Clink.
The coin dropped into the slot.
Erina's eyes sparkled as she stared at the plush black rabbit inside the claw machine. She had imagined this moment dozens of times—the triumphant moment of finally grabbing it with her own hands.
"Phew…"
She exhaled, trying to steady her nerves.
Carefully, she adjusted the joystick, lining up the claw perfectly. Then, she hit the button. The claw descended slowly, all eyes watching with bated breath.
It moved…
Tilted slightly…
And completely missed the target.
"Eh? I didn't get it?"
Erina blinked, stunned.
Undeterred, she inserted another coin. Then another. And another.
But no matter how precise she tried to be, the claw always either slipped or failed to grip. Ten tries became twenty. Twenty became fifty.
Still nothing.
Meanwhile, around her, people were cheering as they claimed their prizes one after another. Erina stood in a pool of defeat, her pride in tatters.
Why can't I do this?
"Miss Erina…" Hisako offered cautiously, "maybe this isn't—"
"I will get that rabbit!" she snapped, voice trembling.
By this point, Zane couldn't bear to watch anymore.
He stepped forward, inserted a coin, and grabbed the joystick.
"This kind of plush is actually one of the easier types," he explained. "The trick is to hook it just between the head and body. Clamp it tight, then lift gently."
He pressed the button.
The claw moved—clean, steady.
It latched onto the plush, lifted it smoothly, and dropped it into the prize chute without a wobble.
Erina and Hisako stared.
"Zane, you're amazing!" Hisako gasped.
Erina, on the other hand, dove toward the chute, scooping up the rabbit plush like a dragon claiming its hoard.
She didn't offer to give it back.
Not that Zane minded—he could tell how much she secretly loved these kinds of things.
Elsewhere—on the grand Shokugeki contest stage…
A bowl is served.
In it—"noodles" made from grape juice, and a perfect sunny-side-up egg.
Except…
Neither were real.
The noodles had been created by mixing grape juice with AA nutrients, boiling, then extruding from a syringe after chilling in cold water.
As for the egg?
A base of milk and yogurt chilled into the "whites," topped with a mango puree sphere resembling an egg yolk—made using the technique behind molecular xiaolongbao.
"What…?"
"Noodles made from grape juice? Sunny-side-up eggs with milk?"
"What kind of dish is this?"
"Is this the strength of another Nakiri?!"
The crowd erupted with disbelief.
But that wasn't all.
Alice Nakiri, the creator of the bizarre dish, calmly added a spoonful of bright orange salmon roe on top.
Only—
It wasn't salmon roe.
It was tomato sauce, gelled into spheres using frozen olive oil.
An entire dish made of illusions.
A dish where nothing was what it seemed.
Across the arena, a second-year student from the Totsuki Dessert Research Society scoffed.
"Hmph. A gimmick dish like that can't compete with my Black Forest cake."
Shiro Hakuhe's tone dripped with disdain.
Alice smiled, playful and unbothered.
"Senpai, underestimating me might be the last mistake you make today."
"You're just a first-year," Shiro replied, aura swelling. "Coming to challenge our entire dessert research society? You've got guts. But today—we'll crush you to make a statement."
With that, he presented his creation to the five judges from the Shokugeki Administration Bureau.
The Black Forest cake. A classic of German desserts.
Named after the mystical forest in southern Germany—home of Grimm's Fairy Tales and known for its dark woods, cuckoo clocks, and culinary traditions.
This version was no less magical.
A chocolate sponge base, infused with cherry liqueur. Layers of cream and sour cherries tucked within. Walnuts for crunch. Topped with chocolate curls and a dusting of cocoa.
One bite—and the story began.
The aroma of rich cocoa butter danced with the warmth of rum. Then came the tart cherries, mellowed by velvety cream. The walnuts added a nutty crunch, breaking the soft textures in perfect harmony.
And at the bottom—dense, slightly bitter chocolate cake, grounding the entire experience with a satisfying finish.
"Mmm~!"
The judges' eyes lit up.
"Delicious!"