"Yakisoba, delicious and tasty yakisoba! Just pay with a happy memory of tasting food, and you can enjoy the finest delicacy in the human world!"
In a pitch-black alley, a boy around fourteen or fifteen stood behind a dim yellow lantern, spatula in hand, vigorously frying noodles on an iron griddle.
If a sober person were to come by at this moment.
They would definitely notice something unusual about this place.
The alley, which should have been empty, was filled with diners, all converging towards the yakisoba stall. However, upon closer observation, one would discover they had no whites in their eyes, resembling the walking dead from movies.
They had absolutely no discipline in lining up; facing those blocking their way, they simply violently pulled them aside, not caring in the slightest if they fell or bumped into things.
Their world seemed to contain only yakisoba.
Even those squeezed at the back of the crowd, unable to advance an inch, reached out grasping at empty air, their faces displaying expressions of intoxication.
Some who were lucky enough to grab the yakisoba didn't even spare the time to pick up chopsticks; they grabbed the noodles without hesitation, devouring them in large mouthfuls, oblivious to everything else.
"Thank you for your patronage."
Watching this crazy scene, the boy was not afraid; instead, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
Wisps of gray mist emerged from the heads of these people showing looks of enjoyment, then drilled into a crystal ball all at once.
Looking at the diners who collapsed after eating the yakisoba, the boy's face showed no change.
"Totsuki Academy's admission letter?"
"To think they even invited someone like me... what a bunch of crazy fellows. Since that's the case, let me turn Totsuki upside down!"
Looking at the admission letter in his hand, a subtle expression appeared on the boy's face before he laughed aloud, folded the letter, and placed it in his bosom.
"I hope I can meet some interesting guys."
He muttered to himself, then rode his small yakisoba cart, heading towards home.
Leaving behind only a ground scattered with customers holding yakisoba boxes, sauce staining their mouths, sleeping crookedly in the corners of the alley with intoxicated expressions on their faces.
The next day, after eating.
Okabe arrived at the noodle workshop on time.
Akisame Koetsuji had been waiting there for a long time. Seeing him arrive, he nodded slightly, then stepped aside to reveal what was behind him.
Okabe looked past him to where he had moved. He saw an iron basin that seemed to contain something, but there was nothing else besides that.
"This is?"
Okabe pointed at the fine sand in the basin, somewhat puzzled.
"A tool to help you control your strength."
Akisame Koetsuji spoke concisely, then handed him a rolling pin.
"Use the rolling pin to stir this sand. The requirement is to make the sand rotate with the head of the pin, forming a stable small vortex, without letting a single grain of sand splash out of the basin."
"Understood."
Hearing the rules, Okabe nodded without saying more. He picked up the rolling pin and began to try, placing it into the fine sand and rotating it gently.
At first, when the speed was slow, it was fine. But as soon as he accelerated slightly, the sand splashed everywhere, covering the floor; it was impossible to keep it all in the basin.
"Rotation isn't about brute force; it is guidance, it is compliance. With your talent for freely controlling your body, achieving this should be quite easy."
Akisame Koetsuji spoke while demonstrating on the side.
With a light twist of his wrist, the rolling pin traced a smooth trajectory in the sand. The fine sand seemed constrained by an invisible force, forming a deep and stable small vortex.
In contrast, the rim of the basin remained perfectly clean.
"I understand."
Hearing Akisame Koetsuji's words, Okabe held his breath and focused, trying again.
This time, he didn't accelerate so quickly. Instead, he closed his eyes to feel the tactile sensation of the sand flowing against the head of the pin with his heart, using this to reduce the force in his hand.
Failure, try again, adjust angle and force...
Time slipped away quietly amidst repeated failures, and fine sweat beaded on his forehead.
However, as time passed, the number of his errors became fewer and fewer. In less than an hour, he could achieve a degree identical to Akisame Koetsuji.
"Not bad. It took me three days to truly master the technique back then. You mastered it in one hour; your speed is seventy-two times mine. However, this is just the simplest adaptation part of the training. What comes next is the difficult point."
As his voice fell, Akisame Koetsuji put a handful of rice, mung beans, and soybeans into the fine sand.
"Now continue. Next, you must make these three types of granular objects rotate in the basin along with the fine sand. But you need to pay attention: do not let even a bit leak out during the rotation, and during the rotation, the four substances must reach the same height."
Looking at Okabe, whose mouth had opened slightly in shock, Akisame Koetsuji explained faintly.
Taking a deep breath, Okabe did not complain. He understood that complaining was the most useless thing; after all, after complaining, one still had to continue, and things wouldn't change because of complaints.
So he silently extended the rolling pin into the basin.
Beside him, Akisame Koetsuji nodded secretly in his heart seeing this performance, then noticed a mistake in his hand and corrected:
"Do not pursue a uniform rotational speed. The core sand flow can be fast, but the moment it contacts the beans, the force must become soft, like wrapping a stubborn stone in silk. Your wrist must simultaneously contain more than three rhythms."
"Close your eyes. Listen through the rolling pin, feel with your body. The light sound of rice grains colliding, the dull sound of beans rolling, the rustling of sand friction."
Akisame Koetsuji's guidance rang in his ears. The rolling pin rotated constantly within the basin, but the speed was not fast, as if he were merely feeling the profundity within.
Phew~ Exhaling a long breath of turbid air, feeling the faint resistance coming from his fingertips, a serious look appeared on Okabe's face, seeming to want to complete this training in one go.
However.
Things did not proceed as smoothly as he imagined.
Because the weights of the substances were not the same, under the same rotational force, the height the sand flew was obviously higher than the other substances.
This was the influence of gravity.
And by just slightly increasing the force, the sand would fly out of the basin, scattering in all directions.
"Failed..."
Although he controlled his force to the utmost, the sand, rice grains, mung beans, and soybeans just couldn't maintain the same horizontal line; he couldn't even unify two substances.
"I took a full year to grasp the knack of this step. Go back and practice slowly as I said, and come find me again when you have achieved something."
Seeing Okabe's somewhat bewildered look, Akisame Koetsuji spoke with a faint voice.
He had taught him the techniques and methods; the rest was practice. If once didn't work, do it ten times; if ten times didn't work, do it a hundred times. With constant practice, there would eventually be a success.
"Yes, but Master Akisame, I might be heading to Totsuki Academy tomorrow. I estimate I won't return to Ryozanpaku for a short while..."
Hesitating for a moment, Okabe spoke about his imminent departure.
"I already knew. If not for the permission of us old guys, that Nakiri fellow wouldn't dare send the Totsuki admission letter in here."
Akisame Koetsuji's voice was faint, as if speaking of a matter of course.
"Then..."
Okabe stopped, wanting to speak but hesitating.
"It doesn't matter. I didn't expect you to learn it in a short time anyway. Practicing uninterruptedly for a month or two just to figure out the knack would be considered relatively fast."
"Although I know what you're saying is the truth, saying it so bluntly is somewhat discouraging..."
"What discouragement? It took me a year to learn it. If you mastered it in two or three days, I should be the one getting discouraged!"
Hearing Okabe's words, Akisame Koetsuji couldn't help but glare at him.
He didn't expect this guy, so young, to be so 'Versailles'—humble-bragging; clearly possessing such good talent, yet still thinking he was just an ordinary person.
"That's true too, hahaha..."
Feeling Akisame Koetsuji's glare, Okabe laughed honestly and scratched his head awkwardly.
"It's good to go out and venture while you're young."
"Seeing higher mountains and further scenery, your feelings towards cooking will also become more profound, thereby creating even more perfect cuisine."
Looking at the youth in front of him who had grown to be about his height, a bit of emotion appeared in Akisame Koetsuji's eyes.
Thinking back to when Okabe first came to Ryozanpaku, he was just a little thing, very clumsy with cooking, and often scolded by him for making mistakes. In the blink of an eye, he had actually grown so big, and his culinary skills had matured to the point where he could stand on his own. It was time to let him go down the mountain and venture.
A greenhouse could never cultivate a towering tree.
"I understand, Master Akisame."
Okabe nodded solemnly.
In these years at Ryozanpaku, he had spent the longest time by Akisame Koetsuji's side; for the first three years, it was even to the extent of never leaving his side. To him, the other party was an existence both like a teacher and a father.
"Go back. Remember to soak in the back mountain hot spring before sleeping to relax your body properly. You won't be able to soak in it after you get to Totsuki."
Opening the door of the noodle workshop for Okabe personally, Akisame Koetsuji made a gesture to see him off.
"It's not that drastic; I will definitely come back in the future. Ryozanpaku is like home to me."
Okabe spoke sincerely.
Although he decided to go to Totsuki, it didn't mean he was abandoning Ryozanpaku.
"Naturally, Ryozanpaku's gates are always open for you." Hearing Okabe's words, a smile rose on the corner of Akisame Koetsuji's mouth.
After coming out of the workshop and returning to his room to get a change of clothes.
Okabe followed the mountain path to the back mountain hot spring.
The next moment, he saw Shigure Kōsaka, who often 'spawned' in the hot spring.
Unexpected, yet within reason.
"Master Shigure."
Looking at Shigure Kōsaka, who was leaning against the rock wall with her eyes closed resting, leaving her back to him, Okabe didn't rashly step forward but greeted her from his direction.
"You finally, came."
"Come in, soak together."
Hearing the movement behind her, Shigure Kōsaka opened her eyes, her voice reaching Okabe's ears.
"Okay."
Even though they had spent time in the hot spring countless times, whenever he saw a scene like this, he would feel shy, and his gaze wouldn't dare to land for fear of offending.
Even though there was still a bath towel between the two.
"So comfortable!"
As his feet explored into the hot spring, the warm water contacted his body, feeling like an electric current passing through his whole being; a look of enjoyment appeared on Okabe's face.
The exhaustion from a day of hard work gradually melted away in this warm flood.
"If it's comfortable, come often. Also, come closer to me."
Watching Okabe, who ran to the other end of the hot spring very naturally after entering, Shigure Kōsaka moved over while complaining, soon sitting by his side.
"I will, but we might have to part for a short while. After all, I'm going to Totsuki next. Unlike the Nakiri estate which is close to Ryozanpaku, it takes at least two or three hours to get here from Totsuki. Under normal circumstances, I won't be able to come back to stay at night."
"I know."
"I will often, go over to see you."
Hearing Okabe's words, Shigure Kōsaka suddenly grabbed his hand, staring into his eyes and speaking seriously.
"Mm, I'll wait for you to come."
Being gazed at with such an intense sight, and thinking of what she just said, Okabe did not look away; he gazed right back at her and nodded solemnly.
"Let me help you, scrub your back."
"Eh?"
"Go up, I'll go get a towel."
It was already evening when he left the hot spring.
Okabe headed towards his room with a weary face, but before he could reach his room, he was nearly tripped by a foot.
"Master Ma, why are you here?"
Okabe stumbled a few steps, turned his head just about to get angry when he saw Kensei Ma absentmindedly withdrawing his foot, so he scratched his hair helplessly and asked.
"You guys are leaving tomorrow; I came to deliver something to you. Hand this manual to Hisako for me; inside is more comprehensive information regarding medicinal cuisine."
"Master Ma, wouldn't it be better if you gave this to her yourself? There's no need to wait here specifically for me..."
Taking the manual handed over by Kensei Ma, Okabe asked somewhat puzzledly.
"No, this manual can only be given by you. Just say I taught it to you individually, but you are willing to share it with her; only then will she feel grateful to you."
"I understand."
Hearing Kensei Ma's words, Okabe froze for a moment before realizing.
This was preparation for him to build his own team; the first step was to bestow favors upon potential members.
"As long as you understand. The future Totsuki will likely turn into a giant vortex. If your foundation isn't solid enough, it's easy to get sucked in and become an abandoned pawn. Whether to become a chess piece or a chess player who controls the fate of others, the choice is in your hands."
After saying this sentence, Kensei Ma turned and left.
"What he wanted to say is also what I want to say. Kid, you are a disciple taught by us; don't you dare disgrace us when you get to Totsuki! If something happens, just report our names. People in the Jianghu will give us some face more or less."
Shio Sakaki's voice rang out. Standing beside him were Hayato Fūrinji and Apachai Hopachai; who knew how long they had been staying there.
"Apa, Apa, Little Okabe must be full of energy at Totsuki too! Deliver a fatal blow to opponents cleanly in duels and serve perfect cuisine!"
Apachai Hopachai waved his sandbag-sized fist, his voice full of excitement.
"Parting is for the sake of a better reunion."
"Go, go to the stage that belongs to you!"
Hayato Fūrinji also looked at Okabe.
The moment their gazes met, he felt the determination of the youth before him.
So he opened his right hand, and while patting his head, spoke in a gentle voice.
"I will shine brightly on the new stage!"
"We will be watching from below."
____
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