Food Wars: Taste Reversal

Mmmmmmmm!! Mmmm!"

This sudden lump of dough caught Kojiro Shinomiya completely off guard. In a moment of panic, he couldn't break free from the black hands that had appeared suddenly. He only managed a symbolic struggle before the unknown assailant fully stuffed something into his mouth.

"Shira, Shiraki-kun?!"

Megumi Tadoko was just as stunned. She had been taken aback moments ago by Kojiro Shinomiya's announcement of her dropout. But now, seeing Shiraki step up and stuff the mysterious item into Shinomiya's mouth, she was even more shocked. The scene grew chaotic as students in the cooking room noticed the commotion. They watched Kojiro Shinomiya's once-arrogant expression distort in pain and confusion after being force-fed the white batter. For some reason, a few students started clapping.

Although Shiraki's actions were extreme, they resonated with those who had silently harbored resentment toward the arrogant graduate chef.

Finally!

Someone had long wanted to put this pompous, glasses-wearing man in his place. But none dared to act out due to his position as an examiner and the reputation of Tōtsuki graduates. Now, watching a fearless warrior stand up, their feelings were: Well done!

Meanwhile, Shinomiya Kojiro, still struggling, was hit on the back of the head with a sudden strike. His movements froze, and he accidentally swallowed the dough stuffed into his mouth.

Of course, because of the dough's density, he didn't swallow it whole. Instead, he crushed the dough filled with "Rainbow fruit," causing a pungent, fermented aroma to burst forth and invade his senses. His struggle ceased entirely.

"Hey, hey?! Chef Shinomiya rolled his eyes!"

"Ambulance! Call an ambulance!"

"What ambulance? We don't have phones here! I think it's better to just let Chef Shinomiya lie down for a bit."

The students, who had been entertained seconds ago, now fell into chaos. However, Shinomiya Kojiro's unpopularity became evident. Apart from a few like Megumi Tadoko, who wanted to help him, most of the students discreetly gave Shiraki a thumbs up.

Well done!

Some students even tried to stop those attempting to seek medical help. They "accidentally" blocked the way or "slipped," tripping others. Their smiles betrayed their satisfaction at seeing Shinomiya Kojiro in this state, showing no hint of concern for the fallen examiner.

Even Sōma Yukihira felt a bit conflicted.

The high-and-mighty chef who looked down on everyone… had met his match.

Still, Sōma knew better and rushed over seconds later, trying to stop Shiraki's reckless actions. It wasn't that Sōma had sympathy for Shinomiya but because he worried Shiraki would face expulsion for taking things this far.

Unfortunately, Sōma underestimated Shiraki's plans.

The dough Shiraki had prepared wasn't ordinary.

Shinomiya Kojiro's swift collapse wasn't due to choking or physical force. The moment he bit into the dough, its filling—a fermented "Rainbow fruit"—erupted in his mouth.

Shiraki had initially prepared the dough for this specific cooking room, intending to include it as a "surprise" in his "vegetable jelly" dish to provoke Shinomiya. But since Shiraki had been assigned to Hitoshi Sekimori's room instead, he decided to use the dough directly—delivering it straight to Shinomiya's face at his proudest moment.

For Shinomiya Kojiro, it was a hard fall from grace.

As the fermented sweetness assaulted his taste buds, the filling's overwhelming flavor broke him. After being stored for over a month, the once-juicy fruit had transformed, now melting into a rich, pungent intensity. Its full-bodied flavor burst forth, overpowering his senses.

Shiraki didn't need words to know how much Shinomiya was suffering. After all, this filling was crafted to sap a person's will to live—a dish so terrible that one might wish they hadn't tasted it.

For a brief moment, Shiraki even considered redeeming a Gian solo album to "cleanse" Shinomiya's taste with music.

The thought lasted only a second before Shiraki dismissed it. Gian's songs were infamous weapons of indiscriminate destruction. Playing one would harm not only the students present but even Shiraki himself. No need to risk such collateral damage.

Still, curiosity lingered—

What if the Gian album were broadcast across Tōtsuki's campus via loudspeaker?

The idea was tempting but inhumane. Most of Tōtsuki's students were innocent; they didn't deserve such punishment. This "surprise" was solely for Shinomiya Kojiro, whose irritability and psychological issues had earned him this unique treatment.

Perhaps someday, when Azami Nakiri arrived, Shiraki might revisit this idea. An infinite-loop broadcast of Gian's greatest hits could be the perfect weapon against him.

But for now, Shiraki shook off these increasingly absurd thoughts.

Damn this cursed system!

It kept supplying him with dangerous ideas and experiments, yet gave him no opportunities to test them!

For now, Shiraki could only wonder: When will Azami Nakiri show up? Couldn't he just buy an earlier plane ticket and arrive faster?

Such thoughts would surely make Erina Nakiri shudder if she ever found out...