5:0
Finally, as the judging concluded, the entire venue erupted in a frenzy!
No one could have predicted this result, nor could anyone understand why the Black Forest cake, despite being so delicious, still lost to Alice Nakiri's Molecular Cuisine.
"Holy cow!"
"Am I seeing things?"
"Senior was instantly defeated! Could it be that her Black Forest cake truly failed to conquer any of the judges?"
"It's over, it's over."
"I originally wanted to join the Sweet Dessert Cuisine Research Association, but it was completely wiped out..."
"Sigh."
"Even 3:2 or 4:1 would have been better!"
"In the end, it was an exaggerated 5:0. This loss is too embarrassing to watch!"
"To be able to challenge a higher grade right after the start of school and achieve such an overwhelming victory that no one expected, perhaps Miss Alice is the closest new student to the Elite Ten?"
"Who knows?"
"Anyway, from now on, it's best to stay far away from both Nakiri young ladies."
...
Instantly, everyone present.
Heatedly discussed this first Shokugeki match after the start of school.
Of course, for the fate of the Sweet Dessert Cuisine Research Association, most people had a more schadenfreude attitude.
After all, in the highly competitive Totsuki, one less research association might not be a bad thing for them!
"Why?"
"Why did my most prized Black Forest cake lose?"
Hakuren Shirogane's face was extremely pale, clearly finding it difficult to accept such a crushing defeat.
"Senior."
"If you're not convinced, why not try my dish?"
At this moment, the victorious Alice Nakiri did not gloat as usual.
Instead, she brought her dish before Hakuren Shirogane.
The light purple Ramen shimmered alluringly under the lights, as if it were the vivid color extracted from grape juice!
Looking closely, it was not only enticing in color but also emitted a rich grape aroma.
The faint fruity scent was fresh and lingering, making it hard to believe that such Ramen was made from grape juice, filling one's heart with anticipation.
Hakuren Shirogane gently picked up a strand of noodles and immediately felt its delicate and elastic texture.
These noodles were slender and long, like strings of glistening pearls, creating an urge to put them into one's mouth.
Finally, she unhesitatingly put the noodles into her mouth.
The first thing she felt was their springy texture, like little elves dancing on her tongue.
And the rich grape aroma spread in her mouth, followed by a taste that intertwined sourness and sweetness.
After swallowing, a faint fruity fragrance lingered in her mouth, as if reminding her that what she had just tasted was not Ramen, but a dessert delicacy with a grape theme.
"How could this be? This dish... it actually... it actually..."
Hakuren Shirogane did not express all of her feelings.
Because she knew that her Black Forest cake, which she had worked so hard to create, had indeed lost!
"The outcome is decided."
"According to the rules of this Shokugeki match, I declare that from now on, there will be no more Sweet Dessert Cuisine Research Association."
Seeing Hakuren Shirogane completely convinced, Alice Nakiri turned around, revealing a victorious smile, and then loudly declared to all the crowd on the stage.
At this moment, she seemed to possess an aura of looking down on the world.
Perhaps compared to the other young lady, Alice Nakiri might not be truly terrifying.
However, being able to easily defeat a second-year student across grades showed that her strength should not be underestimated!
...
"Wait."
"Are you really going to destroy our research association?"
Hakuren Shirogane's face showed fright, followed by a deep regret!
If she had known this would be the outcome, she should not have accepted Alice's Shokugeki challenge in the first place.
However, there is no such thing as a 'regret pill' in this world.
The moment she lost the match also meant that the Sweet Dessert Cuisine Research Association was destined to be completely erased from Totsuki Academy.
"Hmm?"
"How could that be?"
Alice's rhetorical question instantly rekindled hope in Hakuren Shirogane.
"I just want to transform your association's headquarters into my first laboratory building."
Alice came before Hakuren Shirogane and smiled faintly.
"No!"
"You... you can't do that."
"I beg you, please let the Sweet Dessert Cuisine Research Association remain."
"That research association was built through the efforts of me and my seniors! That place holds our ideals, our shared memories!"
"You... you can't destroy it..."
Upon hearing this, Hakuren Shirogane immediately collapsed to the ground, her limbs weak, her eyes filled with despair.
Afterward, she tightly clutched Alice's pant leg, pleading pitifully like a dog.
"There's an ancient Chinese saying: 'The victor is king, the loser is a bandit!'"
"I staked my future fate on initiating this Shokugeki challenge."
"If I don't have the resolve to trample everyone underfoot, how can I compete with Erina?"
With that said, Alice Nakiri shook her foot and left the competition venue with a sharp gaze.
"Demon."
"You are a heinous demon."
Behind her, Hakuren Shirogane was stunned.
It was only then that she truly understood how terrifying Alice Nakiri was, and she continued to scream.
But here at Totsuki, her screams would not evoke pity or sympathy!
...
On a street in Akihabara.
Erina held a black rabbit doll in her hands, her face beaming with a satisfied and proud smile.
Originally, she hadn't even won this doll herself, so she had no reason to be so happy about it.
But whenever she thought about how Sosuke had only used one game coin to win the doll she loved, she felt an inexplicable joy!
"Sosuke, this doll..."
Then, Erina composed her excited and joyful emotions and whispered.
"If you like it, consider it a gift from me."
Sosuke replied indifferently.
"Oh."
"Thank you!"
Erina's cheeks flushed slightly as she thanked him again.
She looked at the doll in her hands, then thought of the manga book Sosuke had lent her earlier, and she couldn't help but feel a strange sensation.
Afterward, she secretly glanced at Sosuke, her bright eyes seeming to hold something more.
Their initial encounter at the Izakaya, his cooking had begun to shake a certain belief she had always held firm.
And even more terrifying, as she learned more about him, the distance between her and Sosuke was slowly closing.
She had tried to break free from this seemingly fated arrangement, but in the midst of it all, there seemed to be a force that forcibly bound her and Sosuke together.
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