At this moment, today's lunch was also ready.
Old Woman Fumio called out, asking everyone to come to the dining hall to eat.
It's just that her voice seemed a little strange.
Except for a few attentive individuals, no one else noticed.
Everyone's eyes immediately lit up. Liu Ming had praised Tadokoro Megumi so highly; now they finally had a chance to taste it.
With expectant hearts, everyone walked towards the dining hall.
Most of the food on the dining table was what they usually ate, and they knew without thinking that it was made by Old Woman Fumio.
Then the only remaining dish covered by a lid must be the dish made by Tadokoro Megumi.
"Megumi really is something, making it so mysterious and piquing everyone's curiosity," Yoshino Yuuki said with a mischievous smile.
She reached out to lift the cover.
However, Old Woman Fumio stopped her midway.
"Old Woman Fumio, is something wrong?" Yoshino Yuuki looked at Old Woman Fumio curiously.
Old Woman Fumio didn't answer her immediately. Instead, she scanned everyone and asked in a serious tone, "Are you mentally prepared?"
"Huh?" Sakaki Ryoko and the others were confused by Old Woman Fumio's sudden, nonsensical question.
Isshiki Satoshi raised an eyebrow.
It was rare to see Old Woman Fumio in such a serious mood.
"Old Woman Fumio, can you explain more clearly? What kind of mental preparation?" Sakaki Ryoko asked, puzzled.
"The mental preparation to be struck down, the mental preparation to start chasing. Otherwise, I'm afraid you won't even see Megumi's back."
Old Woman Fumio's tone was very serious and earnest, completely unlike her usual joking self.
They couldn't help but look at Tadokoro Megumi.
There was doubt, confusion, and even a fighting spirit.
Was this still the Tadokoro Megumi they knew?
After only one Summer Vacation apart, she had earned such high regard from Old Woman Fumio. Even for dishes made by Senior Isshiki, Old Woman Fumio had never been so solemn.
Tadokoro Megumi felt a little embarrassed by everyone's gaze. She scratched her head and softly said, "Actually, it's not that amazing. Old Woman Fumio is exaggerating."
Liu Ming looked at the covered dish and paused. He looked at Megumi and softly asked, "Is that the dish you made?"
Tadokoro Megumi nodded gently. "Because right now, I only have the confidence to complete this one dish. The other ones, I still can't fully make."
"Isn't that a bit much? I just asked you to show off your current cooking skills a little. You don't have to go all out like this. Aren't you afraid of crushing your friends and leaving them demoralized?"
Tadokoro Megumi nodded, then shook her head.
She said seriously, "You are my Master. I will never allow you to be underestimated."
"Besides, Master, you underestimate them. Their personalities are quite resilient; they definitely won't collapse like this."
Although their voices were a bit quiet, the dining hall was only so big, and it was completely silent, so everyone heard their conversation.
Yoshino Yuuki walked forward and hugged Tadokoro Megumi. She said, "Megumi is right. As students of Tootsuki, we are already prepared. Old Woman Fumio, open it."
"That's right, we are chefs. If we get scared like this, it would be truly disgraceful."
"Heh heh, since everyone is so ambitious, I, as a senior, can't lose either," Isshiki Satoshi chuckled in agreement.
However, his words were met with a series of eye rolls from everyone.
"You're already in the Elite Ten. Whose cooking could possibly faze you?"
Yukihira Soma didn't overthink things. He quickly approached the dining table and placed his hand on the cover.
He said, "Those trivial things aren't important at all. There's no need to discuss it without tasting it first."
After saying that, he lifted the cover.
A golden light shot up.
It was clearly midday, the time of the strongest sunlight, but compared to this golden light, the sun was noticeably weaker.
The golden light rapidly spread to every corner of the dining hall, causing everyone to squint their eyes.
Then, an intoxicating aroma that made their mouths water wafted into their noses, tempting their wills.
"What's going on?" Yukihira Soma was stunned.
"Did you all see that too?" Yoshino Yuuki swallowed in shock.
"If you're talking about the golden light, then I saw it too," Sakaki Ryoko was also dumbfounded.
"It's either an illusion or magic. How could a dish possibly glow?"
Marui Zenji, who considered himself well-read, had never heard of such a thing. However, his trembling arm showed that his inner world was far from calm.
In fact, the most shocked person present was Isshiki Satoshi, the Seventh Seat of the Tootsuki Elite Ten.
The dish Tadokoro Megumi made was Mystical Mapo Tofu, and Kuga Terunori, the Eighth Seat of the Tootsuki Elite Ten, was most skilled at this type of dish.
Yet, he found that the dish before him, in terms of both color and aroma, was even more outstanding than what Kuga Terunori made, which truly astonished him.
Although he hadn't tasted it yet, based solely on its appearance, it probably wouldn't be bad.
No wonder Old Woman Fumio's expression was so solemn earlier.
This was a top-tier dish that could rival those made by the Elite Ten.
If one's will was even slightly wavering, their chef's heart could be shattered, leaving them demoralized from then on.
Liu Ming felt like he had forgotten something very important, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't recall it. Finally, he gave up trying.
"Then, I'll help myself," Yukihira Soma was the first to act. He picked up a spoon and gently scooped a spoonful.
Before the dish even reached his mouth, the intense spicy aroma surged forward, assaulting his five senses and attempting to seize his will.
Yukihira Soma's spirit sharpened, and he thought to himself, "What a domineering aroma."
"Well then, I'll dig in."
Under everyone's gaze, Yukihira Soma put the dish into his mouth.
Several flavors immediately danced on his tongue, stimulating his taste buds.
There was the spiciness of chili, the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, the fragrance of green onions, the tenderness of tofu... and several others he couldn't identify.
Moreover, each flavor could blend with the others, forming even stronger waves, like a relentless tide crashing against his mind.
Then he became engrossed, a blissful smile appearing on his face.
At some point, several tears had appeared in his clothes, and as his throat moved, more and more appeared.
Finally, with a 'bang', they turned into strips of cloth, scattering onto the floor.
It was at this moment that Liu Ming remembered what he had forgotten.
Even if it wasn't made by him personally, Shining Dish seemed to always cause people's clothes to burst.