Food Wars: Taste Reversal

That night, the entire dormitory knew Shiraki would face a food war—a "halberd"—against Erina's chosen representative, Mito Yumei. The notice made it clear with the bold characters: Mito Yumei.

As a first-year prodigy in meat cooking, Mito Yumei's skills were renowned throughout Totsuki Culinary Academy. Everyone in the Polar Star Dormitory had at least heard of her reputation.

However, comparing Shiraki's abilities, no one seemed particularly worried. Especially Yishihui, who, upon learning about the match, didn't pressure Shiraki to practice but instead seized the opportunity to host a raucous party in Marui Zenji's room. The group partied wildly into the night, leaving Mrs. Fumido to sigh outside. School had just started, and yet these students had already thrown countless celebrations. If this continued, she feared for the dormitory's decorum.

Still, Mrs. Fumido provided additional dishes for the party. After all, she reasoned, gatherings like these were essential for building camaraderie among the students.

Soma Yukihira, brimming with curiosity, dragged Shiraki aside before the party began. Initially confused about the situation, Soma assumed Shiraki's opponent was Erina. After some explanation from the group, he understood that Mito Yumei would be the challenger. Despite this, Soma's enthusiasm for the "halberd" rules of Totsuki Culinary Academy remained undiminished.

The dormitory residents weren't overly concerned about the halberd's outcome. Instead, their focus shifted to a peculiar detail surrounding the duel.

"So, Erina wants to convert the Sumo Hotpot Research Society's activity room into a cooking building," Ryoko Sakaki summarized with a bemused expression. "Meanwhile, Shiraki wants to transform it into a Szechuan cuisine restaurant for the Chinese Cuisine Research Society?"

Ryoko's astonishment grew as she realized Shiraki was suddenly the head of the Chinese Cuisine Research Society. "This is just bizarre," she said. Though halberds at Totsuki often had odd premises, this one set a new bar. She couldn't help but wonder what the Sumo Hotpot Research Society members thought about this strange situation.

"Who cares about the reason!" Yoshino Yuki interrupted, raising her cup of "malt juice." "This is the first halberd for someone from Polar Star Dorm this year! Shiraki, make sure you win beautifully!"

Shiraki merely waved off Yoshino's encouragement, focusing instead on tomorrow's ingredients.

After partying until late into the night, Shiraki managed to wake up on time the next morning—unlike Soma, who stayed up studying recipes. By noon, Shiraki prepared and delivered his ingredients punctually, though not without a minor mishap along the way.

Meanwhile, Polar Star Dorm continued its usual rhythm: Soma toured the activity rooms, Ryoko and Ibusaki experimented with recipes, and Yoshino chased her pets around the dormitory. No one seemed particularly anxious about the upcoming halberd.

In stark contrast, Mito Yumei was laser-focused. Rising early, she spent hours selecting the perfect outfit from her wardrobe. This was her first mission from Erina, and she was determined to crush the arrogant transfer student. The memory of Shiraki's audacious remarks at the opening ceremony still rankled her.

Finally, after much deliberation, she settled on a flame-patterned top. "This will do," she declared.

With her outfit chosen and her prized A5 beef—aged for over a month—ready for use, Mito confidently declared, "This halberd's victory is destined to be mine."

However, as fate often has its quirks, such confident declarations are the perfect setup for a dramatic turn of events.

By 2:30 PM, the venue was packed. Given the high-profile nature of this duel—both masterminds tied to the Elite Ten—the administration arranged for a large venue, though even that overflowed with spectators.

First-year students, especially those who had challenged Shiraki unsuccessfully, gathered to witness his potential downfall. Others, skeptical of Shiraki's rumored prowess, awaited his defeat at the hands of Mito Yumei.

A small group of second-year students from the Sumo Hotpot Research Society also attended. Their expressions were grim, their pride as an organization wounded. For them, the halberd's outcome didn't matter. They were furious that their cherished club had become the pawn of others' ambitions.

"We once had an Elite Ten member in our society!" one muttered bitterly. "Now we're being trampled like this?"

As the tension reached its peak, the match finally began.

— To be continued —