"Pokémon, short for 'Pocket Monsters,' also translated as Pocket Monsters or Pokémon—" Hayashi stood at the podium in the conference room, speaking earnestly. "In my world, Pokémon is arguably the number one franchise. Since its debut in 1996, it has sparked a global Pokémon craze."
Though the anime's plotlines have become increasingly facepalm-worthy.
"Pokémon—" Hinako Inui's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the Pikachu and Growlithe on the screen behind Hayashi, her voice softening. "They're so cute!"
"Hmm, Mr. Hayashi, this Pokémon world..." Kōjirō Shinomiya adjusted his glasses. "What kind of world is it, exactly? From the images you've shown, it just seems like a world of cute little creatures."
"Senpai, isn't cuteness enough?" Hinako shot Shinomiya a disapproving look. "Pfft! Senpai's an idiot! No sense of romance, destined to be single forever!"
"Relentless Iron Grip, Unbreakable Hold!" Shinomiya swiftly clamped his left hand onto Hinako's head, deadpanning. "Three days without discipline, and you're already climbing onto the roof!"
"Ahem! Let me answer Mr. Shinomiya's question. The Pokémon world is essentially like this—" Hayashi briefly outlined the world's setting. "And beyond battles, that world also produces some exceptionally high-quality ingredients!"
"!"
The former Elite Ten members in the audience perked up. They knew the highlight of this meeting was about to arrive!
"First, there are Pokémon that directly provide ingredients—like Miltank's milk, Combee's honey, Alcremie's cream, Bounsweet's juice, Tropius's bananas, and so on—"
"Next, although they can't be consumed directly, I believe we can introduce Pokémon genes to optimize ordinary livestock—such as Tauros, Emboar, Wooloo, and so on—"
Many Tōtsuki alumni lowered their heads to examine the materials Hayashi had distributed, their expressions brimming with interest. Whether it was raw ingredients like Miltank's milk or using Pokémon genes to enhance the quality of ordinary meat, everything excited them.
After setting down the documents, Senzaemon looked up at Hayashi and asked, "Hayashi, how safe is this world?"
Hayashi scratched his cheek and replied, "Hmm, I'd say it's extremely safe. After all, Pokémon is a kid-friendly franchise, and I don't recall any deaths occurring in it."
Hearing this, the elder sighed in relief. "That puts my mind at ease!"
"Also—" Hayashi glanced at Erina, who was sitting in a corner and giving him meaningful looks, then chuckled. "Barring any surprises, I'll probably be taking Erina along this time. In the Pokémon world, being a skilled chef would likely make one very popular among Pokémon!"
Hayashi even suspected that if Erina went all out, she might be able to win over a Mythical Pokémon with her cooking—like a certain Greedent, perhaps?
"Erina, you say?"
Senzaemon glanced at Erina, who was holding her head high with pride, and smiled faintly. "It seems you two get along well."
Of course, this remark wasn't directed at Hayashi and Erina—after all, the two usually stayed at the Nakiri residence, and Senzaemon could clearly observe their interactions firsthand. There was no need to state the obvious.
Senzaemon was deliberately speaking for the benefit of the Tōtsuki alumni present, using this method to remind them that the Nakiri Family's position was unshakable!
Hayashi raised an eyebrow, planted his hands on his hips, and declared matter-of-factly, "More than just 'getting along'—I've completely molded myself to Erina's shape! I can't live without her now!"
A bright-red Erina shot to her feet, staring at Hayashi in disbelief as she stammered, "D-d-don't say things that could be misunderstood like that!"
"Thanks for the meal." Hayashi pressed his palms together and bowed playfully to Erina, then added with satisfaction, "Today's eye candy has been served! My life is complete!"
Erina facepalmed in exasperation, thinking, 'Just as Gin-san said, this guy only acts proper when you first meet him!'
"Wow, so that's the kind of relationship they have?"
Hinako Inui's face flushed crimson as she shyly covered it with her hands, peeking through widely spread fingers while darting glances between Hayashi and Erina—almost rolling her tongue to tease, "Something's going on here!"
Hearing Hinako's remark, Hayashi immediately waved his hands in a textbook straight-guy denial, explaining, "No, no, no! Erina's only fifteen, right? If I made a move on her, I'd probably end up in jail."
If Hayashi were also fifteen—no, even eighteen—he wouldn't mind trying to pursue the now reasonable and understanding Erina. But he was already twenty-three! Making advances on a minor eight years his junior, who was only fifteen...
Hell no, I don't want silver bracelets (handcuffs), damn it!
...
...
Hayashi's arrival caused a massive deviation in the Shokugeki no Soma storyline.
First, there was Nakamura Azami, that gloomy man.
When he was dragged back to the Nakiri residence by the collar, he still tried to act dignified to elevate his status. But facing Asahi Saiba, who sat before Saiba Jōichirō, he was instantly subdued.
In the end, just like in the original story, he chose to abandon the Nakiri name and disappeared from everyone's sight with his illegitimate child.
After neutralizing the ticking time bomb that was Azami, Senzaemon resumed his "Cornerstone of Totsuki" plan!
He gathered all the outstanding current students (Tsukasa Eishi, Tadokoro Megumi, etc.) and former Elite Ten alumni at the Nakiri estate, placing a contract before them.
"This is an exceptionally demanding contract, but I guarantee that once you sign it, a new world will unfold before you—" Senzaemon calmly set a dish prepared by Chef Pai on the table, then took two steps back. "You may taste it first—a dish crafted by 'that esteemed person.'"
If Hayashi had witnessed the old man's bold move, he might have blurted out, "This... will be a massacre!"
The students, who had been ready to refuse the contract outright after reading its terms, immediately dropped to their knees in tears upon tasting the boiled pork slices, desperately wishing to cling to Chef Pai's legs and wail, "Master, I want to learn how to cook!"
Thus, when Hayashi had spent half a year in the Shokugeki no Soma world and upgraded the Interdimensional Gate to its second stage—allowing him to bring others across—he was met with an entire squad.
Surveying the spectacle before him, Hayashi couldn't help but twitch his lips. "Old man, isn't this... slightly too many people?"
Gin, Jōichirō, Jun Shiomi, Kōjirō Shinomiya, Hinako Inui, and other former Elite Ten members;
Tsukasa Eishi, Kobayashi Rindō, Isshiki Satoshi, Momo Akanegakubo, Terunori Kuga, and other current Elite Ten students;
Sōma Yukihira, Tadokoro Megumi, Takumi Aldini, Isami Aldini, Ryō Kurokiba, and other standout students from the original story.
The old man smiled amiably at Hayashi and said, "Hmm, the numbers do seem a bit excessive! How about you handpick a few?"
The next moment, Hayashi felt everyone's eyes locking onto him. He was certain those not chosen would definitely make straw dolls to curse him!
"?"
Hayashi couldn't help but give a question mark expression. This 65-year-old man ambushing a 23-year-old youth like me? No martial virtue! This is pure fabrication, baseless imagination, completely made up!
'Want me to play the villain? Absolutely not!' Hayashi stiffened his neck and glanced at the old man before turning away with a huff, saying, "Go, everyone can go! Whoever stops you will have to deal with me!"
"Brother Hayashi, you are—my—god!"
"I'll cook for you my whole life!"
"Fire the salute cannons for Hayashi's birth!"
Even Hayashi felt somewhat lightheaded from the overwhelming flattery. To prevent himself from getting too inflated, he quickly raised his hands to calm everyone down. "Alright, everyone, calm down! We're about to set off. I hope everyone follows the rules, okay?"
"Okay—"
"Then, let's go—"
...
...
"So this and that—"
Hayashi grinned at Master Pai and said, "Just treat them like apprentices, that's all!"
Gin nodded solemnly. "Master Chen, Hayashi is right. Treat us as the most basic apprentices—even washing and chopping vegetables, leave it to us!"
Jōichirō stroked his chin and added, "Besides that, we can also handle the cleaning at Kikkaro, including wiping tables and chairs. Room cleaning can be left to us too!"
Master Pai waved her hands with a wry smile. "Hayashi told me you're all renowned chefs in your original world. How can I let you do apprentice work like washing vegetables?"
Hearing this, Jōichirō scratched the back of his head and grinned mischievously. "Well, if Master Pai says so, then let these kids handle the vegetable washing."
As he spoke, he pointed his thumb at the student group behind him.
"???"
Question marks popped up one after another above the students' heads. Alice Nakiri couldn't help but poke Sōma Yukihira's back and whisper the question on everyone's mind: "Hey, has your dad always been this shameless?"
Sōma Yukihira stared at his father with dead fish eyes, gritting his teeth. "No, he's usually even worse than this!"