"This..."
"To think he would directly use a basalt slab frozen with liquid nitrogen to cool it down... that is truly bold! To some extent, it's even a somewhat exaggerated decision!"
"What kind of texture will noodles processed this way have? If you look closely, his noodles seem a bit different from ordinary ones, but it's too far to see clearly..."
The closest seats in the audience were still over ten meters away from the competition arena. Even with the best eyesight, under these circumstances, they could only see the general idea.
And what of Okabe?
Under the uncertain and astonished gazes of the crowd, he moved with fluid grace, lifting the cooled spiral noodles and placing them into three bowls that had been prepared long in advance.
Next, he lifted the lid of the soup pot.
A complex aroma, diametrically opposed to the intense, magnificent meat fragrance of Natsuo's dish, exploded forth with a bang!
This aroma had distinct layers.
First came the mellow fresh sweetness of the mushroom compound stock, followed closely by the bright fruity acidity brought by the tomatoes.
Faintly, one could also perceive the sweet aftertaste of dried tangerine peel and figs, as well as a rounded sensation—resembling both milk and soy—that permeated everything from start to finish.
Several flavors interwoven together did not appear cluttered; instead, they formed a wondrous sense of harmony, like water and fish, or earth and gravel.
"It wasn't easy, but the soup base is finally complete..."
Okabe muttered to himself in a low voice, his eyes focused.
He used a long-handled soup ladle to stir the broth in the pot evenly, scooped it up steadily, and then raised it high to pour it down into the three noodle bowls.
The broth, milky white revealing hints of pale gold and tomato red, submerged the spiral noodles in an instant, leaving only a few spiral patterns exposed above the surface.
The consistency of the soup was just right—neither as thin as water nor appearing sticky or greasy.
Thanks to the unique spiral structure of the noodles, the soup could clearly cling to them, entering the diner's mouth together with the noodles when picked up.
"No meat bones, no dried seafood... achieving this level of richness relying solely on vegetables, mushrooms, and legumes? How did he do it?"
At the judges' table, Kota Mendai's nose twitched involuntarily twice. His gaze was fixed dead on the soup ladle in Okabe's hand, his face written full of impatience.
"The umami of mushrooms, the acidity of tomatoes..."
"And there's a scent of... soy milk? No, there is soy milk in this flavor, but definitely not just soy milk! It is a more mellow, composite fragrance resembling nuts!"
Ken Ito frowned deeply.
As the President of the Ramen Association, he believed he had seen countless soup bases, and he held the ramen recipes that many enterprises relied on for survival in his hands.
But a soup constructed from pure vegetarian ingredients that possessed such complex layers... this was the first time in his life he had seen it.
Their confusion was also the audience's confusion.
The smile on Natsuo's face finally receded a few degrees. He stared tightly at Okabe's soup pot, his eyes becoming sharp.
That composite aroma continuously radiating from the soup might not be as impactful in intensity as his fusion of two meat soups with lobster oil, but that flavor—progressing layer by layer, seemingly containing infinite natural vitality—made the trace of unease in the bottom of his heart suddenly grow larger.
Okabe turned a deaf ear to the surrounding discussions and gazes. He calmly uncovered several iron pots nearby.
Inside were the toppings for the ramen.
Unlike the soup base that had been sublimated to the extreme and the spiral noodles that took several procedures to finally complete, Okabe's toppings appeared incomparably ordinary.
He used only the freshest vegetables of summer.
After simply blanching them, he spread them flat along the edge of the ramen.
Spinach, bean seedlings, baby corn, thinly sliced lotus root, and okra. Emerald green interwoven with tender yellow, the edges embellished with a few small tomatoes roasted to a slight char.
"I am finished."
Okabe lifted the bowls of piping hot ramen, a faint smile appearing on his face.
With the addition of the toppings, the colors of the ramen were fresh, carrying the faint coolness of summer. However, it was so plain that it formed a sharp contrast with Natsuo's luxurious "Seven Treasures Glazed" toppings.
"Is that it?"
Someone in the audience couldn't help but whisper.
"Maybe he put effort into the soup and noodles, but these toppings... aren't they too perfunctory? Compared to Contestant Natsuo's top-tier ingredients, it's simply the difference between a commoner and a noble. There's completely no comparison between the two!"
"The limitation of vegetarian ramen lies right here. No matter how you extend it, there are only so many ingredients you can use.
Even though the theme of the Shokugeki is Ramen, Okabe unilaterally trapped himself in vegetarianism. This is undoubtedly a foolish act."
More and more voices of doubt rang out.
These voices mainly came from those who didn't submit to him much to begin with, but even more people chose to remain silent, waiting for the judges' commentary.
"Okabe-kun... you have to do your best!"
Megumi Tadokoro clenched her hands tightly, a nervous expression revealed on her face.
"Why didn't he use the vegetarian mince? He worked so hard to research it last night..."
Ikumi Mito, who hadn't made a sound all this time, muttered to herself.
She had been in a state of shocked silence since just a moment ago.
Because the dish Okabe was presenting now and the dish they had researched yesterday at Polaris Dormitory were completely different things!
However, judging from the result, the dish Okabe presented at this moment was obviously superior to the previous one. In other words, in just one short night, he had completed another evolution!
What a terrifying man.
But what Ikumi Mito couldn't understand was, given such an excellent idea as the vegetarian mince, why did Okabe not use it, choosing seasonal vegetables instead?
"Don't worry. Okabe-kun is very smart."
Hearing the whispers of Megumi Tadokoro and Ikumi Mito, the corners of Erina Nakiri's mouth raised slightly, a touch of small pride surfacing in her heart.
This was a tacit understanding shared only between her and Okabe.
The others must be very confused right now.
In the competition arena, Okabe straightened up and placed the three bowls of ramen steadily onto a tray.
The time on the screen in the sky also hit zero at that exact moment.
Neither early nor late, he completed the dish right on the dot.
However, no one at the scene rushed him. Everyone watched his back, watching him advance toward the judges' table, their faces carrying obvious tension and anticipation.
"Please taste, Nature's Symphony Vegetarian Ramen!"
Okabe's voice carried a slightly rising intonation. As he spoke, he placed the ramen on the judges' table, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow, only hanging a faint smile.
[Detected host successfully conceived and produced the vegetarian dish "Nature's Symphony Vegetarian Ramen". Recipe "Nature's Symphony Vegetarian Ramen (Purple)" is now unlocked.]
[Nature's Symphony Vegetarian Ramen (Purple)]: A ramen system constructing ultimate umami using purely plant-based ingredients.
The core is a triple-fermented mushroom compound high stock, integrated with multi-layered tomato acidity and the sweet aftertaste of dried tangerine peel and lily bulb. The noodles employ chickpea flour to enhance flavor and gluten strength. Through special spiral shaping and rapid cold extraction via liquid nitrogen basalt slab, a subversive texture of "crisp outside, elastic inside" is formed. Paired with seasonal fresh vegetables, it presents the original flavor of nature.
[Proficiency]: Adept (1/1000)
[Note: Increasing recipe proficiency will enhance the depth of fusion and distinct layering of the soup base flavors.
Simultaneously, there is a higher probability to trigger the trait "Myriad Manifestations of Nature". When cooking high stock, the umami of the soup base will blend perfectly without any superfluous impurities.]
At the moment the dish was truly finalized, the system's notification sound rang out in his mind at the appropriate time.
It had been a long time.
He had made a Purple-grade dish again.
"'Nature's Symphony Vegetarian Ramen'... that is quite an elegant name."
Hearing Okabe's voice, Satoshi Isshiki, standing in the audience stands watching him, couldn't help but issue a sigh of emotion.
"Is that name very good?"
Yuki Yoshino turned her head curiously to look at him.
"'Wanlai' (Nature's Symphony) originally refers to all sounds in the natural world. Used here, it ingeniously implies the freshness of mushrooms from the mountain forests, the sweetness of vegetables and beans from the fields, and the acidity of fruits from the sunlight.
It is as if the sounds of all kinds of vegetarian freshness between heaven and earth have been collected and harmonized within a single pot."
Pushing up his round-framed glasses, Zenji Marui explained to Yuki Yoshino while flipping through a book to take notes. The look in his eyes as he watched Okabe also held a bit more admiration.
Daring to choose such a grand name, Okabe evidently had great confidence in his ramen.
Gulp...
If the audience off-stage could still maintain their composure, the judges sitting at the judges' table could not remain calm at all. Their pairs of eyes stared dead at the dishes before them.
Saliva was secreted in large quantities within their mouths. If not for the hundreds of pairs of eyes watching at the scene, they would have wished to transform into gluttonous beasts and wipe the vegetarian ramen before them clean.
"Well then, let's begin the tasting."
After a brief silence, Kota Mendai spoke in a hoarse voice. The instant his voice fell, the chopsticks of the three landed on the ramen almost simultaneously.
"I see. When you made this ramen, you must have referenced the fusilli of Italian pasta, or perhaps twisted noodles—a combination of both."
Looking at the ramen draping from both sides of his chopsticks, its surface presenting a spiral shape, a look of realization appeared on Kota Mendai's face.
For Okabe to be able to shape ramen into this style through manual technique, he indeed had some skills. However, the most important thing for ramen was still the taste...
"Correct. Italian fusilli is generally used in kitchen stir-frying, as it can catch as much sauce as possible to obtain a richer flavor."
Okabe explained simply. Subsequently, the three judges invariably sent the ramen into their mouths.
Crunch.
An extremely slight, yet clearly audible crisp sound rang out in the silent venue.
Kota Mendai's pupils dilated slightly.
"These noodles are dancing in my mouth!"
Taeko Saitori spoke in disbelief, her eyes widening into perfect rounds like a startled deer.
It wasn't the mushy softness of ordinary noodles overcooked, nor was it the crispness of deliberate deep-frying.
It was a kind of... refreshing crisp sound, like thin ice first cracking, or fresh vegetables being snapped.
As if dancing on the tip of the tongue, announcing its arrival to the oral cavity!
Subsequently, a rich umami pounced on the face—that was the soup that had precipitated in the bowl for a long time.
It was not the domineering intensity boiled out of meat bones, nor the salty and straightforward freshness piled up by dried seafood.
It was a more complex, enduring symphony full of vitality—mushrooms, tomatoes, various medicinal herbs, and that mellow, silky "soy milk."
Various flavors slowly rippled open on the tip of the tongue.
It looked like one was eating noodles, but in reality, one was drinking soup. One mouthful contained both noodles and soup; this was the essence of ramen, fully experienced within just this single bite.
There was no need to taste the deliciousness of the soup separately!
"This feeling is like being in a deep mountain forest on a sunny afternoon, a scene of peace..."
Ken Ito closed his eyes. In a trance, he found himself appearing in a mountain forest. Sunlight shone on the earth and also on him. The air carried the fragrance of grass leaves and soil. He walked forward leisurely; mountain mushrooms and vegetation swayed with the wind. Before his eyes was a time of quiet beauty.
"Is this the life force brought by pure vegetarian ramen? It's simply like stepping onto a super-green planet that can complete its internal cycle using only plants!"
Taeko Saitori opened her arms, a faint flush hanging on her face. At this moment, she only felt her soul being purified. Her body, originally tense due to Natsuo's dish, miraculously relaxed at this moment.
She was no longer situated in a solemn Buddhist temple, but strolling in a fresh forest after the rain.
Sunlight sprinkled mottled spots of light through the branches and leaves. Underfoot was moist soil and vigorous mushrooms; beside her ears was the natural sound of gurgling streams interwoven with the silence of nature.
This was a kind of comfort and tranquility of returning to the origin, where both body and mind were washed by pure power.
"But if we speak of the finishing touch, it is absolutely these seasonal ingredients that have undergone only simple processing. Precisely because they haven't been processed, they have such a fresh taste."
Picking up a baby corn from the ramen, the texture was considerably refreshing, crisp and tender without residue. Wrapped in the rich soup, it bloomed with a beauty unique to itself on the tip of the tongue.
The spinach, bean seedlings, lotus root, and okra were all the same. However, because there wasn't much manipulation, their inherent flavors were not affected.
"Ah!"
"It's as if I'm setting myself free in the great outdoors!"
"It is simply too wonderful!"
As the ramen entered their bellies bite after bite, expressions of satisfaction appeared on the judges' faces.
Just as the judges were immersed in the wondrous experience brought by Okabe's ramen.
To the side, Natsuo's face gradually darkened.
He stared tightly at the subtle changes in the judges' expressions—those brows that relaxed unconsciously, the corners of mouths raising slightly, and the marvel flashing past the bottom of their eyes...
These expressions were like fine needles, piercing into his confidence that had originally held assurance of victory.
"How can it be... merely some vegetables, vegetation growing in the fields? How can they possibly compare to the high stock I hung using top-tier meat?"
He roared in a low voice within his heart, but his face still maintained calm, only his knuckles turning slightly white.
"Incredible... truly incredible."
Kota Mendai put down his chopsticks and let out a long breath, that breath seeming to still carry the freshness of the forest.
He looked at Okabe, his gaze complex: "I have tasted over ten thousand bowls of ramen. Those using exhausted delicacies from mountains and seas are not few in number. But to be like you... constructing such a complete, profound, and even vitality-filled soup base and texture using only some plants—this is the first time I have tasted it."
"The layers of the soup base are too astonishing."
Ken Ito took over the conversation, his fingers tapping the tabletop unconsciously: "The mellowness of the mushrooms is the foundation. The acidity of the tomatoes is bright but doesn't steal the show. The sweetness of the dried tangerine peel and figs unfolds slowly. And that final trace of rounded milky fragrance... although it is very similar, that isn't just soy milk, is it?!"
He raised his head abruptly, looking at Okabe with a gaze like a torch: "What exactly did you add to the soup?"
The entire venue fell silent instantly.
Everyone pricked up their ears. Even Natsuo, standing quietly to the side, couldn't help but lean his body forward, wanting to know the secret within this dish.
Okabe smiled slightly, not keeping them in suspense: "It is Nut Milk."
"Nut Milk?"
Ken Ito looked surprised.
"Correct."
"I roasted soybeans, cashews, almonds, and white sesame in a ratio of 5:2:2:1, added water, and ground them into a slurry in a stone mill."
"Then, after repeated filtering through cheesecloth, I finally obtained the fine Nut Milk."
"It doesn't have the obvious beany odor of soy milk, nor does it have the prominent lactose sensation of cow's milk. Yet, it can provide a gentle oily sensation and a rounded sweet fragrance."
"This sweet fragrance can blend the earthy smell of mushrooms and the sharpness of tomatoes very well, making the soup base smoother and heavier, without tasting the slightest bit greasy."
"I see... so this heaviness comes from the oil and aroma of nuts. It simulates the moist sensation of animal fat, yet is completely plant-based."
Taeko Saitori murmured, her eyes shining: "No wonder I felt the soup base had a kind of... warm wrapping sensation, like a cotton quilt exposed to the sun, exceptionally comfortable."
Feeling the flavor about to overflow in their mouths, the three judges spoke one after another, constantly praising Okabe's cooking. This also caused Natsuo's expression to change constantly.
"What's the situation? Judging from the judges' evaluations just now, why do I feel they favor Okabe's dish more?"
"No need to feel it. To achieve this level using only vegetarian dishes... if I were a judge, I would definitely favor him more too. The difficulty levels of the two are not on the same grade at all."
"Then this competition?"
"Let's see what the judges mean..."
People are all fence-sitters; they run wherever the wind blows. When Natsuo was in power, they could flatter him, so when he loses power, they will step on him.
Just like now.
"Okabe..."
Junichi Wasu muttered to himself.
He looked at Natsuo on the competition arena—whose gaze was grave and carried disbelief, faintly nervous facing the result—and added a few degrees of relief to his expression.
It turned out that the man who seemed high and mighty in his eyes would also reveal the same expression as him when defeated.
Okabe probably wanted to tell him this, which was why he let him come here, right...
Thank you, Okabe.
I won't continue to be depressed anymore!
"According to the agreement, let's exchange our ramen now and taste the flavor of each other's cooking."
Okabe came before Natsuo carrying his own ramen. His words held no ridicule but were filled with seriousness. Such a performance actually made Natsuo daze for a moment.
Originally, he thought the things Okabe said before the competition were just to disturb him. He didn't expect the other party really wanted to taste his cooking.
What was this?
Charity from the strong to the weak?
But he hadn't lost yet. At least the judges hadn't announced the final winner of this match.
"Then let's exchange and taste."
His heart was filled with various thoughts, but when he saw the dish Okabe was holding, these thoughts miraculously vanished. Only one notion remained in his mind.
"Taste it, taste this dish!"
So he reached out his hand, passed his Seven Treasures Glazed Mountain and Sea Noodles to Okabe, and then received the Nature's Symphony Vegetarian Ramen from his hands.
Picking up the chopsticks, without the slightest hesitation, he picked up the ramen and chewed large mouthfuls.
The acidity of the tomato, the freshness of the mushroom, the silky density brought by the nut soy milk... what astounded him most was the spiral-shaped ramen, crisp outside and tough inside.
In a trance, he arrived at a forest.
Watching the scene of all living things recovering before his eyes, he did not wander idly inside. Instead, he found a place to sit down and actually closed his eyes within the illusion.
"Namo Amitabha..."
With hands folded holding Buddhist prayer beads, Natsuo began to chant Buddhist scriptures. This wasn't some luxurious hall, nor was there any Buddha watching.
It was just that after seeing such scenery, his irritable emotions were suddenly soothed. He wanted to recite scriptures from the bottom of his heart, to experience the Way of Nature.
Some of the teachings his master had given him before—things he didn't understand then—he understood all of them now.
Simply put, he achieved enlightenment.
When he opened his eyes again, Natsuo's eye sockets were actually slightly red, leaving two lines of hot tears.
Not from sadness.
But a kind of... physiological reaction from being hit by a natural deliciousness that was too pure, to the extent that his soul trembled.
He lowered his head, looking at the plain yet vibrant ramen in the bowl, and fell silent for a long time.
"So... is this the ultimate vegetarianism?"
He muttered to himself, his voice so light that only he and Okabe, who was close at hand, could hear.
"Not a replacement, not an imitation, and definitely not a compromise... but a deliciousness truly belonging to plants themselves. No wonder Master and the others liked it so much."
He raised his head and looked at Okabe. The sharpness, unwillingness, and even the previous arrogance in his eyes had all transformed into a complex, unspeakable admiration at this moment.
"If I'm not guessing wrong, this cooking method should be from the Chaoshan area of Guangdong, right?"
Natsuo's voice was somewhat hoarse, but his pair of eyes became exceptionally spirited. He stared at Okabe with a piercing gaze and asked the question he was most puzzled about in his heart.
"Using freshly boiled rich soy milk as a base, adding more than a dozen toppings like taro balls, ginger potato, and quail eggs, paired with freshly fried dough sticks, chicken wings, and other snacks. This is the most classic way to eat Chaoshan Night Soy Milk.
Thanks to the experience of predecessors, it occurred to me that there was this solution."
Hearing Natsuo's words, Okabe, who had read his file and knew he was Cantonese, generously stated the source of his creativity—it was precisely the Night Soy Milk originally created in Chaoshan.
"As I expected. I thought of this point when I saw you adding soy milk to the soup base. I just didn't expect you to actually know even this.
I thought you were a soft persimmon anyone could pinch, but unexpectedly, you are a prickly durian."
Natsuo's voice carried emotion.
"I lost, I lost. I admit defeat. You can take the Vegetarian Research Society. However, having won against me once, I've noted this grudge. Sooner or later, one day, I will win it back!"
Glancing at the judges who were still immersed in the deliciousness of the cuisine, Natsuo generously admitted his inferiority. Subsequently, he tossed over the key to the Vegetarian Research Society.
Natsuo said no more. Turning what he had realized in his heart into a long laugh, he turned around and strode toward the contestant passageway. His steps were free and easy, his clothes flapping in the wind, but that clear recitation echoed distinctly from the depths of the passage:
"The Seven Treasures Tower crumbles in an instant,
Mountain and sea delicacies are as fleeting as dew and lightning.
One chopstick taste exhausts the flavors of the human world,
Only then do I know the true flavor lies in the clear breeze."
"Extra! Extra!"
"The result of Sequence 10 Natsuo vs Okabe is out!"
"Natsuo surrendered and admitted defeat. Okabe defeated meat ramen with vegetarian ramen, seizing the first victory in the Tōtsuki Public Competition, manifesting the absolute dominance of Sequence 1!"
Personnel from the news newspaper editorial department held freshly printed newspapers, distributing them everywhere in the academy.
It detailed the Shokugeki between Okabe and Natsuo, writing down the entire process for latecomers to research and appreciate.
A culinary research lab belonging exclusively to a certain person.
Eishi Tsukasa was preparing dishes for a personal reception banquet, ready to repay the sponsors who had always supported him. However, the kitchen door was pushed open at this moment.
"Tsukasa, a real genius has come to the academy."
Rindo Kobayashi leaned against the door frame. Looking at Eishi Tsukasa researching cuisine inside, she revealed two cute little tiger teeth, then waved the newspaper in her hand.
____
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