"It's been a long time, Daiki. Not bad—you haven't let your physical fitness slip."
At the entrance of Totsuki Resort, Dojima Gin was already waiting, having received word in advance. The moment they met, he clapped a firm hand on Daiki's shoulder, the kind of greeting shared between old friends.
Daiki gave a wry smile. His fitness was indeed exceptional, and ironically, he owed it to the man standing before him. According to Dojima, a great chef needs great physical conditioning. It was a mantra he had hammered into Daiki since childhood.
Back then, Dojima had constantly urged him to train harder, run farther, push limits. As a result, Daiki's physical prowess now surpassed that of most people—and that was before his powers awakened. After mastering the Essence of Food, he'd practically become a small-scale superhuman. Compared to the average person, he wasn't just athletic—he was extraordinary.
The two chatted casually as they made their way to one of the kitchens on-site. Today wasn't a social call—they were here to assess the specifics of Daiki's supernatural abilities.
While Dojima trusted Daiki implicitly, concrete data was necessary before he could report anything to Nakiri Senzaemon.
"We're here."They stepped into a spacious, gleaming kitchen.
"Based on your description," Dojima continued, "your ability releases high-temperature steam and heightens your sense of touch. So those are the two focus areas for today's test."
Inside the kitchen were several assistants—people Dojima had personally arranged to monitor and record the results. At first glance, Daiki couldn't help raising an eyebrow. With the abundance of ingredients, utensils, and scientific equipment, the place felt more like a research lab than a kitchen.
"So, where do we begin?" Daiki asked.
"Let's start with the tactile ability. These ingredients will help us capture measurable data. You'll touch them, describe what you sense, and we'll verify everything."
Dojima gestured toward a large array of fresh produce and raw materials.
Daiki nodded and stepped forward. As soon as his hand made contact with the first ingredient, a flood of information rushed into his brain—weight, size, texture, even internal structure. In less than a second, he had a complete mental blueprint.
He recited the data aloud, and the assistant beside him scribbled furiously. Another team then ran independent checks using their instruments.
"Weight and dimensions: perfect match. Internal consistency: identical. This… this is the tactile version of the God Tongue!"
Gasps rippled through the room. Even seasoned chefs stood stunned. Daiki's sense of touch didn't just rival their expectations—it shattered them. It reminded them of watching Erina Nakiri during her famed ingredient evaluations.
"Keep going, Daiki. One test isn't enough," Dojima urged, regaining his composure quickly. After all, he had heard about this from Daiki beforehand, though it was still surreal seeing it in action.
And so, the testing continued.
Daiki repeated the process on a wide range of ingredients—vegetables, meats, spices—and even extended it to kitchen tools, tableware, and furniture. Though he wasn't familiar with every material type, when it came to physical metrics like weight and density, his data was flawless.
"Incredible. Every result is consistent. It's not an exaggeration to say this rivals—no, surpasses—the Divine Tongue."
The conclusion was unanimous: Daiki's heightened sense of touch matched, and in some ways exceeded, the capabilities of the Nakiri bloodline's famed God Tongue. While Erina relied on her taste, Daiki perceived the world through physical sensation. And this was only part of his power.
No one could say for certain whether there were any limitations to his gift, but the potential was staggering.
"Alright, let's move on to part two," Dojima said, his voice steady despite the awe in the room."You ready, Daiki?"
Daiki smirked."All set. But brace yourselves—this one's loud. Try not to freak out."
Where his enhanced touch was subtle and precise, Daiki's second ability was anything but.
Activating his explosive flame technique produced a sudden surge of high-pressure steam that could instantly turn the surrounding area into a danger zone. And if he ignited actual flames? Given enough combustible material, he could conjure an inferno in seconds.
This was power—refined, terrifying, and barely contained.
"Don't worry—even if you blow up the kitchen, it's not a big deal."Dojima Gin chuckled, clearly teasing, not actually expecting Daiki to destroy the place.
What he didn't know was that Daiki absolutely could burn the kitchen to cinders if he wanted. His control over explosive flames was precise—ruthlessly so. Compared to something like a Yakan (which could melt iron just by being submerged), Daiki was operating on another level.
But he wasn't a brute. He wasn't there to impress through destruction.
He wasn't going to show the limits of his ability—just enough to get the point across.
As the test began, Daiki calmly picked up a piece of firewood. A heartbeat later, scalding steam hissed from his right hand, enveloping the wood in a brief, concentrated burst of heat. Normally, it would take a moment for firewood to catch, but here?
It ignited instantly—like it was doused in fuel.
Flames danced across it as if it were paper.
And Daiki, holding the now-burning firewood, didn't even flinch. The flames licked at his skin but left no mark. One of the key benefits of his explosive flame ability was resistance—if not outright immunity—to normal fire.
He couldn't claim total invulnerability, but conventional heat? That was nothing to him.
"It lit up instantly! Just how hot is that steam?"
Murmurs filled the kitchen as the witnesses leaned in. The speed at which the firewood caught fire left them visibly rattled.
But before their awe could settle, the flame began to shift.
The fire burning on the wood twisted unnaturally—almost artistically—until it spiraled upward, detaching from the wood to hover above Daiki's palm in a controlled ring of fire.
It didn't flicker chaotically. It moved with intent—like it was alive.
Technically, the explosive flame ability didn't allow such delicate control over fire. Not on its own. This precision was the result of Shiyi's blessing, a mystical enhancement that allowed Daiki to shape energy with masterful finesse.
That ring of fire was only the beginning. As Shiyi's power grew, so too would his control—eventually enabling feats like manipulating flame into symbols, weapons, even entire paintings.
At that point, flame wouldn't just be a weapon or a tool.It would become art.
"To be able to control fire this precisely… your advantage in pyrotechnics is unparalleled."Dojima Gin's tone had shifted. No longer joking, no longer just impressed—he sounded awed.
As a top-tier chef, one who had spent years refining his techniques, Gin knew that fire wasn't just about heat—it was about nuance, timing, temperament. The ability to fine-tune a flame with this level of control wasn't just rare—it was revolutionary.
In this domain, Daiki was untouchable. No one else came close.
He wasn't just good with heat.He was a pyrokinetic virtuoso—a culinary force of nature.
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