the pre-weighed cake flour and...
While Tadokoro Megumi was cooking, a unique aroma came from Akanegakubo Momo's pot.
It was like a dreamy wonderland of sweets. Although Tadokoro Megumi's technique was perfect, Akanegakubo Momo was just as good. She was getting faster and faster, and her decorations were perfectly precise.
Time passed quickly. They had two hours, but Akanegakubo Momo finished in just over an hour.
But...
Even though it was finished, could it really be called a dish?
It was a flower basket with flowers in it. You couldn't see any food.
But...
Even so, after a simple taste, the judges instantly forgot their worries and became obsessed with this dish, as if they had been saved.
Could Tadokoro Megumi really fight back in this situation?
The dish that Tadokoro Megumi presented was a simple cake.
Yukino didn't rush to judge. She simply said to Tadokoro Megumi,
"You're Shinomiya's student, aren't you? Even your movements are so similar."
Tadokoro Megumi: "I don't think so. He's never admitted it, but... I'm going to win this. For my teacher."
---
You can read 30 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu
Free member can read 2 chapters in advance