"This… no. This isn't the dish of an Eight-Star Chef!"
The five judges hadn't even tasted the flavor yet, but the Chef's Heart within the dish shocked them. Kael's Chef's Heart was already approaching perfection.
Once his Chef's Heart reached completion, with his fundamentals, he would inevitably surpass the Nine-Star level.
Right now, this Chef's Heart was already solidly at the level of a Nine-Star Chef.
But that completely clashed with everything they knew. If they remembered correctly, Kael had only gone to the WGO a few days ago to certify as an Eight-Star Chef.
Of course, being certified didn't mean he had just reached that level—but wasn't this growth a little too absurd? If he was already at Nine-Star now, how long until he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with them?
Among the five judges, one was Nine-Star, while the other four were above Nine-Star. At this moment, none of them could even describe how monstrous Kael's growth was.
They had expected him to break the ceiling someday—but did he really have to rush this much?
"Not an Eight-Star dish? What are they talking about? Did he only cook at Seven-Star level? No way, right? His Eight-Star assessment was judged by that Special Executive Officer."
A spectator muttered in confusion, prompting everyone nearby to stare at him like he was brainless.
"Why are you all looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?"
"You didn't say anything wrong—just look at those judges. If they're reacting like that, how could this be a Seven-Star dish? Obviously this thing blew past Eight-Star already!"
A Nine-Star Chef. Not the absolute peak, but how many Nine-Star Chefs existed in the entire world? And Kael was how old?
Becoming an Eight-Star Chef had already set an impossible record. Now that record was shattered again. They were truly wondering just what kind of monster Kael was.
"If I'm not mistaken… he's already a Nine-Star Chef. Am I dreaming? Someone pinch me." Rindo Kobayashi stared blankly at the people around her.
"I get that you're shocked. I'm shocked too. But you can let go of my arm, okay?" Kuga Terunori's forehead twitched. Rindo's hand was firmly pinching his arm, and he was a moment away from losing his mind.
If she needed a pinch to check if she was dreaming, sure. But why was he the one getting pinched?
"Ah—sorry, sorry. Reflex."
Rindo awkwardly pulled her hand back. Eishi Tsukasa quietly let out a sigh of relief; thank goodness he wasn't standing closer, or he would've been her target.
"Can you two stop clowning around?" Nene Kinokuni rolled her eyes.
She had been shocked earlier, but thanks to the two idiots, the tension just evaporated.
"Congratulations. You've become a Nine-Star Chef. You're only one step away from the very peak of the culinary world. With your talent, you'll catch up to us soon. I'm truly looking forward to what you'll achieve." An elder chef above Nine-Star spoke warmly.
He was genuinely pleased—not only because their little circle was about to welcome another Nine-Star+ member, but also because Kael's growth meant hope for breaking the limits of the cooking world itself.
They had always walked blindly forward, pioneers with no one ahead of them to guide the way. But now a newcomer was sprinting up behind them, destined to surpass them. That meant the path forward might soon be illuminated.
"Thank you."
Kael nodded politely. They praised him, so of course he had to respond.
The entire venue was stunned speechless. The most devastated person was easily Sarge. She never imagined Kael would become a Nine-Star Chef.
She had believed she could still challenge an Eight-Star Chef—maybe her Special Ability could give her a chance. But Nine-Star? That was completely impossible.
Even with her powerful ability, the difference between Eight-Star and Nine-Star wasn't something she could cross. She now fully understood she was guaranteed to lose.
Part of her wanted to blow up the stove and forfeit the match altogether, but as a chef, she forced herself to continue cooking.
Her state collapsed, though, so mistakes began slipping into her dish.
Even so, her persistence was admirable. She didn't run. She didn't quit.
Seeing her struggle reminded Kael of someone: Yan Xian, one of the Five Tiger Stars of the Dark Cooking Society, who had ultra-sensitive hearing. During his match with Lan Feihong, he overheard he couldn't win—and immediately forfeited.
Quitting because you know you'll lose. You could call it carefree, but honestly? It was just cowardly.
Sarge's skills couldn't compare—she was just a high-level chef against a Supreme Dragon Chef's successor. But unlike Yan Xian, at least she didn't run.
In the end, her dish was filled with flaws, and the Shokugeki ended with her defeat.
But right at the end, she discovered a stray slice of Kael's sashimi that the judges hadn't noticed—it was thin and placed lower in the serving plate. She ate it without hesitation, just like Bunnyhair did three days ago.
And that was when things got worse for her.
Sarge had always been a proud tsundere dominatrix type, but under Kael's Domineering Chef's Heart, her Queen's Heart shattered instantly.
She didn't just lose—she submitted.
Just like Bunnyhair three days before, she dropped to one knee and pledged herself to Kael.
"Did that bastard put something in his food? First Bunnyhair, and now even Sarge?!"
The crowd's gaze toward Kael changed dramatically. Kael himself was stunned—same scene, same kneeling pose, just… different girl.
Total coincidence. Both Bunnyhair and Sarge were outrageously prideful, and prideful people fall the hardest when defeated—especially when Kael's Chef's Heart was a direct counter to theirs.
And just like that, the two most admired young goddesses of the Midnight Chefs had walked straight into Kael's camp. Or rather… they just gave themselves away to Kael.
The remaining Midnight Chefs were losing their minds. Sarge and Bunnyhair had hordes of admirers—guys who followed them everywhere just to catch a glimpse of their shoes.
In other words: hardcore simps.
And now? Their goddesses had knelt to Kael one after the other.
"If we hadn't all tasted the dish ourselves, I'd really think you slipped something dangerous into it." Senzaemon Nakiri sighed.
He knew Kael specialized in Poison Cuisine and might have something that could control people.
But clearly he didn't use anything. He hadn't even intended for the girls to taste his food. One got leftovers from the pot; the other found a forgotten sashimi slice. Pure coincidence.
The judges knew it. Kael knew it. But the Midnight Chefs didn't.
If looks could kill, Kael would've died a thousand times already.
Too bad glaring doesn't kill people—and in Japan, none of them could openly attack him anyway.
Kael still stayed alert, though. Simps could lose their sanity. And he could sense other, far more hostile gazes targeting him.
Those belonged not to Bunnyhair or Sarge's followers, but people who seemed to have planned this from the moment they heard "not Eight-Star."
...
Kael didn't know whether the Midnight Chefs treated the WGO like the Dark Cooking Society treated the Bright Cooking Realm. Even if they were scattered, caution was never a bad thing.
The Nakiri family and the WGO were powerful, but not omnipotent.
As long as he didn't leave Japan, his Divine Senses and physical strength should keep him safe.
After the event ended, Kael asked Bunnyhair to handle Sarge's arrangements. As for the company Sarge offered earlier? Kael no longer cared.
She belonged to him now—and so did her company.
After parting with them, Kael returned to the Polar Star Dormitory, now occupied by only three people. It felt lonely.
But around 2 or 3 a.m., Kael suddenly woke up.
His Divine Hearing had picked up movements that shouldn't exist here at this hour. Normally no one would be wandering around the dorm at this time.
The intruder moved lightly—too lightly. Without Divine Hearing, even he wouldn't have noticed.
"Don't tell me this is some brain-dead simp seeking revenge… or a Midnight Chef trying to kill me?"
He wasn't sure who it was. But the timing was good—most students had left for practical training, including Erina. Even though she was Elite Ten, she still had to participate as a Four-Star Chef.
Kael wasn't the kind to sit and wait. Once the intruder was close enough, his eyes narrowed.
He slipped back into his room and grabbed the Two-Stone Bow. Sure, he had Storage Space, but this bow was a gift. People knew he owned it—randomly making it disappear would look strange, so he kept it in his room.
Why use a weapon? Because he smelled gunpowder.
Faint, but unmistakable. The attacker had a firearm.
Kael's body was strong, but he wasn't immortal. A bullet would still kill him. He wasn't about to gamble.
He would strike first.
Once he confirmed the intruder's position, Kael drew the bow and nocked an arrow—not aiming to kill, but to disable the enemy's arm.