84 1-The Final
Fuck, I shouldn't have underestimated the finals round, it was hard to write with so many things happening that I NEED to write about.
This chapter is 14400 characters long. Enjoy
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Please forgive my mistakesđ
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[Just like you, I cannot wait for the final to start...but before that, we must prepare.] Senzaemon took the stage, his heart is beating so fast as that time of the year arrived again [First, please welcome the contestants, Nakiri Alice and Saiba Alexander...]
The crowd cheered as Alexander and Alice walked to the stage and took their stations, Alexander brought out a small box that he had his fish completely preserved, he brought out the Tuna part as the light shined on it making it look like it is glowing "Nice..." He said. Then Alice popped out from behind him
"Oh! That's pretty good considering you got that one 2 days ago." She said with a smirk making Alexander frown
"You making fun of me?" He asked with a sharp tone
"Of course not...maybe a little..." She said as she backed up
"Then show me yours," Alexander demanded
"Your wish is an order." Alice bowed and dragged Alexander to her station
Senzaemon watched as the two pulled out a heavy box from the floor to Alice's station
'Hm...their relationship is not awkward...' Senzaemon has been observing the two for a long time, he even checked their relationship with the 2nd seat and he found it going smoothly, maybe due to how their personalities clash with each other, but he was sure that it due to how each of the three handled the relationship and what they want from it.
"What are you looking here? Kraken?" Alexander managed to lift the heavy box with a little help from Alice
"Nah! It's only heavy because of all of the heavy metals and the 4 cold engines its made of." Alice typed a 4 digit code on the box's screen, and with a hissing sound and a little of cold smoke, the box was opened to reveal a fresh Salmon
"This looks like it's just out of the water!" Alexander was amazed, he looked at box more intensely now knowing that it had a hand in this
"Indeed, with this machine, I was able to save 97â of the salmon original freshness, how about yours?" Alice asked with a giant grin
"94â ..." Alexander responded
As the couple engaged in a heated debate, Senzaemon looked at Doujima and both nodded at each other
[It is time, ladies and gentlemen... Please welcome our three judges for tonight's event!!]
Following his words, a gate was opened, the arena fell into silence as they could hear the sound of shoes hitting the floor
From the gate, a woman ascended to the right stage of the judges. The crowd was captivated by her beauty, she had a snow-white hair, the light hit her hair and made it look angelic, her blood eyes glowed under the light, a faint smile was hanging on her lips
"Mother...?" Alice tilted her head in confusion, she did not hear about any of this
Alexander's eyes looked at the mature women in front of him then he looked at his fiancée. He sighed and tapped her shoulder
"What...?" Alice asked
"You better grow up like that." With all seriousness, Alexander wasn't ashamed to admit that he has hopes that Alice will become just like her mother someday
"So beautiful!!" Said a man with his mustache hanging low
"Is that an angel?!" Another one commented
[Through the generations, Totsuki's multiple departments' heads will take turns to be judges in the autumn election's finals. This woman here is the head of the research department, Nakiri Leonora!!!"]
At Senzaemon's words, the crowd erupted in cheers "dude!! That's the Queen of the kitchen!!!" One student screamed
"For fuck sake, I realized that!!!"
"Leonora-sama!! I love you!!" One girl screamed
Soon, people started calling Leanora's name just for her to turn and wave at them and kill them with her smile
[Next is...Doujima Gin! Our tourism department's head!] Doujima too had his fair share of fans but he was already here, so no much shock was present but that didn't mean he was of no importance
[In the natural circumstances, I would be the 3rd judge as Totsuki's academy director...but I decided to step down and let another one take my place...] Instead of naming that someone, Senzaemon pointed at another gate opposite to where Leanora came from.
From there, a black silhouette walked forward, dark as night hair, red-blood eyes like the grim reaper, a dark long dress, a silver necklace shaped like a cloud. A single woman walked to the high stage of the judges, her sole presence spreads awe and fear
"C-c-can it be?!!!" Be student asked
"No way!!!" Another screamed
At the businessmen area, one man with glasses wiped them clean, but he wasn't wrong, what his eyes are seeing is true
"Mother...?" Alexander asked. Now that's something he wasn't expecting. So that's why she wasn't around the company for the past few days, she was preparing for this, he thought
"I must have spent all my Karma for this moment!!" One first-year started crying from joy "It is really her...it's the GodMother!!!"
"As always, she has a formidable presence!" One man commented
"Axy!!!" Leonora dashed with her purple dress at Alexandra with little tears in her eyes, she went for a hug but a delicate hand met her face stopping her in her tracks
"The hell is wrong with you?" Alexandra frowned at her old friend, she is still as childish as back then
"I missed you too." Leonora was finally able to escape Alexandra's grip and hugged her tightly "So unfair, you never visit me! How could you do this to me!" Her crystal tears made the audience feel sad, but Alexandra wasn't fooled
"You better stop grabbing my boobs or I am going to smack the white shit out of you." Alexandra's dark aura resurfaced again sending chills to Leonora as she backed up with a foxy smile
[*Cough*...] Senzaemon faked clearing his throat to bring the audience's attention away from the two who were about to cause a scene [Now that everything is set in place and the judges are here, please let us start this final... ] With a snap of his finger, the ceiling started splitting in half as a white clear moon stared inching towards the center of the arena a little by little
[When the moon fully appears above us, the match will start, and then its end will be the same with the moon fully disappearing from above us.]
Alexander and Alice looked up at the almost fully appearing moon as it inched closer and closer to signal their match's beginning
The crowd looked with awe and patience until the moon fully appeared.
And with a loud booming sound, the match started, both Alexander and Alice went to their stations and started cooking. But they didn't rush, sushi is a very delicate dish that needs to be made with patience and calmness like the deepest parts of the ocean
Alexandra looked at her son and soon to be daughter in law "So...do you still complain after seeing this?" She gave a side look at her friend and smirked
"Your son is good with women and Alice loves him. In normal circumstances, I wouldn't have agreed to the marriage if Alice wasn't gonna be sad." With a little sigh, Leonora responded to Alexandra
"Hahaha, that's why I suggested that in the first place."
Doujima who was standing beside the two didn't seem interested in their conversation. But in fact, he was just too scared. The two beside him were his senpais, the last time he was in the same space with them resulted in his long two years of suffering under them like a little servant. So, he decided to be smarter and avoid them as hard as he can.
While this is going on, Alice Removed the skin from the fresh Salmon Fillets and sliced them in 6-8mm thickness. Her hands' movements were not stiff or anything, like the flow of water, her hands moved in a controlled speed and smoothness that can put any top tier chef to shame. She cut the Smoked Salmon into its right size.
She Made small Sushi Rice balls and placed a small amount of Wasabi on top, then covered them with the Salmon slices.
She then very quickly brought out a small machine that looks like a box, she opened it and placed the pieces inside it.
"Ooh, what kind of machine is that?!" A student jumped with curiosity
"I don't know, I've never seen such a thing before." His friend responded
'The best way is to cook one side on a non-stick grill pan, but with this machine here...Who needs such inferior thing.' Alice smirked as she making her best to not lose focus, she needs to stop coking at the right moment.
She brushed the Salmon with some 'Tare'
As for Alexander, he was busy with something else that is anything but cooking. In his hand, he was holding a needle that he was injecting his square-shaped Tuna parts
'That's right...get in there' Alexander was very focused. He didn't want to mess up right now, there is not enough time.
"What the hell is he doing?!" Asked the same one from before
"Who knows, shut up and let me watch." His friend responded with irritation this time. He sounds like a little kid with all that shouting
The moon is almost halfway through. He needs to finish injecting the red liquid thing in his tuna parts soon.
Finally being done with that, he sighed and smiled, he slapped the parts lightly "That will make sure that your flavor is more than of a Tuna." He said
He then moved to his next step. Alexander combined the tuna parts with mayonnaise and seasoned them with salt and pepper. Cut the apples he had ready in a bunny shape.
He then took the rice that was already being cooked and divided it equally, he placed on each part a tuna and made sure they stuck together.
Then he brought out a Nori sheet and rolled them in it.
Being at the end of his cooking, Alexander brought out a glass of specially prepared soy sauce, unlike the topical ones, this one was prepared for this single dish.
At the previous judges' area, each one was focusing on one student, either Alice or Alexander. But Koujiro was gluing his eyes on Alexander. He watched how he was cooking intensively, but even then, he wasn't able to see everything Alexander made.
Senzaemon was smirking from ear to ear, the two different aroma's clashed near him making him feel very proud that such aroma came from two of Totsuki's students. His feeling was shared with Doujima too.
Alexandra and Leonard were getting pretty bored since the match started, but once Alexander took out that needle, the two had a hint of interest but not too much. Both of them are one of the most powerful chefs in the world and the highest-paid on top of that, something that can shock them rarely comes by.
Soon, the moon started to disappear from the ceiling's view.
[That is enough!!!] Senzaemon shouted as hard as he can, his words made Alexander and Alice put down their hands [Both of you have finished their dish, both of you will serve and the judge will take a turn to taste each dish.]
Senzaemon ordered Alexander and Alice to put their dish for the judges to taste. Both walked and presented each judge with a sample of their dish.
"Finally, you brat! What were you doing to that poor fish, did she have STDs or what?" Alexandra said with an annoyed face
"Shut up will you, I did some work here and here you're making fun of me?" Alexander responded with the same tone.
"Well, well, well, if it is not the cute little Alexy!" Leonora said with a gentle but yet a cold voice making Alexander feel chills
"Mom, look at what I made!!" Alice distracted her mother for Alexander as Leonora went to see her daughter's dish.
[Please start the tasting.] Senzaemon's face darkened as he saw the judging area turned into a family argument
"Yes. That is right, let us proceed to taste. Isn't that right." Doujima said nervously, but he was faced with the bloody eyes of Leonora and Alexandra
"Right..." Alexandra looked at Doujima "...let's do just that." Her words sent chills down Doujima's spine
The judges decided to start with Alexander's dish
The three took the tuna parts on the top of the rice and wrapped in a nori sheet.
With a mere bite, their teeth sank in it like butter, a sweet flavor spread in their mouths.
The three felt like they were dipping themselves in the lake of honey.
Alexander and Leonora and Doujima couldn't resist the sweetness of it.
'Is this even Sushi anymore?!!' Doujima thought as he finished his sample very quickly.
"Mmm!!! So sweet!" Leonora said with a light blush "This flavor is a mixture of the sweetness of the Tuna and another mysterious sweet liquid that Tuna parts were dipped in for a short while just enough so the tuna can absorb the sweetness of it while the excess liquid is left to evaporate with th heat of the cooking...."
Leonora broke into her long speech of how good the dish in.
Alexandra felt headache hearing the long explanation 'I forgot she had that bad habit. '
Doujima looked at Alexander who was sitting on his chair 'you are really something else, injecting the fish with that sweet liquid is never heard of before.'
"Now for my cute little daughter!" Leonora picked her daughter's Grilled Salmon Nigiri and took a bite, immediately her face turned red.
Alexandra and Doujima too couldn't help but feel the hotness in their tongue
"So hot, but so delicious!!" Doujima said as he could feel his tongue burning but as if acting as a cooling machine, the rice was making him feel comfortable after his tongue felt the hotness of the Salmon
The three judges felt as if they are in near a volcano
Alive smiled as she saw her hard work paying off
She looked at Alexander behind her who was leaning on the kitchen table while watching the judges taste their dishes 'This time...this time at least I will prove myself' her determination was very strong, she wants to reach a certain place, but it is far away so she can't waste time anymore.
[Have the judges finished tasting the dishes??] Asked Senzaemon, he didn't want to waste any time. Doujima, Leonora, and Alexandra cleaned their mouths and nodded [Then please give us your decision!] Senzaemon's words are reflecting everyone's mental state right now, they all want to know who won, they all can't wait for the winner to be announced.
Alexandra, Doujima, Leonora looked between the two, both dishes were amazing but only one will be the winner
They took their boards and wrote the name of the winner. Alice held her breath and she hoped...she hoped
Nakiri Alice : 0 Votes
Saiba Alexander : 3 votes
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