Soma: The Phantom Seat (Abandoned)

Chapter 57 First Bout Part 2

"And now! It's finally begun! The Regiment de Cuisine!" Urara announces. "Now then, all eyes are on this first bout! The rebel side has sent out Megishima Totsuke, Isshiki Satoshi, and Yukihira Soma! Which camp will grasp the coveted seats of the Elite 10 council?! It's anybody's guess! The time limit is 2 hours!"

While she is announcing, Isshiki smiles and says, "There really is something special about Soma-kun."

"Isshiki senpai! Hurry up and start cooking already!" Yuki yells.

"At any rate, Yukhira...what the hell did he mean when he said he was gonna make "Instant Yakisoba"? Did he forget that his opponent is a super top-class soba artisan?" Daigo says with concern.

Kinokuni glances at Soma, and she thinks, "Isshiki, it seems you've really been keeping an eye on the Phantom, but given the theme of this card is "Soba"...I want to say that I have confidence in it, but the last time..."

They notice that Nene carefully stirs the soba using her four fingers and thumb mutually. Due to the movement of her thumb, a smooth momentum can be built up in the mixture within the wooden bowl. As her four fingers gradually knead the buckwheat flour, it steadily grows larger. The extreme gentleness with which the buckwheat flour is handled enables the grainy particles to meld together with the water. Once the grains have been rolled into roughly the size of a broad bean, she kneads the buckwheat flour into one.

"Amazing, she's not making even a single wasted movement..." The students are exclaiming in shock.

"You can tell that soba is taking on a sticker and bulker consistency by the second." Hayama says.

"It's hard to believe that she's managing to do all this within those slender arms...what insane power..." Ryo adds.

"Her secret lies in her lower body. She's able to produce all that power by transferring every last drop of the energy created by bracing her legs and hips straight to the soba." Erina says.

And much to everyone's surprise, Soma is doing the same thing as everyone watches with surprise. Nene says, "I have heard from my father that there is a boy who came to our family to try learn noodles, and he learned it within a month. That boy was you, right?"

Soma says, "I must say your father is really strict when it comes to soba. But it is thanks to the harsh training that I manage to learn all of this."

Everyone is surprised to learn that Soma has been training under Kinokuni family, as Soma goes into the flashback.

(Flashback)

"Saiba-san, so you want your son to learn the Kinokuni-style Soba, are you serious about that?" Kinokuni Nene's father asks after seeing the boy.

"Yeah, I want him to learn anything before enrolling him into Totsuki." Joichiro says.

"Very well, but I won't tolerate any mess-ups from him." Nene's father says in a stern tone.

Soma says with determination, "I won't."

And after days of training, the man is surprised to see how Soma manages to make it with ease, it reminds him of a boy from the Isshiki Family. After a month is over, the man says, "Kid, I have taught you everything about Soba. Now you have that technique, I hope you make it into good use."

"Thank you, Master Kinokuni." Soma bows as he leaves with his father.

(Flashback Ends)

"Instant Yakisoba...is it?" Soma's thoughts are stopped after hearing Nene's words.

"What's the matter, senpai?" Soma asks.