(Please add it to your Library! Please send Power Stones! Thank you!)
In the kitchen, Sōma, despite the chaos, seemed surprisingly cheerful.
"I'm the captain! So, this time, you should listen to me."
"When did you become captain? What you're doing is completely wrong!" retorted Ryō Kurokiba.
"Are you serious right now?" interjected Akira Hayama, the frustration clear in his voice.
As the three continued their bickering, Sui and the others stood by, feeling utterly speechless.
"Maybe our expectations of them were too high," Sui thought, sighing internally. He had assumed that with Akira on their team, they'd make quick progress. But one glance at the disorganized kitchen, along with the untouched bear meat lying on the floor, made it obvious that they had spent most of their time arguing.
Sui rubbed his temples, realizing that there were too many problems with this grouping.
"Soma-kun, what on earth are you doing?" Megumi asked, forcing a smile despite the awkwardness.
"Ah, nothing! Just having a friendly debate!" Sōma quickly separated himself from the scuffle, grinning awkwardly.
"Is 'this' how you debate?" Erina asked, her voice tinged with exasperation. "If you can't settle things, maybe we should reassign the teams."
"No need for that! We've got a great relationship here, don't we, Ryō?" Soma said, trying to downplay the situation.
"Of course! This is all part of our process!" Ryō added, even as he pulled on Akira's hair, while Hayama stepped on Soma's feet in retaliation. Despite the chaos, all three smiled, as if to say, 'We're totally fine—just good friends.'
"...Right. In that case, I suggest you start focusing on the bear meat. If you fail, it'll affect all of us," Erina said with a weary sigh.
"Don't worry, we'll sort it out soon," Soma said, though he tightened his grip on Ryō's shirt as he spoke.
Ryō, feeling the pressure, instinctively stepped harder on Soma's feet, causing him to wince.
"You guys go on ahead. We'll continue 'discussing' our dish," Sōma urged.
Sui and the rest exchanged looks, but decided it was best to leave the bickering trio to their own devices.
"If you need any taste-testing done, just let us know," Sui said before they left.
As they headed out, they bumped into Eishi, Rindō, and the others, who had just finished their own experiments in the kitchen. They decided to head to the dining hall together for a meal.
"So, Rindō-senpai, what dish are you planning to make?" Sui asked, intrigued by what the exotic ingredients expert had up her sleeve.
"I'm not telling!" Rindo replied with a mischievous grin, but then her expression softened. "However, if you bring me another loaf of that delicious pear bread, I might spill the beans—even about Eishi's dish!"
Sui sighed. Sure enough, Rindo still hadn't gotten over her obsession with the pear bread from before.
Seeing how quickly a member of his team was tempted by bread, Eishi smiled helplessly.
"So, what are you planning to make, Sui?" Kuga asked, inching closer out of curiosity.
"Bear Stroganina," Sui said straightforwardly.
"Ohh! That's unexpected," Kuga said, surprised.
"Bear Stroganina, a Russian dish huh. Maybe we can discuss techniques after the exam since we can't do it while on exam, Sui," Eishi added, clearly intrigued.
"Sure, after the exam," Sui agreed. Eishi was right—they couldn't afford to break exam rules, which prohibited cross-grade discussions.
After dinner, the group received some surprising news from Dojima Gin.
"The exam standards have changed," he informed them.
"The exam rules changed?" Megumi asked, her face paling.
"Yes. As you know, Totsuki is the only institution in Japan that raises bears, and every year, important guests from around the world visit to sample bear meat dishes. This year, a group of distinguished guests will be arriving in a few days. The new standard for passing your exam is to gain their approval with your dish."
Dojima Gin's words sent a wave of anxiety through the first year group.
"Let me remind you—failing this exam not only means expulsion, but it could also damage Totsuki's reputation."
Upon hearing the updated standards, Megumi looked like she might faint. Wasn't it too much to expect students who had only recently been introduced to bear meat to create dishes that would satisfy such discerning palates?
Meanwhile, Eishi and the other experienced chefs remained calm. They were clearly used to the pressure of such high stakes.
"Sui, I look forward to competing with you on exam day," Eishi said with a friendly smile.
Sui returned the smile. "No problem. But I won't lose."
After the meal, everyone parted ways to resume studying and experimenting with the challenging ingredient. Bear meat was notoriously difficult to cook, and with such important guests to impress, even the top chefs were taking the task seriously.
Back in the kitchen, Sui continued refining various Bear Stroganina cooking methods, testing each one and discussing the pros and cons with Erina. Together, they worked to create the perfect dish.
Meanwhile, next door, Soma and his team were still locked in heated arguments. No one was willing to compromise, and the chaos only grew. Even when Sui and Erina were invited to help with taste-testing, the trio quickly resumed their bickering afterward.
Sui and the others couldn't help but worry—could they really pull everything together before the exam?
Three days flew by, and soon the final exam day arrived.
"Sui, do you think we'll be okay?" Megumi asked, her face filled with concern. She had an adorable but worried expression as they prepared for the high-stakes day ahead.