Disclaimer: I don't own Shokugeki no Soma. But I am pretty sure in some alternative timeline I do. Damn it! This doesn't make me feel better!

Author's Note:

Now... First of all, I apologize for the lack of updates lately. My second semester started and, well, you know how this happens.

Anyway, today is Friday! So I have some free time to write this!

PLEASE READ!

Before we start I would like to make an announcement:

I made the poll about a certain topic which is part of my research for the ARW classes I am taking.

I also made the interview questions for those who would like to participate. I would like to clarify that I would need your e-mail address in order to send you a consent letter. (Our professor joked that this letter means I didn't tie you to the chair and forced you to participate XD)

By the way, we were also told that we should try and come up with some companesation/reward for participants. Since I can't pay, maybe the small story/one-shot would do? Please, I hope I am not being arrogant or something but I really believe that if you take something (your time in this case), then you should give something in return.

So, if you agree to have an interview with me, I will write the small story for this fandom just for you! (Though to be honest, I have been lnging to do some request story for some time. XD.)

At the end of the chapter is my usual Manga Review! So Spoiler Alert!


No matter how many times Yukihira stepped inside the Shokugeki Arena, he always had this really overwhelming sensation wash over him. Every time he inhaled the air of the place, he felt like he could almost see all those battles that took place here. Shokugeki was truly the battle of talents and beliefs. Recipes and techniques of numerous students were clashed against each other until only one was proclaimed superior!

The audience roared in the place. Yukihira chuckled lightly. It has been so long since he heard so much noise here during his battles. When he entered the Middle School at the beginning of the second year, he was seen as nothing but the arrogant little kid who tried to reach the impossible. He must admit that it wass pretty boring now, when every time he was on the stage, almost everyone stayed silent. They were too scared of him...

"DIE!"

"Takumi-sama! Isami-sama! Kick her butt!"

"This is your doom, you transfer! DOOOOM"

Soma sweatdropped a little bit. Yeah, they were definitely not scared of the duo of girls which stepped onto the arena just now. However, the honey blonde seemed to either not notice or ignore all the screaming and threats. Soma couldn't help but smirk at this. He was on the highest row, which the majority of students didn't particularly like due to such big distance from the arena. This worked well for him right now. By his side stood Hisak, as silent and composed as always.

"Yukihira-sama, pardon my question, but why are we here?" Hisako sounded a little bit worried. The pink haired girl has always held her master's well-being as her top priority. However, Hisako also Yukihira was acting accodring to his status as one of the Elite Ten. "The VIP room was specially built for you and other Elite Ten members."

"That place has no windows..." Yukihira replied with some hint of mischief in his voice. "Just one big glass wall, which prevents you from feeling anything that is going on the arena. Of course, you can see and hear what they are doing but..." He trailed off and his smirk grew wider. He extended his arm as if he was trying to touch something in the air. "... The atmosphere of this place is something I would never miss."

Hisako looked a little bit surprised. Soma, rarely displayed, for the lack of a better word, depth in his words. Arato smiled lightly. Maybe he was finally starting to act like one of the Nakiri...

"Plus..." He turned towards her and looked at her with one of his usual smug grins. "I am pretty sure you've got some paperwork there! You were going to lock me up inside and make me do it, weren't you!"

"Soma-kun!" She rarely calls him that. Only when he pushes her a little bit too far. "You must do it by tomorrow! You can't just dump it on Eishi-senpai all the time!"

"But I did my portion when you won that Shokugeki the other day!" He defended himself. Silently, Soma cursed himself. Who knew that when she could force him to do his paperwork she could beat him so fast? He should have thought that one through better. "Plus, Rindou-senpai always does it!"

"That's not the point!"


Erina knew well that her Shokugeki would cause such reaction. Or close to this one, at least. She was not ignorant of what kind of reputation she had by this point. However, due to good experience with such sort of treatment, Nakamura knew the perfect way to deal with it. Just ignore it. Show them that you are way above them and all their remarks are nothing to you. And once she won, they would just have to grit their teeth and simmer in their hatred.

"Do you remember the plan?" Erina asked her partner. In just four days, they had to break the gap between them. No matter how talented she was, Erina was still one year behind Hitori and they had to synchronize their actions. In terms of teamwork, they were still, however, miles behind the Aldini Twins.

"Yes. Let's do this!" Hitori said with all the confidence she gathered up by now.

"Yeah..." Erina looked at the farthest row. So far away from the arena and yet...

She could feel him. No matter how strange it counded, Erina could feel the presence of the oh so hated redhead. Even not seeing his face, she could tell that his lips were curled in a smirk. Even now, with all these eyes locked on her, she could definitely feel his golden orbs concentrate on her. She smirked under her breath. He said she would have to try to survive? Now she would show him that she could do so much more than just that.

"Let's make it flashy!" She said with the will for victory in her pink eyes.


"Hmph..." Yukihira watched all four students go into full motion. Just like any other day, Isami and Takumi performed the perfect teamwork. It was no suprise though. Isami was grinning with his razor sharp teeth as he butchered his famed Mezzaluna to chop down all the vegetables until they were almost dust.

'Both are really exceptional in Italian Cuisine. It's hard to find someone with such deep understanding and sharp techniques' Yukihira thought back to his first days in Tootsuki. He remembers how he came to know the duo of Italian twins. Takumi has always been pretty hotheaded, in a good way. However, for some reason, at that time, the blonde Italian boy seemed not as interested in cooking as he is now. 'I guess, you still can't let it go, Takumi...'

Yukihira smirked at the fast and yet delicate work of the blonde chef. His every single movement of every inch of his body seemed so well planned and accurate that you would think he was perfecting this for decades. His sky blue eyes were concentrated on the noodles in front of him. But this was just what everyone but him saw. Deep inside, both young men knew that they were watching each other. Takumi was watching his rival from below, as if saying "Just wait there, Yukihira-kun. Our battle is not over yet." And yet Soma's eyes spoke something different. Noone could tell it by one look but Soma didn't expect this to happen any time soon.

What was it? Arrogance? Foolishness? Or bitter truth?

"Now let's take a look at the work of Hitori-san and Nakamura-san!" Urara announced with her cheerful andidol voice. On the signal, everyone's attention was shifted towards girls. "Wow, they are working almost as synchronized as Aldini Twins!"

The crowd seemed really shocked by this. How was that even possible? Hisako was well aware that Nakamura Erina would do something really interesting. After all, Yukihira-sama himself acknowledged her abilities. The pink-haired aide looked at her master to see, to her own surprise, that he was not smiling or grinning. Instead, he was frowning as he watched the duo work. Why did his eyes look at the ongoing as if he was disappointed?

"This is no good..." Yukihira whispered. "Looks like Nakamura-chan learnt nothing from her four days training..."


"I am almost done with the dough!" Hitori exclaimed as she checked the soft texture of food. Erina smirked and looked at the Aldini Duet. In order to prove their worth, Erina and Suna decided to go against the Italians in the most Italian dish possible. Erina looked at her partner and couldn't help but smile at the reaction of the spectators when she started their show.

The silver teppan was as clean as new when Erina dropped some butter on it. The small rectangle quickly melted all over the pan and soon started hissing. Moving just as fast, the honey blonde proceeded to pour the batter and then adding more and more ingredients. Layer after layer. Siwftly moving the pair of spatulas in her hands, the God's Tongue threw the circle of food up in the air, getting shocked exclaims from the peeple around. Moving far beyond what they could consider human speed, Erina sliced the dish in the air, making it itno pieces as she continued cooking.

"The sauce is ready!" Hitori exclaimed. "We can start!"

"Good!" Erina smiled as she put all the sliced pieces of former 'pancake' and scattered it all over the flat disc of dough. "Now, let's show them what we've got!"


"That can't be..." Some guy whispered as he finally put two and two together. "They are cooking..."

"Isn't that way too arrogant?" Random girl snarled. "I mean, using this against the Italians is just a direct challenge!"

"More like a suicide!" Someone also exclaimed. Quite happily, actually.

"They are cooking pizza..." Yukihira whispered with slight smirk. It was really a shocker. To think that they decided to go against an Italian with one of their famed dishes. Well, noone could possible argue that it was reckless thing to do. But since the theme was Fusion Cuisine, they couldn't just go and cook some national dish. The answer was evident to everyone right now. "And instead of usual toppings, they decided to make Okonomiyaki!"

"It's rather interesting." Hisako has to admit that they chose quite compatible dishes. She watched the duo work as fast and cooperated as possible. However, something was just off. When you looked at the Aldinis, you could say that despite the gap in skills the two working like one person. But Hitori and Erina's team was...

"She is dependent." Yukihira said as if he read Hisako's thoughts. His frown deepened. "While Aldini brothers cooperate with each other, combining their strengths..." He cast another glance at Erina. "Hitori depends on Erina. In fact, everything Hitori did could be done before the match. It seems that Nakamura decided to take the main part into her own hands."

Hisako looked at them once again. When she thought back to the process of cooking, she found herself able to recall everything Nakamura did but... Every action of Hitori seemed insignificant in comparison to Erina.

"They might win this battle but I know Takumi." Yukihira whispered. "He will become part of the Research Society under Hitori-senpai because that is the Shokugeki condition. But he will upstage her and make everyone there question whether she should remain the leader. And in the end..."

Yukihira seemed deep in his thought right now. The state, in which Yukihira was right now, still sent chills down her spine. Nothing could escape his eyes. One glance sent on the arean and he knew almost everything to predict the outcome. Sometimes, Hisako thought Yukihira-sama came here and just waited for his prediction to become reality.

"Everything will fall apart..." The redheaded Elite sighed. The loud signal announced about the end of time. Both teams were ready to present their dishes with Aldinis going first. They decided to go with Spaghetti alle Vongolle. But instead of using either in bianco or in rosso ways of cooking it, Aldinis preferred to combine both methods. Only one bite was more than enough to make the judges moan. Next were Nakamura and Hitori. "Well, let the show start..."


"Allow us to present our Okonomiyaki Frutti di Mare!" Hitori exclaimed with slight cheer as all three minidiscs of pizza were set in front of the judges. Erina preferred to stay silent. This would show that she needed no words to make everyone pay attention. She smiled as one by one, each judge took a bite.

"W-What is this?!" One of the judges excalimed as he kept making a bite after bite. "Every time I feel like there is an explosion of new taste in my mouth!"

"I have already tasted something similar... But it feels like there is something else in the way seafood was cooked! What's the secret?"

"We knew that facing Aldinis in Japanese/Italian Fusion wou


ld mean nothing but the absolute defeat." Erina finally spoke up making everyone around curious and alert. She smirked as she continued explaining their strategy. "That's why we decided to use one more cuisine in our mix. Seafood for pizza was made using various French techniques like Pollé in order to change the usual taste and flavour of it."

She looked up at the redheaded Elite and couldn't help but feel victorious. Erina bet Yukihira had no idea what she kept in mind. Urara-announced that it was time to hear the verdict. Oh, the honey blonde wouldn't miss it. She was going to enjoy Yukihira's expression when they received the perfecf-

"Amazing! With just one point difference!" Erina's expression changed from confident to confused. One point difference? "Hitori-san and Nakamura-san's duet defeated The Aldini Twins!"


"Just as I thought..." Yukihira chuckled as he savoured the shocked expression of Nakamura. "They decided to combine Okonomiyaki and Pizza because those were the safest things tp combine while Aldinis went further and decided to actually incorporate Italian techniques and recipes into Japanese base. She might have the God's Tongue..."

He looked at the arena once more before turning away and leaving with Hisako by his side. Deep down inside, he hoped Nakamura would go against his predictions. It was clear who was behind the recipe and methods. If it were Hitori who was planning their strategy, they would use the knowledge and principles of Fusion Cuisine instead of roughly combining two dishes together.

"... she still had a lot to learn."


"Remember this, Nakamura-san, this is not over." Erina snapped out of her thoughts as she looked at the blonde young man next to her. With his eyes burning in determination and aura of rivalry floating around, Takumi held put his hand and pointed his finger at her. "Next time we meet, Isami and I will definitely emerge victorious!"

He turned around and started walking away.

"Until then..." His voice was calm and somehow dramatic. "... hone your skills as much as you can!"

And then he tripped and fell.

The awkward silence filled the arena.

"Nii-chan, it was so lame!" Isami seemed pretty fine with defeat as he had to hold his sides wjile laughing out loud.

"Isami! Damn it! Shut up and help me!" As Takumi tried to get up from the ground, he saw someone hold the hand out in front of him. He looked up to see Erina smiling at him. Takumi prayed she didn't see him blush. "E-er... Thank you."

"Not at all," Erina smiled. She wouldn't let herself act bitter about one point given to them. She would act properly. With her eyes closed and smile on her lips, Erina turned towards Takumi. "Let's have even more Shokugekis in the future, Takumi-kun!"

"Y-You..." Takumi blushed even more. The whole fanclub of his instantly glared at Erina. "Y-You can count on this!"

As Erina walked away with Hitori-senpai constantly thanking her for help, the honey blonde couldn't help but doubt herself. With her God's Tongue, she was able to pick the best item of food from Japanese Cuisine to fuse with Italian one. She chose the ingredients and techniques. She insisted on the way they would "cooperate".

It didn't matter how thankful Hitori-senpai was...

'I am the one responsible for the one point we lost...' Erina thought grimly. And what was even worse, she was slowly starting to see that Yukihira-s words were right. Relying only on her gift was npt the way to victory. She needed to get stronger. 'I need to put more into the cooking...'

Little did Erina know that soon the First Circle of Hell would welcome her and the other first years.


OMAKE: Eizan Gets Revenge! Part1!

Deep inside one of the locker rooms in Tootsuki...

"Oh, hi there, guys!" Soma smiled at the readers as he brushed off some dust of his jacket. "You must be wondering why I am here. In the dark locker room, where Shoujo heroines usually wait for someone- Nevermind."

He quickly hid the tankobon of Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun into the bag of his and continued.

"Okay, let's start with simple truth..." Soma smiled. Several veins popped on his face. "Eizan. Is. An. Asshole. Why? If you read the previous omake, you remember that I kind of brought him and his client together... Yeah, that was fun. But apparently, Alchemist of ours didn't take the joke that well..."

FLASHBACK

It was just another day for Yukihira and Kuga. Both young men grew pretty close and now spent much time together fighting against each other and trying out their dishes on the subordinates. Fellow students respected, feared and worshipped them! But lately... Something was off.

"How many already?" Soma asked the master of Chinese Cuisine in semi-exhausted tone as yet another girl passed by them and got a nosebleed.

"25." Terunori groaned in frustration. Of course, he would be hapoy that girls were losing blood at his sight! But not knowing why was really annoying! What bothered him moee was that such effect was pbserved only when he and Yukihira were standing together! "And how many guys have given us weird looks by now?"

"Only 15, luckily." The redhead shrugges. It has been almost two days since the start of this phenomenon. What could possibly cause all of this? Yukihira couldn't understand.

"Hey, guys!" Rindou interrupted their small conversation as cheerful and energetic as always. "How is it hanging?"

"Just great!" Terunori said with sarcasm dripping from every single word. "Everyone is looking at us as if we suddenly merged together!"

"... not so far from the truth." Rindou couldn't let such opportunity slip. Unfortunately, both guys heard her.

"What was that?" Both members of the Elite Ten looked at her curiously. Rindou definitely knew something. And they were gonna get the information. One way or another. "Tell us. Now!"

"No."

"We will cook for you for week." Yukihira proposed.

"Make that three."

"Weeks?"

"Moths."

"What?!"

"So do we have a deal?"

"Alright! Three months." Both guys were eager to learn the reason they suddenly got such attention. Instead of saying anything, however, the rapsberry haired teen just pulled out the small volume of manga out of her jacket and presented its cover.

The eyes of both guys' widened and their faces paled as they recognized the characters on the cover.

FLASHBACK END

"IT WAS US!" Yukihira exclaimed in pretty bewildered and angered voice. "ME! AND KUGA! TOGETHER!"

Roaming through his bag, Yukihira showed the cover of tankobon in his hands. On it there were two guys, looking like Shoujo versions of himself and Terunori. Both guys on the cover were standing with their backs pressed against each other. Yukinori Soga (Terunori Kuga's clone) was looking somewhere far away as his hands were crossed with the rose in one of them. While Teruhira Kuma (Yukihira's duplicate) was chewing on his white and brown chocolate bar with his eyes slightly shifted to the other guy. On the cover was the writing "My Spicy Relationships!"

"That bastard pulled some strings and made the-the..." Yukihira gulped as it was to hard for any guy to say. "He got someone to write th-the... yaoi manga about us! And what's even worse! He and some of our fellow Elite Ten members decided to back up the rumours created by th-this!"

"If you are done talking to the empty space, let's start with the work already!" Kuga groaned quite pissed off by Yukihira's constant talking to some "readers", as Yukihira called the nonexistent audience. "Okay, we need to find where they publish this shi-"

"So I was saying, Yukihira-sama and Kuga-sama are not in these kind of-" The pair of girls, who were probably sent to get something from the locker room looked at the duo of guys sitting in here. The brains of girls started working in so not favourable way. "Y-Yukihira-sama and K-K-Kuga-senpai... Inside t-the dark l-locker... Close... Sitting next to each other in the dark... Waaah~!"

Both girls fainted and soon some more students gathered around.

"... Fuck." Kuga swore.

"Watch your language."

"Shut up! It's your fault to begin with!"

"Well," Yukihira smirked. "At least I am not the uke."

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up!"


I know I am Evil! Eizan's pulled quite the revenge on these two, huh. Next chapter us the start of Training Camp!

Anyway, about the chapter. I think we all knew that after Eizan's defeat, things would be different. However, I am surprised Azami didn't do anything to him. Though the humiliation from those new four guys might actually make Eizam switch sides. Who knows?

Damn, the cover was great! For some reason, I find lolis like Momo absolutely adorable!

Amd the main news of the chapter... So, we have got the face-painted sadist, girl mocker/joker, tiger-faced muscleman and the mysterious girl. I kind of like the guy with face paint. But damn, weren't those introductions amazing?! And this "Join or Be Expelled" thing by the end! I actually wanted to use it when, well, no spoilers.

Anyway, looks like Soma rubbed it on Takumi with his fighting spirit and reckless attitude. Maybe we shall see these two foght the guy with tatoo?!

Once again, thanks for sticking with this story and me!

Make sure to check out the poll and have an interview with me!