Regarding Soma Yukihira's request, Ryusei naturally wouldn't refuse. He was curious to see how a culinary prodigy like Soma would react to the sheer quality of a Gourmet World ingredient. He readily placed the extra double egg rolls—the Huevos Pericos—onto three separate plates and brought them out to the counter.
"Have a taste!" Ryusei said, sliding a plate in front of Soma.
"Great!" A wide, characteristic grin spread across Soma's face. He didn't hesitate, picking up a piece of the golden-rolled omelet and popping it into his mouth.
As the flavors hit, a blissful smile immediately washed over Soma's face. He fell silent, his eyes widening as he chewed. He was completely absorbed in the complex layers of the dish—the savory richness of the Spider Eagle egg, the sweetness of the sautéed tomatoes, and the subtle, sharp kick of the scallions. For a few moments, he ignored everything else in the room, lost in a sensory analysis of Ryusei's work.
Ryusei then turned his attention to the girls, placing the other two plates in front of Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato.
"Ms. Erina, would you like to try some more? I noticed you seemed to enjoy the first serving," he said with a hint of a polite smile. "And Hisako, please try some too. It would be a waste to let it go cold."
Previously, to make his dishes appear more refined for the formal assessment, the portions he had served were actually quite small. Ryusei knew that once the "God's Tongue" had been stimulated by such a potent ingredient, she would likely be craving more, even if her pride tried to deny it.
Hisako Arato looked at the plate, then immediately glanced at Erina. As Erina's loyal secretary, she prioritized her lady's dignity above her own hunger. However, the aroma was undeniable. In Hisako's opinion, any dish that could elicit such a profound reaction from Erina-sama was something she desperately wanted to understand.
Erina, for her part, wanted to maintain her aloof, untouchable persona. She wanted to say that one taste was enough to judge a commoner's efforts. But the lingering aftertaste was already fading, and her Divine Tongue was practically demanding a refill. Seeing the expectant, almost pleading look on Hisako's face gave her the perfect excuse.
Erina gave a small, regal nod. "In that case, I'll try it again just to confirm my initial evaluation. Hisako, you should try some too. It is part of your duties to understand the level of the transfer students."
Ryusei smiled to himself but didn't say a word. To him, the dynamic between Erina and Hisako was fascinating. It was clearly more than a simple superior-subordinate relationship; they were deeply bonded friends. Unfortunately, one was too proud to be vulnerable, and the other was too insecure to step out of the "servant" role. But in this moment, shared over a plate of eggs, the tension seemed to melt away.
Once the three of them had finished the second round, Ryusei noticed Soma opening his mouth to start one of his typical, loud-mouthed debates about flavor profiles. Fearing Soma might say something to provoke Erina and jeopardize their admission, Ryusei decisively grabbed the red-haired boy by the collar and pulled him toward the exit.
"Wait, hey! I wasn't done talking!" Soma protested.
"We've passed, Soma. Let's quit while we're ahead," Ryusei muttered, dragging him out into the fresh air of the academy grounds. He didn't release his grip until they were a safe distance from the examination hall.
Once they stopped, Soma adjusted his jacket and looked at Ryusei with intense curiosity. "Alright, alright! But I've gotta know... what kind of egg was that? I've worked in the Yukihira Diner for years, and I've never tasted anything with that kind of depth. It wasn't just a chicken egg, was it?"
Ryusei leaned against a nearby stone wall, looking at the massive, sprawling campus of Totsuki. "It's a Spider Eagle egg, also known in some circles as the 'Dream Egg.' I discovered it by chance during my travels."
"Spider Eagle? Dream Egg?" Soma racked his brain, trying to recall every culinary encyclopedia he'd ever read. "I've never heard of it. Is it a rare breed from overseas?"
"You could say that," Ryusei replied vaguely. He wasn't about to explain the Hunter Exam or the hidden corners of the world just yet.
"I wonder if I can buy some? I'd love to see how it pairs with my family's secret sauces," Soma said, his eyes practically sparkling with the thought of new experiments.
Ryusei reached into his bag—secretly accessing his storage space—and pulled out a large, lustrous egg, slightly larger than a goose egg. "I'll give you one. Consider it a gift for a fellow classmate."
In the Hunter World, these eggs could fetch over 100,000 yen each due to the danger involved in harvesting them from the deep ravines where Spider Eagles nested. Soma had no idea he was holding a small fortune in his hands.
"Whoa, thanks! I'll make sure to use it for something legendary!" Soma said, cradling the egg carefully.
They chatted for a few more minutes about their expectations for the school before Ryusei waved goodbye. He needed to prepare. His life in the Food Wars! world was about to move from a quiet routine to a high-speed culinary war.
A week passed in a blur of training and preparation. Ryusei spent his time alternating between honing his knife skills and refining his Nen. He practiced 'Ren' (Refinement) while sautéing, using the intense focus to ensure he never missed the peak moment of a dish's flavor.
When the day of the official enrollment ceremony arrived, Ryusei returned to Totsuki Academy. The atmosphere was entirely different this time. The air was thick with the scent of cherry blossoms and the palpable nervous energy of thousands of students.
In a grand plaza filled with pink petals, the students who had successfully advanced from the middle school division stood in rigid, disciplined rows. For them, the high school division was a brutal gauntlet where the majority would be expelled before graduation.
Ryusei entered the waiting room designated for transfer students. Soma was already there, looking as relaxed as if he were waiting for a bus.
"Yo, long time no see, Ryusei!" Soma greeted him warmly. "Man, that Dream Egg was unbelievable! I tried making a few test dishes with it at the shop before I moved in here. The richness is off the charts. It completely changes the structural integrity of a sauce!"
Ryusei nodded, listening with a half-smile to Soma's enthusiastic rambling. He had forgotten how much of a "cooking nerd" Soma could be. As they talked, a booming voice rang out through the speakers, signaling the start of the ceremony.
"Next, we will begin awarding the academic year badges. Please welcome the first-year student representative, Erina Nakiri, to the stage."
The plaza erupted in a mix of applause and hushed whispers as Erina ascended the stage with the grace of a queen. She was awarded her badge by the senior faculty, a symbol of her status as the top-ranked student and a member of the Elite Ten Council. To the other students, she was a goddess; to Ryusei, she was the girl who had almost fallen off her chair because of his eggs.
After the ceremony concluded, the host's voice took on a deeper, more respectful tone. "Next, please welcome the Commander-in-Chief of Totsuki Academy to give a speech. Please welcome Mr. Senzaemon Nakiri to the stage."
A massive, imposing figure walked toward the podium. Senzaemon Nakiri, the "Gourmet Demon King," radiated an aura of raw power that made the air in the plaza feel heavy. Most of the trainees looked terrified, standing at stiff attention as the old man surveyed his "stones."
Senzaemon's voice was like thunder. "To those of you who have made it this far... understand that 99% of you are merely stones meant to be polished away. Only the remaining 1% will become true gems."
Ryusei felt a thrill run down his spine. This was the environment he needed to push his Gourmet Cells to the next level. Beside him, Soma was already checking the microphone, ready to give the speech that would turn the entire school against them. Ryusei simply tightened his 'Ten', bracing for the storm.