As Yukihira Soma is back on the stage because of the reveal of the theme for the final round, it turns out to be the Pacific Saury, which has the advantages of each of them. Before Hayama leaves, Soma says, "Oh, right. Hayama. Don't try to smooth things over by acting composed. If you're bitter you can just be better about it."

"I've got no reason to be bitter." Hayama says. "Advancing to the finals, win the election...things are going as smoothly as expected."

"Huh? The match ended up a draw, and yet you're still acting like you're the best, huh, spice bastard?" Ryo says. "You're a one-trick pony of a cook who only has brains for spices. Next time, I'll bring you down!"

The next day, Soma is packing at the Polar Star Dorm as Megumi comes to him. "Soma-kun, are you going somewhere this early?"

"I'm going to the riverside fish market for a bit." Soma says.

"A fish market! You're going to look at some Pacific Saury?" Megumi asks. "You're bringing your Shichirin too?"

"I want to try grilling them there." Soma says, "Do you want to come with me?"

"Of course." Megumi says.

After they arrive at the fish market, Megumi is amazed at the atmosphere there, which Soma is looking at the ingredients.

"Soma-kun, you come here before?" Megumi asks.

"I came with my Dad a lot. How about you, Tadokoro?" Soma asks.

"I went to the fish market in my hometown a lot. But I'm a bit nervous...I have to be careful not to get in the way of the people working here. I'm pretty slow as it is...if I'm not careful, they'll get mad at me."

Just before she can be yelled at by a salesman, Soma steps forward and says, "Sorry about that, we are from Totsuki Academy."

The salesman then turns friendly as he apologizes to them. But as they continue to find the fish, they also see Alice and Ryo there.

"Kurokiba-Kun? Nakiri-san?" Megumi is shocked.

"So you two came to take a look at some Pacific Saury, too? What a coincidence."

"A coincidence, you say, but I come here pretty much every day." Ryo says.

"I see, what about you, Alice?" Soma asks.

"Only sometimes, you have to wake up early to come to the fish market." Alice says, and Megumi seems to be the only one who is panicking about meeting them.

Soma is looking at the fish carefully and Ryo says, "Angel's Eyes, huh? But it's not like you can just blindly choose a fresh one. Because the flavor hasn't fully developed then. The flesh can't be too hard and it can't be flavorless. In order to discern that difference, you need a fair amount of experience."

Soma says, "That's why I have Angel's Eyes, it has helped me during these years. My dad has taken me around the world, and there are some places where we can find fish to make. And besides, it would be better if we have a nice rematch, huh?"

Suddenly, Ryo has his headband tied up and yells, "Don't you think you will win like last time!"

Megumi turns to Alice and asks, "What does Soma-kun mean?"

Alice sighs and says, "Back in Denmark, Yukihira-kun and Ryo-kun had a match. And in the end, Yukihira-kun won."

"Eh..." Megumi says as she realizes that Soma and Ryo are making sashimi made by Pacific Saury, and they have asked Megumi to try it out, but Megumi can't decide which is better as she is now panicking at Ryo's stare.

"Geez, Ryo-kun, don't scare her." Alice pats her shoulder and Ryo is forced to return to normal.

"But how did you manage to find the perfect fish? Kurokiba-kun?" Megumi asks, and he says, "You can't judge just by looking at it. That's the trap when choosing Pacific Saury. By looking and touching it, I understand how it looked when swam, how the people who fresh-froze it did so, if it was carried with enough ice."

Soma adds, "When in season, the ingredients' quality and flavor become incredibly better. On the other hand, if we can't get ahold of the best ingredients, a big difference will be made on that very spot."

After Ryo and Alice leave, they also learn from the vendors that Hayama also arrived to find the ingredients. Soma knows that this will be a hell of a battle, so he decides to return to Polar Star to think about it.

After managing to buy some of the fish, they tried to grill and eat them. Soma says, "The true moment when our ability to judge will be tested is on "The morning of the match" I'm sure that Kurokiba and Hayam will come here once more that day. Well, I'm sure they'll come to buy some fish to make tests many times before that. But the real moment in which it's tested whether you can pick a good one or not is on the very day of the match."

"So what are you trying to do then, Soma-kun? This leaves us on a stalemate even before the match..." Megumi panics.

Soma looks at the fish and his Angel's Eyes are gazing at it. He says, "I think I have an idea."

After that night, he gathered Ibusaki and Ryoko to his room and says, "I won't be going to the fish market the morning of the match. I'll probably go buy the Pacific Saury for the match four or five days before."

This causes the three of them to be surprised. "What do you mean?"

"If you don't go buy a fresh one first thing in the morning, you won't be able to fight back!" Ryoko adds.

"Truth to be told, I have a few more days of trial and error, but if I don't start right now, I probably won't finish in time. If this goes well, at the moment of the finals, I'll have a Pacific Saury that surpasses the season. I need you guys to lend me a hand."

And then he also asks Ikumi to come as he reveals that he is going to do some curing for the Pacific Saury. And then they decide to help him out by trying.

But after days of trying, Megumi still feels that the ones that Soma and Ryo prepared at the market are more delicious than this. But after seeing Fumio drinking and eating something, he has an idea as he decides to try it out.

And during the day of the finals, Hayama and Ryo are curious as Soma doesn't come to the market, as they are wondering what he is planning.

And when the day comes, Ryo and Hayama gets the best fish, while Soma's fish causes everyone to look in shock.

"What is that?" "Yukihira is doing something weird again! Compared to the Pacific Saury those two brought, which are like gleaming blades, it looks like a blunt sword!"

"It sure has been a while." Soma says. "You may see that my Pacific Saury may look bad, but I'll prepare some food for you two too, so look forward to-"

"Don't screw with us, Yukihira! Are you mocking us?" Ryo yells. "If I were in berserk mode right now, I would have punched you."

"Indeed, Yukihira. The fish selection decides 70% of this match. To think you didn't even go to the fish market the day of the match. Congratulations on being the third place. You can be proud of that." Hayama adds.

And when the judges appear, Soma is shocked to see who the judges are, besides, Senzaemon, the Headmaster, there are Dojima Gin, and two alumni: Daniel Sawyer and Tokugawa Katsu.

"Those two!" The Polar Star Dorm recognizes the two judges, and Katsu turns to Dojima and says, "Dojima-senpai, I never thought you would ask us to become the judges."

Daniel says, "Indeed, we have known Soma for years, won't that be unfair?"

Dojima says, "But still, you were the Number 3 and Number 2 in your respective years, and there's no one better than you two to judge."

And the final person is the research division's head, Nakiri Leonora, Alice's mother. But when Isshiki asks her to talk some words, and she says, "Hello, my name is Nakiri Leonora. I live in Denmark. Japanese is difficult, so Judging is very hard...but I will try hard..."

Everyone gasps as how her Japanese is terrible, and Soma waves at Leonora and says, "Aunt Leonora! Nice to meet you again!"

"Yukihira! In the first match, Alice lost to you, and she was so bitter that we have a nine-hour-long international call." Leonora greets the boy, and Alice yells, "Mother! I told you not to tell anyone about that!"

"I never expected Alice to lose, so I'm really looking forward to your dish." Leonora smiles.

"Indeed, we are also looking forward to seeing you in this match." Daniel says to Soma, with Katsu nodding. This causes everyone to be surprised as to how the Transfer student knows all of them.

And for the time limit, they are opening the ceiling to show the moon, when the moon moves from one side to another, that means the time is up. With that set, the match begins as the three of them start cooking.

While they are cooking, some of the people are focused on what Soma is doing, as he is washing the fish with the water stream. Soma notices that Hayama and Ryo are looking, and he asks, "If you're curious, why don't you take a closer look?"

"Don't fuck with us, who's curious? I'm going to hit you, bastard!" Ryo yells.

"You should stop looking away and concentrate on your own dish." Hayama adds.

And then Ryo is trying to make an Acqua Pazza, a dish native to southern Italy. Alice turns to her mother and says, "Ryo-kun and I had cooking matches since we were young, and he's way more experienced.

"That takes me back when you and Soma-kun find him in the port." Leonora says.

"Aunt Leonora, you actually know him and Yukihira-kun from when he was in Europe, am I wrong?" Erina asks, and then Alice starts to have flashbacks.

(Flashback)

"So is this the boy you mentioned? Alice? Yukihira?" Leonora asks after the two of them manage to bring Ryo there.

"That's right, I want to make him my aide." Alice says as she drags Ryo's shirt.

"We have servants in the mansion, don't we?" Leonora asks.

"But Erina has a secretary, doesn't she? I want an attendant that's the same age as me, too!"

Ryo is not that happy to become a servant, so Alice has Soma fight for her to see who is stronger. Soma sighs as he has to agree with Alice's plans, but he is also interested in how Ryo is cooking, so after they have a cooking showdown, it turns out that Soma wins. Ryo is not that happy, so he challenges Soma again, but every time he loses to him until Soma and Joichiro have to leave Denmark, causing the boy to be angry about this.

(Flashback Ends)

Ryo then takes out the heat-resistant film and he declares, "Hayama! Yukihira! With this! I'm going to finish you two once and for all."

Soma and Hayam flinch a little as Ryo starts to go into cooking the fish.

And here is the new chapter, this is the first part of the three-way match, and I decide to make judges into 5 since there are some obvious reasons. I hope you like it.