"I've awakened a special ability," Daiki said without preamble. "I want to head to the Tōtsuki Resort for a while—hone my skills before school starts."
He didn't bother hiding anything. In the world of Shokugeki no Sōma, supernatural powers weren't exactly a secret. They were rare, yes—but public. More importantly, they were tied exclusively to chefs, emerging only in those with culinary potential. There was no real reason to keep his abilities under wraps.
Especially not from Dōjima Gin.
Daiki's newly awakened sense of touch was a growth-type power—like the fishing space itself. And he understood one thing very clearly: for it to grow, he needed knowledge, and to acquire that knowledge efficiently, he needed the support of a major culinary power.
Tōtsuki—specifically the Nakiri family—was the obvious choice.
Once they saw what he could do, there was no doubt in Daiki's mind: they would support him. The Jade Age plan had been in motion for years, and the flaws of the God's Tongue remained unresolved. If he demonstrated enough potential, especially with a rare and stable alternative to the Divine Tongue, the Nakiris would invest in him heavily.
This was a win-win. Daiki needed resources and training. The Nakiri family needed hope.
And with his personal connection to Dōjima, there was no need for subtle reveals or strategic performances. A single phone call would do.
"So you've awakened your special power… Wait. Did you just say you've awakened a superpower?!"
The voice on the other end spiked in volume, snapping from smooth to stunned in an instant.
Daiki wasn't surprised. It was easy to forget in the later arcs—when superpowers seemed more common thanks to the intensity of THE BLUE—but globally, very few chefs ever awakened powers. It wasn't about skill alone. It was part mystery, part miracle.
Megumi Tadokoro had awakened hers during her school years. But legends like Yukihira Jōichirō and even Dōjima Gin himself? Still powerless.
So of course, Dōjima was shocked.
"Yeah," Daiki said simply. "And not just one—I've awakened two abilities."
Dōjima went dead silent.
Daiki had already made up his mind about this. His two powers—Explosive Flame and an evolving Tactile Sense—would be public knowledge. One was destined to emerge during cooking battles anyway. The other needed exposure if he wanted support from Tōtsuki's vast ingredient network.
So he would announce both. And as far as anyone knew, there had never been a dual-ability chef before. Even Asahi's Cross Blade didn't count—it simply replicated others' powers.
Daiki didn't need to worry about suspicion. His abilities might be unique, but they were still within the realm of plausibility.
"Explosive flames?" Dōjima's voice came through again, now sharp with urgency. "Your body emits high-temperature steam and can ignite combustibles around you? How hot are we talking? And the sense of touch—what does it let you do exactly?"
Daiki gave him the summarized version—how he could analyze food down to its flaws and structure through contact, how his lips could function like a Divine Tongue, and how the explosive heat could be perfectly controlled, no cooling mechanisms required.
There was a moment of stunned silence. Then—
"Where are you right now?" Dōjima barked. "I'm sending a car. Stay put."
No hesitation. No doubt.
If what Daiki said was even half true, then the Jade Age Project might finally have a breakthrough.
To be honest, Dōjima Gin had long since felt that the Jade Age Plan was on its last legs.
Despite the bold name and the vast resources poured into it, the program's greatest hope still rested squarely on Nakiri Erina—and even her growth was being deliberately suppressed.
The reason was buried in the Nakiri family doctrine:
Anyone who awakens the Divine Tongue is forbidden from attending any culinary academy, including Tōtsuki.
Why? Because traditional schooling was a waste of time for them.
Chefs with the Divine Tongue didn't learn like ordinary people. Where others needed recipes, repetition, and instruction, those blessed with the Divine Tongue could replicate—and even refine—any dish after a single bite, assuming they had a solid foundation of culinary knowledge and technical skill.
To force them into a standard curriculum was to shackle their growth.And yet… Nakiri Senzaemon had broken that very rule, sending Erina into Tōtsuki.
It wasn't just to provide her with structure. It was also an attempt to deliberately slow the progression of her Divine Tongue. A stopgap. A safeguard.
Because they all knew the truth: unchecked, the Divine Tongue always spiraled into madness.
Even with this control in place, no other student in the Jade Age had come close to surpassing Erina. Not even the talented second-years. Yukihira Sōma's arrival in the original timeline had been more of a desperate injection of chaos than a solution—a last-ditch spark to light a fire under the stagnating plan.
That's why when Daiki revealed his abilities, Dōjima Gin couldn't sit still.
The touch-based power alone was a revelation—an ability potentially superior to the Divine Tongue, and without its known curse. And if what Daiki said about the Explosive Flame was true, then they weren't just dealing with a replacement… but a breakthrough.
And it was personal for Dōjima, too. He had watched Daiki grow up. He knew the boy's character—grounded, disciplined, quietly brilliant. If anyone deserved a real shot, it was him.
But hope wasn't enough. It had to be tested.
Once Daiki sent him his location, Dōjima acted fast. He didn't bother with a formal escort from Tōtsuki. Instead, he tapped into the Nakiri family's commercial network, dispatching a vehicle from one of their satellite businesses nearby.
The Nakiris were kings in Sakura, after all. Their industries touched every corner of the country. It wasn't even a challenge to find a car close to Daiki's position.
While waiting, Daiki calmly packed his things. If all went well, he would be stationed at the Tōtsuki Resort for the foreseeable future.
As the sleek black car arrived and pulled up to the curb, Daiki tossed his bag over his shoulder, took one last look at the apartment he might not return to for some time, and got in.
The engine purred to life. Then, like a blade slicing through silence, the vehicle sped off into the distance—toward the mountains, toward Tōtsuki Resort, and toward the future of the Jade Age Plan.
... patreon Seasay