[Ding dong.]
[Check-in successful.]
[Ding dong.]
[Congratulations! You have received: the special recipe Crystal Phoenix and the legendary kitchenware—Heavenly North Star Wolf Blade.]
As soon as Mana and Anne left the tavern, the rewards from Zane's system check-in quietly arrived.
First, let's talk about the Heavenly North Star Wolf Blade—a legendary knife once wielded by Leon in Chuuka Ichiban!.
The blade was forged entirely from ice.
Not metal.
Not ceramic.
Ice.
When handling sea bream, the blade emits an icy mist, instantly refrigerating the flesh and preserving the fish's peak freshness. It was an ideal weapon for creating sashimi dishes of the highest tier.
Zane realized—had he used the Heavenly North Star Wolf Blade earlier on the Frozen Sea Bream Iceberg, the flavor and texture would've reached even greater heights.
"…So that dish still had room to improve," he mused to himself, eyes glinting with anticipation.
As for the new special recipe:
Crystal Phoenix.
Like the Ascending Dragon Dumplings he had unlocked before, this dish also used humble ingredients: bean sprouts and potatoes.
But don't be fooled.
Despite the simplicity, this was a devilishly difficult recipe.
First, each green bean sprout had to be trimmed—precisely removing the heads and tails, leaving behind only the pristine white bodies.
Then, they had to be meticulously filled with seasoned minced meat, followed by a gentle blanch in boiling water to set the shape.
Even with unwavering focus from noon to evening, one might only yield a single pot. The prep alone demanded god-like patience.
And finally—plating.
The bean sprouts would be carefully arranged into the shape of a phoenix rising from ashes, its form luminous and delicate, with the aroma of broth and meat glowing like fire beneath its wings.
This wasn't just cooking.
It was art.
Precision.
Discipline.
A culinary sculpture of rebirth.
Zane smiled.
"With the Heavenly North Star Wolf Blade… the Frozen Sea Bream Iceberg is now perfect."
"And the Crystal Phoenix—it's worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with the Ascending Dragon Dumplings."
Tonight's check-in was truly a windfall. For once, he allowed himself a flicker of excitement.
Then, after a quick wash and a tired stretch, Zane turned in for the night.
Silence returned to the tavern.
The next morning.
The start of the new school year at Totsuki Academy was fast approaching. The turnover among the Elite Ten had completed, ushering in a new era.
To rebalance internal resources and finalize freshman affairs, the Top Ten convened once again in the council chamber.
In truth, while the Top Ten monopolized nearly all school resources, their strength and contributions kept Totsuki afloat at the highest tier of culinary education.
Take Etsuya Eizan, the Ninth Seat, for example.
Since middle school, he'd worked as a consultant for over five hundred food enterprises, utilizing Totsuki's networks to rake in massive profits. In his first year alone, his earnings through business consulting surpassed the combined tuition of every student at the academy.
It was because of his undeniable financial contributions that he earned the Ninth Seat uncontested.
Yet, this student-led governance had a glaring flaw—
No one managed the Elite Ten.
Not even the Director.
And so, slowly but surely… they became unrestrained.
"Eishi~"
A golden-eyed girl leaned back, chewing something as usual. Rindō Kobayashi, the Second Seat, glanced lazily at her partner.
"Why is there another transfer student assessment today?"
Eishi Tsukasa, the calm and refined First Seat, replied without skipping a beat.
"We recruited fewer students this year."
"Some exceptional candidates missed the entrance exams due to various reasons. This transfer assessment is a second chance."
Kuga Terunori, the energetic Eighth Seat, shrugged with folded arms.
"In my opinion, the truly skilled would never miss the exams in the first place."
"And if they did, they probably weren't serious enough."
"But that's not necessarily true," Eishi countered smoothly. "The school year hasn't officially started yet. Giving a few determined chefs a last-minute chance could help us meet our enrollment numbers—and who knows?"
"We might even find a hidden gem."
He smiled gently, glancing toward Rindō.
"In any case, Kobayashi—you're in charge of the assessment today."
"…Huh?"
"Again?!"
Rindō groaned and slouched even deeper into her chair, but didn't argue further.
Far away, nestled in green hills beneath a crisp blue sky, stood the towering buildings of Totsuki Academy—an institution so prestigious, so rigorous, that less than 10% of its students would ever graduate.
Outside the gates, a red-haired teen stood silently, golden eyes fixed on the school's crest.
A faint scar traced through his left eyebrow. A towel was wrapped around his arm, and his shirt bore the emblem of Restaurant Yukihira.
Sōma Yukihira.
"This is it," he muttered to himself. "Let's see what all the fuss is about."
Around him, the scene was… chaotic.
"I'm ruined… My life is over!"
"I failed the assessment. This was my only chance!"
"Please, I'm begging you! My child must enter this school—I'll pay anything! Anything! Just erase his failing score!"
Sōma blinked, stunned by the surrounding despair.
Then, his phone buzzed.
"…Dad," he said into the line, "what the hell kind of school is this?"
The voice on the other end chuckled.
"Didn't I tell you? Totsuki Academy—less than 10% graduation rate. Japan's number one culinary battlefield."
Sōma paused.
"…Figures."
He cracked a smirk.
"Sounds like fun."