Food Wars! The Goddess!

Opening Cerimonies!

A little over a month after the exam, it is now April.
Cherry trees are in full bloom.
["We will now present the class insignia. First-year representative ... ...Erina Nakiri"]
That is what we heard over the speaker as we watched the opening ceremony.
The speaker was a woman from the Culinary Institute.
Erina Nakiri walks onto the stage as she says; "Ma'am."
The crowd talks to each other about Erina except for me and Soma.
I couldn't hear anything over the yammering of the crowd.
["And now for the Dean's address."] says the girl.
How do I describe the person who just stepped onto the stage?
Intimidating.
The Dean of this school is Senzaemon Nakiri.
Everyone starts paying attention to the Dean and for that, I am thankful.
["Everyone. Congratulations on your advancement to high school. In your three years of junior high schooling ... ...you have learned cooking fundamentals and gained an understanding of food. You have had hands-on culinary training as well as classroom learning on various subjects such as ... culinary science ... dietetics ... public health studies ... horticulture ... management ... Now, all of you stand on the threshold of your high school careers. However, here we not be testing knowledge or technique. We test nothing less than your strength of will to be a chef."]says Senzaemon Nakiri.
An ominous aura envelops him, his Ki fully visible as he continues while pointing at all of us.
["Children, 99 percent of you ... ...are nothing but common rocks. You exist solely to grind to perfection the 1 percent of you who are diamonds! Last year's freshman class numbered 812. Of them, the total number who survived to reach their second year ... ...was only 76. The worthless and the average are ruthlessly expunged. 1,000 will start the journey of the first year ... those who reach their second year will number but 100. And the ones who survive until graduation? Those you might count on one hand. You are here ... ...to become one of that elite handful! Of all of you here, I can see only one person who can reach the full potential of a Culinary Goddess! Devote yourself. Body and soul. That is all!"]
["In closing ... a few words from two students who represent this year's transfer class. First up, the boy, then the girl."]says the girl, as she allows us to take the stage.
["Wow, uh ... it's real high up here, ain't it. Aha ha ... so um, a keynote address? Me? Geez, do I have to? I always feel awkward up on stage ... Okay, okay. I'll keep it brief, then. Uh, hi. My name's Soma Yukihira. To be perfectly honest ... ...this institute is nothing but a stepping-stone to me. The girl after me would probably agree, as she is the one labeled as the Culinary Goddess. But besides that fact. I'll be taking the number one, top spot of regular Culinary School."] says Soma pointing up, then starts to walk away, before coming back and saying; "Oh! I hope we all get along for the next three years."
My turn.
["! Now our female transfer representative!"]says the girl.
["Hello, y'all! The student before me pretty much said it all. But I would like to make a few points. My name is Kururugi Kaname. I am a martial artist. My cooking isn't even in competition with the rest of you. I just want to improve my skills anyway that I can. I don't care about graduating, but I don't think I can even get kicked out, unless I break the law, because I am an upstanding citizen, who only wants to improve the only skill left to train, having already perfected everything else. So cooking is my only skill, not perfect. That is why I say, I am here to learn. I hope that I can get along with all of you for the next three years. Thank you! I appreciate all the help. Now back to you. All yours!"]I say as I drive my point home and then turn over the Microphone, and step off of the stage.
I finish cooking my cheese pizza and offer some to Soma.
"Want some?"
"Sure," says Soma, while taking a couple of slices.
Erina Nakiri walks over.
"Oh, hey! You're from that test! Thank you for taking care of my sister." says Soma.
"What are you doing here, Yukihira?!" says Erina.

(Erina Nakiri's Point of View!)
Everything is so peaceful.
The Sakura are in full bloom.
Grandfather has just laid down the ground rules of this Culinary Institute.
Here is the true power of the Totsuki brand name.
This ruthless, complete competition to create an elite, chosen few.
Simply attending is a mark of prestige for any chef.
But clawing your way up to graduation guarantees a lifetime of culinary stardom.
Everyone is cheering.
To be honest, I pity those of you who are the same age as me...
...because you have been condemned since birth to compete for second place.
The only one who will reach the pinnacle of the Totsuki Institute, and by extension the whole Japanese Culinary World ...
...is me, Erina Nakiri!
But one thing bugs me.
Who is the Culinary Goddess that Grandpa mentioned?
["In closing ... a few words from two students who represent this year's transfer class. First up, the boy, then the girl."]says our announcer for the opening ceremony.
Ah, there must have been transfer exams other than mine.
I am shocked to find two familiar faces step onto the stage.
["Wow, uh ... it's real high up here, ain't it. Aha ha ... so um, a keynote address? Me? Geez, do I have to? I always feel awkward up on stage ... Okay, okay. I'll keep it brief, then. Uh, hi. My name's Soma Yukihira. To be perfectly honest ... ...this institute is nothing but a stepping-stone to me. The girl after me would probably agree, as she is the one labeled as the Culinary Goddess. But besides that fact. I'll be taking the number one, top spot of regular Culinary School."] says Soma pointing up, then starts to walk away, before coming back and saying; "Oh! I hope we all get along for the next three years."
He is such a showoff.
How did he even make it here?
["! Now our female transfer representative!"]says the assistant girl who is in charge of announcing events.
A blonde-haired, blue-eyed, Goddess, just stepped onto the stage.
What am I thinking?
That can't be the right description, can it?
No, that is the only description that fits the girl that just stepped onto the stage.
["Hello, y'all! The student before me pretty much said it all. But I would like to make a few points. My name is Kururugi Kaname. I am a martial artist. My cooking isn't even in competition with the rest of you. I just want to improve my skills anyway that I can. I don't care about graduating, but I don't think I can even get kicked out, unless I break the law, because I am an upstanding citizen, who only wants to improve the only skill left to train, having already perfected everything else. So cooking is my only skill, not perfect. That is why I say, I am here to learn. I hope that I can get along with all of you for the next three years. Thank you! I appreciate all the help. Now back to you. All yours!"]
I didn't know that she was a martial artist.
She doesn't think she can be kicked out of the school.
Normally I would call that thought, arrogant, but with her, I agree.
She is now stepping off the stage after handing the microphone back to the girl.
She has taken out the dough and is flattening it.
She's not making Pizza is she?
She just sprinkled cheese onto, what could only be pizza.
Soma and Kururugi, stop right in front of me.
"Want some?" says Kururugi holding out the fully cooked, pizza.
"Sure!" says Soma, while taking a couple of slices from her.
I walk over to the two of them.
"Oh, hey! You're from that test! Thank you for taking care of my sister." says Soma.
"What are you doing here, Yukihira?!" I say.
"Huh? What do you mean? Why wouldn't I be here? I got the notification of acceptance in the mail. You really had me going there for a minute, saying my food was disgusting and stuff. If you liked it, you should've just said so!" says Soma to me.
"N-no!"I exclaim.
No! This can't be! I kicked him out!
"Just so you know ... ...I'm not accepting any of this! Not you ... ...or your inferior cooking! Kururugi, maybe."I say.
"Huh?" questions Soma.
"This was clearly a mistake. You obviously only got accepted here due to some clerical error. I can see that Kururugi might actually have some talent if we let it blossom, but you!? You're going to take the top spot? Ha! Don't make me laugh. Every student here was part of the institute's junior high program. Every one of them has spent three years getting a cutting-edge education in gastronomy! But you? Some outsiders from a normal school? You aren't even worthy of looking at the top. You won't be able to beat a single one of them."I say as I storm past Soma and grab a slice of cheese pizza.
"Can I say something?" says Kururugi, as she allows me to grab a slice of pizza.
"Sure!"I say to Kururugi.
"Didn't I tell you not to judge a book by its cover? Didn't I say not to judge things as they appear to be, but to judge them as they are? Do you understand me? Soma first picked up a knife when he was three years old. I had not yet arrived at that point in time. He has been training in the kitchen for twelve years! I'll let Soma explain the rest to you." says Kururugi as she eats a slice of cheese pizza.
I eat the slice of cheese pizza and it tastes delicious.
It is so delicious that it surprises me.
No fire was used in the making of this pizza.
"You called my food disgusting, and I can't ignore that. It's the same as smearing mud on the good name of my family's restaurant. So I look forward to this. Thank you for taking care of my sister, and treating her so well. Someday I'll make you say loud and clear ... ... that you think my food is good. Just like you did with Kururugi. Even if it takes ... ... the best my cooking has to offer." says Soma as Sakura fall around the three of us.

(Kururugi's Point of View)
We picked papers from a box. Every single student did.
I am standing next to Soma, Erina, and Hisako-chan.
Hisako Arato is Erina Nakiri's assistant.
The announcer starts speaking. "Good. Has everyone now paired up according to the lot drawn? This will be your partner for preparing today's recipe."
I look at my number and I match with Hisako and Erina.
Soma is matched with a girl who has dark hair and a flower hair clip with the flower being a four-leaf clover.