Interception

The first round of the Autumn Election was divided into two groups competing simultaneously. Everyone in both groups began at the same time, with each group receiving combined scores from five different judges.

Each judge had the authority to award up to 20 points, for a total of 100 points.

The top four scorers from each group would advance to the quarterfinals!

When the cooking time began, all the contestants displayed their skills and performed quite well. After all, they were sixty elites who had made it through the selection process.

What caught Xu Yue’s attention slightly was that the two Reincarnators were also in his Group B.

And as soon as the cooking began, Xu Yue received a prompt from the Space.

Ding~ B-Rank Plot*2 received. The Salted Fish's Ambition mission triggered: Two troublemakers have spent a large amount to temporarily improve their cooking skills. Crush their dreams without using force. Mission completion reward: B-Rank Plot Points*1.

After receiving the prompt, Xu Yue was somewhat speechless at how stingy the Space was.

The first two B-Rank Plots had been credited because those two guys had spent enough Plot Points to temporarily improve their culinary skills.

Yet it wanted him to crush their dreams without using force, while offering only a single B-Rank Plot Point as the final reward. That was truly miserly.

However, the Space had clearly taken the reward from the collection mission into account.

If he did not step in to stop them and the two of them went all out, even Tadokoro Megumi’s supposedly secure spot might be at risk.

After all, in terms of ability, she was still clearly inferior to Alice, who made use of high technology.

Without using force.

That meant settling it through cooking.

Xu Yue then made some last-minute adjustments to the dish he had originally prepared…

As the cooking time ended, the judging process immediately began.

The first person to be judged in Group B was a student with sausage lips, his face carrying a trace of pride and brimming with confidence.

Being selected for the Autumn Election meant that he truly was one of the student elites, so he naturally had complete confidence in his own ability.

Moreover, he had put in extensive preparation for this curry dish.

Once the judges tasted his dish, every one of them showed satisfied expressions.

"As expected of a Totsuki Academy student. You prepared thoroughly. This is a curry powder with a traditional north indian flavor, and you must have done a great deal of research beforehand. The proportions are perfectly matched. Reaching this level is quite impressive."

One of the judges spoke with an admiring expression.

The sausage-lipped student wiped his nose and revealed a confident smile.

"Thank you very much for your evaluation."

It seemed his advancement this time was assured…

However, just as he finished thanking them, the scores the judges gave one after another struck him like a blow to the head.

33 points!

The five judges had each given him only a single-digit score.

"Wait, perhaps the judges have misunderstood. Each of you has the authority to award up to 20 points this time."

The sausage-lipped student hurriedly said.

"Of course we know that. How could we fail to read the scoring rules? But who do you take us for? Our earlier praise was based on the fact that you are still a student. Receiving 33 points from us is already enough for you to be proud of. Step down."

It was the very judge who had praised him earlier. His face then turned cold as he spoke in an icy tone.

In an instant, the sausage-lipped student suffered a severe blow.

But before long, much of his confidence returned, gradually rising even higher.

Because none of the dishes judged afterward managed to surpass his score!

28 points, 27 points, 12 points, even 6 points!

For a time, his confidence could not help swelling once again.

It seemed the judges had been right. He was already quite good among the students. Since only the top four were selected, his 33 points should give him a great chance…

But the next moment, an astonishingly foul stench suddenly filled the air.

In this venue that had been filled with the fragrance of curry, that foul odor was so abrupt, so utterly out of place!

Then, a girl whose facial expression was completely hidden beneath her long hair, looking much like Sadako, pushed her dish toward the judges’ table.

It was Sadotsuka Nao, who specialized in all kinds of stinky dishes and followed Erina around every day.

What she excelled at were "specialty" dishes like stinky tofu and canned herring.

Yet her skills in that area were remarkably strong.

Though the judges initially reprimanded her and only reluctantly gave it a try, they soon found themselves unable to stop, taking huge mouthfuls.

She then directly received the extremely high score of 84 points.

Not only had she broken through the 50-point mark, she had gone straight past 80.

The sausage-lipped student with 33 points was instantly stunned.

But it was fine. He was still in second place. Even if someone else surpassed him later, he could still advance. Only the top four were chosen, so what was the use of scoring so high? At most, each person could only take one spot.

Before he had even finished that thought, while he was still wondering which outfit he should wear for the quarterfinals—

Hisako’s medicinal cuisine was brought up the next moment, instantly breaking through Sadotsuka Nao’s blockade of stench and even using that odor as a contrast.

Medicinal cuisine held far too great an advantage in a contest that was based purely on scoring rather than determining victory or defeat.

Her high score of 92 completely suppressed Sadotsuka Nao. After Sadotsuka Nao ate her medicinal cuisine, the little witch who had originally been obsessed with Erina immediately set her sights on Sister Hisako instead.

Hisako was immediately overcome by a chill, as though she had done something wrong.

"It’s fine. I’m still in third place now. Even if one more person surpasses me, I can still advance securely!"

The sausage-lipped student stared resolutely at the scoreboard, clenching his fist with the confidence of someone who had everything under control.

The judges said I was strong among the students.

One or two freaks were enough. How could there possibly be more?

But then…

Alice Nakiri, 95 points. Takumi Aldini, 90 points. Isami Aldini, 87 points. Hojo Miyoko, 87 points.

One "freak" after another appeared in rapid succession, instantly shattering all of the sausage-lipped student’s ambitions.

This wasn’t my fault!

The judges said I was strong among the students!

This had to be a conspiracy, a conspiracy to crush his spirit by putting all the freaks in Group B.

Who exactly was trying to scheme against him?!

If he had been in Group A, he definitely would have had a chance to advance.

He was now ranked seventh. This grouping was unfair.

Then Yoshino Yuki’s score of 91 points appeared as well, pushing his mental ranking down to eighth.

"What a pity. She improved quite a bit, but there’s still some gap."

Xu Yue looked at Yoshino Yuki’s score and sighed.

She was already out of it, so there was no need to pay attention anymore.

Mm, about time. He could bring his own dish up.

Those two guys seemed ready as well…

Xu Yue and the two Reincarnators almost simultaneously stepped forward with their dishes.

After seeing Xu Yue move, the two Reincarnators showed him respect. Each deliberately slowed by a step, smiling ingratiatingly as they made a "please" gesture.

Naturally, Xu Yue did not stand on ceremony.

He placed his covered dish before the judges, then lifted the cover…