Azami’s Thoughts
Slurp, slurp.
As Azami slurped the noodles, he felt like a starry sky unfolded before him. A meteor, bright with sparks, zoomed by, followed by an endless stream of shooting stars cutting through the dark night sky, giving him a light and ethereal feeling.
At that moment, Azami couldn't hold back any longer. He began to chase the shooting stars in the brilliant starry sky. As he did, a glowing silver river, the Milky Way, appeared!
"The Milky Way? I actually saw the Milky Way?"
In the real world, having just finished the Galaxy Noodles, Azami stood up and exclaimed.
...
He was astounded.
The reason for his shock was that he never imagined that noodles made with squid ink and pearl powder could taste so incredible.
He was stunned, looking at Zane, who was busy with other dishes.
To be honest, he never thought he would be so captivated by Zane's Galaxy Noodles. Azami despised common food made by common chefs with common ingredients. But now, a simple bowl of noodles had conquered him!
"Don't waste the remaining broth," Zane reminded him calmly.
"Broth?" Azami was taken aback. Realizing that the once dark, ink-filled bowl was now empty, he picked it up and drank the soup.
Upon tasting the inky broth, Azami's face lit up with delight. His body felt warm, as if he was floating.
"Beef leg bones, Sichuan pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, saffron... and some unidentified spice?" Azami muttered as he savored the broth.
"I see!"
"To make flavorful squid ink noodles, you must blend the spices into the dough itself. The black squid ink must mix perfectly with the dough, giving the noodles a deep-sea aroma."
"Fresh, new, salty, elastic, rich, fragrant, smooth..."
"These words might sound pretentious, but calling it 'springy' is the highest praise!"
Azami's eyes locked onto Zane again.
...
"Your name is Zane, right?"
"Hisako once told me there's a chef who could satisfy Erina. I didn't believe it, but now I see it must be you."
"Ha! It's not just Erina."
Zane shrugged and smiled.
"What do you mean?"
Azami pondered, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the table, then realizing what Zane meant.
"I underestimated you. This bowl of squid ink noodles is extraordinary."
"Haha, I never thought I, Azami Nakiri, would taste something better than Joichiro's cooking."
Azami laughed, a smile spreading across his face. His laugh expressed his regret over Joichiro's life, his dissatisfaction with the culinary world, and his determination to reform Totsuki Academy.
Maybe now, he could let go a little.
...
To Azami, Joichiro was the most respected senior. He had always admired Joichiro's strength and tried to follow in his footsteps. But when his idol gave up, he felt anger and despair.
However, Zane's Galaxy Noodles had reignited a spark of hope in him.
"Your cooking is impressive."
"I've seen countless excellent dishes and chefs who devoted their lives to their beliefs."
"But only your cooking has truly earned my respect!"
Azami said sincerely. Erina, hearing her father's words, trembled with joy and excitement. She couldn't believe it—Zane's cooking had won her father over!
...
"Would you join me in a partnership?"
"With your skills and my resources, we could revolutionize the culinary world!"
"I refuse."
Zane immediately declined. "I'm only interested in running my tavern."
"Refuse?"
"No, you can't refuse."
"If your talent is wasted on lowly dishes in a small tavern, it would be a tragedy for the culinary world!"
Azami panicked. He knew how important Zane was.
"Gastronomy is about pursuing excellence, distinguishing between high and low, like art. This truth should be clear to you."
...
"To me, the most important aspect of cooking is public recognition."
"If only a few authorities judge and bestow titles, it loses its essence."
"You're dissatisfied with the culinary world because everyone chases honors and status, forgetting that a chef's essence is to create enjoyable food."
Zane explained.
"Hmm?"
Azami was taken aback. The conversation made him realize the issues in the culinary world. But he was more amazed by Zane's mature outlook at such a young age.
He then looked deeply at Erina, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
...
"Erina, you've found a dependable friend!"
He finally sighed.
"Father, stop this."
"Zane's cooking has freed me from the pain of the God's Tongue. Nothing is worth you continuing like this!"
Erina boldly faced her father.
"I won't stop."
Azami looked at the empty bowl, thinking about the Galaxy Noodles and the issues he had realized.
"I admit, Zane can better guide you to use your God's Tongue."
"So, I've changed my mind. I want to see how far you can grow under Zane's guidance."
"Erina, try to change Totsuki Academy!"
Azami said seriously.
"Father." Erina hesitated, then firmly replied, "I won't disappoint you. I'll transform Totsuki Academy!"
"Good. I'll wait."
Azami nodded.
He turned to Zane, "Take care of my daughter Erina. Help her grow."
"Even without your request, as the tavern owner, I will."
Zane responded calmly.
...
"Erina, feelings are unpredictable. Sometimes a single meeting can create a deep connection. I can see you truly like Zane!"
"Zane's cooking surpasses mine, so staying by his side might be best."
"For now, work hard in the tavern!"
Relieved by Zane's answer, Azami sighed and spoke gently to Erina.
"I understand, Father." Erina blushed.
She hadn't expected her father to approve of Zane so highly.
...
In the 69th Generation, Gin was the highest-scoring graduate in Totsuki's history, and the first seat of the Elite Ten.
After graduation, he refused offers from 800 top restaurants nationwide and chose to work at Totsuki Resort, causing a huge stir!
Thus, he was regarded as the pinnacle of graduates, an insurmountable barrier.
But Azami didn't think so. He believed the honor belonged to another:
Joichiro!
...
In his youth, Joichiro had defeated fifty opponents single-handedly!
Azami had always seen him as an idol, convinced Joichiro would become Totsuki's brightest star, the world's new star.
But that belief was shattered when Joichiro disappeared before the BLUE competition.
Azami could never understand it.
But one thing was certain—his happy times cooking and discussing cuisine with Joichiro were gone.
He became despondent, going so far as to marry into the Nakiri family and take the name Azami.
He wanted to prove what true culinary excellence was with the God's Tongue.
Ultimately, despite his culinary skills, he couldn't overcome the curse of the God's Tongue.
Mana, suffering from an eating disorder, left him and Erina.
...
For Azami, this was a devastating blow.
He nearly gave up cooking, but soon placed his hopes on his daughter, Erina.
Sharing the God's Tongue, Erina was young, a perfect gem to be polished.
So, for a long time, Azami trained Erina to discard commoner's food.
His training showed results, but his methods were exposed, shocking and angering Senzaemon, who expelled him.
As a mere in-law, Azami couldn't resist.
He vanished, reappearing only recently to oust Senzaemon and take over as Director!
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