Chapter 147
Faced with everyone’s curious stares, Haruto offered a seemingly reasonable explanation.
"I simply adjusted the thickness of the dough so that its thinnest point was at the top."
"Once the pressure inside reached its limit, the shell naturally split at its weakest point first."
"The red mist was only high-temperature steam reflecting the color of the broth inside."
"The shape of the opening, combined with the way the light refracted through the vapor, created the phoenix image everyone saw."
"As for the cry, that came from the sound of steam escaping at extremely high speed."
Of course, the most important factors had been the orb of light he created inside the shell with magic and the Nen he used to control the entire effect.
Magic and Nen were both abilities Haruto had mastered, so he saw no reason not to use them to make his dish even more spectacular.
After considering his explanation, everyone agreed that it sounded theoretically possible.
At the same time, they understood just how terrifyingly precise his control must have been.
He had needed to regulate the dough’s thickness, calculate the internal pressure, and ensure that the timing and shape of the rupture aligned perfectly.
That demanded an almost absurd level of technical control, calculation, and mastery over heat.
It was hardly something that could be achieved through a "slight adjustment."
Even after learning the supposed principle, recreating it would be virtually impossible.
"Now comes the true test of the dish."
Nakiri Senzaemon withdrew his gaze from Haruto and, for the first time, openly revealed his anticipation.
"Let us taste it."
The other four judges recovered from their astonishment and picked up their knives and forks with solemn expressions.
The instant their blades touched the Volcanic Hyacinth Bird, they passed through without the slightest resistance.
The meat had clearly been cooked to extraordinary tenderness, soft enough to fall apart at the lightest touch.
Thick crimson juices slowly flowed from the cut fibers, causing the aroma to intensify once again.
Each judge sliced off a moderate portion and placed it into their mouth.
Their eyes flew open.
Their bodies trembled involuntarily.
The impossibly tender meat dissolved with the slightest pressure of the tongue.
There was no trace of fibrous toughness. Its texture was as delicate as a cloud, yet it overflowed with an astonishing abundance of juice.
The bird’s deep, rich savoriness erupted like a dormant volcano awakening.
It surged through their senses with blazing force and completely conquered their mouths.
Then the hidden flavors within the broth revealed themselves one after another—a gentle sweetness, a faint saltiness, and the fragrance of roasting.
They rolled and collided across the tongue.
In a daze, the judges once again saw the phantom of a phoenix wreathed in flame.
It felt as though the bird itself had risen from the depths of their palates, carrying a fierce yet comforting warmth straight into their souls.
"Th-this is astonishing..."
Anne’s cheeks flushed as she surrendered completely to the impact of the flavor.
The other four judges wore identical expressions of shock.
Haruto suddenly offered another reminder.
"By the way, the broken shell is edible too. Try it together with the Volcanic Hyacinth Bird. It tastes even better."
The judges immediately looked up and hurried to retrieve pieces of the shattered dough from the broth.
After its prolonged exposure to intense heat, the shell had turned orange-red without showing even the slightest trace of burning.
Its edges carried a gentle roasted-wheat fragrance, while the interior had soaked up the rich crimson broth.
They placed a piece of shell and a portion of bird meat into their mouths together.
Crunch.
The crisp dough shattered between their teeth, releasing an explosion of wheat, roasted, and savory aromas.
Immediately afterward, the tender, juicy bird melted across their tongues.
The richness of the broth, the natural flavor of the meat, and the saltiness of the shell blended perfectly, unfolding in complementary layers.
The mild saltiness awakened the palate.
The faint roasted notes added depth.
A subtle freshness balanced the dish’s richness, while the broth-soaked shell captured and magnified the bird’s savoriness.
The collision of textures and union of flavors elevated the entire dish to another level.
"Impossible! That’s absolutely impossible!"
Charme stared at the shell on the platter in disbelief.
"That dough ball was roasted over extreme heat for so long that the bird inside became completely tender and saturated with flavor."
"With fire that intense, how could the outer shell possibly remain completely unburned?!"
The other four judges were equally confused.
They had personally watched Haruto roast the dough ball directly over the flames.
For it to emerge without even a scorched patch defied ordinary culinary logic.
Haruto remained perfectly calm and offered another explanation that sounded plausible.
"It works on the same principle as boiling water in a paper pot."
"The shell was filled with liquid. The moisture continually absorbed and dispersed the heat, preventing the dough from ever reaching its ignition point."
"So naturally, it didn’t burn."
In reality, the secret lay in the volcanic ash from Wuu Volcano that Haruto had added to the dough.
He had discovered by chance that ingredients mixed with the ash possessed a peculiar property: even when placed directly into fierce flames, they would not scorch in the slightest.
Haruto did not know the scientific reason.
But unusual properties were hardly surprising when dealing with ingredients from the Toriko world.
"The Volcanic Hyacinth Bird is unbelievably delicious—tender, juicy, and filled with a unique flavor born from fire and volcanic heat!"
"The moment it enters the mouth, you truly feel as if you’re witnessing a phoenix rising from the flames. It’s as though the soul itself is being healed and set ablaze!"
"What is even more unexpected—no, what is truly astonishing—is the dough shell!"
"Not a single part of it is burned. Its texture is extraordinarily crisp, yet it has absorbed every drop of the rich broth!"
"The wheat fragrance, roasted aroma, and saltiness fuse with the bird’s savoriness and the broth’s mellow richness. Rather than overwhelming the main ingredient, the shell elevates the entire dish and brings every flavor into perfect harmony!"
"This is no longer merely food. It is a work of art—a magnificent feast capable of shaking the palate and striking directly at the soul!"
"Savory without becoming heavy, rich without becoming muddy, fiery without becoming harsh, and aromatic without overwhelming the senses. Every texture and every layer of flavor is flawless!"
Leonora’s cheeks were flushed as fragments of fluent praise continued "bursting" from her lips, her voice filled with uncontrollable wonder.
"The richness of its layers, the ingenuity of its conception, the brilliance of its textures, and the force of its flavor... This is a perfect creation."
Senzaemon savored the lingering aftertaste and slowly smiled.
The dish had satisfied something deep within his heart.
The next instant, an immense and invisible spiritual force erupted from his body and swept wildly throughout the arena.
A series of tearing sounds followed.
Senzaemon’s clothes burst apart and fluttered to the ground in scraps, revealing his powerful physique.
Before Dojima Gin, Charme, or Anne could react, the spiritual force inherited through the Nakiri bloodline washed over them.
Their outer clothing immediately burst apart as well.
Fortunately, their undergarments remained intact.
Leonora alone escaped the physical effect, though the words bursting from her mouth became even clearer and more fluent.
And it still was not over.
Standing before the judging platform, Haruto raised an eyebrow as he sensed the incoming wave.
He immediately coated his clothing with Nen and prevented it from bursting.
The others were not so fortunate.
Kawashima Urara, Isshiki Satoshi, Nakiri Alice, and Nakiri Erina, who were all standing near the judging platform, experienced clothing bursts of their own.
Haruto immediately understood what he was witnessing.
This was the ability of the Nakiri bloodline that surpassed ordinary clothing bursts—Gifting.
When a member of the Nakiri family tasted a dish powerful enough to shake the soul and far exceed the limits of a normal clothing burst, their spiritual force would spread through the surrounding air!
Anyone without Nakiri blood who was caught in that wave would temporarily be "gifted" the clothing-burst ability.
The moment Gifting appeared, the result no longer required debate.
After accepting replacement clothes from the staff, Nakiri Senzaemon turned toward the arena and announced in a voice that shook the entire hall,
"The winner of the Autumn Elections final is—Suzuki Haruto!"
The venue fell silent for one brief instant.
Then thunderous cheering erupted from every direction.
Totsuki Academy’s Autumn Elections had officially come to an end.
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