179 BLUE - Convenience Store

Up in the Heaven Keep. Anne, the short girl examiner bowed towards the book master's box and spoke: "Book Master, Saiba Alexander has passed his first Trial."

From behind the screen box, a feminine voice resounded "I see, well, Can't expect no less from the son of my Junior. What about the Owner of the Golden Tower? were you able to identify him?"

Anne shook her head "No, it is very hard to do so. We don't know anything about his physical shape so it is near impossible to identify him."

"I see...That French boy said the winner will be the Tower's owner...Pray that he didn't deceive me. fufufu~" The book master chuckled with amusement as she watched the participants of the Trials in a small tv in her box. She focused her gaze at Alexander and smiled "Did you inherit your mother's skill or not, Boy?" she whispered.

The door for the first gate was opened allowing the students who passed go through, although those who still have not submitted their dishes yet like Soma are still behind, the time limit is still not over so they still have time.

Alongside Alexander, Takumi and Alice passed too. They submitted their dishes right after him in turns. Heigoro pulled the same stunt with the gun on them as he did with Alexander.

All of the Noir Chefs passed too expect the one who tried to provoke Alexander, the poor guy was still unconscious. He probably will have a memory loss when he wakes up.

"Looks like the other groups also gathered here," Alice said as the other two doors from their left and right opened allowing new students to come in.

[Follow this path and go wait until the second Trial start.] One woman said gesturing for the path filled with torches. Everyone did what they were told and walked to their next trial. No sooner they reached the area and try were surprised to see what it contains.

"...What the hell is a convenience store doing here?!" Alexander's eyes twitched at seeing the store in front of them.

"A resting area?" Alice tilted her head.

"They said the next Trial...This is probably it." Takumi countered her claim but still, he can't understand why this is here.

"Don't tell we will work as cashiers in here?" Alexander said the one possibility that came to his mind.

"uwaa!" Alice felt disgusted "Not a far fetched thing, we did worse in Totsuki!" She said.

"Oh! a convenience store..." Soma came running from behind them after completing his task.

"Oh, Soma? you passed?" Alexander looked back at his brother.

"Hell yeah! My goal here is to fight you in the finals, I can't fall back just yet." Soma smirked. Takumi somehow gritted his teeth and flashed in front of Soma's face.

"The hell you mean I will face you in the finals?" His eyes went red like a devil "Do you think you can beat me first?! ah? say it! You just lost to me the last time we fought!! don't overestimate yourself, Brother-kun!!"

Soma was weirded out by Takumi's outburst "Let me tell you something, Brother-kun, Alexander is my eternal rival, you hear me, I am the one who will beat him in the finals!"

"uh-um, yeah, sure," Soma said with a sweatdrop. Alexander and Alice sighed and shook their heads.

'Why did they have to shout that out loud, now everyone is looking at us.' They though. Every chef who heard Takumi talking about the Finals got pissed off. Now everyone is their enemy, not that they weren't in the first place.

A moment later, a short blond-haired girl came from the store running "Alright, alright, gather round!!" she shouted.

"Oh, it's starting," Soma said and walked with everyone near the girl.

"Hurry up! the sunset finally cooled down, this damn country is hot as a star. Bring me some cold juice, hurt you, aren't you trying to affect my judging abilities." A talkative one. The girl couldn't help and shut her mouth for a second "C'mon, I have to explain the trail, And I am only doing this once." The servants around her started racing to do what she wants. She finally got her stuff and sighed while fanning her neck.

"..." Alexander looked at her together with Takumi and Alice "...Isn't this brat younger than us?" Alexander said.

"She is probably our judge for this round," Takumi added.

"A loud one at that." Alice frowned at the number of words this girl is spouting.

"Alright, open your ears and listen..." The judge for this round was a second class examiner from WGO "I am called Lanterby. Your judge. This trial is about convenience stores, as you know japan's convenience stores have an assortment of products of all shapes and sizes, this challenge will require their use..."

Alexander tilted his head not understanding. Though, he wasn't the only one.

"In short you may use any product from this store in your dish, and with them prepare for me one dish..." Lanterby smiled and crossed her legs "...The pass/fail criteria is whether or not your dish is worthy of a 100$ price tag..." Her words shocked the chefs in front of her. She laughed and enjoyed their expressions "To be fair, you will be given a handicap, each of you will have three chances and 90 minutes to work with. Well then...GET TO IT!!" She shouted waking everyone from their shock.

"W-wait? 100$"

"The hell!! a convenience store dish with a 100$ price tag?"

"Are they joking with us?!!"

Some started doubting their ears and some found it impossible as the ingredients in convenience stores are not that high to produce that kind of dish.

Alexander touched his chin and went into deep thoughts. Alice, Soma, and Takumi already got to work, for Soma, this was somehow easy, in his younger days, he used to work with ingredients he bought from the store, his dad wouldn't allow him to waste ingredients from the shop. And so was Takumi, this is was their childhood game. As for Alice, she never touched convenience stores ingredients as all her things were of high grade and from the farms. Though she wasn't an idiot to be stuck here, her intelligence will get her out of here sooner than everyone else.

'Convenience ingredients huh? if I remember correctly, I have something lie that...But it was from so long ago, I don't remember it, clearly.' Alexander thought. He sat down and tried to remember what it was.

Lanterby saw a lot of chefs still standing around, and from a distance, another patch of chefs was making its way here "Oh, Yeah, I forgot...The chefs who were given a pass for the first trial are also joining the battle." She pointed behind them. Alexander turned around to see dozen of chefs coming in.

"The previous gate was but a warm-up, this is the real deal. Go hard or go home." Lanterby laughed.

"Phew~A lot of people are here this time." A young man stood by Alexander who was still on the ground spoke. He had silver hair and silver eyes. he was wearing the normal white chef uniform with a red cloth on his neck.

Hearing the familiar voice, Alexander looked up "Hm...Whity?" he mumbled. This Whity was none other than Tsukasa Eishi.

"...?" Tsukasa looked down at the boy near his legs "...! Siba-Kun!!" Tsukasa smiled and dropped to the ground and held Alexander's hand "Thank god! Finally someone familiar!"

"Uh-um...?" Alexander froze seeing the sudden familiarity between him and Tsukasa.

"I felt scared seeing all those strangest nad especially those ones wearing face masks and makeup like clowns and tattoos...I thought for a moment that this wasn't BLUE but some illegal meeting for criminals!!" Tsukasa's nervous expression got out as he looked around like a scared puppy.

"Y-Yeah, looks like you had it, rough man," Alexander said with an awkward smile "But didn't Rindo say that you don't cook in front of people? how come you're here?" Remembering the conversation he had with Rindo in his shop at the Festival.

"That's because Rindo would drag me here with her every time. I never wanted to participate in any sort of tournament but she would give invitations to me every time." Tsukasa sighed and looked depressed "But she is not here. She called me and told me to go to BLUE and that she will be here. But when I came and called her to see where she is, she told me she is still in Russia and won't come and that I should do it alone."

Alexander chuckled previously "Aha-Ahaha...So...she tricked you?"

"Yeah~" Tsukasa sat on the ground and made circles in the ground.

Alexander felt bad for him and patted him on the shoulder "Don't worry, I am here with you." He said.

"But it is not all that bad. I actually wanted to be here anyway." Suddenly Tsukasa seemed cheerful and full of life "I still remember my loss that day...I wanted to test my limits again and see where I stand in the world. I want to get stronger so I can beat you and avenge my defeat...our defeat that day..." Tsukasa looked at Alexander with a determined expression "...Be prepared."

Alexander smiled and shook his head "Come at me anytime you want..." He and Tsukasa did a high five.

Tsukasa smiled and looked at Alexander with satisfaction. Then out of blue, Takumi stood between them and faced Tsukasa "I AM ALEXANDER'S ETERNAL RIVAL!! NOT YOU!!!" he announced again.

In front of them. Lanterby who was still sitting on her chair, had the best view for this scene, she blushed and touched her red cheeks "B-bromance?!" she mumbled.

The second Trial is about to start

-----------------------------------

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