Chapter 78: The Destination of Ambition
"—Haha, things sure got crazy, huh? It's a Shokugeki, Tadokoro."
"W-w-waaah!! Santoku-kun… suddenly proposing like that… that's way too bold!!"
While Soma burst into laughter in the spectator seats, Tadokoro was completely flustered, swaying left and right. Seeing her like that only made Soma's smile deepen.
"So the woman Shogo was talking about… was Nakiri all along."
"Huh? Did you say something, Soma-kun?"
"Nah, it's nothing. Anyway, Tadokoro, calm down. At this rate you won't be able to watch their match properly."
"S-Soma-kun, you're way too calm…! It's a proposal, you know!? They're getting married!? And changing to the winner's last name… Fwaaah~"
Tadokoro was overheating, practically steaming from her head.
Soma looked at her face for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the monitor showing the final with a slight smile.
"Shogo and Nakiri's Shokugeki, huh… I wonder what kind of match it'll be."
On the monitor was Santoku Shogo. Even in his match against Soma, he had displayed his technique of using multiple cooking utensils simultaneously, and he was proceeding with his cooking smoothly. There wasn't the slightest hesitation in his movements, making it hard to believe the difficulty of the theme had increased.
For his opponent, there could be no more unpleasant pressure. While one side struggled to manage three or four utensils, the other was handling seven or eight—nearly double the number. Not only was there a clear difference in working speed, but the terror of not knowing what he would do next was overwhelming.
Soma, who had experienced it firsthand, and Nakiri Erina, who was currently facing it, were both breaking out in cold sweats from that pressure.
As I thought. Even seeing it up close, I still don't fully understand it.
Erina moved her hands with an expression that looked like she wanted to sigh.
She had seen it during his match with Soma, but experiencing it as his direct opponent made it feel entirely different. The overwhelming pressure that scorched her skin was steadily wearing down Erina's spirit.
She had to complete a dish for the incomprehensible theme of "A dish that has never existed on Earth." Knowing she couldn't afford to waste focus on anything else, Erina concentrated on the work in front of her. She poured everything she had—every technique she possessed and the "God's Tongue" she was born with—into creating the dish exactly as she envisioned it.
Fufu. But it's strange. Even though I'm cooking for Mother, I'm not scared at all. …Maybe it's because I'm facing someone even more terrifying?
Her mother, who could be called her greatest trauma. As someone who also possessed the "God's Tongue," Erina knew better than anyone—literally through her own body—just how difficult it was to satisfy it. She was the only person in the world who truly understood that pain.
And beyond that—the value of stealing victory from Santoku Shogo.
Faster! Deeper! If I stop thinking even for a moment, I definitely can't win! To create a dish better than Shogo-kun's—I have to pour out everything I have!!
She had no room to worry about her opponent. No room… and yet she couldn't help but keep him in her sight.
He's adjusting the heat for each frying pan… moving ingredients between them while cooking. He's using every last drop of meat juices, seasonings, and aroma left in the pans without any waste to shorten the cooking time…
It was the "cooking time reduction technique" he had used during the Regiment de Cuisine.
A secret technique that broke the chains of "time limit" that bound all chefs, granting him freedom no one else had. Not only did it shorten time, it even elevated the flavor in the process—making it truly untouchable.
He raised his own dish to its highest potential while pressuring his opponent's. It was the ultimate "best of both worlds," doing whatever he wanted. A chef who drew cheers with every flick of a frying pan was probably rare anywhere in the world.
However, such a technique couldn't be used without risk. Shogo, performing movements that seemed inhuman, was drenched in sweat like a waterfall and breathing heavily. He was showing clear signs of fatigue—closer to being on the verge of death than simply tired—but every motion was precise and meticulous. It was so smooth it almost looked like fast-forward.
"You really are… an incredible person!!"
Even while feeling fear, a pure sense of enjoyment welled up inside Erina. She had previously dismissed such emotions as unnecessary, but now her heart was truly racing.
Anything less than exceptional would be meaningless. She couldn't defeat Santoku Shogo without a dish that surpassed even the "God's Tongue." She couldn't call herself his true rival—his greatest rival—otherwise.
To repay his kindness, to walk beside him, Nakiri Erina shattered her own limits and faced her cooking head-on.
"—I-I-It's complete…!"
"—…Haa, haa, haa… To the right… same for me."
Both of them finished plating right before the time limit expired.
They had spent every possible second and poured in every idea they could think of. Both their faces were heavy with exhaustion, clearly showing just how grueling those three hours had been. Shogo's fatigue in particular was extreme—he looked less tired and more like he was half-dead.
"—Now then, let us begin the judging. A dish that has never existed on Earth… one that will satisfy my 'God's Tongue.' I shall enjoy it to the fullest."
Nakiri Mana, the judge, maintained her usual arrogant attitude as she rested her cheek on her hand with a daring smile.
"Which dish shall I taste first…"
"—Please start with mine."
"…Erina."
Erina was the first to raise her hand. Perhaps caught off guard, Mana's expression stiffened slightly.
"…Are you truly sure? Given the circumstances, I cannot choose my words carefully."
"Of course. Special Executive Bookmaster. …Shogo-kun. Is that alright with you?"
In a cooking battle, going first held an overwhelming advantage. The peak flavor of any dish was right after completion, and it declined with time. Understanding that advantage, Erina sought Shogo's permission. There was no need for pointless pride—only victory mattered.
Shogo had no reason to refuse Erina's proposal, so the first dish to be judged was hers. When Mana lifted the silver cover, the completed dish was revealed, accompanied by a rich aroma that stimulated the very core of one's appetite.
"This is my full power. —'Quiche Benedict.'"
***
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