In the spacious dining hall,
Shutoku coach Nakatani Masaaki slumped back in his solid wooden chair, his pupils lifeless and wide, his head hanging limply.
On the other side,
Seiho coach Matsumoto Yukinori hovered a hand with chopsticks over a half-eaten plate of sushi, his entire figure drained of color, now appearing like a gray-scale illustration.
The scene froze like a still frame.
All the players from Shutoku, Seiho, and Seirin stood silently around the dining table.
No one spoke.
But silence itself is the highest tribute to warriors.
Meanwhile, the culprits, Aida Riko and Kitayama Yuzuki, had wisely retreated to a corner, crouching on the floor, hugging their knees in shame.
============
BANG!
The kitchen door opened once more.
Mitobe Rinnosuke emerged, hands trembling, carrying two plates. Compared to Riko and Kitayama's "lavish dishes," Mitobe's cooking could be summed up in one word, simple.
A straightforward fried pork cutlet with shredded lettuce and a bowl of miso soup, nothing flashy.
"Here we go!"
The sight instantly lifted everyone's spirits.
After surviving the double kill of Riko and Kitayama's cooking, no one expected any gourmet magic tonight.
If the next dishes reached at least ordinary standards and filled their stomachs, avoiding those deadly meals, everyone would be satisfied.
With nervous anticipation, members from the three teams grabbed their chopsticks, picked up a piece of pork cutlet, dipped it in sauce, and took a bite…
CRUNCH~~
The crisp sound echoed sharply, and in the next moment, everyone's pupils widened.
"Delicious!"
"Wow~ so crispy! I've never had fried pork this good!"
"Impressive, Mitobe!"
Mitobe, normally terrified by social interaction, raised a hand slowly, gesturing as if to explain something.
No one could understand him, except for Shutoku's Koganei Shinji. Putting down his chopsticks, Koganei interpreted:
"Mitobe says his family owns a restaurant, so this is just regular small-restaurant cooking."
"Oh! That makes sense!"
"Why didn't you say that earlier? I was worried for nothing, now I can relax."
Relieved, everyone dug in faster.
It made sense: if they didn't eat quickly, who knew what the next three cooks might serve?
If those three were bad at cooking, once Mitobe's dish was gone, they'd be forced to eat Riko and Kitayama's lethal meals.
Better a bird in hand than many in the forest.
Most understood this, but not everyone was rushing. Shutoku's Takao Kazunari and Seiho's Tsugawa Tomoki barely touched their food.
============
"Eh? Takao, aren't you eating?" someone asked.
"Ah… um, I'm not really that hungry. You all can have more," Takao said, scratching his head with a sheepish smile.
"You! Now is not the time for modesty! You'll regret this later…"
"Hehe~~"
Takao could only smile awkwardly.
Meanwhile, in Seiho's area, Kasuga Ryuhei noticed Tsugawa barely eating.
"Tsugawa, aren't you hungry?"
Tsugawa touched his bald head, smiling. "Nah! I ate a lot of snacks earlier, so I have no appetite."
"I see…"
Kasuga sensed something was off but couldn't pinpoint it, so he let it go and joined the food rush.
Across the table, Takao and Tsugawa exchanged a glance. In that instant, both seemed to read each other's minds.
They silently smirked in unison.
"Really? Just ordinary fried pork? Can this really taste better than my assorted hot pot or sushi?"
Aida Riko and Kitayama Yuzuki, seeing everyone enjoying Mitobe's cooking, felt a pang of unwillingness. They each picked up a piece of pork cutlet and took a bite…
CRUNCH!
The crispy texture exploded in their mouths, and their eyes widened.
"Delicious!"
"The frying time is perfect, and the simple seasoning brings out the best flavor of the pork itself."
They exchanged stunned glances, then muttered to themselves, "It's fine, Mitobe grew up in a restaurant family, his skills are natural."
"Yes, he must be a rare talent among boys…"
============
Soon after, Kagami Taiga emerged from the kitchen.
Having lived abroad before second year, his cooking carried international flair.
Raw beef with sauce, vegetable salad, ham sandwiches, tomato meat pasta…
"So good!"
"Kagami, your cooking is amazing!"
"Huh~~ the flavors are a little unusual, but I have to admit, it's really tasty."
Everyone who tasted Kagami's dishes was once again astonished.
Though his presentation seemed simpler than Mitobe's, the flavor was impeccable, irresistible.
Riko and Kitayama tasted a bite, their expressions gradually turning dazed.
"Impossible… absolutely impossible!"
"It's fine," Riko reassured, "Kagami's lifestyle abroad is different. He often lived alone, so it's natural he developed cooking skills."
Though Riko expected this, her inner shock remained undiminished.
Just as everyone was enjoying the food, the kitchen door swung open again, and a sharp voice rang out:
"Hmph~ I can't believe you're actually eating this crap!"
=============
108+ Advance Chapters Available on Patreon.com/Veltoria
100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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