"Mr. Dojima, I am truly sorry!"
When Gin Dojima returned to his office, he was greeted by this scene.
His deputy-the one who had been managing the Totsuki Resort in his absence-was bowing at a full ninety degrees, apologizing without pause.
Gin Dojima immediately understood.
Something serious had happened.
And when his deputy finished explaining everything from beginning to end, that understanding deepened into certainty.
It was indeed serious.
"I am truly sorry, Mr. Dojima," the deputy said again, his voice tight. "Please dismiss me, and use the reason that I had no authority to agree to the Kengan match to reject Toyo Electric and protect the students!"
Hearing this, Gin Dojima let out a long sigh.
He raised a hand and rubbed his temple, shaking his head slowly.
"No," he said. "First of all, even if everything truly develops in the worst possible direction, protecting the students cannot be considered a mistake. I will not dismiss you."
He paused.
"Secondly... although Toyo Electric has been targeting Erina's God's Tongue for some time, and although they planned to use a Kengan match to forcibly seize it, their methods were never this direct before."
The essence of Kengan was an extension of business warfare.
Not a reckless release of violence.
Under normal circumstances, even Toyo Electric would not employ such crude, frontal tactics.
Because methods like this-
Even for a giant corporation like Toyo Electric-
Could only be used once.
At most.
Moreover, if the situation truly escalated, then Meguro-the man they had protected and concealed for over twenty years-might be forced to be sacrificed.
That would be a completely unprofitable trade.
But Toyo Electric did not make losing trades.
It was precisely because Gin Dojima understood this that he could not see through their true objective.
"You did nothing wrong by protecting the students," Gin Dojima continued. "And even if we manage to stall them this time using that excuse, since the opponent has already decided to use the most direct methods, they will definitely attempt a second or third time after you are dismissed."
"The problem does not lie with you."
He placed a hand on his deputy's shoulder.
"And personally, I believe you did an excellent job."
His deputy stiffened.
"You acted outstandingly in protecting the students," Gin Dojima said. "Please continue to work hard as my deputy in the future."
After leaving those words behind, Gin Dojima turned and walked away.
His steps were heavy.
Behind him, his deputy's face collapsed.
Tears and mucus streamed down freely as he bowed again.
"I understand, Mr. Dojima!"
...
Toyo Electric's diplomatic representative, Heiken Toyama, was currently standing with Meguro.
To be honest, even he felt a lingering fear toward someone like Meguro.
Mentally unstable.
Physically monstrous.
But compared to his fear of Meguro, there was something he feared even more.
Failure.
His entire family's lives were in Toyo Electric's hands.
Failing the task given to him by Chairman Hayami was not an option.
"Meguro," Heiken Toyama said. "I'll stall the Kengan match until tomorrow."
"Tonight, you go and kill all the combatants at the Totsuki Resort."
"..."
Meguro didn't answer.
He simply stared at Heiken Toyama with his bulging eyes for a moment.
Then he nodded.
He turned around.
And he stopped looking at him entirely.
Seeing Masaki Meguro respond like this, Heiken Toyama finally let out a breath of relief.
At least-
Communication had succeeded.
As for Gin Dojima having returned and apparently planning to invite him to dinner to discuss a second round-
Heiken Toyama didn't care at all.
Because their purpose for coming here this time was never the Kengan match itself.
-The real goal was to divert Totsuki's attention.
During this time, Chairman Hayami would exploit the fact that the Shokugeki Authority had yet to uncover Etsuya Eizan's connection with Toyo Electric.
Eizan would be detonated as a chess piece.
And with that, the Totsuki versus Toyo Electric Shokugeki would be accelerated.
In other words-
They were merely bait.
Coming here under Toyo Electric's name was to draw attention.
Using violent means was also to draw attention.
So whether the Kengan match actually happened-
And what price it cost-
Was irrelevant.
As long as Heiken Toyama maintained the bottom line and didn't end up as Chairman Hayami's disposable piece, he had done his job.
As for everything else-
-Compared to quickly resolving things through a fast Kengan match, the longer this dragged on, and the messier it became, the better.
So-
"Then," Heiken Toyama said, "I'll leave it to you, Meguro."
"..."
...
At the Totsuki Resort.
Erina was currently with Alice and Hisako.
The sky outside had darkened.
Erina finally turned away from the window and looked helplessly at Alice Nakiri, who showed no intention of leaving her room.
"Alice... Hisako is one thing, but why are you still in my room at this hour?"
Alice smiled brightly.
"Erina, introduce me to that guy who's good at molecular gastronomy," she said. "Hmm... the one named Jaden."
"I'll leave immediately if you do."
"If you don't-"
She puffed out her cheeks and flung herself onto Erina's bed.
"Then I'm not leaving today. And I'll cling to you forever."
"You'll have to see him eventually anyway. I'll find him sooner or later!"
"...Are you a child?"
Erina sighed.
She folded her arms and glanced at Alice.
"But do as you please."
Introduce Jaden to Alice?
-She hadn't even considered it.
As for why-
That guy Jaden isn't good at molecular gastronomy at all! If I introduced him to Alice, it would be unbearably awkward!
Yes.
This was purely to prevent awkwardness.
With that reasoning firmly established, Erina pushed the door open.
"If you want to stay here, then stay," she said. "I'm leaving first."
Ever since she returned today, Gin Dojima's expression hadn't looked good.
She suspected something had happened at the resort.
She intended to ask about it.
Seeing Erina leave, Hisako Arato immediately followed.
During the time Erina had been expelled, Hisako had thought about many things.
She had gradually realized that even while always standing by Erina's side, she had still been relying on her.
That separation had left her lost.
Confused.
As a result, now that Erina was back, Hisako had become even more attached.
And Alice, seeing both of them leave, pouted-
And followed them as well.
She had a childish temper.
So-
-If she said she would follow Erina, she would follow Erina.
Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't have been a problem.
They were inside the Totsuki Resort.
Two Nakiri family young ladies.
And a little secretary.
Nothing should have happened.
However-
-Tonight was different.
Tonight, Meguro was using the darkness to hunt down the combatants of the Totsuki Resort.
Those combatants weren't weak.
But compared to Meguro-
They were far inferior.
After Heiken Toyama stalled Gin Dojima and secretly had Toyo Electric personnel dismantle parts of the resort's defenses and security, Meguro moved swiftly.
He disposed of the weaklings with ease.
Then-
-On his way back, covered in blood, he encountered Erina, Alice, and Hisako.
"Hiss-"
Meguro's appearance was terrifying.
His eyes bulged and were bloodshot.
His face twisted into a crazed grin.
His posture was hunched.
And the blood covering his body-
He looked like a demon.
The three girls froze.
Their faces drained of color.
They nearly fainted on the spot.
Meguro looked at them.
"I've been spotted..."
He scratched his face.
Then, in the next instant, he lowered his center of gravity and charged.
His speed was terrifying.
"In that case..."
"You all die too~!"
The distance closed in what felt like a blink.
"Erina-sama-!"
Hisako was afraid.
Terrified.
But she still stepped forward, throwing herself in front of Erina and Alice.
Erina saw Meguro's blood-soaked hand reaching out.
In that instant, countless thoughts flooded her mind.
Totsuki.
Regret at never reaching the peak of her culinary path.
The realization that she might have dragged Hisako and Alice into this-
And finally-
Jaden.
Then-
Just as Meguro's hand was about to close around Hisako's neck-
A figure burst out from behind them.
It leapt over their heads.
Meguro's bulging eyes caught a dark silhouette midair.
The next moment-
A shoe sole slammed into his face.
The speed was beyond reaction.
He felt no pain.
His body tried to respond automatically.
But-
The force was overwhelming.
A powerful sensation of weightlessness overtook him.
His reaction failed.
His mind went blank.
And when he regained awareness-
He realized he was more than ten meters away.
Just one kick.
To send a man nearly two meters tall and weighing over a hundred kilograms flying that far.
Realizing this, Meguro's grin stretched to his ears.
He rubbed his face with both hands.
Blood smeared across his skin, streaking down from his eyes like tears.
This was exactly why Toyo Electric had named him-
The Crying Man.
Masaki Meguro, the Crying Man.
-Watch closely, Father. The way I kill him will be even better than how I killed you...
Heh.
Hahahahaha!
In that moment, he forgot the mission.
He forgot everything.
Now-
-He only wanted to kill the person in front of him.
Erina collapsed onto the ground.
Whether from seeing Meguro sent flying-
Or from seeing that familiar figure-
Her legs gave out.
Joy.
Relief.
Surprise.
They surged up all at once.
And when those emotions reached her lips, she spoke.
"Why did you come back, Jaden..."
Jaden heard her.
His gaze remained fixed on Meguro dozens of meters away.
He let out a long breath.
He had made it in time.
Just in time.
The thought that he could have been one minute later sent a chill down his spine.
Good thing I made it.
That was what he thought.
But when the words left his mouth, they came out like this:
"If I didn't come back, my meal ticket for the next year might've disappeared."
"That would've been a huge loss for me."
"Don't you think, Erina~"
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