Under the warm, dim glow of the tavern's lanterns, Zane—its calm and composed owner—skillfully finished preparing grilled meats while chatting amiably with his guests. Couples whispered intimately at the corner tables, and a weary office worker smoked quietly in the designated area, sipping sake with every bite.
Perhaps every visitor, whether they drank or not, would say the same: just stepping into this tavern lifted the weight from their shoulders.
Here, a pot of warm sake, a plate of carefully prepared appetizers, and a few skewers of grilled meat could bring forth a sense of quiet joy and deep satisfaction—a perfect, unspoken closure to the day.
"Thanks for the meal!" Ikumi said as she stood, bowing lightly and offering her payment. "Your beef donburi… I learned a lot from it."
Zane smiled knowingly. "You've got good instincts. Once you're back, rest well. I believe you'll win tomorrow—regardless of who you're up against."
"Thanks… I'll do my best." Ikumi's face flushed lightly, a small strand of hair curling into an "S" shape as her charm peeked through. After a few more parting words, she turned and left the tavern.
Whatever her reasons for coming—whether to eat or simply to seek comfort—Zane believed she would return someday.
"Zane…"
Hearing his name, Zane turned to see Momo, her arms tightly hugging her teddy bear, Buichi. She was pouting slightly, looking displeased. After a moment of silence, she murmured, "That heat-resistant handkerchief I gave you… is it useful?"
Zane froze. Since preparing the Reincarnation Spring Rolls, he hadn't made another dish that required such heat resistance. Even when using the Heavenly North Star Wolf Blade to craft the Frozen Sea Bream Iceberg, it hadn't come into play.
"Uh…" he scratched his cheek, slightly embarrassed. "Actually, I haven't had the chance to use it."
"…Forget it."
Momo sighed, clearly disappointed but not upset. After all, she'd nearly torn the cloth straight from her teddy bear just to gift it to him last time. And realistically, taverns like his mostly served quick dishes that didn't require such accessories.
"Sorry," Zane said sincerely. "I didn't mean to waste your kindness."
"No, no, no!" Momo quickly waved her hands, flustered. "You've already helped me so much! If not for you, I'd still be completely lost about how to brew the sweet wine for tonight's sabayon dessert…"
Momo, shy and socially anxious, usually overthought how others perceived her—especially Zane, whom she quietly considered a "friend."
Zane simply gave her a warm smile. "Momo, this tavern exists to help every guest find their way. If you ever get stuck again—whether it's with cooking or anything else—just come by."
"I will," Momo nodded, eyes misting slightly. After paying her bill, she hesitated for a moment, then gave a small bow and left, her silhouette vanishing into the night.
Ding-dong! Host has signed in successfully.
Ding-dong! Congratulations! You've received: [Rainbow Vegetable Terrine Recipe] and [WMF Crescent Blade]!
It was a quieter night, with only Momo and Ikumi—both from Totsuki Academy—dining in. Likely due to the new semester, many students were busy preparing for competitions and dormitory events. Even so, the tavern remained lively.
When the clock's hour hand struck twelve, the shop officially closed, and the system granted Zane his daily sign-in reward. This time, however, the prize was unexpected.
The system categorized rewards into four types: recipes, ingredients, kitchenware, and culinary techniques. Normally, Zane would receive rare or traditional Chinese dishes like Buddha Jumps Over the Wall or Squirrel Fish. Occasionally, he'd obtain creative or supernatural specialties like Frozen Sea Bream Iceberg.
But tonight's reward was quite different—a French appetizer recipe and a premium German blade.
The Rainbow Vegetable Terrine was a French dish traditionally made by layering colorful vegetables in a mold, often served cold as a starter. Ingredients included cucumbers, okra, carrots, baby corn, zucchini, cauliflower, cabbage, and bamboo shoots. After blanching and seasoning them, the vegetables were arranged in tight, vibrant layers, then poured over with gelatin-infused broth to set.
The result? A beautiful, glistening loaf of transparent layers, like a rainbow trapped in glass. Light in flavor but deeply satisfying, it offered a refined experience meant to highlight the natural taste of vegetables.
Then there was the WMF Crescent Blade—an eye-catching knife shaped like a crescent moon, with two handles and a curved edge. This blade allowed its user to rock back and forth while chopping herbs and vegetables with remarkable precision. It was the same type Takumi had used during the dormitory training at Totsuki, impressing even Mito Komatsu.
Zane's version was even better—crafted from a specially hardened alloy with high wear resistance and fitted with ergonomic, anti-slip metal handles.
"Does this mean I'll be affecting the dorm training arc next?" Zane mused. After all, in the original plot, it was Soma and Subaru who took center stage there. The sign-in reward was clearly nudging him toward involvement.
Early morning, Shokugeki Arena—
At the VIP observation lounge of the competition venue, Erina Nakiri arrived, elegantly dressed in her academy uniform. She stepped toward the floor-to-ceiling glass and looked down at the packed arena below.
"Miss Erina," Hisako said, walking in behind her, "The Donburi Research Society has dispatched a new member today. A transfer student—Soma Yukihira."
"Hmm? That name doesn't ring a bell," Erina said with a frown. She hadn't been present for the transfer student entrance exams.
"He's the one who made a scene at the opening ceremony," Hisako reminded her gently.
"Oh, that boy," Erina recalled, her expression neutral.
As spotlights flashed and cheers erupted, the announcer for today's match arrived. Idol-like and full of energy, Urara Kawashima bounced onto the stage with microphone in hand.
"Hi everyone! Today's Shokugeki will be brought to you by me, your favorite host, Urara~!" she declared with a wink, sending her fanbase into a frenzy.
"Let's welcome our first contestant," Urara said excitedly, "From the first-year class, known as the master of meat dishes and one of Erina-sama's faithful, the fierce—Ikumi Mito!"
The arena erupted in cheers as Ikumi walked in, head held high and gaze locked on the guest room. There, Erina sat, calm and regal as ever.
"Miss Erina… I won't let you down," Ikumi whispered, determination burning in her eyes.
"And next, our challenger—Soma Yukihira, a recent transfer student!"
The crowd's cheers were much softer this time. Only a few students from the Donburi Research Society and the Polar Star Dormitory cheered him on, as Soma casually strolled onto the stage, scanning the arena.
"So this is a Shokugeki, huh?" Soma muttered, a grin forming as his heart raced. At last, he had a true battleground to test his skills.
After brief negotiation, the theme was finalized: Donburi. The time limit: two hours.
As soon as the match began, the arena was filled with murmurs.
"Wait… what is that?"
"Look at that meat! It's massive!"
"That beef is still twitching… it must've been slaughtered moments ago!"
"Isn't that… A5 grade beef!?"
Gasps followed Ikumi as she lifted a massive cut of top-tier A5 wagyu. Her message was clear: she wasn't holding back.
"Surrender now, transfer student," she warned coolly. "Once I win with this, you'll be humiliated in front of everyone."
"Such generosity," Soma replied nonchalantly, "but using A5 wagyu for a donburi? Bit overkill, don't you think?"
Without a second glance, he pulled out a simple supermarket bag and unwrapped… cheap fatty beef scraps.
The audience burst out laughing.
"Is he serious?"
"That's the kind of beef they practically give away!"
"This guy must be here to entertain us!"
But Soma remained unfazed, sharpening his knife with precision.
Erina, watching from above, narrowed her eyes.
Deliciousness is always the final verdict, she thought. And from what I've seen at that tavern… ingredients are only one part of the equation.
"This might be tougher for Ikumi than I thought…" she murmured.
Below, Ikumi looked at Soma in disbelief.
"You… how could you even think to make a donburi with that kind of meat?"
Her voice trembled—not with contempt, but with growing unease.