Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

The noodles were springy and chewy, each strand soaking up the flavorful broth! The tangy flavor was incredibly refreshing, and importantly, it wasn't hard on the stomach; after eating half a bowl, I actually felt quite hungry!

The seafood shop owner continued eating, having already finished all the sour soup noodles in front of him.

However, my stomach, which had felt somewhat full, suddenly started to feel hungry again.

It was truly an incredibly wonderful experience.

"Is it really that delicious...?"

Looking at the reactions of the seafood shop owner and the girl on the left, the girl on the right, who had put down her chopsticks and was about to wait a while before pretending to take a few bites, looked puzzled.

She was definitely at the point where she couldn't eat anymore, but eating a few noodles shouldn't be a problem, right...?

The two people in front of me didn't seem to be faking it; they genuinely thought the sour soup was delicious.

Why do I feel like I'll regret it for the rest of my life if I don't try it now?

"Mmm, it tastes amazing!"

The girl on the left picked up her bowl, took a sip of the soup, and a happy expression appeared on her face.

"How about just one bite? Just one bite..."

Hearing what the girl on the left said, the girl on the right hesitated, touched her very full stomach, picked up her chopsticks and took out a noodle.

The next moment, a rich yet refreshing sour smell wafted towards my nose.

"Lemon? Did you add lemon juice to it?"

Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind, and the girl on the right quickly realized that something was wrong. The sour smell was definitely that of lemons.

Where no one was looking, Soma Yukihira added lemon juice to the soup!!

"That's right, the sourness of vinegar is a bit too strong. Although some people like it, the judges this time are mostly girls, so I chose to use citric acid to neutralize the acetic acid."

Seeing that someone finally understood his idea, Soma Yukihira began to explain it in detail.

"What a clever idea."

Hearing Soma Yukihira's explanation, the girl on the right finally understood where the sour taste came from, and her anticipation for the dish immediately increased.

Then, the girl put the noodles on the chopsticks into her mouth.

A gentle breeze is blowing.

At that moment, she felt as if she had entered a lemon grove, where the air was filled with a refreshing scent.

The noodles soaked up the sour soup, making each bite incredibly chewy and satisfying. You couldn't stop eating them, one bite after another!

"The tonkotsu ramen tastes pretty good, but compared to this sour soup ramen in front of me, it just feels a little lacking. It's clearly made with more ingredients, so why is that...?"

The girl on the right muttered to herself, a puzzled look on her face.

In terms of flavor, tonkotsu ramen is obviously richer, but she just felt that the sour soup ramen in front of her was more delicious, which was a very strange feeling.

"It's probably because one focuses on the ingredients, while the other focuses on the noodles themselves."

The seafood shop owner put down his bowl of seasoning and revealed the key point.

The theme this time is noodles. All the other ingredients are just props to enhance the deliciousness of the noodles. If you focus on the props and ignore the noodles, that would be putting the cart before the horse.

"That's right, the main focus is noodles. The tonkotsu ramen we ate at the beginning was also delicious, but the core of it was the tonkotsu broth and the accompanying condiments, not the noodles."

Once she figured out why she found Soma Yukihira's cooking delicious, the girl's eyes lit up. Was this what they called a cooking showdown?!

Even though the previous tonkotsu ramen was already delicious, she felt there couldn't be a more delicious dish, but the next sour soup ramen was more in line with the theme.

Comparing the two, the dish that was served later was actually better!?

As judges, their responsibility is to determine the winner of the competition.

The winner of this match was undoubtedly Soma Yukihira.

Because his cooking fits the theme better!

Thinking of this, the three judges all turned their gazes toward Soma Yukihira, who was standing not far away, their eyes filled with a hint of fervor.

"With all three judges choosing Soma Yukihira, the outcome of this match is already quite clear!"

The host's voice was melodious and rhythmic.

The next moment, all the spotlights on the stage were turned on Soma Yukihira, who then took off the ribbon tied around his head.

"Poor hospitality!"

The boy's voice was clear and strong, and he had a cheerful smile on his face.

As he spoke, he glanced at the bespectacled man not far away, but there was no hint of mockery in his gaze.

"Let me try your cooking."

"Sure, I've prepared something for you. Let me try your cooking too."

The bespectacled man's face was full of understanding, and upon hearing Soma Yukihira's words, a look of relief flashed in his eyes.

"of course."

As he spoke, Soma Yukihira made another bowl of sour soup noodles, and at the same time took the tonkotsu ramen made by the bespectacled man and ate it heartily in front of the kitchen counter.

The bespectacled man found a place to sit down, put his hands together with his chopsticks, and said, "I'm starting to eat." Then he picked up some sour soup noodles and ate them in big bites.

"Sour and spicy, two simple flavors, can be so rich!?"

As the noodles entered his mouth, the bespectacled man's eyes widened.

The moment it enters your mouth, the sour taste of the broth hits you first, like a lightning bolt suddenly splitting the chaos of your taste buds. The refreshing vinegar and the mellow aroma brought by fermentation explode on the tip of your tongue.

Immediately afterwards, the burning sensation of chili rose from deep in my throat.

It wasn't a harsh sting, but a warm burning sensation, like a fire in winter, spreading from my stomach to my whole body.

This feeling is wonderful; the broth and noodles blend together, creating a harmonious whole that perfectly showcases the unique springiness of the noodles.

"You are very capable, I am not as good as you. I hope you can lead Totsuki to go even further."

As he savored the taste on his tongue, the bespectacled man realized that his defeat was not unjust. Yukihira Soma's victory over him was far more than just a slight difference; it would be an understatement to say that he completely crushed him.

He misunderstood the topic from the very beginning.

This time the theme is noodles, not ramen.

Therefore, no matter how delicious his tonkotsu ramen is, it can't beat Soma Yukihira's sour soup ramen, which is mainly noodles with sour soup as a side dish.

Having realized this, he readily admitted his shortcomings.

As a man, he was naturally able to take things in stride, but although he knew he might not be as good as Soma Yukihira, he never expected to lose so badly.

They even misunderstood the theme of the competition...

Thinking of this, the bespectacled man lowered his head slightly, a look of shame on his face.

I guess in everyone's eyes, someone with his skill level daring to go on stage and challenge others is incredibly ungrateful.

"Your tonkotsu ramen is really good! The tonkotsu broth is rich and flavorful, the noodles are springy and chewy, and the side dishes are even more varied and delicious."

If the theme is ramen, you've probably won this competition.

Soma Yukihira downed the tonkotsu ramen soup in one gulp, savoring its deliciousness, then looked up at the bespectacled man, his words filled with sincerity.

Although the noodles were just average, the tonkotsu broth and the side dishes that came with the ramen were excellent. Together, the three dishes were already close to the threshold of first-class cuisine.

"Thank you for the compliment, but a loss is a loss, there are no excuses."

Knowing that Soma Yukihira was supporting him, the bespectacled man felt a subtle sense of gratitude, but he still shook his head, accepting his defeat wholeheartedly.

Seeing his reaction, Soma Yukihira didn't say anything more, nodded, and left the arena.

There are other matches coming up, and he needs to observe the specific situation, as one of them might be his next opponent.

"Thank you to Yukihira and Sawakawa for bringing us such a wonderful noodle-eating showdown. Now, please welcome the next contestant!"

As Soma Yukihira left the stage, the host picked up the microphone and shouted loudly, his face beaming with excitement, while his gaze turned toward the contestants' passage.

"It should be my turn next, right?"

Muttering to himself, Takumi Aldini walked out of the players' tunnel.

At this moment, he was dressed in a pristine white chef's uniform, carrying a kitchen utensil box in his hand. His eyes were filled with determination as he stared coldly at the refined man who had just appeared before him.

"That's right, I'm not comparable to that piece of trash from before. I hope you can show the strength you had to replace Totsuki in the school exchange tournament, otherwise this food battle will be too boring."

Holding a massive cleaver in his hand, a stark contrast to his refined appearance, the man smiled at Takumi Aldini, his voice calm yet filled with a sense of oppression.

"I'll return this message to you. I hope you're not too weak, otherwise it'll just be a waste of my time and won't serve any purpose."

Takumi Aldini also had a solemn expression. At this moment, his heart seemed to be burning with passion as he faced a powerful opponent, his heart pounding like a drum.

Although it wasn't my first time standing on the cooking platform amidst the stars, this was the first time I'd been the center of attention, and I had to give it my all this time.

"The second person is coming up. I wonder what the topic will be this time."

As Takmi Aldini stepped onto the stage, the audience looked around and began to discuss among themselves. Now, no one dared to underestimate these selected contestants.

After Soma Yukihira won the match decisively, their resentment towards the first-year students who were chosen to represent them lessened considerably.

They will admire any strong person, no matter how young they are; what they despise are only those useless people who have no strength.

Of course, having the strength is one thing, but being able to represent Totsuki in battle is another. This is why countless geniuses and strong individuals challenge Yukihira Soma.

Even if you are strong, I am not weak either.

Only if you prove that you are better than me will I be willing to support you in participating in the competition.

With this in mind, countless geniuses appeared in the starry sky, including several active members of the top ten who were not selected.

However, at this very moment, Bai Yuan was at home.

"Erina finally decided to go with you? You're really something, managing to steal both of my granddaughters away in one go."

Looking at the teacup in front of him, which was four-fifths full, and recalling what Erina Nakiri had said to him the night before, Senzaemon Nakiri couldn't help but smile bitterly.

His most beloved granddaughter is now on the same side as Bai Yuan, completely abandoning Totsuki Academy.

Although I had expected it, it still made me feel a little sad when it actually happened.

“A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on. Totsuki Academy is no longer a suitable place for Erina and the others to develop. Their strength is top-notch, even in Touhou Academy.”

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and met Senzaemon Nakiri's sorrowful gaze before speaking.