Chapter 81.
A dumpling that could move on its own?
Erina's first instinct was pure disbelief. The biting sarcasm was already on the tip of her tongue, but seeing Shijun at the center of the commotion made her swallow the words back. She despised him, yet he had already humiliated her twice before. She wasn't about to give him a third opportunity. Crossing her arms, she opted to wait and watch.
Nearby, Alice was burning with equal curiosity. The strict rules of the ongoing trial anchored her to her station, forcing her to steal fleeting glances between her own prep work.
Despite their stations being close, Shijun's counter was completely obscured. A massive crowd had swarmed him, packed tightly together and standing rows deep. Yukihira Soma, Takumi, and the other students could only stare in stunned silence as the guests completely abandoned their stations, flocking toward the commotion.
Only those at the very front had a clear view.
Dojima Gin and the alumni judges stood frozen. They had already been shocked once today when they realized Shijun had mastered culinary Mood, but this was on an entirely different level. Moving dumplings defied common sense. Yet, it was happening right before their eyes.
Inside the bamboo steamer rested ten dragon-shaped dumplings.
Suddenly, their tails twitched. Slowly, the heads began to lift, until the upper halves of the dragons stood completely upright. Their delicate dough whiskers seemed to sway without any breeze. To the mesmerized audience, it felt as though fierce, living dragons had manifested in the steamer, glaring back at them with fiery vitality.
The crowd forgot to breathe. When the trance finally broke, a collective gasp ripped through the room.
"My god... his dumplings are actually alive!"
"The dragon is rising! This is incredible!"
"But how does it taste? Let me try one!"
"Hurry, before they're gone!"
The realization hit the crowd like a shockwave. A "living" dumpling was a once-in-a-lifetime sight. Panic set in, and the guests surged forward, frantically fighting for a taste.
A faint, confident smile touched Shijun's lips. He wasn't surprised by the frenzy; he had known the Rising Dragon Dumplings would shatter their expectations.
Watching the steam clear around his rapidly emptying trays, he knew without a doubt that first place in this assessment was already his. When the Rising Dragon appears, who could possibly compete?
"Damn it, they're already gone?!"
"Are you people animals? How did you grab them so fast?"
"Sekimori, why do you have two?!"
"Dojima-senpai, there's no rule saying we can only take one, right?"
Surprisingly, the lucky few who managed to secure a dumpling didn't immediately eat it. They simply stared at the food pinched between their chopsticks some even used their hands.
Even now, the bright red dragon heads stood upright and lifelike. It felt less like holding food and more like grasping a miniature, living creature. It was a culinary work of art, and they wanted to admire it before destroying it.
Finally, someone couldn't resist and bit into the dragon's tail.
Instantly, the man froze, his eyes widening as if struck by lightning. Unable to bear the suspense, the others followed suit. The reaction was unanimous and immediate. It was as if an electric current surged through their minds, locking every single one of them in place.
The guests left empty-handed grew frantic.
"Well? Is it good? Say something!"
"What's wrong with them? Tell us how it tastes!"
"Stop playing statues over a dumpling, I'm dying of suspense here!"
"Chef, how long until the next batch?"
The suspense was unbearable. The remaining guests were practically clawing at the counters, desperate to know the result.
Facing the chaotic crowd, Shijun offered a calm smile.
"Just five minutes."
Thanks to the system's recipe, the prep and steaming time was perfectly optimized.
Suddenly, the first man snapped out of his trance, his eyes practically glowing.
"It's incredible! The rich flavor of the shrimp erupts in your mouth like a volcano, but the aftertaste is so incredibly refreshing!"
"All the umami of the filling is perfectly sealed within the dough... this is astonishing!"
"I've never tasted anything like this in my life!"
One by one, the judges and guests who tasted the Rising Dragon Dumplings awoke from their culinary stupor, showering the dish with absolute praise. Then, their gaze snapped back to the bamboo steamers on Shijun's table. The implication was obvious: they wanted more.
"Hey! You've had your share, get to the back!"
"Have you no shame? We haven't even had one yet!"
"Move out of the way, you're blocking the line!"
The argument flared instantly. Shoving matches turned into outright scuffling, and the dining hall descended into total chaos.
Dojima Gin could only shake his head with a wry smile before stepping forward to restore order.
Nothing like this had ever happened in the history of Totsuki Academy's residential training camp.
Guests were literally coming to blows over a student's dish. If it escalated into a genuine brawl, it would be a disaster for the alumni. Using his commanding presence, Dojima forced those who had already eaten to the back of the line, barely managing to quell the riot.
For the other students, the contrast was a crushing display of Shijun's dominance. While their stations attracted only a trickle of stragglers, Shijun had triggered a borderline stampede.
A few minutes later, Shijun lifted the lids of the ten bamboo steamers. Instantly, a radiant, golden light spilled out, mesmerizing the onlookers all over again.
Privately, Shijun didn't quite understand the physics of why the dumplings actually glowed. He just knew that following the system's exact recipe guaranteed the effect. Altering a single step or substituting a single ingredient would reduce the spectacle to an ordinary meal.
"The Rising Dragon Dumplings are ready. Please, help yourselves."
Shijun announced, stepping back from the counter to let the guests plate their own portions.
He had one vital task left. Pulling out his phone, he began recording a video to send to Kobayashi Rindo. Capturing her reaction was the entire reason he had chosen to make this specific dish in the first place.
At the counter, the guests stared at the bamboo steamers, yet no one reached for their chopsticks. They all wanted to witness the spectacle one more time. The name "Rising Dragon" was flawlessly accurate.
"It's moving... I never thought I'd see a dumpling stand up on its own!"
"Coming to this camp was worth it just for this."
"I have to see it rise again..."