The story begins in Food Wars, when Alice took him home.

"The sashimi is as delicate as silk, so smooth and tender that it seems to melt on the tongue with just a gentle touch."

When paired with a sauce made from butter crab meat and crab roe, the two complement each other perfectly, creating a harmonious balance.

Hinako Inui looked completely intoxicated, her eyes tightly closed, as if her entire being was immersed in the vast ocean of crab roe.

The crab roe, like gentle ocean waves, softly surrounds and tightly embraces her, bringing a wonderful feeling of both restraint and release, which is intoxicating.

"This dish is truly excellent. It perfectly showcases the freshness of the peony shrimp and the richness of the crab roe, leaving a lingering and delightful aftertaste."

Kikuchienka finished the last botan shrimp, her face still flushed. This dish was absolutely perfect in both texture and taste!

The ingredients are top-notch, and the chef's skills are superb, so what kind of dish will his opponent need to present to win...?

Just as Kikuchi Sonoka was lost in thought, she suddenly looked up, her gaze passing through Kurokiba Ryo's back and settling on Tadokoro Megumi's figure.

At that moment, Megumi Tadokoro slowly walked over, holding a colorful platter of vegetables in her hands.

Vegetable salad?

A ripple of doubt stirred within Kikuchi Yoko, as questions flooded her mind.

Faced with Kurokiba Ryo's top-notch seafood cuisine, Tadokoro Megumi actually plans to respond with a plate of vegetable salad?!

Not only Kikuchi Enka, but the other judges also lost interest after noticing that Tadokoro Megumi had made a vegetable salad.

After all, Kurokiba Ryō's cuisine is already a feast of top-notch seafood cold dishes, with carefully selected ingredients and a uniquely crafted crab roe sauce.

Overall, it has almost reached the threshold of premium cuisine.

"Please enjoy the maple lemon vegetable salad."

After glancing at Kurokiba Ryo who had stepped aside, Tadokoro Megumi distributed the dishes to the judges, glancing at their dishes as she did so, a faint smile on her face.

"Maple syrup lemon?"

Kakuzaki Taki looked at the dish in front of him, drawing out his words with curiosity in his eyes.

"It really is a vegetable salad!"

Kikuchi Sonoka muttered to herself, she had thought she was seeing things, but when the dish was placed in front of her, her anxiety finally died.

"Vegetable salad is indeed a type of cold dish, but compared to the peony shrimp sashimi we had earlier, it felt like it was a whole level below.

But what's more important is how it tastes...

Looking at the vegetable salad in front of her, Hinako Inui didn't have high hopes and tentatively put the salad into her mouth to taste it.

If judged by the standard of cold dishes, Tadokoro Megumi's cooking is fine, but because Kurokiba's cold dish was served first, the standard is higher.

"Let's try it anyway."

As soon as Dojima Gin finished speaking, the surrounding discussion stopped abruptly, and everyone's eyes focused on the vegetable salad in front of them.

I must say, this vegetable salad looks especially appealing.

The bright red of red bell peppers, the bright yellow of yellow bell peppers, the deep purple of purple cabbage, the fresh green of cucumbers, and the orange-yellow of carrots.

In addition, crushed nuts such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews, and macadamia nuts are scattered throughout, exuding a rich aroma.

"The nuts here must have been roasted, because they have an exceptionally rich aroma. It's a unique flavor that blends rich caramel, roasted notes, and milky notes."

Kikuchi Sonoka gently twitched her nose, her gaze fixed on the scattered bits of nut pieces, and then she gently stirred them with her chopsticks.

As you stir, the aroma of the crushed nuts gradually intertwines with the freshness of the vegetables and the sweetness of the maple syrup, blending together yet remaining distinct, creating a more complex and captivating flavor profile.

"It feels so refreshing."

On the other side, Hinako Inui put the vegetable salad into her mouth and her eyes lit up.

A golden river seemed to appear before her, filled with the refreshing sweet and sour aroma of lemons and maple syrup.

"Ah, that feels so good!"

"If the scene just now was like a magnificent waterfall, then at this moment, it is like being in a babbling brook."

The gentle, delicate flow of water caressed my skin; this indescribably wonderful sensation was so captivating that I couldn't help but be drawn into it!

At this moment, she stood in the middle of the golden stream, the water flowing quietly like liquid gold, slowly seeping into every inch of her skin.

This unique experience prompted her to let out a soft, joyful moan.

"What's most amazing is that it seems to know we just came across a waterfall, so it chose the stream, just like a tranquil rest that we longed for after a fierce battle."

Kakuzaki Taki leaned back lazily in her chair. Kurokiba Ryo's cooking had given her an unprecedented shock, and now the dishes exuded a calming and peaceful atmosphere.

"That's right! This is the taste of gentleness."

Like a haven the soul yearns for after a raging storm, this dish offers that perfect refuge.

Mizuhara Fuyumi nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with surprise. This dish seemed to have anticipated the turbulent waves to come, and thus chose tranquility instead!

"The sweetness of maple syrup intertwines with the natural sweetness of the vegetables, creating a wonderful flavor that is both sweet and not cloying."

The skillful incorporation of lemon juice creates a perfect balance between sweet and sour, resulting in a delightful and layered flavor experience.

Hinako Inui closed her eyes and enjoyed herself, her hands moving very leisurely. When she came to her senses, she had already finished eating the whole plate of vegetable salad in front of her.

"The refreshing taste of the vegetable salad, the sweet allure of the maple syrup, and the addition of chopped nuts give this salad a unique taste experience."

These elements blend together to create an exquisite feast for the taste buds!

Opening his eyes, Dojima Gin uttered these words in a long voice, while looking at the two contestants in front of him with a complex expression on his face.

If we're talking about cooking alone, Ryo Kurokiba has the edge because of his superior ingredients.

However, Megumi Tadokoro's cooking skillfully combines the flavors of Ryo Kurokiba's cooking, using the taste of his dishes to elevate her own cuisine to new heights!

"Using her opponent's strength against them, she seemed to have known all along what dish her opponent was going to make."

Zhou Tai's words carried a hint of inquiry, and his gaze involuntarily turned to Bai Yuan, secretly wondering if it was this person who was giving him pointers.

Either someone leaked Kurokiba Ryo's recipe, which led Tadokoro Megumi to use this trick.

Faced with Zhou Tai's probing gaze, Bai Yuan gently shook his head, a faint smile appearing on his lips. His gaze then fell on Tadokoro Megumi's confident figure, his heart filled with satisfaction.

The timid and self-conscious little girl I remember has now transformed into a radiant and confident young woman, which is truly a cause for celebration.

At the same time, Tadokoro Megumi on stage seemed to have a telepathic connection and inadvertently turned her gaze to Shirobuchi, who was in the audience.

Their eyes met in mid-air, and the girl's smile was as bright and warm as the spring sun.

On the judges' panel, Gin Dojima crossed his arms and closed his eyes to rest; the other judges also fell into deep thought, and the whole scene froze briefly.

"What are you all still hesitating about? Do you think my carefully crafted dish of peony shrimp sashimi, made with the finest ingredients, would lose to a simple vegetable salad? Announce the result now!"

Kurokiba Ryo finally couldn't contain his anxiety any longer. He frowned, slammed his hand on the table, and spoke with a tone full of humiliation and resentment.

He uses top-quality ingredients to make botan shrimp sashimi, how could it be inferior to a mere vegetable salad?! Do these guys even know anything about cooking?!

"No need to rush, we already have the answer."

Dojima Gin slowly opened his eyes, the aftertaste still lingering in his mouth. He exchanged a glance with the other judges, then calmly addressed the two contestants in front of him.

As soon as these words were spoken, all eyes of the audience turned to them, and everyone was filled with curiosity about the answer that was about to be revealed.

On the surface, Kurokiba Ryo's botan shrimp sashimi is undoubtedly more luxurious and high-end. However, the judges seem to have given higher praise to Tadokoro Megumi's dish, so they are not sure whose dish will win the competition.

"Gudu."

Kurokiba Ryo stared intently at the judges' panel. Although he firmly believed deep down that he could not possibly lose, a strange sense of tension still crept into his heart.

Beside her, Tadokoro Megumi also clenched her fist.

Just then, Tadokoro Megumi's name flashed on the big screen, and the score was set at 4:1.

In an instant, the scene erupted in cheers, with many people standing up excitedly, their eyes gleaming as they eagerly awaited the judges' explanation.

"How is this possible? I actually lost, lost to an unknown person?! How did you even make that judgment?!"

Looking at the scores on the big screen, Kurokiba Ryo's face was full of disbelief. He slammed his hand on the table and looked at the judges with a questioning gaze.

"Someone actually voted for Kurokiba."

"I just feel that it would be too tragic if he didn't get a single vote after working so hard."

Looking at the scores on the big screen, the five judges began their discussion. Kakuzaki Taki was surprised that Kurokiba Ryo received this vote, while Inui Hinako, who gave Kurokiba the vote, spoke in a gentle tone.

"You're being a little too kind."

Upon hearing Hinako Inui's words, Taki Kakuzaki made a speechless remark.

"That dish was clearly outstanding, but because the opponent anticipated it in advance, it became a stepping stone for the opponent to climb to the top, which is indeed a pity."

Mizuhara Fuyumi shook her head slightly, revealing obvious regret over Kurokiba Ryo's crushing defeat.

If Tadokoro Megumi had served her dish first, Kurokiba Ryo might have had a great chance of winning the competition. However, he beat her to the punch, or perhaps this was all part of Tadokoro Megumi's carefully laid plan, as she had already anticipated the dish Kurokiba was about to prepare.

"Insight, stepping stone... utter nonsense!"

"In short, Tadokoro skillfully utilized the impact of your cooking to elevate the deliciousness of his dishes to another level."

Seeing Kurokiba Ryo's furrowed brows and puzzled expression, Dojima Gin explained succinctly.

How did you know what dish I wanted to make?

Kurokiba Ryo stared at Tadokoro Megumi with a dangerous look in his eyes, but he couldn't detect the slightest bit of guilt in her eyes, only composure and indifference.

"Because Kurokiba's performance is too obvious. Since you enrolled, you have never tried any dishes other than seafood, and your taste is often heavy and impactful."

Therefore, with this in mind, I carefully crafted this vegetable salad, which cleverly utilizes the impact of your cooking to give diners an unprecedented sense of happiness.

Tadokoro Megumi explained with a smile that she acknowledged the other person's expertise in seafood cooking, which was why she used that expertise to elevate her own cooking.

After all, Kurokiba Ryo is very strong, and a head-on confrontation would be very disadvantageous for her. Although it is a cooking competition, it does not mean that you cannot use someone else's strength against you.

Adaptability is also an important skill for chefs!

"Teacher Bai Yuan, am I now someone you can be proud of?"

Looking at the score on the screen, Tadokoro Megumi's gaze gently turned to Shiroyuki, who was sitting in the audience, and such thoughts couldn't help but arise in her heart.

"Are you solely obsessed with seafood dishes...?"

Kurokiba Ryo gently untied the headscarf on his head, muttering to himself. Indeed, he rarely ventured into anything outside of seafood cuisine... because seafood cuisine was precisely his comfort zone, where he excelled.

"He's about to transform."

Watching Kurokiba Ryo leave the competition venue with his head down and heavy steps, seemingly lost in deep thought, Shirai whispered in the audience.