Soma walks forward and says, "Hayama, you've got some weird badge stuck on your chest. Did you get your shirt mixed up with somebody?"

Rindo says, "There's no mix up, Yukihira. That guy there is the new member of the Elite 10...Hayama Akira of Central. He's in the temporary 9th seat at the moment."

"That is how it is, Yukihira. I'm the one examining you." Hayama says.

"I was getting happy to see an old face but how annoying. Oi! I have tons of questions to ask you! What happened to Shiomi Seminar in the first place?" Soma asks.

"Oh, that doesn't work out at all. No other private group other than the Central is needed...That's leader Azami's principles. What more can I say?" Hayama says. "And I have a question for you, Yukihira. What have you achieved until now so far? Rebelling because you want to protect the dormitory, didn't your ambition take a huge fall? Where's the ambition you had when you were up against me during the selections, saying you'll be at the top?"

Soma snorts and says, "To think that an opportunity to face you again turns out to be like this..." Soma smirks.

As Erina, Megumi, and Takumi are taken for their own tests, Soma sighs and says, "Even if you say come at me, you haven't told me the theme or the rules yet. If you are looking for a Sokugeki, we need someone to judge."

"That won't be a problem. We've got them all ready." Soma turns around to see Dojima Gin, Fujiwara Ai, and even Qiu Tingmei are there.

"Qiu senpai! Fujiwara senpai! Dojima senpai!" Soma gasps in shock.

"It sure has been a while since the Autumn selection finals huh, Yukihira." Dojima says.

"Though our last meeting was back in the Polar Star dorm." Ai adds.

"Anyway, we will proceed with the rules right away. The theme will be a random pick from the most frequent themes used in the last year's promotion exam. So the theme is bear meat." Qiu says.

"Bear?" Soma asks in confusion.

"Make a dish that "enables one to taste a bear to the fullest" the match will be held four days later, you may spend your time until then preparing for the match. The rooms for lodge and kitchen for practice will be provided, I promise to pick a fair stand of judges for the match. Also, the meat that will be used on the day will be prepared and provided by our side. All other ingredients are to be taken care of by yourselves, that's all." Dojima says.

"Looks like that's it, Yukihira. Surely you won't say no to the challenge?" Akira asks.

"You don't need to look down at me." Soma says, "I haven't used my powers as the Phantom in the Autumn Elections. I am going to use it right now to see who is the strongest of the two of us."

"Well then, don't give up." Hayama says as he leaves.

"Who will be giving up!" Soma yells as he turns to Dojima, "By the way, I know that most of the members of the Golden Age disagree with Uncle Azami's plans, what about you, uncle Dojima?"

"I am neutral." Dojima says. "You don't need to worry."

Fujiwara says, "Anyway, since we are not the judges, so we'll be able to see what Soma-kun is cooking, right?"

Qiu sighs, "We can only help him as the tasters, but not giving our opinions on how to cook."

Soma smiles, "Thank you, senpais. We really need it."

After getting into the kitchen, Soma tries to try out what bears taste like in general, and after tasting it, he feels the aftertaste as the smell becomes unconventional in the end.

"To handle this meal, this special meat you definitely need to take care of the smell! To take care of it, you need to prepare a lot of things such as seasoning, controlling heat, the cooking process, and research the different stages of the cooking process for example." Fujiwara says.

"That means...spices...they are Hayama's specialty..." Soma gasps a little. "Damn it, he's got the advantage...anyway, let's try to kill the smell with that I have here."

And then he finds that the spices that he wants to use are not here, Qiu is smiling and Fujiwara asks, "What are you smiling for?"

"We can't directly help him, but I know who can help him." Qiu says as suddenly, people from the Chinese RS arrive with Bay Laurel, Star Anise, Fennel Fruit, Clove Buds, Toffee, and Chili.

"Why the long face? Weren't these the spices you were lacking? How pathetic, Yukihira-chin." The one standing in front of him is no other than the former Elite 10 member, Kuga Terunori.

"So you've also come." Soma says with a smile. "Isshiki managed to get you to come."

"I just thought you'd be so sad! I couldn't bear the thought of your frail self sobbing away, and...I rushed over here because I wanted to give you a hand in whatever way I could." Kuga says.

"You only talk like that when you don't mean a word of what you're saying..." Soma mutters.

"Anyway, I'll be helping you with just one condition. Challenge him to a Shokugeki for that 9th seat of his." Kuga says. "Totsuki nowadays is just too damn boring."

Then he explains his meeting with Rindo when he came to Hokkaido, and Soma says, "If you want his seat, then I can just do it for you, I'm not interested in the 9th seat after all."

"What? What do you mean by that?" Kuga asks.

Soma says, "Right now, I am not Yukihira Soma, but rather, the 0th seat: Phantom."

"What? You are the Phantom?" Kuga gasps in shock. "That means...I have lost to Yukihira-chin for several times before he even transferred here?"

Qiu sighs, "Kuga Terunori, you can do your private complaints later, right now you have agreed to help him out."

"Fine, Qiu senpai. I still can't believe you orchestra Soma's draw against my shop back at the Moon Banquet Festival." Kuga says.

"Yeah, and I told you all I do was teaching the basic Taiwanese cooking." Qiu sighs.

After trying the Bear Hotpot, the three of them think that it is good, but Soma says, "Hayama will no doubt come out with something that only he could ever make. If I don't come out with something equally unique and revolutionary, I don't have a chance at winning."

Fujiwara says, "So you are the former Number 8 in the Elite 10, and you specialize in Szechuan cuisine, right? Why would you try to choose that theme?"

Kuga says, "My parents were pretty wich, so I would travel around the world when I was a kid. I was already eating real and true Chinese food while in Elementary school. And after becoming the Elite 10, I made full use of my authority to visit places like Sichuan, Hunan, and Guizhou as much as I could."

Qiu says, "I see, so you're different than me. I was born in Taiwan, and it is until my Junior year that I came to Japan to study. A lot of people don't know about Taiwanese cuisine at that time, that's why I want to make it."

"And they are great, I really like those shake beverages in Taiwan." Fujiwara smiles.

Soma then says, "I think I should take a hike into the mountains, I want to know more about the place that this bear lived. I want to take a look at its natural habitat face-to-face. Take it in with my own two eyes, breathe its air with my two lives. I wanna taste that place with my whole body."

"A fine idea." Kuga says as he asks his men to help Soma out in the mountains. And when they are hiking for a while, they decide to take a rest.

"Kuga senpai, here's your drink, it is Milk tea made by Fujiwara-senpai." Soma says as he drinks it. "As expected from the Queen of Beverages...the taste feels so much like home."

"But are you just a little weak in the cold?" Soma asks.

"This is nothing. You've never seen Rindo. She's like a reptile, she actually stops moving if it gets too cold." Kuga says.

Then they talk about how Hayama gets into the Elite 10, and how he battled third years. Once they are done, they are continuing to search for the ingredients, and they find that the bear has already spotted them, so it will be hard to find them again. But Soma found some Five-flavor berry as he tries it out on his bear hamburger steak, and much to his delight, they all like the taste.

But then when they are asked by one of Kuga's goons to see what Hayama is doing, they realize that Hayama is using Cajun Spice. Hayama notices Soma and smells his hands, "You're testing Five-flavor berry, have you?"

"So? Am I supposed to be surprised that you know?" Soma asks. "You've made it into the Elite 10 as you've always wanted. So why do you look so gloomy? Don't tell me you actually agree with my uncle's ideals. Pretty despicable, if you ask me, you stopping so low just to get yourself into the Elite 10. I just think you should look a little more cherry, considering what you've accomplished."

Kuga asks Qiu, "Are you telling me that Yukihira-chin is related to Headmaster Azami?"

"The truth is, yes. His elder sister is Soma-kun's mother, who was originally the second seat with Azami as the first seat." Qiu says.

"And I was in the fourth seat at that time. Losing to Daniel Sawyer." Fujiwara pouts a little.

"I'm not in central for fun and cheer. The reason I joined Central was for Jun's sake." Hayama says.

"Shiomi Jun?" Qiu and Fujiwara are surprised, and Kuga asks, "So you even know Shiomi sensei?"

"What do you mean by that?" Qiu asks, ignoring Kuga's question.

"Never mind, shouldn't have said that. Doesn't concern you either way. Just get out, you're grating on my nerves." Hayama says. "To me, this fight is just a stop along the road, not my goal."

After that, Soma and Kuga are taking a shower and they find Dojima there. Soma decides to ask Dojima what happened to Shiomi Seminar, only to find that Azami has threatened Hayama to join the Central or destroy Shiomi's research data.

"To think Uncle Azami will go this far...I can't believe it." Soma says with anger as he rushes out of the bathroom to find Hayama, who is at the balcony.

"I heard about the burdens you bear. If you defeat me here, in the promotion exams, you'll get to continue doing the stuff you've always wanted to. And that's why we're having this match, no other reason. Right?" Soma asks.

"Indeed." Hayama simply replies.

"Quit looking down on people, moron." Soma says. "I'm here just to stop my uncle for what he is doing, and I'm delighted that we are going to settle the score since we didn't do it in the Autumn Elections. But here you are focused on everything except your dishes."

"Get out of here with that immature crap...a condition comes part and parcel with any contest. Though I guess I shouldn't expect much more from someone ignorant of the ways of the world. What do you know?" Hayama asks.

"I know that place was somewhere you belonged. And yet you couldn't even bring yourself to fight for it. I'd never lost to someone that pathetic." Soma says.

"YUKIHIRAAAAAA! Fine. If you really crave that badly for defeat at my hands...Come! I'll read you your last rites!" Hayama says.

And this is the first part of the battle chapter, as you can see, Soma manages to provoke Hayama. What will be happening next? I hope you like it.