Should it be served to guests?
To be honest, Shiraki wasn't particularly worried about whether eating this dish would cause people to burp on the spot. After all, last time he brought out chemicals and no one dropped dead. Even if he added nuclear fuel to the recipe, it probably wouldn't kill anyone. However, what truly concerned him was whether he could safely exit the kitchen once this dish was revealed.
"Ding second phase of the serial quest requires passing Hitoshi Sekimori's 50-person meal assessment within one hour.
Mission reward: 500 points and one random draw."
The system's belated task notification was quickly brushed aside by Shiraki. Gazing at the 'beef set' in front of him, he fell into deep thought.
The events from a month ago in the shopping district were still fresh in his mind. Those muscular men in front of him were clearly far more intimidating than the previous students and white-collar workers. Shiraki didn't even want to imagine what would happen if they turned into ravenous "zombies." If that were to occur, even having two extra legs wouldn't help him escape if the exit was blocked.
The mere thought sent a chill down his spine. Resolutely, he placed the dish on the counter for now and entered the system mall, searching for a cooking card.
The 'beef set meal,' a C-level dish, wasn't expensive—its cooking card cost only 20 points. Preparing 50 servings would require 1,000 points. Since Shiraki had earned 600 points earlier from passing Hinako's assessment and an additional 200 from tasting the SS-level dish 'Japanese-style Tamagoyaki,' his total points stood at 2,000. Completing this task would add another 500 points, leaving him with a net expenditure of just 300 points.
Without hesitation, Shiraki exchanged 50 cooking cards for the C-grade 'beef set' from the system.
[Ding! Successfully redeemed. Remaining points: 1,000.]
With the cards in hand, Shiraki's assembly-line operation commenced. The ten minutes he had wasted earlier were quickly made up as one perfectly standard 'beef set' after another appeared at his station. The muscular men nearby began noticing the activity.
Meanwhile, the students around him were still hard at work. Hitoshi Sekimori moved between their stations, meticulously inspecting and rejecting dishes that didn't meet his high standards.
"This, this one, and the next... The portions are insufficient. Redo them!"
Sekimori's eagle-eyed scrutiny picked out even the slightest inaccuracies. Because the course involved only C-grade meals, most disqualifications were due to portion sizes rather than the quality of the dishes.
"There are still 30 left... I'm exhausted."
"My hands are so sore... How many stomachs do these people have?"
Amid the complaints, a few names of students who had completed the task were announced over the intercom.
" Soma Yukihira, 50 portions completed!"
Having finished ahead of the others, Soma waved cheerfully. "I'll head to Marui's room first. Don't forget the poker tournament later!"
Nearby, Marui Zenji, with bloodshot eyes, shouted in protest, "Don't bother! I'm going to bed early tonight!"
Back at Shiraki's station, Sekimori noticed a particular dish on the counter. It was a 'beef set' that exuded a strange aura.
"Did you prepare this 'beef set'?" Sekimori asked, his gaze fixed on the dish.
Shiraki, busy preparing the 42nd serving, glanced at him and replied nonchalantly, "That one's flawed in taste. It was just a trial. I can't serve it."
"Trial?"
Sekimori squinted at the dish. Despite its ordinary appearance, it radiated a mysterious energy that was unlike anything he had encountered before—not even his own 'masterpiece dishes' carried this kind of presence. Driven by curiosity, he picked up a pair of chopsticks and tasted the beef.
The moment the beef touched his palate, an overwhelming force surged through him.
It was as if the ground had vanished beneath his feet, leaving him plummeting into an abyss. Everything around him faded—the kitchen, the assessment, the students—everything dissolved into an endless, oppressive darkness.
"W-What's happening?!"
Sekimori's heart pounded as he flailed in the void. Suddenly, a faint red light pierced the darkness, revealing a massive, grotesque door beneath him. The dark red structure loomed, its jagged edges resembling the teeth of a ravenous beast.