Soma and Megumi are preparing their stall in the middle area, and Soma smiles at his girlfriend, who agrees to help him out in his own stand.

(Flashback)

It was the day before visiting Kuga's place, Megumi enters Soma's room and she says, "Soma-kun! I thought it might help, so I brought a Chinese recipe book."

"Thanks, but Megumi, you aren't setting up a booth with the other Polar Star Dorm members? Didn't Isshiki senpai ask you?" Soma asks.

"Ah yes, the Local Cuisine Research Society is setting up a booth too, but I refused them both." Megumi says.

"But why?" Soma asks.

"I mean, I thought you'd need help, Soma-kun." Megumi blushes a little and says, "But I might get in your way, right? Sorry that I just planned to help like it's the most natural thing in the world..."

"It's fine, it is just like the Stagiaire." Soma says with a smile. "You're a lifesaver for this."

Megumi is delighted as she hugs Soma, causing both to blush.

(Flashback Ends)

"Since our booth is still working, let's leave them to the construction workers, right now let's go see what the others are doing." Soma says.

Megumi nods as they walk on the road, as they see a huge building in the uptown area, and they find that Erina and Hisako are there.

"Yukihira and Tadokoro?" Erina is surprised to see the two of them. And Megumi asks, "Nakiri-kun, what are you doing?"

"They're taking out the furniture that was inside the building I'll be using as my booth. I'm changing everything so that it's more fitting for the atmosphere of a course menu."

"Seems like this kind of setup is only natural for Elite 10 members, considering that our booth is doing the same." Soma says.

"Just how did you two manage to persuade the Phantom to help you open a stand?" Erina asks with a little annoyance.

"The Phantom is a good friend of mine, and why can't he?" Soma asks with confusion. Hisako rushes to them and she says, "Erina-sama! It seems the contractors bringing what you asked for are going to be late by around one hour!"

"What? Good grief. That can't be helped." Erina sighs.

"That means you two are free for now? I was thinking of making a couple of dishes I made at home." Soma says. "Since you are the God Tongue, can you taste them for me?"

"Wha-why do I have to do such thing?" Erina yells, but Hisako says, "You only have one-hour Yukihira! Erina-sama is a busy person."

Erina is shocked that Hisako didn't help her stop Soma. After a while, Erina wants to ask Hisako what happened to get him close to Soma, but she decides against it.

Soma says, "This is the Yukihira-Style Mapo Tofu meal." Soma says as he delivers the meal, and Erina tastes it and she says, "I see, you'll never defeat Kuga-senpai with this dish, that's because your dish is overwhelmingly low in both "Ma" and "La"."

"I know that." Soma sighs. "That was not actually what I was planning to serve. I just want to know how far behind I am compared to Kuga senpai."

"What?" Erina asks, and Hisako adds, "Come to think of it, Kuga senpai said this."

She tells Soma and Megumi about what he likes about his food, and Soma sighs, "I kinda understand how Kuga senpai feels. Sometimes, I have more fun cooking when someone faints in agony after they say it's bad. Rather than when I see someone smile after saying my dish is good."

"Anyway, it is a delicious flavor brought by a spiciness that resembles a lightning strike. Kuga-senpai fully knows that such flavor makes it possible to rule over people. That's how he made into the Elite 10."

Soma says, "I see. But I have someone who will be helping me with the dishes. Thank you for helping, Nakiri."

Erina and Hisako are about to leave, but they stop in the hallway to see who is greeting Soma and Megumi. Soma says, "Qiu senpai! It's nice to meet you again."

"Same here, I heard that you need help with my own cuisine, so I'm here to help you." Qiu Tingmei says with a smile.

Erina gasps as she knows the person in front of her, the former 6th seat who is the same year as Chef Dojima and Chef Saiba. And also the one specializes in Taiwanese cuisine.

"Erina-sama, we need to go right now." Hisako says.

"Okay..." Erina says, but she starts to wonder how Soma will find someone as special as her to help him out.

After getting into the kitchen, Qiu says, "It sure has been a while since I set foot in this kitchen."

"I know, it was originally my mother's." Soma says. "And I have been challenged by the 8th seat for the sales and the theme is Chinese dishes. Since Taiwanese food is also counted as a part of Chinese food, so I want to see if you can help me out..."

"Of course, so it is for the Moon Banquet Festival, right?" Qiu says. "But first, can you tell me about the dishes of that person."

Soma decides to make the Mapo Tofu while adding a lot of spices, and after Qiu tastes it, she says, "It is incredibly spicy..."

"Yeah, but this is just spicy, in addition to the spiciness, there were surely complex flavors blended in to make people unable to stop eating."

"I see. There's this Proverb in China: Describing the Szechuan Province, and the neighboring regions Hunan and Guizhou." Qiu says, "Szechuan People aren't afraid of spiciness, Hunan people won't be afraid of spiciness, and Guizhou people are afraid of no spiciness."

"Oh man, I can't even grasp to what level these people have mastered spiciness too." Soma sighs.

"Also, the must-have ingredients for Mapo Tofu are chili bean sauce, sweet noodle sauce, and black beans and oyster sauce...this combination of seasonings were created especially by Kuga-senpai for the school festival." Megumi says to Qiu.

"I see." Qiu nods. "Spiciness is not a sense of taste, but rather pain." Then she explains what the spicy in with the biology, and Soma nods, "I see, to think that there's cuisine that pushed spiciness to this far level...Chinese Cuisine is quite amazing."

"But you're here to learn Taiwanese food, right?" Qiu says. "After all, I know some Taiwanese food that will grasp the heart of the others."

This causes both Soma and Megumi to look at the person in surprise, Soma smiles, "Please teach me everything. Senpai."

When the time the store is finished, Kuga notices that in front of the RS, there is a stall with some seats behind it under the small pavilion. Kuga asks, "Yukihira chin, you're using that stall and that kind of seat?"

"Ah, yes. That's right. I've got a feeling that with these things, I might just be able to make something pretty interesting." Soma says with a smile.

Kuga notices what is in the stall and he has been wondering what Soma is planning, but Soma decides to ignore Kuga as he decides to see what the others are doing. When he and Megumi catch up, they find Takumi and Isami at their own stall.

"Yukihira! To think you'd have a lady carry something so heavy! You're a disgrace to all the gentlemen in this world!" Takumi yells after seeing what kind of stuff Megumi is carrying.

"Oh, Takumi! Nice to see you again." Soma says.

"It seems you're challenging Kuga-senpai. How should I say it, it is just like you." Takumi says.

"Hm? Takumi, you guys aren't participating in the festival?" Soma asks.

"We promised some of our classmates we'd set up a booth together with a while ago. And it is in the main street area." Takumi replies.

"A branch for the Trattoria Aldini, huh..." Soma nods.

"Anyway, let me just say this! You aren't the only one who matured during the Stagiaire Period. Don't think I'm the same as I was during the election. Understood Yukihira!" Takumi yells, but he is dragged away by Isami.

Soma and Megumi also notice that Alice and Ryo are with Hayama at the Shiomi Research Society, and Soma says, "That is an awesome trio..."

"But can they really work together?" Megumi asks with a sweatdrop.

"So right now, what we are going to make are Pepper Buns, Egg Pies, Chive Pockets, Turnip Pastry, and then oyster fritters." Soma says, "And I have a plan to get the win for this."

Megumi is a little confused, but she trusts Soma's work as they continue to work on their food.

On the day when the opening ceremony arrives, everyone is now at the Entrance Arch. Alice walks to Soma and Erina as she says, "Yukihira-kun and Erina!"

"Oh! It's been a while, Alice." Soma says.

"The day has finally arrived, are you fully prepared?" Alice asks.

"Yeah, well, for the time being." Soma sighs.

"I see, I'm glad. It's a shame we can't compete in the same area. But our booth is monopolizing the main street area, ok?"

Erina says, "Incidentally, it would seem that the two people behind you are extraordinarily exhausted...just what happened these last few days?"

"Yukihira-kun, you also do your best in the Central Area. Look, speak of the devil." Alice says as they notice Kuga with the rest of the Elite 10.

After the School Anthem, the festival starts, and Soma and Megumi decide to work on their stand. As expected from Soma, a lot of people are trying to get a line in Kuga's restaurant. But Soma and Megumi manage to gather some more customers considering that their stall is sponsored by the Phantom, also known as the 0th seat, and one of the authorities of the Taiwanese Cooking: Qiu Tingmei.

After the day is about to over, Kuga walks towards Soma's stall, noticing that their tickets are only a quarter compared to Kuga's, he says, "Wow! So amazing! So many tickets! As your senpai! I'm very happy for you!"

Kuga also shows his own tickets to them, but Soma isn't fazed. "If you haven't gone against me...be obedient and just open your shop in another area, you can still enjoy and have fun during the festival, what do you say?"

"What are you talking about, senpai?" Soma says, "Everything is according to the Phantom's plan. This loss is just as expected for the perfect plan."

Kuga flinches a little at the mention of Phantom, who is someone he wants to beat for a long time, but he is taken by his staff as he was told that the ingredients are gone. Megumi turns to Soma in a panic and says, "What should we do? Even though we have earned a lot of tickets...but we won't win against Kuga senpai like this..."

"No, we will definitely." Soma says. "After all, this is just the beginning of the Festival." Soma adds. "Tomorrow, we'll go into the next phase, shall we?"

Megumi is a little taken aback at how calm Soma is, and she nods. "You're right. We can't lose right here right now."

Here is a new chapter, and this chapter will be different from the anime and manga because this time Soma has help from the former Elite 10 member to make Taiwanese dishes, and as a person from Taiwan, I decide to add some of my hometown food for Soma to make the gap smaller against Kuga. I hope you like this chapter.