Food Wars: Taste Reversal

Marui Zenji's roar naturally didn't arouse anyone's sympathy. Only the 'big man' Kurokiba Ryo, who was named by Yoshino Yuki, had a face that became hideous. Even though he hadn't put on a headscarf yet, he wasn't without the concept of wanting to win. If he lost, he would have to kiss the mummy glasses boy opposite him... With such a bet, if he really lost, it would be better to kill him with a sword!

And the other contestant, Soma Yukihira, scratched his head. "Uh... Why did you decide to send me onto the field?"

Soma Yukihira, who was originally quite combative, felt he had suddenly lost interest in this game after hearing the funny bet between the two sides. What kind of messy bet was this? If he lost, let Shiroki kiss Alice, and if he won, let Kurokiba kiss Marui? This kind of bet really felt like a loss for these people. Had they all drunk too much 'wheat juice'?

Sure enough, the people in the city really know how to play.

Kojiro Shinomiya's cooking room, which had seen the customs of the distant moon once, was so fierce that Soma Yukihira dripped a drop of cold sweat down his head. He suddenly noticed Alice's expression as if she had already eaten him... That look of confidence, as though holding a winning ticket. He always felt like he was being treated as a soft persimmon.

Anyway, this inexplicable match started in such an atmosphere.

Soma Yukihira and Kurokiba Ryo came to the cooking room together. Kurokiba Ryo, who wore a headscarf, was like a completely different person. The sudden burst of momentum startled Soma Yukihira.

"This guy... isn't easy!"

The more he discovered this, the stronger Soma Yukihira's desire to win became. "Since that's the case, then I'm going to do my best!"

He quickly picked up the ingredients on the cooking table, thought of his dish, and began devoting himself to cooking.

On the other side, Ryo Kurokiba also started processing the ingredients at a very fast speed. The sound of 'dang dang dang' didn't sound like he was preparing food at all.

After waiting in Marui's room for about an hour, Soma Yukihira and Kurokiba Ryo returned with their dishes.

The sudden change in Kurokiba Ryo's momentum startled everyone. But these people had seen the world, so they quickly recovered from the pressure.

"Come on, Soma!"

Yuki Yuhime stood up directly and cheered for Soma.

Alice Nakiri in the back looked at the two of them with a confident expression, as if she already knew the result.

Shiraki glanced at Soma Yukihira, full of confidence, and Ryo Kurokiba, menacing behind him, and compared their strengths in his heart...

At this stage, Soma should be at the same level as Takumi, with still a big gap between him and Ryo Kurokiba.

But Soma Yukihira, with the halo of a protagonist, always grows stronger when needed. The speed of his growth is amazing. The victory or defeat of these two was barely a fifty-fifty chance.

Everything would only be known once the mystery was revealed...

"First of all, my dish: Koto-ryu pork chop rice bowl. Please enjoy!"

Soma Yukihira was the first to lift the lid off his dish. Suddenly, a golden, attractive tonkatsu rice bowl was presented before everyone.

Shiraki used the Eye of Insight to observe the level of this dish.

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Koto-ryu Tonkatsu Rice Bowl

Palate: Grade A

Taste: Grade A+

Results: None

Special Effects: None

Overall Rating: A+

Comments: The heat and handling of the pork could be improved, but it can already be called a 'delicious' dish.

---

"I'm moving!"

Yuhime Yuki was the first to take a bite of the pork chop rice bowl in front of her. The crispy texture and extremely rice-serving toppings made her squint her eyes and show an expression of enjoyment.

The reaction of everyone else was similar.

Shiraki was also accustomed to the exaggerated expressions of people in this world when tasting food. He added a piece of pork chop into his mouth. In terms of taste, it was indeed excellent. As for the flaws noted by the system, Shiraki couldn't detect them... After all, he didn't have the tongue of a god to perceive such precision.

Alice looked at the pork chop rice bowl in front of her, and the smile in her eyes deepened. Soma Yukihira on the other side suddenly sensed a bad atmosphere.

Then Ryo Kurokiba suddenly shoved him aside and placed his dish in front of everyone. The exaggerated momentum made Marui Zenji and the others shudder. Marui, in particular, was now desperately praying for Soma to lose this game. Otherwise, he would feel like he couldn't face himself in the future!

The moment the lid was lifted, everyone sniffed simultaneously. A strong aroma of seafood filled the room, revealing the dish's true nature under Shiraki's 'Eye of Insight.'

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Seafood Noodle Soup

Palate: Grade S

Taste: Grade A+

Results: None

Special Effects: None

Overall Rating: S-grade

Evaluation: The pasta dish, with its strong flavor, still needs improvement in ingredient handling. Generally, it's an excellent dish.

---

Seeing this, Shiraki already knew the competition's outcome. Soma Yukihira, at this stage, was still at a certain distance from Kurokiba Ryo. Of course, the bet had something to do with it—after all, no one would hold back with such a horrific defeat penalty.

If Kurokiba Ryo really lost... Marui Zenji might not see the sun tomorrow!

"Well, this guy's cooking must just look better on the surface... Anyway, let's try it first..."

Yoshino Yuhime was slightly surprised at the sight of Kurokiba's cold 'seafood noodle soup.' However, thinking of the penalty if Soma lost, she stubbornly comforted herself and picked up a few noodles. The elastic noodles made her heart sink, and after tasting them... the rich flavors far surpassed expectations.

Though she didn't want to admit it, Soma's pork chop rice bowl couldn't compare.

Megumi Tadokoro and Ryoko Sakaki, aware of this, were in a trance. Meanwhile, Daigo Aoki and Shoji Sato looked at Shiraki with envious eyes.

"I have to say, what kind of luck did he have for a beautiful woman to propose such a gambling condition?"

The two friends sighed simultaneously, then finished the bowl of seafood noodle soup filled with 'dog food' with tears.