CHAPTER 205: CHAPTER 10: TOTSUKI’S ADVERSITY, THE DIRECTOR’S WINTER TRAINING

🔥🔥 You can find 40 Chapters ahead here

Support link: pat_reon.com/Redon1

Also other exciting fanfic available 🔥🔥

----------------------------------------------------------

"Director, I’m very sorry, but our restaurant’s recent interns are already scheduled. After all, we are a French cuisine establishment, and students from Seiryo Academy better meet our requirements."

"To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, I called you to inform you." The person on the other end of the phone spoke very politely.

Ever since Eishi Tsukasa of Seiryo Academy gained increasing international fame, the students from Seiryo Academy have also slowly permeated the Japanese culinary market. Azami Nakiri’s personality issues aside, he certainly invested a lot of money. The academy’s lecturers were also a group of top international chefs.

Although their culinary philosophies differed from Senzaemon Nakiri’s, the quality of their students was not inferior. Under the influence of Eishi Tsukasa’s fame, these students, upon graduating, received recognition from many culinary brands. However, Senzaemon Nakiri had never taken it to heart.

Because, from beginning to end, Senzaemon Nakiri had never considered the school founded by Azami Nakiri as an enemy. But that’s where the problem lay. Senzaemon Nakiri didn’t treat it as an enemy, yet this academy truly existed and was developing increasingly well. This unknowingly cut into the advantages Totsuki Academy had accumulated over a long period in the Japanese culinary world. Previously, the reason it wasn’t noticed was that Totsuki Academy produced numerous talents, with a new batch of world-class chefs emerging in every era.

Joichiro Saiba was one such chef who came from Totsuki Academy, a legendary chef who once had the honor of ranking first in the world. However, due to his extreme low profile, he rarely participated in competitions shortly after becoming famous, causing his ranking to drop due to inactivity.

In recent years, Azami Nakiri had poached Totsuki Academy’s talent, taking six of the Ten Elite Council members. This split created a huge hole in the behemoth that was Totsuki Academy. Senzaemon Nakiri believed there was no issue. However, the facts showed that this group of departing students indeed wounded Totsuki’s core. The key was not how much loss their departure caused Totsuki Academy, but how much benefit it brought to Seiryo Academy.

The fractured Totsuki Academy lacked heavyweight figures who could hold their own, while Seiryo Academy used this opportunity to bolster its strength. When this call came in, Senzaemon Nakiri finally realized, as if waking from a dream, that Azami Nakiri had already cultivated such a formidable new force, evolved under a new culinary philosophy. Things became complicated.

Senzaemon Nakiri didn’t reject new opponents or people with different ideas, but he couldn’t stand by and watch Totsuki Academy decline like this. The current problem wasn’t that Seiryo Academy was doing better and better; it was that Totsuki Academy had become increasingly mediocre over the years. At the very least, Totsuki Academy’s graduates were far less appealing to the outside world than they used to be. But Totsuki Academy’s instructors had been guiding students for many years without issue, so where exactly was the problem? Was it a lack of fame?

Many talented students nurtured by Totsuki Academy were indifferent to fame and fortune, preferring to simply focus on perfecting their own cuisine. For example, Gin Dojima, who was almost on the same level as Joichiro Saiba. He was the highest-scoring graduate in Totsuki Academy’s history, the First Seat of the 69th generation’s Totsuki Elite Ten. After graduating, Gin Dojima famously rejected invitations from 800 renowned restaurants nationwide, choosing instead to work at Totsuki’s resort. His long-term stable job and dislike for fame meant that without media promotion, Gin Dojima seemed to have disappeared from the public eye.

He simply lacked exposure. He neither competed to accumulate world ranking points nor participated in gourmet shows, simply enjoying a leisurely life at the resort. Gin Dojima, who respected Senzaemon Nakiri, didn’t care much for wealth. Being able to live stably, cook the dishes he wanted, and innovate his own cuisine he was content with such a life.

Many exceptionally talented students at Totsuki Academy were similarly uninterested in fame and fortune, preferring to simply focus on creating their own dishes. Senzaemon Nakiri now urgently needed someone who could step forward and champion Totsuki Academy, someone who could gain fame like Eishi Tsukasa, establish a reputation, and then use that reputation to benefit the academy. He just couldn’t find a suitable candidate. The person he was looking for would, in all likelihood, have no interest in such matters. Leading Totsuki Academy and gaining fame was clearly hard work. Moreover, it not only demanded high personal standards but also a strong mental fortitude, at least not to be swayed by media gossip.

Ideally, this person could be in constant contact with him, have a close relationship, and discuss ways to re-elevate Totsuki Academy’s standing in Japan.

Therefore, he needed someone with strong culinary skills, a certain rapport with him, and someone he could trust completely, certainly not a mercenary type who would just take money for a job, or a student who already had ulterior motives.

In the process of promotion, Senzaemon Nakiri would inevitably have to use his own power to create momentum. If he ended up doing someone else’s bidding, it would be a losing proposition. Suddenly, a name appeared in his mind.

Trustworthy. Has rapport. He was his grandson-in-law, family. Promoting him would eliminate the possibility of doing someone else’s bidding. As for his culinary skills, they were good in the past, currently unknown, but with some temporary training, a baseline test, and perhaps some personal intensive training from him, it wasn’t impossible for him to contend with Eishi Tsukasa.

But his grandson-in-law, from what he knew so far, seemed to be someone who didn’t care about fame or fortune. How to persuade him to become Totsuki Academy’s star representative was something Senzaemon Nakiri needed to ponder.

Whether this matter would be easy or difficult depended entirely on Erina’s persuasion. Should he first sound out the young couple? Senzaemon Nakiri remained silent, deep in thought.

________________________________________

In a nearby courtyard, Alice held Rina, alternately pinching Rina’s face and repeating like a broken record, "My name is Alice, I’m little Rina’s auntie." She repeated ’auntie’ several times, trying to teach Rina how to say it.

However, after holding it in for a long time, no matter how Alice called her, Rina could only manage the sound ’papa.’ She played with Rina for over half an hour and still wasn’t tired.

Erina, wrapped in a towel after her shower, was drying her golden hair and about to tie it into a ponytail when Rina seemed to spot her savior. She wriggled free from Alice’s hands and stumbled, crawling to Erina’s feet, grabbing her pant leg. Five-month-old Rina still couldn’t walk, and neither Renz nor Erina had taught her how.

This was because a baby’s bones were not yet fully developed, and trying to teach them to walk at this age could easily injure their underdeveloped bodies. Renz and Erina were both easygoing parents who wouldn’t force their child to do anything early. They also wouldn’t compare their child to others in terms of when they walked or talked; such comparisons were born of vanity, useless, and could easily harm the child. Although it was sometimes fun to tease children, there was still a bottom line that needed to be self-controlled. Erina saw the terrified expression on Rina’s face and wondered what

’demonic’ things Alice had done.

________________________________________

In the corridor, Senzaemon Nakiri, who had just emerged, turned a few corners and passed by the family courtyard, where he saw his two granddaughters chatting. The matter he was pondering wasn’t unspeakable.

"I happen to have something to discuss with you, Erina," Senzaemon Nakiri approached. He saw Rina crawling behind Erina, pitifully reaching out and clinging tightly to Erina, looking utterly distressed. Erina was surprised; Grandpa rarely had things to entrust to her. He would usually handle things himself unless they were difficult, like matters requiring her God’s Tongue.

"Is Renz free these days?" Senzaemon Nakiri asked first.

"He’s very free, basically has nothing to do," Erina was quick to sell out her teammate. Renz, to this day, hadn’t thought about what he wanted to do. He had no schedule.

First, he came to the banquet, and then he would be vacationing for Christmas. From Erina’s understanding of Renz, he would likely be coasting on his salary and occasionally doing some side jobs for extra income. If someone was willing to push him, Erina didn’t mind being the one to create pressure for Renz. A person without pressure would completely lose their fighting spirit.

"Oh, I have an idea," Senzaemon Nakiri’s way of speaking had a certain rough-and-tumble air. He said, "Totsuki Academy needs a figurehead, a leader. I wonder if he has the mind to..."

"Yes, he definitely does," Erina immediately said.

Although she didn’t fully grasp Grandpa’s thoughts, she tried her best to secure an opportunity for Renz.

"Do you have a clear idea of his current culinary ability?" Senzaemon Nakiri wasn’t in a hurry and continued to inquire. To be Totsuki Academy’s face and leader wasn’t something one could just become. The most basic qualifications had to be met. One couldn’t just promote someone who knew nothing; wouldn’t that be a laughingstock?

"Peerless," Erina gave Renz immense face, uttering a ceiling-shattering evaluation right away. And this statement was not an exaggeration. The current Renz was in his ascending phase, and at his age, he was undoubtedly in his golden years, his prime. As long as he got familiar with the environment, he could regain his touch and form.

"With the help of my God’s Tongue, Renz’s culinary abilities will not be inferior to Eishi Tsukasa’s," Erina even gave a specific example to express her level of trust.

"Then, for this Christmas itinerary, I will arrange for a few days of vacation first. After that, under the guise of ’Winter Training,’ I will comprehensively test Aze’s condition. If it’s exactly as you say, I will give him a chance to rise to fame in this year’s The-Blue Global Culinary Competition," Senzaemon Nakiri revealed his trump card.

Originally, Totsuki Academy held all three Japanese spots in The-Blue Global Culinary Competition. Later, after the rise of the new force organized by Azami Nakiri, they snatched one ticket. Totsuki Academy was left with only two spots for The-Blue Global Culinary Competition. Eishi Tsukasa’s rise to fame was due to his stunning performance at The-Blue, making all the fans watching the culinary competition worldwide remember him. Compared to Midnight Chefs, a variety show only broadcast in Asia, The-Blue Global Culinary Masters Competition was a world-class competitive arena, enjoying the attention of audiences worldwide. Achieving success on such a stage meant formally stepping onto the historical stage of the culinary world.

"However, Renz will not be the only one participating in this winter training," Senzaemon Nakiri clarified in advance. "If someone else is more deserving of this spot than him, I will consider giving it to a better person."

The-Blue Global Culinary Masters Competition had no age limit. Totsuki Academy could give the spots to graduates and current students. However, Senzaemon Nakiri rarely gave this competition’s spots to current students. He usually reserved the three spots for the age-restricted The-Blue Youth World Cup for current students.

"Are there other competitors?" Erina certainly wished Renz would take this ticket immediately. Renz had the strength to stand out, he just lacked the opportunity to participate in competitions. The-Blue Global Culinary Masters Competition was a major event that could bring Renz a real increase in status. The opportunity for a world ranking to go from non-existent to reality, with honors bestowed, was within reach.

"Yes," Senzaemon Nakiri slowly listed several names:

"Soma Yukihira, Isshiki Satoshi, Kuga Terunori, Akira Hayama, Ryo Kurokiba, Takumi Aldini, Nene Kinokuni, Megumi Tadokoro."

"All the Elite Ten from the last three years are included."

"Even you have the qualification to compete for this ticket."

Senzaemon Nakiri’s idea for this ’Winter Training’ was actually just forming, but once the framework was in place, the overall structure became very clear. This ticket itself was meant to be fiercely competed for by people within Totsuki Academy. Currently, Totsuki Academy lacked a backbone, a figure who could carry the banner and use their fame to re-establish Totsuki Academy’s prestige. Now, Senzaemon Nakiri was simply bringing an internal selection that was already going to happen out into the open.

Moreover, the initial purpose of this ticket was merely to select the strongest chefs from Totsuki Academy to compete in a global culinary competition. Now, Senzaemon Nakiri had added another layer of meaning to it. Whoever secured this ticket could become a trump card that Senzaemon Nakiri and Totsuki Academy would work together to promote.

Deep down, he still favored Renz. However, if Renz couldn’t even outperform Totsuki Academy’s own people, then giving him this opportunity might not be something he could seize. If someone else were truly selected to compete in this training, Senzaemon Nakiri would consider making that person his chosen trump card after thoroughly investigating their background. Renz was the best choice, but not the only one. It all depended on whether he could seize this opportunity.

________________________________________

__________________________

🍊 Boost This Fanfic! 🍊

Every 350 Power Stones gets 2 bonus Chapters! 🚀

Want faster updates? Show your support by dropping Power Stones, leaving reviews, and sharing your thoughts in the comments! Your engagement keeps the story going strong!