From start to finish, only one person had their eyes on him the whole time.
"Tch… this guy is about to make another dish with zero highlights again… I'll never admit it."
Marui: "Huh? Did you guys notice Isshiki-senpai?"
Ryoko: "Oh… he said he was going to the bathroom."
Yoshino: "No way, at such an important time… this is making me nervous. What about you, Megumi?"
Tadokoro Megumi acted like she didn't hear anything, still muttering nonstop:
"Hikigaya can do it, Hikigaya can do it, Hikigaya can do it, Hikigaya can do it…"
Yoshino: "Alright…"
Almost everyone's eyes were on Mito now. With her delicate skills and sharp senses, she used just her lips to check the beef's temperature. Then, like a pianist playing a smooth solo, she kept performing a rhapsody that belonged only to meat.
After finishing her steps, she only needed to wait a little, and her dish would be done.
Mito let out a soft sigh, then curiously glanced at the man behind her. But he still seemed busy frying his meat.
"No way, you're still at this step?"
"You started before me, but you're going to finish later than me. That's unbelievable… seriously useless."
Seeing that he stayed silent, Mito looked a little smug as she put her hands on her hips and said:
"So now you've got nothing to say? Come on, argue back. What a loser."
But no matter how much Mito mocked him or what she said, Hachiman seemed completely unfazed, as if none of it reached him.
Between her and him—no… between him and everyone in the room—it felt like there was an invisible wall. No one could disturb him.
That state of complete focus made Mito, who was still mocking him, start to feel uneasy. She walked closer, wanting to see what Hikigaya was really up to.
"!!!"
When she got near Hikigaya, Mito was instantly crushed by an invisible pressure so strong she couldn't even speak. It felt like someone was choking her, leaving her only able to watch.
Hachiman's eyes were dull, his whole body like he was meditating, only focusing on feeling the progress of his cooking.
"What the hell is this guy doing?!"
"Did he… give up?"
"No way… is it over already…"
"He's not asleep, right?"
Most of the audience was speechless. Even the Polar Star Dorm members had no idea what was going on. Erina stared at the scene and suddenly remembered that same state Hikigaya showed during the entrance exam. And now… it was exactly the same.
Her eyes couldn't move away from him anymore.
And among everyone there, only Mito—who was the closest—could truly feel just how terrifying that pressure was.
She struggled to break free, staggering backward until she finally made it back to her own station.
"All… all for show…"
No one on stage said a word.
The next second, Hachiman slowly opened his eyes. Maybe he smelled something, or maybe the countdown in his heart had ended. He gently poured all the meat from the pan into the broth, along with the finely powdered vegetables.
Meanwhile, Mito, who had hurried back to her station, began plating her dish.
But for some reason, her movements no longer had the same confidence and agility as before. After feeling that overwhelming presence up close, her mind was filled only with what just happened.
...
"Time's up. That's it."
"Next, we move on to the judging phase. Our three judges will make their decision."
"Let's start with Mito's dish first!"
Mito took a deep breath. To shake off the fake impression Hikigaya left just now, she picked up her dish and walked toward the judges' table.
Since the lid wasn't covering the plate, the rich aroma of beef spread throughout the hall. That was the natural advantage of using A5 wagyu. On the other hand, Hikigaya's side had nothing escaping because the lid was still on, so no smell at all.
"A5 wagyu beef roast, please enjoy."
Kawashima Urara: "Roast means 'bake' or 'grill' in French, and it usually refers to food cooked in an oven."
The beef was cut into the shape of a flower, paired with simply roasted vegetables, turning the whole thing into a stunning piece of art.
Marui clenched his fists: "These people are so annoying. The dish hasn't even been served yet."
Judge 1: "This is the first time I've seen beef cooked so beautifully, and the vegetables are paired perfectly. No matter how you look at it, you just want to take a bite…"
Judge 2: "Well then, let's eat."
Judge 3: "Hurry up, I can't wait anymore."
The beef cut into a flower shape, paired with the vegetable juices, left an unforgettable impression. The perfect temperature and unique taste filling the air—yes, this was the true flavor of A5 wagyu.
Judge 3: "Even the angle of the heat during roasting was calculated. Amazing, truly amazing."
Judge 2: "By placing the meat fibers at a right angle to the grilling direction, the beef heated evenly without damaging the texture, and the juices were fully drawn out."
Judge 1: "And underneath the beef, the vegetables sautéed in butter kept their original freshness after baking, and even added a unique flavor. So delicious!"
Hearing the unanimous praise from the judges, the audience clearly saw where this was going.
"As expected from Mito. When it comes to meat dishes, no one can beat her."
"That guy is done for. I wonder if his legs are shaking now. Can't really blame him though, going up against an opponent like this."
Mito: "Well, transfer student, this is the pleasure of meat."
Hachiman: "Hmm, a bit worse than I expected."
The audience went silent.
Mito: "What did you just say?!"
Erina slammed her chair: "This guy… I want to see what dish he's going to pull out now!"
Kawashima Urara: "Ahaha, next up is Hikigaya Hachiman! Let's see what he made."
Hachiman: "Yeah… I'll call this dish 'Hikigaya-style vegetable meat jelly.'"
What a naming genius.
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