Chapter 72

"Squirrel Mandarin Fish? Would squirrel and fish be delicious together?" Kushina expressed her doubts.

"It's probably not that squirrels and fish are cooked together. Maybe it's just that the finished dishes look like squirrels," Minato said after washing the dishes. Since he hadn't even washed a squirrel, there shouldn't be any in the dish.

"Minato is right; there is no squirrel in this dish," Makoto explained after washing the scaled and gutted fish.

Squirrel Mandarin Fish is a classic Suzhou cuisine dish, known for its exquisite presentation and delicious flavors.

Makoto had watched many videos of this dish in his previous life and had attempted it once himself. However, due to his poor knife skills, his attempts fell short of replicating the original dish's appearance.

But now, armed with his chef skills, Makoto visualized the entire dish in his mind, even though he hadn't started preparing it yet.

First, Makoto used a knife to remove the fish bones along the back, leaving about 1 cm of backbone at the tail. He then turned the fish skin-side down and made diagonal cuts to create flower-like patterns, ensuring the knife reached as deep as the meat—four out of five times.

This step was crucial, as any mistake would jeopardize the final appearance of the dish.

With the divine blessings of his culinary skills, Makoto flawlessly recreated the Squirrel Mandarin Fish from his memories. The golden, crispy fish meat resembled a squirrel, and it was drizzled with the prepared sweet and sour sauce. It not only looked beautiful but also filled the air with a delightful fragrance.

"Huh? How did the fish transform while I was chatting with Minato?" Kushina gazed at the Squirrel Mandarin Fish on the dining table in astonishment.

It was safe to say she had never seen such an exquisitely presented dish before. In her experience, the primary concern with food was satisfying hunger, followed by delicious taste.

Minato stood up and approached the dining table to get a closer look at the freshly cooked Squirrel Mandarin Fish. He, too, was taken aback by the dish's beauty.

"This is the first time I've appreciated the appearance of a dish," Minato complimented. Makoto's Squirrel Mandarin Fish was a visual delight.

"Don't just admire it; give it a try," Makoto urged with a smile.

Kushina and Minato needed no further invitation. They picked up their chopsticks and sampled a piece of the fish each.

Upon taking a bite, Minato first savored the sweet and sour flavors, followed by the delightful contrast of the crispy exterior and tender interior of the fish. The sweet and sour notes permeated the fish, making it a truly appetizing dish.

"No, one of us, either Minato or I, must learn to cook this dish!" Kushina declared seriously after finishing her meal.

Although she still had a strong preference for Braised Pork, the addition of Squirrel Mandarin Fish won many extra points in her book.

"No problem, I'll teach you," Makoto agreed with a smile.

"But be prepared; this dish is more challenging than Braised Pork," Makoto cautioned. "When it comes to pork belly, you don't need to worry much about its appearance; if you follow the steps correctly, the final product won't turn out too bad. But Squirrel Mandarin Fish is different—the appearance is crucial, and a mistake there can spell failure."

"I don't believe this dish could be more challenging than advanced sealing techniques," Kushina expressed confidence in herself and Minato.

"Makoto, how far have you come with the three-finger seal? Have you encountered any difficulties?" Minato inquired about Makoto's progress with the three-finger seal.

"It feels much more challenging than the one-finger seal. I've been practicing for ten days, and I'm still struggling to grasp it," Makoto sighed.

While he completed it in six days, Kushina estimated it would take him a month, and Makoto planned to claim it took him twenty-seven days.

Makoto then discussed the challenges he encountered on the first day as if he was a newcomer eager to learn.

Kushina and Minato enthusiastically shared their insights with Makoto. Makoto made the most of this opportunity, not only asking questions regarding his practice progress but also seeking clarity on sealing techniques he genuinely struggled to understand.

With Minato and Kushina, two sealing technique masters, helping to solve the mysteries, Makoto gained valuable knowledge, realizing that his culinary skills were well-suited for the friendship plan. Without these skills, progress would have been significantly slower.

Two days after the final exam, Kotetsu arranged to meet with Kamizuki Izumo and Anko to check their results.

The trio gathered at the designated location and headed to school together.

"I ranked second in actual combat once again. If my theoretical score is better, I can negotiate for more rewards from Teacher Makoto," Anko announced jubilantly.

"Anko, you thought the exam questions were quite straightforward when you finished, right? You must have scored high," Kotetsu speculated with a smile.

"Yes, we're in a tight spot. We weren't sure about many questions," Kamizuki Izumo admitted with a glum expression.

"It's all right. I'll treat you to breakfast once we know our results," Anko promised with a flourish.

"Anko, is that a genuine promise?" Kotetsu asked hopefully.

"When have I ever lied to you?" Anko retorted with her hands on her hips.

Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo exchanged glances and shook their heads, pondering who could be fooled by Anko.

As they neared the school, Anko recalled something, fixed a suspicious gaze on the two, and inquired, "Are you doing the same thing as last time? Are you tricking me into believing that you didn't perform well this time?"

"No, I just got lucky last time," Kotetsu denied.

"Same here, we probably won't be so lucky this time," Kamizuki Izumo sighed.

For the final exam, students could either check their results on the bulletin board or receive their test papers directly in the classroom. The trio opted to return to their classroom, where Makoto had already distributed the test papers.

They greeted Makoto, then returned to their seats to examine their results.

"Why do I have only seventy-eight points, two fewer than last time?" Anko wondered aloud, her expectations of scoring around eighty-seven points dashed.

"Izumo. Kotetsu. How much did you score?" Anko asked,

"I seem to have had some good luck this time. I scored slightly higher than you," Kotetsu responded with a smile, placing his paper face-down on his desk.

"Me too, I scored a bit higher than Anko," Kamizuki Izumo chimed in, smiling at his results.

"A bit higher?" Anko exclaimed, snatching their test papers away.

"Do you think a hundred is slightly better than seventy-eight?" Anko inquired calmly, her voice carrying a soothing tone,

"Kotetsu scored a hundred?"

"Izumo scored a hundred?" Both Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo looked astounded. They had promised not to review but had still achieved perfect scores. How was that possible?

"Izumo, you sneak! Were you fibbing to me two weeks before the exam, secretly studying instead of gaming?" Kotetsu accused.

Kamizuki Izumo shot back, "Kotetsu, you're no different! You claimed you were just reading novels, yet you were slyly studying."

"..." Anko looked at them in blankly, realizing these two had claimed they wouldn't review but had been studying behind her back.

Anko's wrath reached a boiling point. Her eyes were now mere slits, and her fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white. With a blood-curdling scream, she lunged at them with a murderous glint in her eyes.

"You two tricked me and made me suffer! You owe me breakfast now, but I'll be gracious enough to punch you first!" Anko said calmly, and her punches landed with gentle precision. The room was filled with the sound of pleasure smacks and moaning yelps as she unleashed her warm wrath upon the unsuspecting duo.

Observing the spirited trio, Makoto smiled and focused on the reward notification in the system. He felt that this final outcome had been truly rewarding.