Chương 10: Chapter 10
The students of Totsuki were assembled at the meeting point for the ceremony to start the new academic year. Sakura petals fell from the sakura trees around them, adding to the aesthetic look of the environment.
"We will next present the new students with their class badge. Incoming valedictorian, Nakiri Erina." The female speaker announced as Erina herself responded.
"Here!" Erina then proceeded to walk on stage with a stoic expression on her face. This would normally be an occasion for her to smile but the events of the last few days removed all joy from her face.
She stopped in front of a business dressed woman, both of them bowing to each other as the woman fixed a badge on her blazer.
They bowed to each other once again before she turned, walking off the stage as a few whispers could be heard among the crowd.
"We now welcome our keynote speaker: the director of Totsuki Academy, Nakiri Senzaemon-sama." The female speaker announced as fearful expressions were mirrored among the students.
"H-He's terrifying!"
"He has the entire academy…no, the entire Japanese food world…under his thumb!"
"He's the ultimate gourmand!"
Numerous fearful whisper sounded around the gathering of students who watched the man take the stage.
"Greetings." Senzaemon started, quieting the murmurs. "Congratulations on your advancement to the high school division. During your three years in the junior high school division, you have obtained a basic skill set in cooking and deepened your understanding of each ingredient."
"In addition to the cooking practicum, you attended classroom lectures on a variety of topics including culinary theory, nutrition, public health, introductory agronomics and management."
"Now you're finally standing at the entrance of the high school division. The challenges you'll now face are not about your skills or knowledge, but whether you have the wherewithal to survive as a food professional."
"99 percent of you are meant to be sacrifices for honing the remaining 1 percent." He announced, greatly shocking most of them.
"Of the 812 students who entered our high school division last year, only 76 advanced to the second year! Incompetence and mediocrity will be mercilessly excised from our student body. A thousand first years will be whittled down to a hundred by next year, and we can count those who'll advance to graduate with one hand."
"Aspire to become one of the small handful of those professionals! It should be you!" He said, pointing to nobody specifically in the crowd. "Hone yourself!"
The fearful and murmuring students seemed to have calmed down, most looking extremely motivated by his speech. Satisfied with the results, Senzaemon nodded to himself.
"That is all." He spoke, ending his speech as he walked off the stage.
"Finally, we'd like to introduce two transfer students who'll be joining your ranks today." The female announcer said.
In the room beside the stage, Erina's face squeezed in rage as she remembered the aggravating boy who shut her up with his cooking.
The fact that a second rate chef had the balls to do such to her was nothing less than enraging.
'Yukihira Soran…you're nothing in front of me. I'll crush you!' She declared to herself.
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Soran and Soma walked up to the stage, Soma taking the lead as Soran surveyed the crowd. Soma stood in front of the microphone, his usual goofy look on his face as he spoke.
"Oh, sorry to be talking to you all from up here." He said with a nervous laugh, causing the female announcer to complain.
"Just be quick about it, please. We still have another student after you." She whispered.
"I'll keep it short and sweet then. Just a couple sentences. I'm Yukihira Soma. To be honest…" he looked into crowd with a somewhat aggravating look. "…this academy's just a stepping stone for me!"
"I wasn't expecting to transfer here, but I don't plan on losing to folks who've never actually served customers. Anyway, what I'm getting at is…" he paused as the students grew angry at his words.
"Basically now that I'm here, I'm going to take the number one spot!" he announced, bowing a bit. "Looking forward to being with y'all for the next three years!"
The shock and anger in the crowd was palpable as they screamed in rage and indignation at his seemingly arrogant words.
"P-Please be quiet, there is still one more student." The announcer said, also recovering from the shock of the red haired boy's words as Soran took the stage.
Their anger had yet to calm down as they lever furious gazed at him, as if warning him not to say similar words to which he only let out a small chuckle.
"Hello everyone. I am Yukihira Soran, Soma's brother. I'm not going to waste my breath with any grand speech. I just have one thing to say." he paused as he closed his eyes briefly. The students calmed down a bit, seeing that he was more sensible than his brother only for them to hear his next words.
"From the moment I stepped into this school, I became the number one. Try as hard as you may, you'll never be challenge to me. The two top spots in the academy are already taken. I wish you best of luck as you struggle for bronze." He finished with a mocking smirk on his lips as the students grew even more furious.
If they thought Soma was bad, Soran was even worse. Their rage wasn't limited as books and other materials began sailing through the air.
The brothers ignored their reactions as they walked to the room beside the stage, Soma letting out a sigh.
"I managed to not bite my tongue." He said in a relieved tone as they entered the open room. "Oh…hey! You're the one from the exam!" He exclaimed, seeing Erina seated there with a glare on her face.
The look of absolute hatred on her face stopped him from saying more as she glared at Soran who glanced at her with sheer indifference.
"What do you want?" She asked, her anger rising at his silent dismissal of her presence.
"This seems to be the only place to wait while they wrap up their announcement." He answered as if it was the most obvious thing.
The unfazed manner in which he spoke and answered her was one of the many things about him that fueled her rage.
She could only grit her teeth as she watched him take a seat on the chair at the other end of the row.
Soma laughed nervously as he poked between the two, unsure of what to say. 'What's this awkward air?' He asked himself as he took a seat beside Soran
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