Location: Entrance to the Third Cooking Practice Room. When all the students of Class 2-4, filled with the excitement of watching a grand spectacle, followed Murasame Reine to the so-called "Third Cooking Practice Room," everyone was stunned speechless by the sight before their eyes.
How could this be a school cooking classroom? This was clearly the set for a professional cooking show!
The space was spacious and bright, featuring several sets of gleaming, clearly expensive professional stoves and ovens. Top-tier, extremely fresh ingredients were meticulously organized, and there were even dedicated stage lights and... several hidden camera positions?!
"Th-This is..." "Does our school even have a place like this?!" "Wow! These ingredients are way too high-end!"
Phoenix-in Chinatsu watched the utterly exaggerated setup, her eye twitching slightly.
She glanced at Itsuka Shido, who was standing beside her, equally shocked but with a new sense of mission in his eyes (he had clearly just been fed some strange information by Kotori).
Unable to resist, she spoke in a clear, cool voice that held a distinct hint of sarcasm, audible only to the two of them:
"Hey, Itsuka. Isn't this spectacle a bit much? Anyone who didn't know better would think we were filming the 'Amamiya City Ultimate Chef Showdown' here."
She raised her hand slightly, gesturing toward the hidden cameras, "They even prepared camera positions? Should we expect a floor director and a clapperboard next time?"
Shido snapped out of his shock at her words, immediately putting on an awkward yet polite smile and instinctively scratching his cheek:
"Ah, haha... Well... maybe the school recently renovated, and the facilities are quite... advanced? Yes, advanced! To give us a better... er... learning experience?" His gaze was shifty, and his tone was dry, clearly showing he was not good at lying.
Chinatsu gave him a meaningful look but didn't press the issue, simply adding faintly:
"Oh, is that so? Then the school's budget is truly movingly generous. I hope today's 'learning experience' doesn't disappoint the investors."
Just as Shido didn't know how to respond and could only continue to chuckle nervously, a highly energetic voice, amplified by a microphone, suddenly blared from the speakers!
"Testing, Testing! Microphone check! Oh—!"
Yamabuki Ai had somehow seized the host's position, holding a microphone she must have pulled from nowhere—likely thoughtfully prepared by Ratatoskr.
Yozakura Mai stood beside her, pushing up her non-existent glasses and looking at what appeared to be a teleprompter. Fujibakama Mii had already found the optimal angle, her camera lens focused on the two people in the center of the floor.
"Ahem!" Yamabuki Ai cleared her throat and shouted in her most passionate voice:
"Students! Teachers! Welcome to—Raizen High School's first-ever! Grand Cooking Showdown!"
Yozakura Mai calmly interjected, speaking rapidly as photos flashed wildly across the large screen:
"Data loading complete. The combatants: The transfer student beauty with divine technique, Phoenix-in Chinatsu! VS The domestic homemaker who protects the class's palate, Itsuka Shido!"
Fujibakama Mii: "Magic! Ultimate stage, confirmed!" The camera shutter clicked rapidly.
Aoi continued to shout, holding the host's script she had pulled out of nowhere:
"This is no ordinary home economics class! This is a kitchen war staking honor and glory! The competition will be a best-of-three match! The themes are—'Knife Skills and Freshness,' 'Heat Control and Flavor,' and 'Heart and Creativity'!"
Mai: "The panel of judges consists of five heavyweight guests! First up is the class's most beautiful Ice Queen? Tobiichi—Origami!"
Origami, seated at the judge's table, stood up and waved to Shido. "Shido, no matter what dish it is, I will eat it, even if it contains fluid..."
"Ah, ah, ah, the next judge, everyone's favorite Teacher Tama!" Mai frantically cut off the words of Master Origami and began introducing the next judge.
"Hi~ Hello, students~" Teacher Tama, who had been dragged over, waved gently.
"Next! Our new teacher, Murasame Reine!" Murasame Reine simply gave a slight nod to everyone.
"The second to last! He is Shido and Koushi's eternal best friend, whose luck with women is permanently zero, and who can't even get close to the 2D beauties on his phone—Tonomachi Hiroto!"
"Hey, that introduction is too much! I'm a handsome man too, you know!" (He slammed the table.)
"Finally! It is the three of us—Mai, Mii, and Aoi!"
"The victory will be jointly decided by them and everyone's palates!"
Mii: "Duel—Begin!"
The spotlight (it really came on!) immediately focused on Chinatsu and Shido in the center of the floor.
The entire class's gaze was fixed on them, and the atmosphere was instantly hyped up to the maximum by the trio.
Shido was slightly nervous due to the sudden formality, but he took a deep breath and looked at Chinatsu across from him, his eyes becoming serious:
"Classmate Hōōin, please take care of me. I will give it my all!"
Chinatsu felt the burning gazes all around her and sighed internally (she still had to play the part).
On the surface, she returned to her cool and proud demeanor. She lifted her chin slightly, and a flash of sharp, (feigned) fighting spirit crossed her ice-blue eyes, responding to Shido's declaration and everyone's anticipation:
"Hmph, I wouldn't have it any other way. Just don't disappoint me, Classmate Itsuka. Let me properly see how much weight your 'Heart,' which everyone praises, truly carries."
Shido's fighting spirit was roused by her words, and he nodded seriously: "Of course! My cooking is my heart! I will definitely make you feel it!"
Between the two of them, invisible sparks collided above the professional stove tops.
The duel officially began!
Under the spotlight, the trio of Yamabuki Ai, Yozakura Mai, and Fujibakama Mii walked with exaggerated steps to the center of the floor, clearly dominating the scene.
"Ahem!" Yamabuki Ai cleared her throat into the microphone and shouted in a highly inflammatory tone:
"Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for waiting! Now, commencing is—The Grand Cooking Showdown, Round One!"
Yozakura Mai immediately stepped forward, pulling out a tablet from nowhere, and began the introduction in a calm yet rapid tone, accompanied by background sound effects:
"Round One, Theme—'Knife Skills and Freshness'! This tests the chef's most fundamental wrist technique and the ultimate Understanding of the ingredients' natural flavor!"
"Throughout culinary history, from the eastern *sashimi* and *jun* slices to the western *tartare* salad, top-tier knife skills have always served to maximize the fresh texture and refined flavor of the ingredients themselves, rather than being mere showmanship!"
"Therefore, the core of this round is—using precise and flawless cutting techniques to prepare the most delicate ingredients, presenting a double dose of refreshing enjoyment for both the palate and the eyes!"
Fujibakama Mii opportunely aimed her camera at the dazzling array of ingredients on the preparation counter nearby, "Magic! Ingredients confirmed!"
Yozakura Mai took the cue and quickly listed the key ingredients:
"The core ingredients provided for this duel include—firm-fleshed, sweet-tasting True Sea Bream! Translucent, crisp Daikon radish and cucumber! Fresh and unique herbs like dill and parsley! As well as lemon, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt for seasoning!"
Yamabuki Ai took over, waving her arm and pointing at Chinatsu and Shido, her voice ringing out: "That's right! The two contestants must use these ingredients to create—an ultimate refreshing appetizer—capable of conquering both our palates and our eyes, all within a mere thirty minutes!"
The trio exchanged a look, then simultaneously turned to the camera and shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the entire cooking room via the microphone:
"And its name is—"
—'True Sea Bream Sashimi and Thinly Sliced Vegetable Salad with Herb Lemon Dressing'! (Masshiro no Tai no Sashimi to Yasai Usugiri Sarada Yaki Herb Lemon-zu)"
"Ooooh—!!!" The audience immediately erupted in enthusiastic cheers and gasps.
"That sounds incredible!"
"True Sea Bream! It's super difficult to prepare!"
"Thirty minutes?! And they have to do such delicate knife work?"
Yamabuki Ai finally swung her arm decisively, pointing toward the already flashing timer: "Then now—Round One! Clock—Start!"
As the word "Start" fell, the timer digits began to count down, and Chinatsu and Shido moved almost simultaneously, heading toward the ingredient counter.