"Ha! Ha!..."
Satoshi Isshiki had sohow stripped down to nothing but an apron. He was writhing in the middle of the room, his bold posture so scandalous it was hard to look at.
"Uh..."
Ray watched the scene unfold, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
Even though he already knew what kind of person Satoshi Isshiki was, seeing it in person still left him speechless. This was way too uninhibited!
Still, he hadn't even noticed when Isshiki had taken off his clothes.
Wasn't his hand speed a little too fast?!
As Isshiki let loose, the atmosphere in the room grew even more lively.
After partying for most of the day, the night deepened, and the noisy room finally quieted down.
Aside from Ray, Soma Yukihira, Satoshi Isshiki, and Shun Ibusaki, who were still awake, everyone else was sprawled across the floor, sleeping like logs.
"Tonight was a truly enjoyable evening."
Isshiki looked at the dorm residents sleeping soundly on the floor, then turned to the two sitting across from him, his smile as gentle as ever.
"Welco once again, Ray, Soma."
Isshiki was genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart to share such a night with his new companions.
Ray smiled. "You're too kind, Isshiki-senpai."
The atmosphere tonight was indeed relaxing, and he had thoroughly enjoyed himself.
"Sa here! Thanks a lot, Isshiki-senpai!" Soma chid in.
Isshiki's gaze swept over the empty plates before he stood up.
"It looks like we've eaten just about everything."
"I rember there's so Spanish mackerel left in the kitchen. I'll go make a late-night snack."
After all, they were rare new additions to the Polar Star Dormitory. As their senior, he had to treat them well.
Hearing this, a sense of anticipation welled up in Ray. Isshiki's culinary skills were absolutely unquestionable.
He had stayed awake this long specifically to taste Isshiki's cooking.
However, when his eyes landed on Isshiki—who was still wearing nothing but an apron—his mouth twitched again. For a mont, he didn't even know how to begin comnting on it.
Soma had clearly noticed it too, his expression equally complicated.
He didn't keep them waiting long. Isshiki soon returned with the dish and placed it in front of them.
"Alright, please enjoy."
"Sansho Pepper Grilled Spanish Mackerel with Cabbage Purée."
Isshiki said, looking at the two with a warm smile.
"Thanks for the food!"
Ray and Soma said in unison.
With that, they picked up their chopsticks, grabbed a piece of the fish, and brought it to their mouths.
The umami of the Spanish mackerel instantly blood on their tongues. The spicy aroma of the sansho pepper elevated the flavor perfectly, and paired with the refreshing cabbage purée, it created a wondrous depth of flavor.
A vivid painting of a spring day seed to unfold before Ray's eyes.
In a garden blooming with countless flowers, a warm breeze brushed against his face. The floral fragrance intertwined with the fresh scent of vegetation, leaving him completely intoxicated.
Snapping back to reality, Ray couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
*As expected of Satoshi Isshiki. Even if his personal hobbies are a bit eccentric, his culinary skills are undeniably formidable.*
The crazy part was that this was just a dish Isshiki had whipped up casually.
Ray looked forward to the day he could taste a dish made with Isshiki's full effort.
Similarly, Soma was blown away by the dish's deliciousness.
At that mont, Soma finally understood why his father had insisted on sending him to Totsuki Academy.
There were far more powerhouses here than he had ever imagined.
Isshiki looked at Ray and Soma.
"Ray, graduating from Totsuki Academy isn't going to be an easy task."
"And Soma, you said sothing quite interesting earlier. You said you were going to 'stand above everyone else'."
"That goal might not be as simple as you think."
Isshiki actually admired Soma's ambition.
But Totsuki was filled with hidden talents; reaching the summit would be no easy feat.
As for Ray, Isshiki found him sowhat elusive and hard to read, which made him very curious.
"Allow to introduce myself once more."
Isshiki's expression turned serious.
"The Elite Ten Council, Seventh Seat, Satoshi Isshiki."
After the introduction, a smile tugged at the corners of Isshiki's mouth.
"Now, I'd like to taste your cooking as well."
"What kind of flavors will you produce?"
"Show . Show the cooking that belongs to you."
Isshiki held high expectations for Ray and Soma, the two newest mbers of the Polar Star Dormitory.
Soma's eyes instantly lit up, a confident smirk appearing on his face.
"Just wait right here!"
After tasting Isshiki's dish, a blazing competitive spirit had ignited within Soma.
He couldn't wait to stand up. He strode over to the kitchen counter, his eyes sweeping over the remaining ingredients as his brain worked in overdrive.
Soon, Soma's eyes glead. He clearly had an idea and imdiately rolled up his sleeves to get to work.
"What a pain."
Ray sighed helplessly and slowly stood up.
Even though he wasn't particularly fond of these kinds of cooking showdowns.
In this situation, it was hard to refuse.
However, if he had to cook with Spanish mackerel, he actually had a pretty good idea.
A rich aroma wafted through the air. Yuki Yoshino groggily opened her eyes and froze when she saw the two boys busy at the kitchen counter.
"Huh? Ray and Soma are cooking?"
"Did I miss sothing?"
Yuki looked completely bewildered.
"Are they still hungry?"
Ryoko Sakaki was also awakened by the scent. She looked at Ray and Soma with a face full of surprise.
"They ate so much at the party just now."
"It's a cooking showdown."
Shun Ibusaki, who had been silently observing the whole ti, spoke up calmly.
"Shun, you're actually still awake!"
Yuki shot Shun a surprised look, but then it clicked. She whipped her head toward Isshiki, Ray, and Soma by the counter, her eyes wide as she shouted excitedly.
"Are the three of them having a cooking showdown? Why?! Why..."
Yuki's curiosity was instantly maxed out. She wanted nothing more than to rush over and demand an explanation.
"Isshiki-senpai probably just wants to see our cooking skills."
Ray turned his head to explain to Yuki and the others.
Then, he went back to working on his dish.
"So that's what it is!"
Yuki and Ryoko suddenly understood, nodding in unison.
At that mont, Soma suddenly stopped his movents at the counter, a confident smile spreading across his face.
"It's done! Secret Yukihira nu Number 20, Revised—Spanish Mackerel Onigiri Chazuke!"
With that, Soma brought over five steaming bowls of chazuke and placed them in front of everyone.
"It's originally supposed to be made with salmon, but today I challenged myself with a Spanish mackerel version!"
"I made enough for everyone, so let's all dig in!"
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comnts are highly appreciated to keep going.....( 50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]
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