Fubuki was having burn out as she went everywhere to take care of monsters. She is superhuman, but day after day, concentrating. Killing mysterious beings, protecting the public, delivering the monsters to Ramiel.
Her previous lifestyle of lazing around and noob crushing was catching up to her. The mental fatigue is exhausting her and she went to Tatsumaki for advice.
"Nee-san, I'm coming in okay?" She went inside and saw Tatsumaki who was sitting on a chair, looking outside.
Fubuki sighed, thinking that she wasn't taking care of herself well. "Nee-san... We need to talk." Fubuki frowned and Tatsumaki looked at her.
"We do, Fubuki. Listen here, nee-san is sorry. I didn't know how you felt." Tatsumaki apologized and Fubuki winced.
She now knows how much pressure her sister is in and the reason why she's trying to micromanage her is because that's the life she's living.
"I'm sorry too, I... When I told you that you didn't believe in me. It was too much, I was out of line." Fubuki sat beside her and they were in an awkward silence.
"No, it's true. I always thought you needed me. That I needed to protect you from harm. Because you aren't as strong as me, so I always have to check on you." Tatsumaki was ashamed of her behavior.
She felt how it is to be powerless, even more so than her sister. Because her psychic abilities have been taken in their entirety. Relying on Fubuki and her minions for her protection.
And it made her sick, she has always thought that nobody will come for her. No one to aid her, no one to rely on but herself. And here she was, a normal person that is inside their house. Or enemies will go after her. She is famous after all, and fame comes with cons.
"Nee-san... I always admired you, you know? I wanted to be on your level. Beat you one day, but when Ramiel gave me your powers... I felt so empty, nothing but work. Killing monsters, protecting the cities. It's neverending, I didn't know you had to do all this." Fubuki chuckled a bit.
"Yeah, those hero association punks always make me work." Tatsumaki laughed and they felt comfortable for the first time in years.
"So, anything else? Why did you come here Fubuki, I imagine you are busy. Take care of yourself okay?" Tatsumaki reminded her.
Fubuki went wide eyed and she started tearing up. "Nee-san..." Her voice hitched and she felt Tatsumaki's concern, noticing it now. Even though she always was. She hugged her sister and Tatsumaki groaned.
"Oof, Fubuki... Air. You're suffocating me!" Tatsumaki got squeezed a bit too hard and her sister's breasts were drowning her.
Fubuki let go and Tatsumaki coughed. "What did I feed you? Why are you so big?" Tatsumaki glared at her chest.
"Nee-san, let's go talk to Ramiel. I want to grow with my own strength, having your powers isn't what I hoped it to be. It feels empty, even though it was all I wanted to achieve." Fubuki smiled at her.
"Fubuki... You're going to make nee-san cry." Tatsumaki was proud of her wanting to grow stronger.
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Meanwhile at Totsuki, Alice and Soma were the first to battle. Head to head, they met at the stadium and the crowd was going wild.
"Soma-kun, are you ready to lose? Maybe you need some lessons from Ramiel or his group, after all. You messed up last time and got saved because all the others were just a little worse than you." Alice smirked at him.
Soma yawned and was lacking some sleep. "Ara, did you not sleep well?"
"Ahh, I practiced till morning. But don't you worry, I'm used to this. Picky customers, a variety of ingredients. The only thing that's new is a tough business competitor. I'll win and triumph over you. I will make Ramiel say that my cooking is delicious, just you wait." Soma put on his headband and was fired up.
"Ha! Gay!" Yuki shouted from the stands. The theme was bento, an exciting japanese lunchbox.
Alice prepared a temari sushi bento and used her immense culinary knowledge to make a temari bento. A lunch box with partitions, her dishes were diverse bite sized sushi that were shaped into balls.
1st row were seafood sushi, 2nd is vegetable sushi that is refreshing, 3rd is the main. Temari sushi with meaty protein.
And the last column was a sea bream sushi with a bead of concentrated fish stock that was full of umami.
"S-such culinary wisdom in a small box!" Senzaimon took off his top and flexed.
Alice smirked and thought she has them all in her pocket. But Soma didn't back down and served his dish.
"5 bentos, coming right up!" He put steel containers in front of the judges that were partitioned.
"Hmm? What is it that you served?" Alice looked at it and he smiled. "Nori bento."
The crowd was shocked and thought in their minds that it is a boring bento with a sheet of seaweed on the rice.
The judges started taking out the partitions and the first were side dishes. fish cakes with beer batter, fried cod that was simmered in kelp and dried tuna. Making it have a subtle, but plenty savory flavor.
He thought a lot of how Ramiel's group cooks, and they always preserve the main ingredient's flavor while bringing it to the next level with subtle additions.
"Hoh? You seem to have prepared some delicious dishes Yukihira. But that is not enough, bentos should have a lot of surprises. Just like my temari bento." Alice smiled at him.
"Yeah, yours looked amazing! You have to let me try that next time. But is your temari bento... Really amazing and to the theme?" Soma smirked and thought of the theme extensively.
The judges then took another partition and was surprised by the rice. It was topped with a bed of beads that looked like caviar.
"Molecular gastronomy? Where did you learn that?" Alice frowned when she saw it. "Ahhh, it was from my childhood. I used to make beads like that with a chemistry experiment snack that was popular with kids."
He decided to use her own techniques on her and concentrated nori seaweed to give his rice much more body.
It was also layered with dried tuna, giving it a meaty flavor that's concentrated. He also had another special sauce that is to be layered on the rice. Concentrated with seaweed and dried tuna to the maximum.
"Such deliciousness and hearty flavors!" The judges ate it up extremely fast.
"But Yukihira, heartiness isn't that important. It's about the flavors. If that-" She argued against Soma. But Senzaimon cut her off.
"Alice... You took advantage of the cold to preserve the flavors of your bento." Senzaimon was already bare chested.
"Yes, shouldn't bentos be cold?" Alice explained. "No... Yukihira Soma did not get fixated like that. He thought of the container, a fun surprise filled with entertainment. The dishes are enhanced with warmth. Yes, your dishes were delicious." He closed his eyes.
"But, wouldn't you have served the same if the theme was sushi? You filled your bento with your skills only. The effort to advance the culture of bento, innovations and fun to bentos that come with its creation. You did not have any of it in yours." Senzaimon explained and she froze.
"Well, the taste is important. I agree, how about you taste it. Nakiri Alice." Soma serves some to her and she is hit by the flavors like a cannon.
"Bring me the brush!" Senzaimon started writing calligraphy on a large piece of paper to announce the winner.
"Round 1, match 1, Yukihira Soma is the victor!" Senzaimon shouted and Alice started crying.
"Don't cry like a kid just because you lost." Soma gave her a hand as she lay down on the floor, sobbing.
"Shut up! I'll beat you next time! I'll sic Ramiel on you!" She stomped on the ground and started her retreat.
"It seems you've lost huh?" Erina was waiting for her and reminded her again.
"What! It seems you aren't just a genius in cooking huh!? Also at insults! Hmph!" Alice huffed at her and Erina sighed at her antics. "You're complimenting me you know?"
"Ey! Shut up! Just watch, I'll be back with a grudge! I'll bother Ramiel to the max to teach me!" Alice then called her mother, complaining to her about her loss.
"Hmm, it seems they've listened. They're improving, except Alice. That stubborn girl, she forgot about the theme." Alexandra already expected it.
"Hah, she'll probably pester us to teach her. Ramiel and Samus are having the time of their lives in another place, getting stronger." Tifa sighed and felt a bit jealous.
"Well, you haven't seen him when he was making his first ship. He'll definitely ignore you and focus on his goal." Alexandra chuckled, remembering their time in Wutai.
"Let's just go on with teaching them then. Their basics are lacking." Zack called the others. They were practicing their palates by tasting ingredients blind.
They went next with dishes. And slowly they will increase the complexity of the combinations of flavors. The trainees will have to get all the ingredients right with just one taste.
Next was Takumi against Mimasaka Subaru, a chef who copies people's techniques and adds twists to them.
The theme was dessert and Takumi was challenged to give up his mezzaluna. His Italian cleaver that he brought to Japan from home.
"Semifreddo, that's what you're going to make right? I know all about you, kekeke~" Mimasaka informed him and started cooking the dessert.
It is a commonly 3 layered dessert of caramelized nuts like peanut brittle, etc. An ice cream layer with cream and other ingredients like nuts. And a cake layer for the bottom.
Mimasaka added a twist on the cake, separating the egg whites and egg yolks when beating them. Giving it a more airy and light texture. He also added some almond flour instead of regular flour for a nice and toasty taste to the cake.
Takumi tried fighting back by creating a 4th layer. A lemon curd, but all is lost as Mimasaka created a more complex flavor structure by adding preserved lemons to the dessert.
Giving it a salty component that adds to the sweetness of the dessert. While its slight bitterness softened the sweetness and made it more balanced.
Takumi's lemon curd added an intense lemon flavor yes, but it was an improv that didn't work as well as Mimasaka's addition to his dish.
"I trusted you, kyahahaha! That you'll make a lemon curd and improvise. Your pride won't let my slight improvements to the dish slide after all! And even if you were out of ingredients, you always bring that olive oil with you for good luck, given to you by your parents!" Mimasaka traced everything he was going to do.
"How is it? I know two things that are very important to you, your brother and your rematch with Yukihira Soma. But the mezzaluna that he mainly uses and your place in the next match was taken away all at once!" Mimasaka poured salt on his wounds.
"Hmm, this guy actually has the potential to be one of the greatest chefs here." Alexandra nodded at his skills.
"What? You can't be serious? All he does is stalk people and become like them. He jots it down to the last detail and just adds improvements to their dish!" Nikumi tried arguing and the others nodded in agreement.
"That's why you're mediocre." Tifa sighed and they were confused. In their minds, Mimasaka has no principles as a chef.
"Where do you think your techniques come from? Did you invent it?" Lulu gave them an idea and they suddenly realized.
"Yeah, you all have been copying techniques from past chefs and individuals. He might have a bad personality. But he is essentially doing what you are doing." Zack added.
"And that's where all techniques come from, refining the past ones to the limit. Coming up with twists and improvements down to the finest details to get the best result." Aerith shook her head at them.
"It's what we do you know? We just perfect every technique. At the highest level, he'll become as good as us." Yuna explained how they cook and everybody thought that Mimasaka wasn't as simple as they once knew he was.
"Takumi isn't skilled, creative, innovative, or knowledgeable enough. That's all, if your opponent is like that, you just have to be better than them at everything they do. But that doesn't seem to be the case here. That win is as valid as it could be. You think a shit cook can pull that off? Hell no, you still need the technique." Alexandra ended the explanation and they shut up.
Soma balled his fists tightly. He respected Takumi as a cook that served customers just like him. Someone who will make him improve and vice versa.
The next match was with Megumi and Ryo, the theme was ramen and they created the opposite ones.
Ryo opted with soup de poisson. Fish soup from France, originating from Marseilles. But he didn't neglect the theme and it was still fresh in his mind.
Megumi went with a clear soup made from dried scallops and chicken broth. She knew that Ryo would make a dish with bold flavors that will sock you in the face. But she is not knowledgeable with tonkotsu, so she opted with chicken and dried scallops.
But there was a problem, there are 5 parts in ramen. The noodles, the soup, the sides, the oil, and its soul which is tare. And she didn't use 2 of them.
Tare and the oil. Ryo was so shaken by the judging from his qualifier match that he always checked the theme while testing his dishes.
And he researched ramen extensively. Making a shrimp flavored tare. Along with shrimp infused toasted sesame oil that made Megumi's dish fall flat.
"It seems that Megumi did not learn much, what a shame. Tare is the soul of ramen, without it. You're just drinking soup or broth. The aroma oil also elevates it to the next level and Ryo obviously does his research." Alexandra was disappointed in Megumi and will whip her up to shape later.
Megumi shivered as she felt a bad feeling. She then saw Alexandra stare at her like she is a piece of meat.
The last match was Hisako and Hayama. And the theme is burgers. Senzaimon remembered Ramiel's burger and he already felt like it would be a shame to even compare Hisako and Hayama's burgers to his.
Hayama put a twist on his burger, using pita bread for the buns. But he also learned his lesson, just like Ryo. Researching about what made a burger, a burger.
It essentially has 4 parts, a bun, a patty, sauce, and pickles. It was that simple, but preparing it for fine dining was another thing entirely.
With his specialty in spices, he added another twist. Making a burger patty with kofte, Turkish grounded meat dish.
He also went the extra mile with doner kebab. Stuffing the pita with a patty made of kofte and kebab. While cutting down the large amounts of fat with achaar. Indian pickles that pairs well with spiced meat.
And finishing it off with tsatziki sauce. But he didn't overdo it and just put enough on it so he won't mute the flavors.
While Hisako prepared a suppon patty. A soft shelled turtle, she enhanced its meat by adding stickiness to it. Suppon has a lot of collagen and gelatin.
She used its own stock as sauce and put it in a steamed bun. Adding ginger as pickles, but her dish did not pack a punch like Hayama's.
It was too lacking, she did not learn anything from the last judges that Senzaimon specifically asked for to make them the very best for the next matches.
"E-Erina-sama... Please excuse me." Hisako ran away from Erina as she was too ashamed to face her. In her mind, losing was not an option and Erina will throw her away because of it.
"Hisako..." Erina looked at her retreating back with concern. Hisako is one of the only people she could trust. And she was fleeing from her.
The next matches were announced next week and the theme for the first one is beef stew. With Soma against Subaru to enter the finals.
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Fubuki and Tatsumaki visited Ramiel's house and they knocked. A bit nervous due to their past experience with them.
"Ahh, hello. You finally made up?" Ramiel smiled and let them in. He then served them some tea and cakes.
"W-wow, this is amazing tea." Tatsumaki couldn't help but drink it. "Hmmm~ Such amazing sweets." Fubuki was delighted by the cakes.
"There really is something weird in Totsuki, they all cream themselves when they eat good food. But these two have pretty normal reactions." Samus recorded it in her databank and Ramiel chuckled.
"So? Why are you here?" He drank tea and observed them. "I... I want to give nee-san's power back. We had an understanding of each other like never before." Fubuki requested.
"I didn't know that Fubuki was feeling like that. And we talked about it. I also want to apologize for attacking you. Endangering a lot of people too. I was too emotional." Tatsumaki bowed and Ramiel nodded.
"I am sorry too, I was too up in my head to notice that you guys aren't really supposed to be in B rank. The association are already putting you in S." Fubuki gave a sheepish smile.
She challenged S rank heroes and thought she was really goddamned stupid. Not only were they at S rank strength, they were at the top too. Easily defeating Tatsumaki who is ranked 2.
"Hmm, I accept your apology then. But you two are going to be my underlings." He smirked at them and they agreed that it was a pretty reasonable payback.
"Then as my underlings, I need to give you a little something right? I'm very generous after all." Ramiel plunged his hand on their chests and transferred Tatsumaki's power back to her. But he also changed Fubuki's limits, expanding it slowly but surely.
Fubuki was sweating and Tatsumaki was worried, but she trusted the process. "There, train her well Tatsumaki. She'll reach your level soon." He smiled and Fubuki panted.
"Really? W-why?" Tatsumaki was surprised. "I told you, I'm really generous. Besides, with you two having the same specs, then monsters will be eradicated much faster. Meaning I get a lot more of them." He shrugged.
"N-nee-san... Am I dreaming? Did I hear that right?" Fubuki looked at Tatsumaki. "You heard right, I'll be training you to the maximum." Tatsumaki smiled at her.
"Thank you very much Ramiel!" Fubuki hugged him subconsciously and she noticed that Samus was staring at her.
"Ahhh, sorry... You're his girlfriend after all, that was rude." Fubuki apologized and blushed in embarrassment.
"Hah, it's okay. What's one or two more?" Samus sighed and shook her head. "One or two more?" Tatsumaki raised a brow and wanted an explanation.
"This guy is a philanderer. He has a harem, it's only a few for now. But I know it'll increase even further. He's that kind of guy." Samus shrugged and already accepted it from the start.
The sisters went silent and Ramiel showed their pictures, he was proud of them after all. He then sent them off with bentos just like he was doing with Saitama, they won't eat well with their work after all.
And speaking of the bald man, he was watching tv while brushing his teeth. It was about a group of terrorists that were wreaking havoc in some battle suits they stole.
They called themselves the paradisers and they were all composed of skin heads that do not want to work. They say that those who want to work will support those who do not.
"The terrorist group, paradisers are apparently targeting rich people's estates. They already laid waste to an apartment high rise. If you come across people that are skin heads, please be advised to not come near them." A news anchor reported.
"Wait a minute... Those guys are definitely stealing my look! And they are also giving us a bad rep! I'll need to take care of them." Saitama squinted his eyes and finished brushing his teeth.
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Thanks for reading everyone, ciao.