Devotion (Shokugeki No Soma X Male OC)

Chapter 9: The Breading to Adorn the Mountains

After the Aldini brothers passed the first test, everyone was watching as Yusuke was holding raw chicken with his blood-covered hands. But Takumi just looked at him with a cocky smirk.

Takumi: So you found chicken, am I supposed to be impressed?

Yusuke: You should be, 'cause I'll use this to make the dish that will surpass yours.

Soma: Yeah. As soon as you wash that blood off your hands. It's freaking scary.

Yusuke looks at Soma.

Yusuke: Well, Soma? What's your game plan?

Takumi: You don't seem to have made much headway. What are you going to prepare for us?

Soma: .....

Hinako: I see. You three were saying that you're competing with each other. Very well! If I can expect dishes that will be on par with what I just tasted, I will make an exception and judge which of your dishes is better.

Takumi: Did you two hear that?

Soma: Sure! Let's do this!

Yusuke: Hmph.

Hinako: Good. If you lose, you will kneel.

Soma/Yusuke/Takumi: Huh?

Hinako: Kneel before the victor and say "I'm a loser" three times. If you are going to stake the reputation of your restaurants on this match, the consequences need to be appropriate.

Takumi/Yusuke/Soma: .....

Then she grabs Yusuke's hand.

Hinako: Oh, but you don't have to kneel, Kudo Yusuke-kun. *giggles* You look so cute even when covered in blood.

Yusuke: ...o_o... (I really don't know what to make of this...) Anyways, hang onto your seat, Inui-senpai!

Yusuke puts the chicken on his station and begans working.

Takumi: *Points at Soma* I dare you to make a dish that can surpass ours!

Soma: (These two had no assumptions coming in. They selected duck, and managed to assemble an impressive list of ingredients that'd enhance the duck. Think... What's the best possible dish that I can make here and now?)

Then, he realized something and looks at Takumi with a confident smirk.

Takumi: ....!?

Soma: Tadokoro! 

Megumi: Yes?

Soma begins writing things down on a small notebook.

Soma: I want to use these ingredients as an accompaniment. I want you to gather them. Think you can find them?

Megumi: Um... Yeah! I think I'll be fine! I used to go looking for mountain vegetables a lot back home!

Soma: Great! I'm counting on you, Tadokoro!

Megumi: What are you going to be doing, Soma-kun?

Soma: I have to track something down, too, so I'm going out again. Oh, but before that...

Soma walks up to Hinako.

Soma: Inui-senpai. You said we can use anything we find were, right?

Hinako: What? Oh, yes. Anything if it's within the fence's boundaries.

Soma: Then the key ingredient for our dish will be... This!

Megumi: Huh?

Takumi: Th...