Land of Fire, Taiyoto.
The triennial Taketori Festival arrived as scheduled, plunging this ancient capital into a sea of jubilation and clamor.
The streets and alleys were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the crowds were bustling with people. The shouts of various shops and temporary vendors, the laughter of tourists, and the music of the festival intertwined to create a vibrant and grand symphony.
The origins of the Taketori Festival can be traced back to the distant and ethereal mythological era.
Legend has it that in the chaotic world of ancient times, a brilliant meteor or celestial maiden fell from heaven to the mortal world and landed in a lush bamboo forest.
Possessing peerless beauty and boundless power capable of calming calamities and expelling evil spirits, she was revered by later generations as the Princess of the Bamboo Grove or the Bamboo Goddess.
Legend has it that she traveled to various countries, quelled demons, and brought order and peace to the chaotic world.
To commemorate this goddess who brought peace and hope, the Land of Fire established a tradition at the very beginning of its founding.
Every three years, in early May when bamboo groves come to life and new bamboo shoots sprout, the most solemn Taketori Festival is held in Taiyoto to express gratitude to the goddess and pray for national peace and prosperity.
At this moment, the open-air plaza, one of the core areas of the festival, was bustling with noise, the sound almost lifting the roof of the temporary colorful canopy.
This is the final venue of the Land of Fire's first culinary tournament.
Dozens of temporary stoves were neatly arranged, and chefs from all over the country were either focused or nervously handling the ingredients in their hands. Steam, fumes, and the aroma of food mixed together to create a powerful heat wave.
On the judges' platform, more than a dozen well-dressed and stern-faced judges moved about inspecting the contestants, their eyes sweeping across each workstation like hawks.
The crowd was packed so tightly that it was impossible to move. Excited discussions, curious glances, and exclamations of surprise as people pointed out that a famous chef created a buzzing background noise.
Amidst this bustling noise, the area around the stove where Shinichi Higashino was located seemed to be a world of its own, attracting many surprised and curious glances.
The reason was simple: this contestant was wearing a neat dark ninja combat uniform with a white chef's apron over it, and his headband had been removed.
But his capable demeanor was out of place with most of the traditional chefs around him, who were either burly or sophisticated.
No way, you kid… actually know how to cook?
In a certain section of the audience, Tsunade stared at the Shinichi in the open-air plaza whose style was so strikingly different, her eyes involuntarily widening.
She initially thought that Shinichi's participation in the culinary tournament was just a whim of a young man, or that he had some other plan. But after watching him fight his way through the preliminaries and semi-finals to the finals these past few days, she realized... this kid seems to be... serious?
"When Shinichi graduated early last year, he held a thank-you banquet at Aji No Takumi. The owner, Fujiwara, said that Shinichi was the best chef in their restaurant. I thought he was just joking."
Shizune said to Kurenai Yuhi beside her as she watched Shinichi skillfully handling the ingredients.
"I never imagined Shinichi had such a hobby and skill."
Kurenai Yuhi gently covered her mouth, a smile spreading across her red eyes as she looked at Shinichi's focused profile, so different from when he was on a mission, and found it quite amusing.
Just then, a middle-aged man dressed in magnificent official robes and with impeccable manners walked through the crowd, went straight to Tsunade, bowed respectfully, and said: "Your Highness, the Daimyo has noticed that you are watching the competition here. He has instructed me to invite you to move to the main guest seats above. The view there is better, and it will also be more comfortable."
Your Highness?!
Shizune and Kurenai turned around instantly, their eyes wide open while staring at their teacher in disbelief.
Tsunade, seeing the two guys' shocked gazes, simply waved her hand casually and said to the middle-aged man, "Please thank the Daimyo for his kindness. I'll just stay here and look around with my students; I won't bother you any further."
The middle-aged man offered a few more polite words of advice, but seeing that Tsunade's attitude was clear, he did not insist and bowed again before taking his leave.
Once the officials were out of sight, Shizune and Kurenai immediately turned their curious gazes toward Tsunade.
Shizune couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "T-teacher... Are you a princess?"
"Ah, that?"
Tsunade picked at her ear and said casually, "It's all old news, nothing serious. It was just an empty title. I don't care about it anymore."
Seeing that she seemed unwilling to talk more, Shizune and Kurenai exchanged a glance.
Although the fire of curiosity was burning fiercely inside their hearts, they wisely chose not to continue asking.
They turned their attention back to the heated competition, focusing on their teammate who was applying his extraordinary ninja skills to the ultimate cooking.
As time ticked by, the atmosphere in the open-air plaza gradually shifted from a flurry of excitement to a tense wait.
One by one, the contestants completed their dishes, carefully plating the food that embodied their hard work and skills, and presented it to the judges.
The judges looked serious as they appraised each item, exchanging opinions in hushed tones and occasionally making notes on the scoreboard.
The most exquisite and flavorful part of each dish that they consider outstanding is carefully portioned into specially made, exquisite ceramic bowls, which are then carried by waiters on gilded lacquer trays and quickly delivered to the vip room with the best view and the most luxurious decoration.
There sat the nominal host of this grand competition, who was also the supreme ruler of the Land of Fire, the Daimyo.
The judging process was in full swing, with hushed exclamations of admiration frequently emanating from the judges' stand.
"This Cloud Sea Stew is cooked to perfection, with a rich and flavorful broth, truly a rare find!"
"Amber-Cooked Pork, a very creative dish with rich layers of flavor, is also quite good!"
Ultimately, the judges focused their attention on the last two dishes presented.
One bowl is a signature dish of another veteran chef, while the other is from Shinichi Higashino.
Several judges gathered around, carefully observing the color and smelling the aroma, and finally, each took a small amount to taste with a special spoon.
After a brief silence, the murmur of debate began.
"This Golden Dew Under The Snow is impeccable in terms of ingredient selection, knife skills, seasoning, and plating aesthetics. It truly deserves the championship."
An older judge said while stroking his beard.
"But this... Shinichi Higashino's Whale Wave Jade, with its exquisite handling of ingredients, control of heat and timing, and the ultimate freshness and pure taste, full of vitality, is truly amazing! This is not just a dish, but more like a precise art!"
Another younger judge was clearly moved by Shinichi's dish, and his tone was filled with excitement.
"Hmph, cooking is cooking, what's with all this talk about techniques!"
The old judge scoffed. "Besides, this person isn't a member of the Culinary Association; he's a ninja."
"If we award the championship of this competition to a ninja, how will the outside world view the culinary world of the Land of Fire? Are we to let people believe that those of us who have studied cooking for decades are actually inferior to a ninja who makes his living killing people? What kind of behavior is that!"
This remark drew nods of agreement from several conservative judges.
For those who regard cooking as a noble traditional art, with its own circles and rules, it is indeed hard to accept that an outsider, especially a ninja who kills with a knife, has won the highest honor.
"But judging solely on the dishes themselves, this Whale Wave Jade is indeed slightly better…"
The young judge tried to argue.
"You've only been in the culinary world for a few years! How many storms have you seen? Do you even understand what true depth and heritage are?"
The veteran judge interrupted him, his tone firm: "In terms of seniority, I am..."
Upon hearing this, the young judge immediately fell silent and stopped speaking.
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