As Isshiki and Julio are competing, Soma says, "Seems like he pays a lot of attention to you, Isshiki-senpai."

Isshiki just nods as they notice that Julio has already begun to cook his eel dish. He is cutting it into chunks and smothered it in salt, pepper, onions, and garlic. Not only that, but he also adds white wine added in Rondo-style.

"The Shiratsu household...for generations, they've been in charge of the meals for the Italian consulate, and so their family is famous in both Japan and Italy. His predecessor was so outstanding and well-received, that he was even awarded a knighthood." Erina says.

"A cook in service for the consulate..." Marui adds.

"That sounds pretty amazing." Daigo nods.

"The theme is eel...and the opponent is Italian? This might prove to be a very challenging battle." Takumi says. "This might sound surprising to the Japanese, but eel dishes are actually a big thing in Europe. A good example is the "Eel Matelote" that Kurokiba Ryo brought out during the selection semi-finals."

Isami says, "In southern Italy especially, they have a custom of dining on eel during Natale, during Christmas. It's believed that the eel is the incarnation of the devil so eating it is a type of purification."

"So Shiratsu Julio most likely has a lot of confidence in his eel dishes!" Urara announces, "And the opponent Isshiki Satoshi has finally completed his preparations for the Charcoal grill! Just go ahead and try cooking without quaking in your boots at the might of Julio-senpai!"

As Isshiki is cooking, Alice turns to Erina and asks, "By the way, what kind of chef is Isshiki-san? I don't think I've ever really talked to him. I suppose Erina would know him better than me, since she was in the Elite 10 council with him!"

"He's a super awesome guy! Really reliable!" Daigo cuts her off. "Oh, but he's still a naked apron guy."

"A sprightly older brother character, I say." Marui adds.

"But he doesn't really talk too much about himself." Yuki says.

"A senpai that you can't eat." Ibusaki says, and it only makes Alice confused.

"Anyway, judging by his chef clothing, could he be a Japanese Cuisine Chef? In that case, his handling of the eel should also be..."

"I don't know about that." Ryo cuts his mistress off. "They said the soba world has that saying of three days cutting, three months rolling, three years kneading, right? The eel chefs have a similar saying in their world too...three years skewering, eight years slicing, and a whole lifetime grilling."

"Eight years? A life-time? That's unbelievable..." Marui says.

"So it's unclear whether or not that guy Isshiki holds that much skill..." Ryo nods.

Isshiki is looking at the eels as he mutters, "Oh, I've got it! If we lose the Regiment de Cuisine, we could open up an eel breeding farm!"

And then he starts to think about the stream and a greenhouse, causing Yuki to yell, "Wait! This isn't the time to be thinking about stuff like that!"

"You never change! Always loafing around, never earnestly trying! Frivolously chatting in the middle of a match...!" Julio says with annoyance. "I held your talent with the utmost regard! My dream was to stand side-by-side with you along with the Phantom, and flourish within Central! And yet both of you chose not to obey director Azami! Why? You're a fool for not being able to understand the director's ideals! An absolute fool!"

Soma says, "Don't get it wrong, I truly understand the ideals, I just don't like the fact that Eri-chan and I were the sacrifices to it, that's why we are against him."

"Kinokuni! Come on, you should say something as well!" Julio turns to the girl who is still working on her soba. "The Isshiki family's...that distinguished clan's dropout! Degrade him with names like that!"

Everyone is confused at what Julio means, except Megumi, Takumi, Erina, and the others who have been under training. Isshiki just laughs, "That's pretty mean, but it's true, so I guess I can't do much about that."

"You can still laugh in the fact of such humiliation? Have you no pride?" Now Julio is furious. "You skip class and work on those farm fields all day...and you were dismissed from the 7th seat! How do you not feel miserable? And that dorm, Polar Star or whatever, if you continue too idle and laze in a place like that, you'll become good-for-nothing! I'm saying this for your own good...the riffraffs who stay in that dorm are not the sort of people that a son of the esteemed Isshiki household should be associating with!"

"Um...Shiratsu-kun? Would you mind shutting up for a sec?" Isshiki says as his face is now dark, and he swiftly cuts the eel's body without it being realized to be cut open.

Soma smiles and says, "I see that Isshiki is not going to hold back...that's good..."

"My goodness...never mind the insults aimed at me. But I never believed you would go so far as to insult the residents of the dorm. Alright then, I've made up my mind! I'm going to get serious, and I'm going to crush you."

Eizan mutters, "He's the idiot that decided to rise up against Central... there are his crazy skills again...if he used them properly, he'd be able to make money grow on trees, and yet..."

"Julio! Don't get down! Show him that you've got your own style too!" Rindo yells. "Just be confident!"

"I'm pleased Isshiki! Your technique really is endlessly beautiful." Julio says as he is touched to see Isshiki's true power.

Arato asks, "What was that technique just now? Don't tell me he managed to belly-filet that eel with such accuracy at that speed..."

"Wait a second! He started the cut from the belly side of the eel, didn't he?" Yuki says.

"Now that you mention it...that's crazy..." Ikumi says.

Eels don't have ribs, so getting a blade into their soft midsections in any sort of precise way is quite difficult. What's more, the fresher and livelier the eels are, the more they writhe around on the cutting board. Belly-filleting requires far more knife technique than back-filleting.

"It's hard to imagine he's that same n-naked apron guy..." Arato mutters.

Alice asks, "Hey, hey! What are you talking about? What is "Naked Apron"?"

Arato and Ikumi decide to ignore Alice since it is not something that they want to remember. Ryoko says, "But back-filleting is the norm, isn't it? I heard that belly-filleting was developed in Osaka, Kyoto, and other parts of the Kansai area. So why does Isshiki-senpai know that technique?"

"It's just as you said." Erina says. "The Isshiki clan is a line that has managed a traditional Japanese restaurant in Gion, Tokyo, from generation to generation since the Muromachi period. The Kinokuni clan of the east, and the Isshiki clan of the west! These two clans are the two great monoliths of traditional Japanese cuisine!"

Soma says, "And I know for sure that Isshiki-senpai has stayed at Kinokuni's household for years as well."

"Wait, does that mean those two are childhood friends?" Yuki asks.

"I guess you could call it that." Isshiki says.

"No, you couldn't. He was just a freeloader that was training at my house. We were never friends!" Nene says.

"My, my, spiky as ever, I see, Kinokuni-kun. Why do you insist on painting me as the villain in your eyes?" Isshiki asks.

"A barefaced lie. You know full well why." Nene says as she starts to prepare the oil heating and takes out the Sakura Shrimp with batter.

Soma says, "I knew it, you're going to make Kakiage Soba..."

Nene says, "Isshiki, make sure you make it to the second bout. You'll fight me there."

"A little short-tempered, aren't we? If I lose to Julio-kun, I won't be able to make it to the second round, will I?" Isshiki says.

"There's no need for you to play dumb anymore." Nene says. "We know all of us Elite 10 members, not just me. The only reason I was ranked higher than you in the Elite 10, is because you didn't actually try your best! You've always been like that, you somehow manage to casually surpass me in the very things I've spent endless time practicing, and yet, somehow, you're still holding back. Do you have any idea how pathetic that makes me feel? I can't take this anymore. Which of us is the best chef among those of the 91st generation? I'll prove myself with these hands."

"I'm sorry, but you won't. Not today." Isshiki says, "Because long before you get the chance, you will lose to the Phantom, who has the undefeatable record."

Nene notices that both she and Soma are doing noodle cutting at the same time, everyone is surprised as the accuracy is almost the same. Nene thinks, "How could I forget...my opponent is not Isshiki...but the Phantom..."

Soma says, "If anything, I would be the freeloader that was training at your house. Not Isshiki."

"What do you mean?" Nene asks.

"I still remember the conversation you told me last year. About you and Isshiki." Soma says, causing her to flinch a little. "But then again, Isshiki didn't listen to my advice, that's why you two are still doing the same."

"Are you trying to badmouth me, Soma-kun?" Isshiki asks.

"Maybe." Soma says, "Or maybe not."

Everyone gasps as Soma takes out a giant steel pot and places it on top of a blazing fire. Soma takes out the cut soba noodles and says, "Now here we go!"

Soma pours the noodles into the pot and frying them, the rebels are now mad at how Soma is ruining the soba, and Nene is confused, as frying soba almost completely ruins its elegant flavor.

"If you have stayed with my family, you do know that making that is a mistake for the soba. What are you thinking?" Nene yells.

"You don't need to worry about it. I already told you that my dish is Yakisoba." Soma says. "And I am going to win by using this dish."

Everyone realizes that Soma is using duck fat to fry spring onions and the noodles, Alice asks, "I don't get it, why are you all surprised? Yakisoba is fried soba, doesn't it? So you just have to go ahead and fry it? They do that quite often at festivals and stuff."

"But even though it's called "soba", Yakisoba is actually made with Chinese wheat-based noodles. They're completely different from Japanese buckwheat soba." Erina says.

"In Yamaguchi, they do fry actually soba on a hot surface, after softening it in boiling water, it's the famous "roof tile soba". But for that provincial dish they use an altered soba flour recipe, the "green tea soba"."

"Imagine if you were a Stagiaire in a Traditional Edo-era Soba shop, and tried to pull an antic like Soma's...they'd beat you out of the shop without a second thought." Takumi says. "I can tell why Kinokuni-senpai is angry. He is openly mocking the old beaten path."

Soma sighs as everyone is narrowminded, but he just has to prove it otherwise, that's all he needs to win.

And here is the third chapter of the first bout, and we will be having the judges in the next chapter. I hope you like this chapter.