Jaden had been paying close attention to the Kengan matches recently.
His plan was clear. He would join forces with Erina and completely take down Toyo Electric during the Kengan Annihilation Tournament.
Because of that, aside from the incident involving the illustrator, he hadn't spared even a shred of attention for the novel A Certain Magical Index that he had casually tossed to Ohya Ken.
And in this country, the light novel circle rarely stirred up any large-scale public discussion.
So during the period when Jaden was constantly at Totsuki with Erina, it was even more impossible for him to notice the sudden frenzy triggered by the release of A Certain Magical Index.
However.
There was one person who noticed the feedback surrounding A Certain Magical Index much earlier than Jaden.
But that person wasn't Tokuno'o Tokumichi-the fighter-slash-struggling novelist whose new book Boruto: Naruto Next Generations had been canceled, and who was currently considering returning to the Kengan matches. He wasn't particularly concerned about A Certain Magical Index at all.
No.
It was someone you would never associate with light novels.
-Kiryu Setsuna.
He still remembered the moment it started.
Looking back now, it almost felt like an omen that appeared before a sudden stroke of fortune.
He had simply been minding his own business when a student from Koryo suddenly ran up to him.
"Kiryu-sensei, your illusion will be shattered by me!"
That was all the student said.
Then he left.
"Huh?"
This was the first time in Kiryu Setsuna's life that he had projected his own impression of madness onto someone else.
"That guy... is he crazy?"
At first, Kiryu Setsuna dismissed it as an isolated incident.
An anomaly.
But he hadn't expected that afterward, this strange "madness" would begin spreading.
-"Kiryu-sensei, your illusion will be shattered by me!"
He didn't know how many times he had heard that line since then.
Some people even asked him for an autograph after saying it.
Kiryu Setsuna couldn't understand it at all.
And for something he couldn't understand, he naturally began investigating.
He didn't even need to use his influence.
He simply opened Google and searched for the words "Kiryu Setsuna."
The first search result that appeared was-
"Kiryu-sensei, your illusion will be shattered by me!"
This...
When he clicked into it, he quickly saw A Certain Magical Index.
And then he understood everything.
He let out a long breath of relief.
He was just thinking that the next time someone approached him, he could explain the situation-or even ask Shion to help clarify things.
Then, a completely unexpected "reader" came to him.
That person was his God.
-Tokita Ohma.
...
After settling the issue with the title, Jaden and Erina returned to Totsuki.
They tacitly avoided mentioning Toyo Electric for the time being, instead focusing on matters within Totsuki itself.
"Erina... I saw your father at my shokugeki with Hayama Akira. The Kengan Annihilation Tournament is coming up. I think that guy will probably do something-at the latest, after the tournament..."
As Jaden spoke, Erina's eyes visibly dimmed.
Then she nodded quietly.
Seeing her reaction, Jaden sighed.
"If it really comes down to it, I'll go have a 'talk' with him..."
Hearing this, Erina shook her head.
She took a deep breath and steadied herself.
"No... Jaden. Actually, there's nothing wrong with him coming back."
"At least this way, I'll have a chance to overcome my psychological barrier..."
She looked at Jaden and slowly smiled.
At that moment, she could still clearly recall the image of Jaden standing under the lights, raising both fists after defeating Takeshi Wakatsuki.
She longed for that strength.
That strength gave her a powerful sense of security.
And little by little, it gave her courage.
Just like when she stood beside him facing Katahara Metsudo.
"Jaden, relax. This isn't a big deal."
"I can't avoid facing this shadow forever. People have to grow up eventually."
"I'm just encountering one of the more difficult stages."
"Many people face situations like this."
"And besides, I'm much luckier than most of them..."
Erina suddenly stopped speaking there.
She only smiled sweetly at Jaden.
Jaden listened for a moment, then realized she hadn't continued.
Curious, he asked,
"How are you luckier than others?"
Erina blinked.
Her cheeks flushed slightly.
She clasped her hands behind her back, quickened her pace, and walked ahead of him.
"Hmph~"
"It's fine if you don't know, idiot."
...
On the top floor of a hotel, inside its most luxurious suite, Azami Nakiri stood by the window, looking down at the city below.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
Behind him, a man sat on the sofa, casually flipping through a document in his hand as he smiled.
"I remember you chefs like that thing... 'Food Fist'? 'Food Spear'?"
"It's called shokugeki."
"-Oh, right, shokugeki!"
After finally recalling the term, the muscular, bald man-his body covered in tattoos-tossed the document onto the table.
Azami Nakiri glanced sideways.
The papers were upside down.
Meaning-
The man hadn't read a single word.
Azami noticed.
The bald man noticed Azami noticing.
He smiled.
"Don't look at me like that. My eyes can't see, after all."
"You handed me the document, and I didn't want to embarrass you."
As he said this, the smile on his face slowly faded.
"So, are you really planning to do it?"
"You should understand that once we mercenaries accept a mission, we absolutely do not accept sudden cancellations from the employer."
"If you want me to act, the result might be very different from the outcomes you chefs are used to in your shokugeki."
Hearing the repeated mention of shokugeki, Azami Nakiri felt an involuntary discomfort.
That scent from last time seemed to resurface in his mind.
For a brief moment, his vision darkened.
-He no longer wanted to, or rather, no longer dared to challenge Totsuki in a shokugeki.
Not with Jaden there.
That man was a monster.
Even now, thinking back on it made his heart tighten.
At least that dish had smelled bad.
Even though he had been knocked unconscious by the stench, he still felt like he had come out ahead.
If it hadn't smelled.
If he had actually eaten it-
Just imagining it was terrifying.
No wonder those three judges had run away so decisively after taking the money.
They weren't wrong.
He had been foolish.
Paying money to eat filth.
Despite the inner roar triggered by that terrible memory, Azami Nakiri's expression remained calm.
"I've long heard that the legendary King of Mercenaries, Muteba Gizenga, cannot see yet can still move freely through a hail of bullets."
"Seeing you in person, I'm even starting to wonder whether you truly can't see at all."
"But you are exactly as the legends describe."
He paused.
"So..."
"I won't break the contract this time."
"After all, while we chefs use shokugeki to resolve disputes, sometimes shokugeki is simply too much like child's play."
"You don't need to worry about anything else."
"Muteba, I'm commissioning you to kidnap the world's best chef."
"Do you accept?"
Muteba smiled.
"If the mission takes a long time, you'll need to increase the payment."
"I came to this country for another, more important mission."
"But if it's just kidnapping a chef..."
"Leave it to me~"
He stood up.
Then he revealed a bright, almost cheerful smile that was completely at odds with the image of a mercenary.
"...The world's best chef, huh?"
"If I catch him, I'd really like to see what the world's best cooking tastes like~"
"That's up to you."
Azami Nakiri looked at his reflection in the window.
And slowly smiled.
-Jaden.
Although you cleverly prevented me from probing your true level last time, you're far too arrogant if you believe that cooking skill determines everything in this world.
Even Totsuki trains its own fighters.
In this world, culinary skill has never been the sole deciding factor.
I may not currently have the qualifications to approach the Kengan Association and its fighters directly...
But I was fortunate this time.
I happened to encounter the King of Mercenaries nearby.
Therefore-
Jaden.
I can't allow you to interfere with me.
You taught me a lesson last time.
This time-
It's my turn.
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