The Tōtsuki Elite Ten Appear!

"Mmm..."

Her eyes widened in an instant, Ryōko Sakaki's heart pounded like thunder, her breath causing her chest to heave up and down, and her legs couldn't help but press together.

Dylan, on the other hand, felt she had suddenly become heavier. Originally, she could still support herself somewhat, but after the sensation washed over her, all her weight seemed to fall onto him.

"Let's take a short break."

Noticing the girl's predicament, Dylan elegantly lifted the perfectly cooked fried shrimp from the wok with his chopsticks and placed them on a nearby white jade plate.

After finishing, he bent down, looped his arms under Ryōko Sakaki's knees, and with a slight effort, lifted her up, letting her press entirely against his chest.

"Eh...?!?!"

Suddenly being picked up, especially in this state, Ryōko Sakaki immediately panicked, but she still wrapped her arms around Dylan's neck.

She had no choice; if she didn't hold on, her balance would be unstable, and she felt a terrifying fear of falling to the ground. Reaching out was also awkward because that would mean meeting Dylan's gaze.

Facing someone she had such deep feelings for, making eye contact felt almost like a crime. Her heart pounded "thump, thump," and the places where he touched her felt tingly and numb.

Fortunately, this awkwardness didn't last long.

After picking her up, Dylan didn't show much reaction. He just silently moved a chair over and then gently set her down.

"You all should rest a bit too."

Looking at the girls before him, each in a different state, Dylan spoke in a calm tone. To prevent such an incident from happening again, it was necessary to mitigate the risk beforehand.

They had tasted too few delicacies. Miyoko Hojo was better off; she often attended his classes and had tasted some of his dishes, so she had developed some resistance.

Ryōko Sakaki, however, had started his classes later, only a week before the mid-term assessment. Relatively speaking, her resistance was lower, which was why it had turned out like this.

As for Ikumi Mito, this girl might have a naturally high resistance, or perhaps she simply wasn't particularly fond of seafood dishes. Apart from a slight blush, she seemed normal.

However, what Dylan didn't know was that the main reason Ikumi Mito could remain standing was because she was leaning against the cooking station.

In reality, her state wasn't much better than Ryōko Sakaki's.

At least…

When she returned to her hotel room at night, she couldn't just collapse into bed; she had to wash her undergarments first.

"Alright, I won't say more. Regarding this dish, when Professor Huang Yun arrives later, you will use the lobster she brings to replicate it."

"Use lobster to make it?" Yūki Yoshino exclaimed in surprise, and the others couldn't help but ponder.

Although it was just changing black tiger shrimp to lobster, the heat control, cooking time, and a_nd proportion of ingredients were all points that needed to be reconsidered.

Making it wasn't difficult; making it delicious was the hardest part.

Not everyone was like Dylan, able to judge a dish's doneness merely by taste, or know the ingredient proportions just by weighing it in his hand.

"That's right. This dish was originally developed with lobster as the main ingredient. It's just that there was no lobster here, so I modified it."

"Now, please use this dish as a benchmark and replicate the true Cloud Dragon Fried Shrimp. I will check on your progress tomorrow."

After saying this, Dylan waved his hand and left the third venue. He then went to the hotel lobby, where an electronic screen stood.

The screen displayed the point rankings of the participants in this mid-term assessment. It could be scrolled down, and at the top was a search bar for looking up rankings.

"Alice is first, Erina second. That's as I expected. Kurokiba third is within anticipation; I remember he's also in the first venue."

"Next is Hayama Akira, Takumi, Megumi, Mimasaka Subaru…"

Looking at the rankings on the leaderboard, Dylan couldn't help but muse, his mind pondering ways for the top-ranked individuals to compete against each other.

After all, with the current rules, the positions of the top twenty were almost unshakeable, and they wouldn't be foolish enough to challenge each other when the assessment was about to end.

But this wasn't what Dylan wanted to see. What he wanted was for every participant in the assessment to be matched with an opponent of equal strength.

Through Shokugeki duels, they could thoroughly master everything they had learned during this period.

However…

Since they were unwilling to compete against each other…

As if an idea struck him, Dylan suddenly took out his phone and dialed Momo Akanegakubo's number.

"Hah... Mmm."

"Are you free now?"

As the phone rang busy for a moment, a somewhat hurried breathing sound came through. Hearing it, Dylan frowned slightly and asked tentatively.

"I'm free, hah, hah… What is it? Professor Dylan!"

Coming out of the bathroom, Momo Akanegakubo sprinted to the sofa at a hundred-meter dash speed, picked up the ringing phone, and shouted excitedly.

Although it was a hurried glance, she had clearly seen the caller ID.

More importantly, only Dylan knew this phone number, which was the real reason she had rushed out at light speed half-washed when she heard it ring!

"Is something urgent on your end? You sound very tired. If you're busy, I'll call you back later."

Dylan's steady voice came from the other end of the phone. Because Momo Akanegakubo was panting heavily and sounded quite charming, it made one's imagination run wild.

Could it be that she was engaged in that sort of adult activity?

Thinking about it, it wasn't impossible. After all, it was evening, and she was of marriageable age; having a boyfriend or something was quite normal.

However, for her to still be willing to answer his call under such circumstances was quite touching.

"No, no, it's fine! I was just taking a shower and rushed out immediately when I heard the phone. Because it was a bit far, my voice sounds a little tired."

Momo Akanegakubo said with relief. Luckily, she was applying shower gel at the time, and there was no sound of running water; otherwise, she really might not have heard Dylan's call.

"I see."

Hearing Momo Akanegakubo's words, Dylan understood. But it wasn't important; after all, he wasn't calling to pry into her life.

"Calling me all of a sudden… Do you miss me? I miss you too, Professor Dylan. Wait for me a moment, it's too cold outside."

Standing in the living room, feeling the chilly wind swirling from all directions, Momo Akanegakubo's face turned slightly red, and she shivered involuntarily.

Fortunately, the curtains in her home were drawn; otherwise, if someone saw her in this state, it would be a big problem.

After a brief word, Momo Akanegakubo, holding her phone, tiptoed barefoot and scurried back to the bathroom.

"Oooh! So comfortable~"

Turning on the water heater, feeling the hot water shower down on her head, Momo Akanegakubo's body, which had been trembling somewhat from the cold wind, finally felt better.

It couldn't be helped; the autumn season was just too cold.

If the caller hadn't been Dylan, making her heart flutter and rush to answer the phone, she wouldn't have run out without even wrapping a towel around herself.

And as the water flowed from the showerhead, the sound of it hitting her body was clearly transmitted to the other end of the phone, making Dylan's imagination run wild.

"Alright, Professor Dylan, you can speak now. I'll listen carefully."

Feeling the warm water flow, Momo Akanegakubo's face showed an expression of enjoyment. She then moved a chair and sat down in the bathroom.

Showering while talking to Dylan.

"Do you have any plans this week? I have something I need to ask of you. It might take several days. If you're not free, then never mind."

"I was originally planning to go to Okinawa to experience the local food specialties. But I just canceled my tickets, so I'm free for the next few days."

Quickly operating her phone, overturning all her original plans, Momo Akanegakubo's voice was playful, with a hint of seeking praise.

"Then come to my place tomorrow. I'll send you the location after this call. If you know anyone from the Elite Ten, ask them to come along too."

Hearing the underlying meaning in Momo Akanegakubo's words, Dylan didn't show much reaction; more accurately, he didn't know how to react.

His personality was never good at being overly affectionate and intimate with girls.

"Ask the Elite Ten to go over together? I remember you're with those guys from the elementary division for their mid-term assessment, aren't you? I see!!"

Momo Akanegakubo initially looked puzzled, then, as if she had thought of something, an expression of realization dawned on her face.

She then patted her ample chest in the bathroom: "Leave this matter to me! I'll do my best to gather people!"

"Good, I'll leave it to you. If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now."

With the matter settled, Dylan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wait."

Just as he was about to press the end call button, Momo Akanegakubo's slightly hurried, short utterance came from the other end of the phone.

"Hmm?"

This made Dylan a little puzzled.

"Professor Dylan, are you free now? It's been so long since I last talked to you. It's rare for you to call me proactively. I was wondering if I could chat with you?"

Her fingers subconsciously twirled on her leg. Momo Akanegakubo's voice was filled with strong hesitation and shame, but she still mustered her courage.

It couldn't be helped; this was the first time in so long that Dylan had taken the initiative to call her. If she missed this chance, she didn't know how long she'd have to wait for the next one.

"If you miss me, just come find me. I'm always teaching at Tōtsuki. The elementary and high school division classrooms shouldn't be too far apart, right?"

Hearing Momo Akanegakubo's words, Dylan was somewhat puzzled. He suddenly understood why he hadn't seen her at Tōtsuki for a whole month.

"Because… it's been too long. I was worried my appearance would disturb you."

Momo Akanegakubo muttered softly. They hadn't seen each other for over half a year. For her to go find him as soon as he appeared felt a bit too shameless.

"What era are those thoughts from?"

"Just like when I need your help with something, I call you. If you want to see me, just come find me at Alice's place."

"I wouldn't dislike you for something like that. Besides, with a beautiful woman like you coming to see me, I'd be overjoyed."

Holding his phone and walking towards his room, Dylan's voice carried a teasing tone, making Momo Akanegakubo on the other end blush deeply.

"A beautiful woman? Is Dylan talking about her? Does he really think that!!

I feel… a little happy."

"Is it really okay? Then I'll come find you often from now on. Will you really be happy? Won't you find me annoying??"

Momo Akanegakubo's voice was soft, suddenly trembling, revealing strong worry.

No one should like guests visiting frequently, especially a busy person like Dylan. He certainly wouldn't like his rare rest time to be disturbed.

"That's fine. But send me a message in advance before you come, so I can prepare food for you."

"If you have any questions about cooking, you can also come and consult me. Since you call me Professor Dylan, I'll be your teacher for life."

Dylan's hearty voice came from the other end of the phone, bringing a smile to Momo Akanegakubo's face. Now she could finally go find him without any worries.

"Could you tell me about your travel life after I returned to Tōtsuki? I'm very curious. If you're busy now, we can talk next time…"

Her excited voice suddenly quieted down. Momo Akanegakubo spoke with a lack of confidence, afraid that Dylan would refuse her.

"Sure. But I'm still dealing with something right now. I'll call you back in ten minutes. We can have a good long chat tonight."

Dylan's voice also carried some cheerfulness. He didn't dislike chatting with people, especially not with a beautiful woman on the other end.

Knowing the reason she hadn't sought him out, she would probably visit frequently from now on. He had always been very pleased with Momo Akanegakubo.

After all, she was pretty and had a good figure.

Gentle, beautiful, and with a good personality—no man would dislike such a girl.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Hearing Dylan's words, Momo Akanegakubo placed her phone aside, a faint blush on her face, and her heart filled with secret joy.

Meanwhile, after hanging up, Dylan called Rindo Kobayashi.

After a brief explanation, he hung up again. By now, he had reached his room and opened the door with his key card.

As the chief examiner for this mid-term assessment, Tōtsuki Academy had naturally arranged a room for him—a presidential suite of the highest standard.

It was just that he had been training those laggards and hadn't moved in, choosing to live with them on the mountain, sharing a room with Leah.

It couldn't be helped; room resources were too tight.

If he and Leah each took a room, it would severely squeeze the students' accommodation space.

However, Leah didn't seem to have any dissatisfaction about sleeping with him; perhaps it was because he would chat with her about cooking-related matters before bed.

And also because she had quite a fondness for him.

He thought about the drunken nonsense Leah had spouted while hugging his neck that day.

Hmm, he should find an opportunity to test the waters again.

"Hello."

Slipping into bed, changing his clothes, and simultaneously turning off the lights, Dylan began his call with Momo Akanegakubo.

"My Professor Dylan."

On the other side, Momo Akanegakubo was also in bed. After blow-drying her hair in the bathroom, she had returned to bed wearing only a bath towel, hugging a pillow.

Although she knew this wasn't quite right, deep down, she imagined the pillow was Dylan, her body pressed tightly against it.

Listening to Dylan's voice on the other end of the phone, her heart filled with a strange, subtle feeling, and her legs couldn't stop swaying slightly.

"You wanted to hear my story, didn't you? Then let's start from after I left…"

"Mm-hmm."

The next day, Dylan woke up very early.

He had originally wanted to sleep in, but the incessant knocking on the door made it impossible for him to sleep.

"Who is it? Disturbing someone's sweet dreams so early in the morning! Be careful, or I'll swallow you whole!"

Suddenly awakened, even Dylan wasn't in a good mood. He opened the door and stuck his head out aggressively, only to be met by a red-haired beautiful girl.

"Wow, nice physique."

Because he was used to sleeping naked, and his mood was foul from being woken up, Dylan was currently standing outside the door in just his boxers, being stared at intently by the girl.

Rindo Kobayashi rubbed her hands together with great interest, her fingers lightly dancing on Dylan's abs. Eventually, she even pressed her palm against them, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She never expected that Dylan, who usually looked slim in clothes, would be so well-built underneath.

"Getting handsy with me so early in the morning? How about I poke you back until you burst?"

Facing Rindo Kobayashi's boldness, Dylan couldn't help but tease. Being harassed by a girl so early in the morning was quite a unique experience.

"It's not impossible if you want to. Ouch, ouch~"

As she spoke, Rindo Kobayashi withdrew her hand, slightly lifted her shirt, revealing her perfectly defined abs, full of vibrant beauty.

Because she loved traveling the world to collect ingredients, she kept herself in excellent shape.

"It's better for girls to be a little more reserved."

Dylan averted his gaze.

"Professor Dylan is surprisingly innocent~

But your hands are quite honest though."

Watching Dylan, who was speaking while simultaneously reaching out to touch her stomach, Rindo Kobayashi couldn't help but laugh, looking to be in a good mood.

"Alright, what are you doing here so early in the morning?"

Hearing Rindo Kobayashi's teasing, Dylan withdrew his hand and asked her with a serious expression.

"How mean! Weren't you the one who asked me to come over? To turn your back on me so quickly! I'm so hurt, so sad."

Hearing Dylan's words, Rindo Kobayashi suddenly put on a tearful facade, as if facing a heartless scoundrel who used and discarded people.

"Can you not be such a drama queen?"

"I was supposed to have someone arrange accommodation for you; I didn't ask you to come to my room, did I?"

Watching Rindo Kobayashi's exaggerated performance, Dylan couldn't help but facepalm. However, her mischievous demeanor wasn't unlikeable.

After all, she didn't have any ill intentions.

"Tsk, so I'm not good enough? Professor Dylan is such a heartless man."

"I rushed over the moment I got your call! I didn't even eat breakfast this morning! You have to be responsible for me!"

"So that was the main point, huh? Wait for me a moment; I'll go change."

Looking at Rindo Kobayashi, who was pretending to wipe away tears, and hearing her say she hadn't even eaten breakfast, Dylan finally understood her purpose.

However, this also fit her character; this girl was an out-and-out foodie.

Leaving the expectant Rindo Kobayashi, Dylan picked up the clothes by his bed while pondering what to make for breakfast.

Rindo Kobayashi stood quietly to the side, considerately not staring at him. Instead, she took a few quick steps to the window and looked down from above.

"The environment here is really nice. Looking down from this floor-to-ceiling window, you can see a tiny Tokyo, with pedestrians as small as ants."

After a while, Rindo Kobayashi finally spoke with a hint of emotion.

"After all, this is the highest-standard suite, on the very top floor. If it didn't even have this perk, then that would be strange! Let's go."

Tidying his clothes in front of the mirror, Dylan looked at Rindo Kobayashi and asked with some confusion, "Did you come alone?"

"No, Tsukasa and Isshiki came with me. You might not be too clear if I say it like that—it's the former Elite Ten's First Seat and another high-ranking member."

Hearing the question, Rindo Kobayashi said meaningfully, her words full of an intention to claim credit.

_____

Greetings! ✨ Walnut here!

🔥 AN INCREDIBLE OFFER IS ON THE TABLE! 🔥

We're only 17 members away from our 65-member goal! 🎯

The second we hit it, 10 BONUS CHAPTERS for ALL STORIES will be released to everyone. No exceptions!

🪦 Your membership is the key. Let's make it happen!

100 powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone! 5 reviews = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone!

Secure your early access before it's too late!

👻 patreon.com/Walnutchan