Erina Nakiri's figure appeared at the entrance of the main stage.
Wearing a perfectly tailored school uniform, she stood tall, her eyes radiating a haughty pride.
As she stepped onto the stage, she instantly drew the gaze of everyone in the audience.
An academy instructor walked up holding an exquisite grade medal, solemnly pinning it to Erina Nakiri's chest.
This grade medal was Totsuki Academy's recognition of its most outstanding student.
Only a student who consistently held the top rank in the middle school division and possessed culinary skills far surpassing their peers was qualified to receive this honor.
The students in the plaza looked at Erina Nakiri on the stage with eyes full of admiration and respect.
They had spent three years in the middle school division alongside her, witnessing her unreachable culinary talent firsthand.
Not a single person objected to her receiving the grade medal.
The medal ceremony concluded quickly. Erina Nakiri gave a slight nod to the audience, then turned and calmly walked off the stage.
The host's voice rang out once more, this time carrying a distinct tone of reverence.
"Next, please welcome the Director of Totsuki Academy, Mr. Senzaemon Nakiri, to the stage for his address!"
Instantly, the posture of every student in the plaza stiffened.
Almost the moment Senzaemon Nakiri's name was announced, every student straightened their backs. Their expressions instantly turned solemn, and they subconsciously held their breath.
Senzaemon Nakiri, hailed as The Demon King of Food, wielded immense influence in the culinary world.
Furthermore, the educational philosophy he enforced was built entirely on competition.
This instilled a deep sense of fear toward him among the students of Totsuki Academy.
Soon, the towering figure of Senzaemon Nakiri slowly walked onto the stage.
Dressed in a traditional black coat, his face was stern and his gaze sharp.
Just by standing there, he exuded an imposing aura that commanded respect without a single word, turning the atmosphere in the entire plaza solemn.
Senzaemon Nakiri's eyes slowly swept over the students below. Seeing the poorly concealed nervousness and excitement on the faces of the young boys and girls, his expression remained grave.
Every year at this time, he saw these exact same expressions.
He cleared his throat, and his deep, powerful voice echoed through the microphone, reaching every corner of the plaza.
"Congratulations to all of you on successfully advancing to the Totsuki Academy High School Division."
"Over the past three years, you have built a solid foundation in the middle school division."
"You have mastered the basic skills of cooking and familiarized yourselves with the properties of various ingredients. Your accumulation of practical culinary experience goes without saying."
"At the same time, you have acquired a comprehensive understanding of theoretical knowledge."
"Culinary theory, nutrition, public health, agricultural overviews, business management..."
"It is precisely because of this that you have earned the right to stand at the gates of the High School Division today."
Standing at the doorway of the waiting room, Ray's gaze swept over the students in the plaza, taking in their varying expressions.
He had to admit, Totsuki Academy's foundational education was truly impeccable.
During the three years of middle school, everything from knife skills and heat control to ingredient properties, nutritional balance, and business concepts was meticulously broken down and taught to every student, covering all the essential skills a top-tier chef needed.
Even if someone failed to survive the cruel culling of the High School Division, the foundation laid over these three years would be enough for them to secure a decent job in the culinary world outside.
And if they managed to successfully graduate from the High School Division, they would be highly sought after by renowned restaurants, starting their careers from an incredibly high vantage point.
"However, the trials you will face from now on..."
Senzaemon Nakiri's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable authority.
"...are not about skills and knowledge, but the sheer willpower to survive as a chef!"
"Ninety-nine percent of you are merely stepping stones, born to temper the remaining one percent!"
These words crashed like a massive boulder into the hearts of every student in the plaza.
Outside the waiting room, the faces of some first-year high school students who had been struggling to maintain their composure instantly turned deathly pale. Many subconsciously clenched their fists as the light in their eyes slowly dimmed.
They had all stepped through the gates of Totsuki with dreams of becoming top chefs. None of them wanted to be a so-called 'stepping stone.'
Yet, everyone knew perfectly well that Totsuki Academy had always been a place of brutal survival of the fittest.
"Last year, out of eight hundred and twelve first-year students, only seventy-six successfully advanced to the second year!"
Senzaemon Nakiri's voice continued to echo over the plaza.
"The incompetent and the mediocre will be mercilessly discarded!"
"A first-year class of a thousand will be reduced to a mere hundred by the time of advancement!"
"As for how many will survive until graduation? You could count them on a single hand!"
These statistics made the atmosphere in the plaza so oppressive it was almost suffocating.
Right at that moment, Senzaemon Nakiri suddenly raised his hand, his aged yet vigorous finger pointing sharply at the students below.
"But you, you, and you—all of you have the potential to become one of those final few chefs!"
The deathly silence was instantly shattered.
The previously dejected students looked as if they had been injected with a stimulant. Their eyes suddenly lit up, the gloom on their faces swept away, replaced by a blazing fighting spirit.
That was right, any of them could become that one-in-a-million existence!
In an instant, all the students clenched their fists, their blood boiling in their chests as they looked at Senzaemon Nakiri with eyes full of yearning.
At this moment, these students secretly made up their minds. No matter how cruel the High School Division's trials might be, they would grit their teeth and endure. They had to stay at Totsuki!
At the doorway of the waiting room, Ray took in the entire scene. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, but his eyes remained calm and undisturbed.
Although these students were currently brimming with fighting spirit...
...fighting spirit without talent was ultimately just a flash in the pan.
It wouldn't be long before the cruelty of Totsuki Academy slowly ground away the drive of the incompetent.
They thought that as long as they worked hard enough, they could bridge any gap.
Little did they know, some chasms could never be crossed by hard work alone.
The ones Totsuki wanted to keep were never those who only knew how to work hard, but the elite of the elite who possessed both talent and dedication.
Someone like him, for instance.
In less than two months, relying on both talent and hard work, his culinary skills had advanced by leaps and bounds, already surpassing the vast majority of first-year high school students.
However, Ray also faintly sensed that his rate of improvement had noticeably slowed down recently.
He was very much looking forward to seeing how much he could improve at Totsuki Academy.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]