Central kitchen of Tracen Academy.
It was enormous, like a small aircraft hangar.
The gleaming stainless steel countertops, the floor tiles that could be used as mirrors, and the rows of expensive German-made ovens and kitchen equipment —standing like steel giants— exhibited immense wealth.
At night, the chefs had just finished their workday, and the kitchen was still permeated with a pleasant aroma, a mixture of butter, roasted meat, and vegetables.
But at that precise moment, this "sacred domain" was being disrupted by a "trespasser" full of life.
"WOW! COOL! This oven looks like it could roast a hundred turkeys at once!"
"My God! This countertop is bigger than my bed back home!"
Taiki Shuttle, like a high-energy husky leaving its cage for the first time, ran from one side of the kitchen to the other with sparkling eyes, touching this and looking at that, constantly emitting exaggerated American-style exclamations.
Meanwhile, Kaito was being forcibly dragged by his arm, his face reflecting absolute despair as he was hauled through this "kitchen tour" he didn't want to attend at all.
Finally, after "inspecting" every corner.
Taiki Shuttle stopped in front of Kaito.
She clasped her hands and launched an indiscriminate, high-intensity attack with her clear blue eyes, which looked like a Californian beach!
"Hand of God~"
Her voice was drawn out, full of unlimited anticipation that could melt the heart of any stoic man.
"The ingredients here look amazing! And your miraculous hands..."
"Could you... could you fix me something to eat, anything, please?"
"Just a bite! Just one little bite!"
To add unprecedented persuasive force to her request.
Her stomach, cooperating perfectly, let out a long and loud "Grumble~~~" of protest.
Faced with such a direct and helpless "cute attack," Kaito's heart softened instantly.
He was about to open his mouth and nod...
"Cough, cough!"
The enormous double doors of the kitchen suddenly swung open!
Symboli Rudolf, along with all the members of her "harem cabinet," appeared at the door just in time, like divine soldiers descending from heaven!
Clearly, they learned of the "serious emergency" here through the omnipresent "campus security monitoring system" of the "Secretary" Agnes Tachyon!
The "Minister of Foreign Affairs" TM Opera O, fanning herself, stepped forward gracefully.
She used her feather fan to gently and subtly separate the excessive intimacy that existed between Taiki Shuttle and Kaito.
Then, smiling, she spoke with a tone full of the bearing of a "rightful wife":
"Oh, my goodness! A guest who has traveled so far, how could we let her cook for herself or bother our chief rehabilitation therapist?"
"Dinner for our protagonist, naturally, should be prepared by us, those who best understand his tastes and care most about his health..."
"It is only polite that we prepare it personally"
The "Minister of Force" Gold City was even more direct.
She lunged forward and grabbed an enormous frying pan hanging from the wall that looked like a shield!
She weighed it effortlessly in her hand, then looked at Kaito, who was behind her, with a defiant gaze and said:
"Hey! You jerk! What do you want for dinner tonight?!"
"This lady will let you witness today what is called 'Supreme High-Performance Cooking'!"
Meanwhile, the "Minister of Technology," Agnes Tachyon, silently pulled a set of tools from her lab coat: test tubes, beakers, alcohol lamps, and various unknown instruments that looked like chemical laboratory equipment.
She adjusted her glasses calmly.
"According to precise calculations, Chief Kaito's energy deficit resulting from today's training (referring to the group punishment) and mental effort is 1258.7 kilocalories"
"I will personally prepare a 'Functional Fluid Dinner' for him that can accurately replenish all the energy he lacks and effectively optimize his neuronal reaction speed"
Using the grand and irrefutable excuse of "cooking for Kaito," they forcibly occupied all the countertops!
Their true and sinister intention was clear:
The goal was to completely prevent Kaito from preparing a special and separate meal for Taiki Shuttle, the "foreign intruder"
Thus, a "Kitchen Defense War" filled with food aromas officially began!
First movement: The sonata of violent pounding and burning passion by Gold City.
"She slammed a whole prime Wagyu steak, bigger than her own face, against that enormous pan with a thud!"
Then she turned the heat to the maximum!
Accompanied by her powerful cry of "Haa! —," the spatula in her hand, like a war hammer, subjected the poor steak to brutal and frenetic pounding and flipping.
Soon, an aura of contradictory "violent aesthetics," mixing the aroma of prime Wagyu meat with a strong burnt smell, permeated the kitchen...
Second movement: The concert of formalism and nihilistic staging by TM Opera O.
She had not the slightest interest in handling greasy and ordinary ingredients.
However, she had an almost obsessive artistic pursuit for "plating"!
With meticulousness and care, she drew an extremely beautiful and complex rose pattern on an enormous white plate using a ketchup bottle.
As for which main dish should occupy the center of this "work of art"... she had not yet decided.
Third movement: The rhapsody of molecular cuisine and the unknown alchemy of Agnes Tachyon.
Meanwhile, she threw all kinds of vegetables, meats, and even some strange plant roots, apparently unrelated to each other, into a high-speed industrial blender.
Then, she pulled out rows of bubbling "nutritional supplements" of different colors and, like a mad alchemist, recited incomprehensible chemical formulas while pouring them in one by one.
Her goal was to create a perfect "Green Fluid Nutritional Paste" that would instantly satisfy Kaito's needs.
The poor blender emitted an enormous roar like a plane taking off, and a suspicious purple liquid, bubbling and unknown, slowly leaked through the machine's joints.
The entire kitchen was instantly transformed into a standing hell, filled with thick smoke, noise, burnt smells, and unknown chemical gases.
Kaito, contemplating the scene before him, which rivaled "the end of the world," finally could not take it anymore.
He sighed deeply.
He stepped forward and, with an undeniable air of "master of the house," gently but firmly confiscated the "instruments of crime" that were creating the disaster in everyone's hands.
"Everyone stop"
His voice was not loud, but it made everyone instinctively stop what they were doing.
"If I let you continue, tonight we will only be eating nutritional paste in the infirmary"
With skill, he rolled up his sleeves and tied on a clean, spotlessly white apron.
"Watch carefully"
"Today I will give you a free lesson, a true 'cooking class'"
The moment Kaito put on the apron, his aura changed completely.
The previous feeling of helplessness and clumsiness vanished.
In its place was an absolute and undeniable confidence and concentration, like those of a world-class chef with three Michelin stars!
All the Umas present, including the restless Taiki Shuttle, fell silent involuntarily.
They felt deeply attracted to his aura, which at that moment radiated the charm of a good family man.
What followed was a magnificent "solo culinary exhibition" that left everyone present dumbfounded.
Kaito's skill with the knife was like performing the most precise classical music, sometimes passionate, sometimes delicate.
Various vegetables turned into thin and uniform strands under his hands.
His way of flipping the wok was smooth and fluid, full of explosive power.
The flames, under his control, seemed to have a life of their own, obediently licking the ingredients in the pan.
His bearing, like that of an experienced musician, was calm and serene, like that of a top-tier conductor in front of the Vienna Philharmonic.
The burnt and chaotic smells of the kitchen were quickly and completely replaced by an indescribably rich, complex, and overwhelmingly potent aroma.
This aroma even created a strange chemical reaction with his cursed [Aroma Corporal Fatal] —a reaction where 1+1 was much greater than 100!
This caused all the Umas present to swallow their saliva frantically.
Those pairs of eyes observing Kaito were now completely filled with tiny bright stars.
Shortly after, Kaito placed plate after plate, fragrant and like true works of art, on the enormous countertop.
For Gold City, who clamored for meat, he prepared a prime Tomahawk steak: seared and crispy on the outside, perfectly pink on the inside, with all the meat juices perfectly sealed!
For TM Opera O, who sought an artistic touch, he prepared Lobster, Sea Urchin, and Caviar Pasta: exquisite presentation, luxury ingredients, and a rich, romantic Mediterranean flavor!
For Agnes Tachyon, a person with a scientific mind, he prepared a "Molecular Cuisine Rainbow Salad," containing at least twenty organic vegetables, nuts, and high-quality proteins, balanced to the extreme!
For Rice Shower and Manhattan Cafe, he prepared the most comforting, sweet, and soft dish: Creamy Pumpkin and Seafood Soup, served with freshly baked garlic bread.
Finally-
To Taiki Shuttle, the "culprit" of the whole incident, he personally served a plate... piled up like a small mountain!
The burger was prime Wagyu beef, hand-pounded, thick, juicy, and made with the best meat in the country.
The extra ingredients were double cheese, double bacon, and double pickles!
The sauce was his secret barbecue sauce, personally crafted by himself!
[Super Supreme Hand of God Comforting Burger!!!]
Everyone received, at the same time, a unique and personalized dish, full of "love," that perfectly suited their preferences and tastes.
All the fighting, all the dissatisfaction, all the jealousy... vanished into thin air before this absolute, irresistible, and divine cooking.
Taiki Shuttle, hugging the enormous burger that was bigger than her face, was moved to tears.
She opened her mouth wide and took an enormous first bite!
The moment the meat juices, cheese, and incomparable aroma exploded in her mouth...
She was so happy she felt as if her soul were flying toward heaven.
The look in her eyes as she observed Kaito was no longer that of a "chef" or an "idol"
Instead, it was like looking at... God.
Meanwhile, she devoured the burger at the speed of a whirlwind.
She murmured her "ambitious" declaration to Kaito.
"Hand... Hand of God... Wuu... It's too delicious..."
"I... I've decided! This time I'm definitely going to win the Japan Cup!"
"Then... then I'll use my champion status to ask you my one wish... and that is..."
"For you to fix me this burger every day!"
Hearing this "provocative" championship declaration.
Nearby, the members of the harem group elegantly savored their respective delicacies.
Their movements stopped briefly.
The glances they directed at the "intruder" chewing the burger with a mouth full of grease, and at the "traitor" Kaito who was gently wiping his face... became incredibly subtle once more.
TM Opera O gently wiped her perfect mouth with a napkin.
Smiling, she said significantly:
"Oh, my goodness~"
"It seems the Japan Cup will be held in a month..."
"That 'Victory Concert' that is destined to be headlined by me..."
"Will become exceptionally interesting"
A war that was temporarily halted thanks to a delicious meal.
And a greater war, about to resume due to the eagerness for possession of that delicious food... was already foreseeable.