Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 139: Unfavorable External Conditions (Tenth Update!)

Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Unfavorable External Conditions (Tenth Update!)

After stepping off the stage and walking through the corridor,

the noise from outside was blocked out, and Si Yingshi, who had been holding back for a while, finally could speak.

"Um, Instructor Xia, are you sure you want me to compete in cooking with you?"

Xia Yu, while walking, replied, "Of course!"

"I’m not very confident in other areas, but cooking is something I won’t lose to anyone at," Si Yingshi looked at Xia Yu’s composed profile. "I can feel your confidence, and to show my respect, I’ve decided to give it my all... So, Instructor Xia, I hope you also bring out your true strength, otherwise you are going to lose badly."

With that, Si Yingshi hastened away.

Returning to the rest room, just as Xia Yu was about to sit down after closing the door, someone pushed it open.

Tiqie Helinai strode in, her blonde hair fluttering, bringing with her a fragrant breeze and standing right in front of Xia Yu, glaring at him with furrowed brows.

Xia Yu, however, was closing his eyes to rest and think about the recipe.

After a long while, Tiqie Helinai couldn’t hold back anymore and blurted out, "Why would you use this method!"

Clearly, the Divine Tongue had brains, knowing why Xia Yu had called out Si Yingshi for a challenge on stage.

It was inevitable for a chef of no renown to be questioned, but Xia Yu’s method was too extreme, directly challenging the Chief of the Ten Masters of Far Moon. If he were to lose easily, Xia Yu’s guest instructor status would be practically nullified.

"There was no other way!" Xia Yu opened his eyes.

The system pushing things along was the main reason, but upon self-reflection, Xia Yu admitted he might have seen Si Yingshi as a test of his own culinary skills.

"You don’t know how terrifying that guy is!"

Tiqie Helinai, arms crossed, appeared frustrated and paced around the room, "The General has already approved your challenge, and there will be five judges—The General, Minister Shinohara, Dojima Yin, Reiko Liangzi, and Aoki Motota!"

"You should be happy, right? Such a prestigious panel of judges!" She stopped and, unable to hold her irritation, switched back to a sarcastic tone.

"I will not lose."

Xia Yu shook his head, calm, "Even if I do lose, it won’t be disgraceful."

In fact, the system had set vague conditions for the "Far Moon Grand Stage" task—it didn’t specifically require him to initiate the duel or challenge Si Yingshi, the chief of the Ten Masters.

Nor was there a demand for victory.

The only clear requirement was to quell the doubts about his status as a guest instructor.

So, Xia Yu decided to let his abilities do the talking.

Even if he were to be defeated, he wanted to showcase his culinary level, which was also why he specifically named Si Yingshi for the challenge. The strength of his opponent would well-highlight his own culinary skills. Challenging an insignificant foe would feel pointless to Xia Yu himself.

It’s the challenge that brings out the drive!

His blood stirring inside told Xia Yu that he was very excited, very much looking forward to it!

Tiqie Helinai opened her mouth to speak, but at that moment, a knock on the door was heard, followed by a polite greeting. The Director of Yuan Yue Academy’s Food Duel Administration, Keiru Kuushou, stood outside the door, asking, "Instructor Xia, what ingredients and kitchenware does our administration need to prepare for you?"

"Just a moment."

Xia Yu fetched a white sheet of paper and, with a black water-based pen, began to write down an almost full page of ingredient lists.

Helinai, standing behind him, bit her thumb, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.

Clean mud.

And... a few lotus leaves?

What dish was he planning to make? Tiqie Helinai was full of curiosity but managed to hold back from asking.

After a while, he handed the list to Keiru Kuushou, the director of the Far Moon Food Duel Administration, and before leaving, he took a meaningful glance at Eriina who was still in the resting room, then quietly closed the door behind him.

Eriina noticed that gaze and felt uneasy inside, her cheeks inexplicably heating up.

"Hmph!"

With a soft snort, Eriina stood at the door, her lips muttering, but ultimately she didn’t say much and left through the door.

When Xia Yu heard the door close, he shook his head and continued to sit and hammer out the details of the recipes in his mind.

Using only the blue glowing recipe, he felt it was difficult to overwhelmingly defeat Shi Yingshi.

In this competition, with no topic restrictions, Shi Yingshi was sure to reveal his trump card; The blue glowing recipe was not very reliable against a formidable enemy. Now, having mastered the "Spice Inequality" culinary skill, Xia Yu had a better option.

Perfectly, he would showcase the results of his overnight culinary skill honing!

...

Half an hour later.

Xia Yu returned to the small auditorium from backstage.

As soon as he walked through the passage, a flood of hissing enveloped him.

But fortunately, with a good mentality, Xia Yu ignored those sounds; every step he took onto the stage was steady and serene.

"Go Yu!" Morioka Makki watched him from below the stage.

Tanaka Hikari felt inexplicably tense, her hands tightly clasped.

Speaking of which, Xia Yu and the people from Polar Star Dormitory were not strangers, especially those who had seen Xia Yu cook the "Spice Nine-layered Egyptian Roasted Chicken" a few nights back; they were quite familiar with him.

Yoshino Yuji glanced at Xia Yu, then looked towards the dark backstage passage, "Senior Shi Yingshi..."

Her face was full of conflict, truly unsure of whom to cheer for.

Meanwhile, Ichise Hui quietly left his seat and vanished, presumably to meet with the other Ten Masters of Far Moon.

On the auditorium stage, there were two cooking stations diagonally set up with all the necessary kitchenware.

Xia Yu’s fingers brushed over the slightly cool stainless steel surface, admiring the gleaming stoves, cast iron and flat pans, and the neatly stacked white ceramic plates, he silently praised the efficiency of Far Moon Food Duel Administration.

At that moment, Keiru Kuushou approached the stage in front of Xia Yu and apologized, "I am sorry, Instructor Xia, we couldn’t find the ’clay oven’ listed on your sheet..."

"Then, I specifically marked that I need plenty of ’yellow clay,’ did you find that?" Xia Yu asked with a slight frown.

Keiru Kuushou nodded and gestured to a few staff members below the stage, and soon, several sturdy men managed to carry a large plastic barrel onto the stage filled with semi-dried yellow clay, bright and clean.

"That will be sufficient!"

Xia Yu revealed a smile.

"Then I shall take my leave! Best of luck to you!" Keiru Kuushou exited the stage.

Suddenly, cheers erupted inside and outside of the auditorium.

With the Ten Outstanding Chief, Shi Yingshi taking the stage, like Xia Yu, he donned a pristine white chef’s uniform, yet in terms of appearance, Xia Yu couldn’t match Shi Yingshi with his silver hair and gray pupils.

Shi Yingshi seemed to be under no pressure, even waving back at several female students who screamed out to him as he got onto the stage.

Once Shi Yingshi positioned himself behind his cooking station.

"Dang—"

At the side of the stage, a timekeeper struck a hanging gong, and the host, Kawashima Reika, announced in an excited and vibrant voice, "The culinary duel between the two instructors begins now! Let’s look forward to the results in 2 hours!"