DISCLAIMER: I don't own Shokugeki no Soma

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I was inspired to write this after reading Cat McHall's TDT Side Stories! This is just a small experiment with fanfiction for this fandom. Nothing really serious, I would say. I have looked through the fandom archive and, unluckily, haven't found many one-shot collections which wouldn't be concentarted about something. So here I am!

In this fanfic, I will write different ministories which keep popping in my head while reading manga. Sometimes stories will be comedic and light. Sometimes they will be a little bit depressive and dark. Sometimes we will explore the possible darker sides of characters! Sometimes I will try to write the possible past and future of canon characters! And from time to time it will be just one BIG crack of a fic! Completely and totally random!

By the way, sometimes I will write the ideas and pilot chapters of stories which I might start writing in the future. And in case someone likes the idea and wants to write it himself/herself, it is always welcomed as long as you tell me you are going to write it!

Today's special is...

... Void AU!

Description:

He grew too strong...

And there he stood.

At the top of the world.

Completely alone.

Yukihira Soma, the man in his late twenties, was lying on the bed in the five-star hotel where he resided for now. The lights were off. He asked noone to disturb him. The long bangs of his blood red ahir were covering his eyes, hiding the feeling of boredom and apathy from the rest of the world. It has been years since the last time he smiled. And it would be years before he did one more time.

His behavior confused many chefs of the culinary world. If they were him, so many of them thought, I would be smiling and singing during the walk every day! How can one not be happy about what life he has?! This was the mystery for them!

It is not what he wanted...

Not like this, at least.

"H-He did it..." Osaji whispered, unable to face the reality of what was happening. The people all around him seemed to be even more shocked. They were murmuring among each other, not finding strength to tear their eyes off the arena. "I-It is impossible...!"

"Are you really sure that Nakiri-san is feeling alright?" Natsume's voice sounded unsure. You coulod feel her worry in the way her voice trembled. "I-I heard he had some problems with health lately..."

"The head of the Arato family has been watching him. And he confirmed that Nakiri-san is in his best shape..." Shingo spoke. It has been so long since he found himself at a loss for the words. His years of experience in decribing whatever he felt seemed to have vanished completely at the sight of the battle. The only thing he had on his mind was "Impossible".

"Then how?!" Taki hasn't felt so much shock in so many years. She couldn't help but feel the suffocating atmosphere of what they have just witnessed. She pointed at the giant screen with the score of the Shokugeki. "How is this possible?!"

Nakiri Senzaemon vs Yukihira Soma

0 - 3

He should have screamed at the heavens in the astonishment! That day, he should have felt himself at the top of the world! He was at the top of the culinary world now! Then why? Why did he feel so empty from inside?

"Among other news, Nakiri Senzaemon, the head of the NAkiri group and the Director of the Tootsuki Academy, had officially announced about his retirement..." The TV screen was the only source of light here. But it only made Soma feel worse as he watched the news. "He confirmed the recent rumours during the fundraising ball from the Nakiri International. It is still unknown who is going to become the heir to the multibillion empire of gourmets. The majority believes that his granddaughter, Nakiri Erina will take over the corporation but some sources claim that Nakiri-san decided to appoint none other than Yukihi-"

He turned it off. He couldn't bear to listen! It was even funny. He should be hopping around, happy that he is one of the potential chefs to become the head of the empire of gourmets. But he was not.

Yukihira Soma has always lived for the challenge. Fighting and learning! Becoming better with each defeat and failure!

This is what his life as a chef was about! And he was truly happy with it!

It seems that the Fate had other plans for him.

After he graduated from Tootsuki as the Second Seat, even then Soma could feel that something was wrong. He failed to make Erina say his cooking was delicious. And he failed to find the special someone whom he would cook for. These two small details became the force which would push him during the years that followed.

Soma found himself following in his father's footsteps. He left Japan and travelled around the world. As if he was trying to fill the void that special someone should have filled, Yukihira spent every single second he had learning about the vast culinary world. The recipes, the combinations, the techniques! All of them were supposed to make him feel satisifed at some point! Or so the professionals of the gourmet food world thought...

Yukihira Soma was insatiable. No matter how much time hw ould spend perfecting the skill, the redheaded chef would smile at the failure and master the technique flawlessly. And while in the eyes of his former classmates and friends, it was amazing how quickly he was growing as the chef, the tycoons of the food industry saw something else entirely.

It was not rare to see the genius go forward and take over whatever he could. Shinomiya, Dojima and even Nakamura showed this trait. They would go ahead and show the world what they could do. But eventually each one of them would slow down, controlling their ambitions. This was how the world worked. They knew their limits. Everyone knew that even the most talented chefs would eventually stop the mad pace of theirs and concentrate on some certain goal.

But Yukihira was not one fo those. In the eyes of the elite of the cooking world, he was the monster. The uncontrollable force of nature! He wouldn't stop at a certain cusine! He wouldn't go after a position in some restaurant or seek the medal or prize! He was just devouring everything on his way.

And then at some point he stopped. One day, Yukihira Soma just woke up and tried to think fo some technique he was going to learn next. He spent the following week trying to come up with one. On the seventh day of his small reclusion, the young chef spent all the time he had on using whatever he learned. And that was the moment when he realized something both shocking and terrifying...

He had nothing to learn.

The brief excitement was replaced by the feeling of unease. He never thougt what he would do after learning everything. Heck, he didn't expect to learn everything by this point. Soma could feel his insides twist slightly at the thought of stagnation. He wouldn't let himself do the same mistake SHinomiya-senpai did. He was going to find the other way!

One year after, the series of Shokugekis, now known in the culinary world as the "Cuisine Quest", took place. If before, the day didn't go without Yukihira's name mentioned in the culinary world, then you could practically see and hear and feel Yukihira Soma's presence in each corner of the gourmet world. He would ask the most famous and talented chefs to have Shokugeki with him. And they would agree.

Watching those battles was something akin to watching the rebirth of the phoenix. At first, it would take Soma weeks before he could go on par with his opponents. But soon, Yukihira would need only a day or less to completely defeat the chef who went against him. It was like his limitations on the growth have been destroyed! And soon the world of gourmets started to fear him.

Once he fought you, it felt like he looked into your soul. Those who fought against him often described the first fight with Yukihira as the "training" and "observation" for the redhead. He was giving his best, of course. But during the whole cooking, they couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched! As if Yukihira could see though their bodies and right into their souls...

"He is not a human, Dojima-dono..." The sous chef said as he sweated in fear. "He... He is the monster... The True Demon..."

Just like the starved predator, Soma would go up against the best of the alumnis of Tootsuki. They were getting stronger and stronger with each of his step. And every single defeat seemed to strengthen Yukihira even more. That was until he went against Dojima Gin and his own father.

He has been waiting for the day he would go against his own dad in battle. But he never dreamed of havng the triple Shokugeki with him and Dojima-senpai. Yukihira could feel his whole being tingle in excitement. He would finally show how much he has grown to his old man. WIth one swift movemnt of his hand, the white clothe was tied around his forehead. The battle started!

"Yukihira-san," the voice of his assistant spoke in her usual worried and excited tone. She was his fan and has been looking up to him ever since enrolling in Tootsuki. Or so she said. Yukihira has grown to ignore such things. "you have received the call from the board of directors of Tootsuki International! What should I tell them?"

"Ah, I am not sure." His voice was filled with boredom. Something he has got used to by now. Why would they want to talk to him? To offer the position in the company? Or something like that. When did he stop caring about this stuff? "Just tell them that I am asleep."

"The one who is calling is Nakirir Erina..." The secretary whispered in slight fear. She didn't want to mess with Erina. Npbody wanted to.

"Nakiri Erina?" He asked in slight surprise. He hasn't heard a word from her ever since he defeated her in Shokugeki for the First Seat. "I will answer. Please, conncet us."

"So you want me to..." Soma trailed off confused.

"... become the next director of Tootsuki." Erina sighed. "It was in my grandfather's will that the man who defeated him with the perfect score should be appointed the next headmaster. The will was also signed by every single Elite Ten member who is still alive. This makes this decision impossible to overrule. Even if the current Elite Ten decides against it."

"And if I say no?" The cold in his voice was enough to freeze the Hell ten times over. "Don't get me wrong, I ahve only good memories about te academy but... I fail to see why I should."

"... Tootsuki will be closed down." She said that so calm and yet you could feel how she hated the situation right now. "No alternatives. Now, Yukihira Soma, will you have enough courage to leave the place you have only good memories about?"

Soma knew that he was now in a trap. He would never allow this to happen. He would never disregard years people before him spent there. And yet, despite being practically forced into the position...

Why do I get the feeling I am will enjoy it?