"I see, so you'll be undergoing training from now until the main event, is that right?" Alice asks Soma through phone, with Hayama and Ryo by her side. "Since my grandfather is with you, it should be fine to leave it all to him."

"Yep, and we'll try our best." Soma adds.

"Yukihira. If you're running low on ingredients for your training, speak up, got it? We'll gather them up and deliver them to you." Hayama says.

"For real? Sounds good, thanks. Hayama." Soma says.

"Though we are sorry, it would have been so wonderful if we'd gotten the chance to fight alongside you all on the same team..." Alice frowns. "But we forced you to shoulder all the burden..."

"You don't need to apologize, that's what friends and family are for." Soma says.

"But Yukihira, about your battle power for the Regimental Shokugeki, you're not really thinking of fighting with just four members, are you?" Ryo asks.

"Nope, we're hoping for several more. So from now on, alongside our training, we'll be gathering allies." Soma says. "And I think I would be able to find four people for this."

The others are confused, but they know for sure that they can only trust Soma and the others.

Soma, Erina, Megumi, and Takumi are now sitting at the cabin of the train as Erina says, "We know for sure that Sou-kun has a chance to win against them, but the problem is that we can't always have him battle since Sou-kun will get exhausted in the end and we don't want the same thing from Saiba same to happen."

"So we need to find some people to our side." Takumi says, "Is that right?"

Megumi asks, "But who can we ask for help? I mean...all of our friends were about to be expelled..."

Soma says, "If that's the case, I think I know some of them that can help."

He takes out the phone and dials a number, then he says, "Isshiki senpai, are you there?"

As Soma is talking to Isshiki, Megumi says, "Isshiki-senpai is a perfect choice. I mean, he doesn't like people from the Polar Star Dorm to be expelled just like that."

Takumi says, "But I am not sure if he is going to do the naked apron on stage..."

This causes both girls to blush and feels weird, Soma says, "So that all happened, and now we're going to have a Regimine de Cuisine with the Elites. I called you because I was wondering if you could join our rebel team."

Isshiki says, "You don't need to worry. I'm already in Hokkaido. In fact, I was already coordinating with the Golden Age Alumni. And we're glad that Headmaster Azami took the bait like that."

"I see." Soma sighs as he ends the call. "Now for the next one..."

And the second person Soma is calling is no other than Kuga. "Took you long enough to call! Yukihira-chin!"

"Is that Kuga senpai?" Megumi asks in surprise.

"The former 8th seat who Soma challenged for the sales..." Takumi adds. "To think Yukihira is going to ask him for help..."

"Isshiki filled me in, so I know the situation. The party can't start without me, right?" Kuga says.

"That will be great. Thanks a lot." After Soma ends the call, Megumi asks, "Soma-kun...are you sure you're going to ask Kuga-senpai?"

"Don't worry, he helped me a lot during the previous exam." Soma says. "And I think I know another person who can help us out."

The third person that Soma is calling is Mimasaka Subaru, and he replies, "I owe you one...I'll start image training to overthrow the elites."

"Thanks, Mimasaka. I'm counting on you." Soma says as he ends the call.

"Amazing, Soma-kun, we already have three to join us." Megumi says.

"And that only leaves one more member to join us." Soma says as he calls the last member, who turns out to be the former third seat: Megishima Totsuke.

"I refuse." This causes everyone to be surprised after the call ends. Soma says, "Damn it...I thought that Megishima senpai will help us out..."

"What are we going to do then..." Takumi asks.

"I refuse to let it go at that. I'm going to ask him in person." Soma says.

"But are you sure Megishima is in Hokkaido?" Erina asks. "What if he is not here?"

"He told me that he is in Hokkaido on business, we can go find him tomorrow." Soma says.

"I see, indeed. If there's a chance of getting Megishima's battle power, we can't let it pass." Erina says. "But the mission is sure to be quite difficult."

Soma says, "I know, I only battle him once as the Phantom, after all, he hates Shokugeki."

The next day, Soma and Megumi are now in front of the restaurant, and two people notice their uniforms as they start to yell at them.

"Whodda fuck're you two?" "Snitchin' for the enemy side, Aintcha?!"

Megumi panics at the two's angry face, but Soma asks, "Now wait a sec, which side is the enemy here?"

"The Azami Administration, duh! Central!" The person takes out the newspaper and shows them what Azami was doing. Azami was just doing blackmail to crush all the restaurants.

"How terrible...I can't believe they're doing such an awful thing!" Megumi says.

"But pressure or not, we in the Ramen craft ain't bending the knee!" "Yeah! I worked for years on my recipes! I'm not changin' them up just 'cause some fancy hipster told me to!" "We ain't afraid! We stand with the young master!"

They realize that the master is no other than Megishima Totsuke, the former Elite 10 member, and they decide to go meet Megishima. And the said person is listening to the other owners of Ramen restaurants as he vows to protect their restaurants.

After meeting, Megishima says, "I already gave you an answer. I refuse. Your Regimental Shokugeki...is not the stage for my debut."

"But they took the third seat from you, right? Senpai?" Megumi asks. "The council is our enemy, too. If you defeat them with us, you can recover your position."

Soma says, "Megumi, I know for sure that Megishima senpai is not interested in that. The only reason he comes to the school is that it is the best cooking school in Japan."

"I dislike competition in general...but ever since joining Totsuki, everyone I meet only cares for battles, duels...what a depressing dog-eat-dog world...every day, even my own classmates kept challenging me to some Shokugeki. Some of them just wouldn't leave me alone, so I said yes...this kept happening, and then before I realized it, I had become the third seat. But I'm already fed up with it all. As a chef, the only battle I care about is the battle to win my client's satisfaction. I don't make Ramen show off in public matches. I will not debase it in this way."

Megumi says, "Excuse me, I understand and admire your position, senpai, but please allow me to ask one more time! The thing is our friends are facing expulsion, I'd like to do everything I can to save them, so..."

"I, too, have something to protect...the culture of ramen! Sorry, but I've no intention to support your fight." Megishima says. "I already have my hands full with my own problems."

"I feel bad for ya kid, but ya better give up...when the young master puts his mind to somethin', he ain't the type to go back." One owner says.

Soma says, "I understand how you were feeling, Megishima senpai. After all, I too have someone who has been trying to challenge me, even when I wasn't a Junior high student in Totsuki. All they want is to know my full identity...but this time, I am going to challenge you as the Phantom! If I can make a bowl of ramen even more delicious than yours, will that serve to prove that I'm not just all talk?"

Megishima stares at Soma, and he says, "So you are the Phantom...very well. I accept your challenge. But do not misunderstand, this is not a challenge nor a battle, but a hard lesson for my young underclassman."

As they go to the kitchen, Soma and Megishima are now starting to make the ramen, Megishima is going to make Tonkotsu Ramen with grilled pork chashu. And everyone is watching how he is making Ramen.

As for Soma, he knows for sure that this is not the time to give up, even if it means to lend his father's and Megumi's power. And he made the breakfast ramen with the dried food technique that he learned from Megumi. And the ramen vendors are also surprised to taste how good the ramen is. Megishima tastes the soup and he can also feel the burst from it.

"I understand that you want to defeat Central and save your friends, but why are you even going this far to ask me?" Megishima asks.

"I definitely care about my friends, but there's something more...something I just don't like about this. I want all dishes to show freedom in their creation. But the Azami Administration...Central is trying to enforce the exact opposite. For Tonkatsu, Yakitori, Curry, and hot pots, I mean, it could be anything. Anyway, I just want to try all sorts of dishes made by all sorts of people...and compete with them with their own dish. The more people there are that can make completely different dishes than yourself, the more fun the world is. That's what I want to protect. A world just like that." Soma says.

Megishima sighs, "I see." He turns to the vendors who are going to be the judge, "I suppose it's a win by default, the Phantom still has his win record against me."

"Wait, does that mean..." Soma and Megumi are now delighted, and Megishima nods, "Indeed, I will help you with the Regiment de Cuisine."

Both of them are delighted, and before leaving, Megishima turns to the vendors and says, "Sorry about this, originally, I came to Hokkaido to offer my assistance to the local ramen shops, but looks like I'm gonna have to take a little detour."

"No worries! That young lad shows a lot of promise!" "By all means, get out there and help them fight the good fight." "Take care young master!"

After leaving for the train, Erina and Takumi are shocked to see that both Soma and Megumi manage to get Megishima onto the train. Not only that, Soma and Megumi are also surprised to see Isshiki, Kuga, and Mimasaka also there.

"You sure have been keeping us waiting." Kuga says. "But anyway, you managed to get Megishima on the train."

Isshiki says, "Indeed. Though you had to use your Phantom personality again, right?"

"If I didn't do that, I know for sure I will be losing against Megishima senpai." Soma says. "But now we have 8 people, just like they are."

Dojima says, "And now that all 8 of you are here, it is time to take some training. In the Regiment de Cuisine, the battle will demand each of your individual strengths as chefs, from here on out, we're going to have two-on-one training. So that each of you can raise the fundamental level of your skills."

"Even us?" Kuga asks in shock, and Qiu says, "Just because you were the former Elite 10 member does not make you the strongest of them all."

Megumi says, "But there are the 8 of you, if you add former headmaster, there are only 9 people, what about the other 7?"

"They will eventually come tomorrow morning. Right now, I want to see your teamwork." Dojima says as the other 8 nod as they are going to the kitchen to try cooperating with each other for the upcoming Regiment de Cuisine.

And this is the end of the chapter, as you can see, Soma manages to get Megishima into the group, now the next chapter will be starting the arc of training. And what are the 7 other people that will help them train? I hope you like this chapter.