Cheers echoed from the arena behind them.

Natsume had already left, strolling through the festival grounds.

But the video of his victory over Leader Shiori?

It was exploding across social media, becoming the night's hottest topic.

Tokyo Evening News caught wind instantly, their official account posting:

[DOMINANCE! Kyoto Leader Challenged—And This Content Creator Is…]

Comments flooded in, some dismissing it as staged entertainment.

But those who'd witnessed the match?

Their minds replayed the scene: Natsume-sensei nearly shut out Kyoto's Leader!

If not for it being a "friendly," Shiori might've been carried out on a stretcher.

Natsume-sensei, stop pretending you're not a Master!

Debates about Natsume's true strength had raged for ages.

Even his flawless rookie tournament records couldn't settle it.

Was he smurfing or genuinely leveling up?

Tonight's festival match ended all doubt.

His corporate-level strategy, Master-tier breeding, and humble demeanor spoke volumes.

Once the battle footage dropped?

A Natsume-sensei tsunami was inevitable.

"So when he said 'don't post the video,' he meant 'don't expose Shiori's humiliation'?"

"Good grief, Natsume-sensei's a Baby Cup war criminal!"

"Sure, new team comp advantages exist… but this was 100% his style."

Every attendee's social media buzzed about the exhibition.

Gym Leader Takuya scrolled through reactions, then sighed in relief.

Even with my main team… that bastard would've crushed me.

he muttered. "He's leaving Tokyo soon."

"No more terrorizing our gyms!"

In the lounge, Shiori replayed the battle in her mind.

Had he not held back… even Dragonite would've fallen.

Fairy-type's advantage was one thing.

But his strategic depth?

Rare even among Masters she'd met.

No bitterness, though.

As a Leader, defeat meant only one thing: train harder.

"Sorry," she whispered to her cosplay schedule. "Conventions will have to wait."

...

The organizers were stunned.

Learning the winner was Natsume-sensei—their platform's partner—the manager blinked.

"Beyond standard prizes… shouldn't we show appreciation?"

Budget constraints loomed.

It had to be affordable yet meaningful for a Master.

Then—inspiration.

"Doesn't Natsume-sensei own a Farfetch'd?"

"Galarian Sirfetch'd," the assistant confirmed. "Competed in Kanto's P1 Grand Prix."

"Perfect." The manager grinned. "He's a foodie content creator too."

"Gift him that special leek."

For Farfetch'd, a prime leek boosted combat prowess—same for Sirfetch'd.

Not expensive, just impossible for non-trainers to identify.

The manager's office盆栽 had housed it as decoration.

Fate.

"Present it after the awards," he decided.

"Now—let's crown our creators!"

...

At this very moment.

Natsume-sensei was in the Food Section, engaging in a "Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma" with other content creators.

Though called "Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma," it was really just mutual cooking critiques.

Like an exhibition match, the outcome didn't matter.

The open-kitchen format drew quite a crowd of onlookers.

"Natsume-sensei… can cook?" Lt. Surge asked in surprise.

Brock squinted. "To be precise, he's very good at it."

"No way?!" Lt. Surge clicked his tongue.

"Just keep watching," Brock said, gazing toward the open kitchen.

A murmur rose from the crowd.

"Am I seeing things?"

"Why is this fried rice… glowing?!"

Natsume calmly plated the dish.

"Is this… the legendary wok hei?"

"It's the berries! Natsume-sensei added berries!"

Making food glow purely through cooking… was actually pretty hard.

But in Cooking Master Boy, there was a classic dish—sour plum fried rice.

Natsume had recreated it slightly by using tart berries like Golden Razz Berries.

Steam rose, and as the crowd rubbed their eyes, the golden light faded.

Had that… just been an illusion?

Staring at the fragrant, perfectly rounded golden fried rice, everyone swallowed in unison.

All the meticulously prepared dishes by the other content creators…

Paled in comparison to this casually made fried rice!

Natsume was just hungry.

And there happened to be some leftover rice in the cooker.

So he whipped up this classic golden fried rice.

As for agreeing to the Shokugeki… he just wanted to mooch off others' cooking.

The young lady who had challenged Natsume-sensei brought over a steaming bowl of Kanto stew.

"This is my dish! Please give me your thoughts!"

"I've prepared some too… though there might not be enough for everyone."

Natsume also set aside small bowls for Sonia and the others.

"Gengar~~(╯▽╰)" Gengar floated nearby, holding a plate and spoon with a cheeky grin.

"Why does it smell so good?!"

"Got it, I'm ordering takeout right now!"

The young lady's Kanto stew had perfectly cooked daikon.

Natsume nodded in approval.

Meanwhile—

"Ah—!" The moment the food touched her tongue, the young lady froze as if struck by lightning.

A warm current surged through her, filling her with satisfaction. Unconsciously, her eyes welled up.

"It's so good!"

The clinking of bowls and spoons grew rapid.

Natsume glanced back—the three of them were scooping at the same frantic pace.

Even Sonia, who usually cared about etiquette, had already emptied her bowl.

She looked up at Natsume, cheeks flushed, and whispered shyly:

"C-Could I… have some more?"

"Just… a little bit…" She pinched her fingers together.

The surrounding viewers clenched their fists, tears streaming.

Damn it… they wanted a bite too!

Natsume smiled faintly, tossing his apron aside with flair:

"Thanks for the meal!"

...

At 8:30 PM, the awards ceremony officially began.

Sonia, Brock, and others took the stage one by one, met with thunderous applause.

Lt. Surge sat beside Natsume, clicking his tongue.

"Kinda feels like this festival's lost its spark."

"Hang in there, Major Surge," Natsume reassured. "Who knows? Maybe we'll collaborate on electronic music next time!"

"Pfft, yeah right." Lt. Surge laughed. "But hey, I appreciate the thought!"

Natsume smiled without another word.

[Next up, Top 100 Content Creator—'Natsume-sensei, Are You Serving Dinner Today?'—]

As the final awardee of the second batch, Natsume took the stage.

Instantly, the livestream chat exploded.

"LEGEND!!"

"So cool, Natsume-sensei!!"

The narrator's voice rang out:

[As Gaming Section's pride and joy, this dashing young man has shared invaluable strategies, tutorials, and insights with his audience.]

[In battles, cuisine, music, and beyond, Natsume-sensei has delivered countless unforgettable highlights.]

[This year's most popular tabletop and indie games? Both masterpieces from this genius independent developer…]

Viewers unfamiliar with Natsume-sensei gaped at the commentary.

Meanwhile, his fans erupted in cheers, waving glow sticks wildly.

As the spotlight settled on the handsome young man, Natsume lifted the small golden trophy with a smile.

The crowd roared with applause, camera flashes flickering nonstop.

"Gengar!" Gengar suddenly popped out, grinning wide as he photobombed the shot.

At the same time, a system notification chimed.

[Ding! Mission 'Top 100 Content Creator of the Year' complete!]

[Rewards: Skill Level-Up Ticket ×1, Gold Bottle Cap ×1!]

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