Following the command, "Start!", Shido and Chinatsu stepped toward the ingredient area almost simultaneously.
However, unlike the previous round, Chinatsu's steps clearly carried a suppressed anger.
(It's all because of this blockhead! And his sister who was just watching the show!)
Chinatsu gritted her teeth internally.
(He made me stand on the stage like a pillar! I barely felt any cold air, but I broke out in another sweat! This debt must be settled by him!)
The two met again at the shelf displaying high-quality chocolate.
The ice-blue gaze of Chinatsu no longer held coldness or deliberate fragility, but undisguised annoyance. She spoke first, her voice sharper than usual:
"Classmate Itsuka, it seems your victory in the last round has greatly boosted your confidence? You couldn't even bear to waste the break time, insisting on 'closely monitoring' your opponent's every move?"
She deliberately emphasized "closely monitoring," her sarcasm palpable.
Shido was stunned by the sudden accusation, and a look of guilt immediately crossed his face.
Clearly, he misunderstood the source of Chinatsu's anger, assuming she was brooding over her crushing defeat.
"I am truly sorry, Classmate Hōōin!" Shido apologized sincerely, but his gaze remained firm.
"What I did just now... was indeed rude. However, I didn't mean any disrespect to you. It's just..." He paused, his voice growing more earnest.
"This competition is also very important to me, so I must give it my absolute best, and observing my opponent is part of that. In the upcoming final round, I still won't hold back; I will pour everything I have into securing the victory!"
His apology was sincere, but the words that followed, to Chinatsu, were like adding fuel to the fire.
(Won't hold back? Pour everything he has? Who asked you to hold back! I'm angry because you were tactless and kept me from getting some shade, you idiot!)
Chinatsu was practically roaring internally, but on the surface, she could only maintain her cool, aloof anger, letting out a cold snort:
"Hmph, that suits me just fine. I am also looking forward to seeing if your so-called'sincerity' can be as lucky as it was in the last round, especially in the field of desserts, which requires precise calculation and creativity."
The two said no more and began quickly selecting ingredients, but the tension in the air did not dissipate; instead, it transformed into verbal sparring.
Upon entering the ingredient area, Shido's hand first reached for a piece of high-concentration dark chocolate. Chinatsu reached out almost simultaneously, picking up a piece of tempered chocolate with a more complex flavor profile next to it, and spoke lightly:
"Oh? Choosing basic dark chocolate? It seems you plan to use other ingredients to build a complex flavor? The idea is good, but unfortunately, the depth of the base flavor will likely be lacking, and the final product might end up... mediocre." Her words carried a technical critique.
Shido did not back down, steadily picking up his chosen dark chocolate and replying, "I believe that pure flavor is better able to carry'sincerity'."
"Furthermore, Classmate Hōōin, the tempered chocolate you chose, while complex in flavor, might interfere with other strong-flavored ingredients if paired improperly, causing it to lose its focus." He pointed out a potential risk.
Chinatsu precisely took Mascarpone cheese and animal-based whipping cream. Shido, meanwhile, selected cream cheese and a serving of thick Greek yogurt.
Chinatsu glanced over, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly: "Using cream cheese and yogurt? Are you trying to cut costs, or are you pursuing a unique acidity? However, the fat and water content of these two ingredients differ from standard mousse base ingredients. Be careful that the final texture doesn't become heavy and sticky, ruining the dessert's lightness."
Shido calmly replied while putting the yogurt into his basket: "Thank you for the warning. However, it is precisely this difference that might bring about an unexpected fusion effect. Just like Classmate Hōōin, you are fixated on'standards' and 'perfection,' but sometimes, a small 'accident' might be the source of creativity." He skillfully steered the conversation back to the clash of philosophies.
When Shido picked up that jar of special citrus honey syrup again, Chinatsu's gaze instantly locked onto it. "That again?"
She frowned slightly. "It seems this is your so-called'secret weapon.' The hygroscopicity of honey and the instability of citrus essential oils are variables that require precise control in dessert making."
"Over-relying on a 'unique recipe'—if it gets out of control, it could compromise the balance of the entire dish." She tried to undermine Shido's confidence on a technical level.
Shido gripped the syrup jar tightly and shook his head: "This isn't a secret weapon. This is just... a part of me. Its uncertainty is precisely what represents the'sincerity' that cannot be fully quantified. I believe it will perfectly blend with my cooking."
At the same time, Chinatsu picked up a small packet of edible bamboo charcoal powder, seemingly intending to try creating a black-and-white visual contrast. Shido noticed and couldn't help but speak:
"Bamboo charcoal powder... while the visual effect is strong, it possesses a slight adsorptive quality that might affect the presentation of other subtle flavors. While pursuing 'creativity,' I hope Classmate Hōōin does not overlook the purity of the taste itself."
Chinatsu's hand, holding the bamboo charcoal powder, paused momentarily. She then nonchalantly placed it in her basket and retorted:
"Don't trouble yourself. I have my own measure of flavor control. Classmate Itsuka, you, however, shouldn't let your so-called'sincerity' become an excuse to cover up a lack of skill."
After this verbal skirmish while selecting ingredients, both of them had obtained what they needed.
What filled their baskets were not just the ingredients for the upcoming dish, but the collision of their two vastly different culinary philosophies.
They mutually speculated on each other's intentions and attempted to disrupt one another with words, setting a tense and explosive prelude for the final round's showdown.
Both parties, carrying their respective ingredients and their high (or angry) fighting spirit, returned to their stations. The final creative dessert showdown was about to begin.