The Holy Grail? No, the Holy Pot

With the elderly man's height of over 2 meters and his strong, powerful arms, the dough he held high expanded continuously due to centrifugal force, eventually occupying most of the space. The dough also became thinner and thinner, eventually becoming almost transparent.

"Wow! It's spinning!!!" Even the well-informed Servant exclaimed in amazement.

The internet exploded.

"Amazing!"

"Can anyone tell me? Is this really a ninety-year-old man?"

"So this is the legendary dish! The one that was made on a massive scale back in the day at Yangquan Restaurant!"

"What kind of dish is this?" asked a confused audience member.

"I know that too; I saw his autobiography on TV when I was a child."

"That was just a poorly adapted TV drama, but I never imagined that the dishes could actually be made!"

All eyes were drawn to the Elder Liu's extraordinary and miraculous memory, watching his every move intently, afraid of missing any exciting moments. At this moment, the entire large stage seemed to be enveloped by the Elder Liu's face.

Although the stage was actually quite spacious, and Elder Liu hadn't disturbed anyone or hindered the other contestants, it appeared to everyone as if the entire world had become Elder Liu's domain, a domain that had no room for anyone else, and whoever they were would be forgotten by the audience.

The Elder Liu, with one arm raised high, resembled the Buddha who had attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, feeling supreme in heaven and on earth.

Just then...

Whew!

A clear sound rang out, and the surrounding air seemed to drop several degrees.

It was only then that people realized this was a competition, not just an individual show by the Elder Liu; he had an opponent—a young man battling it out at the cooking station on the other side.

Shirou held a slender silver knife, placed two fingers on the blade, and gently slid them across it. The part of the blade that was touched emitted a golden light, and he used his trump card.

Besides his culinary skills, he even used his previously hidden Projection Magecraft, taking the deliciousness of his dishes to an extreme level with the help of some special Noble Phantasm.

This might seem a bit unfair, Shirou wouldn't normally use it. But when facing the old master chef Liu, holding back would be the greatest disrespect. No, it has nothing to do with how others feel.

At this moment, Shirou had reached a state of transcendence, completely absorbed in the moment, and only wanted to make this dish the best it could be.

He used all the skills he possessed, combined with all his experiences from both his past and present lives. And under the influence of this special state of mind, he surpassed his past self and reached a higher level.

Only in this way could he have a chance to fight against the monstrous Elder Liu.

The icy blade landed on the vegetables, leaving a white frost on the leaves, bringing out their inherent sweetness and perfectly preserving their freshness. A slice landed on the meat, sealing in any unpleasant smell...

After that... the Elder Liu pushed over a steamer the size of a small car.

"This is my culinary masterpiece, the Cosmic Shumai!" As soon as the Elder Liu lifted the lid, an astonishing heat emanated from it. Under the white celestial mist, it instantly released a seven-colored light, and a three-headed dragon spiraling into the air flew out from inside.

"Amazing! Every single one has a fresh flavor!" the judges exclaimed in amazement.

Next, it was Shirou's turn to cook.

He served a set meal from a small restaurant: a tray with rice, a plate of vegetables, and several side dishes—the kind of fast food people usually eat. But unlike these fast meals, Shirou's dish was divided into three parts, each shimmering with different colors.

Some of them emitted the same light as the Elder Liu, some were crystal clear, and the rest were gorgeous and bright. Paired with a bowl of fragrant white rice, they could be called silver relics.

"This... this is...?" Caesar asked in surprise.

Shirou said, "Chinese, Japanese, France, and Three Kingdoms style white rice set meals!"

This is a dish that Shirou created after learning the essence of the dishes that the three chefs he had previously encountered – the Elder Liu, Nakiri Senzaemon, Pablo – had mastered in previous matches. He then combined and integrated these techniques to create a dish that he could truly master.

On the left is a stir-fried dish in the Chinese style, inspired by the cooking of the Elder Liu.

In the center is a crystal-clear slice of raw fish, cut as thin as a cicada's wing, sprinkled with a few pink cherry blossom petals, giving it an extremely elegant appearance.

On the right is grilled shrimp in a French cuisine style.

Moreover, these are not just dishes for competitions, but dishes that can be served as set meals in his small restaurant. This is the kind of universal cuisine that Shirou strives for, one that can bring happiness to everyone.

Shirou's set meal, which includes sliced vegetables like cucumber and carrot, side dishes like cold wood ear mushrooms and Mashed Potatoes, is surprisingly priced under 1000 yen. Even diners with large appetites can add 1500 yen to their meal and still feel full.

In Tokyo, where even a well-known instant noodle cup costs 500 yen and a meat-filled bento box in the supermarket costs over 1200 yen, this is already very affordable. Not to mention that the ingredients used are all fresh and of good quality, and it's also very nutritious.

Shirou also gave full consideration to the choice of meat.

Because Hinduism regards cows and monkeys as sacred animals, it does not eat beef. Although the Bible in Western countries states that mutton is the best food, modern diets still mainly consist of beef and pork, with less mutton consumed. Even in Australia, where livestock farming is highly developed, this is largely the case.

Since Islam countries do not eat pork, chicken consumption is consistently the highest in the world, followed by pork and beef.

Shirou, considering that the judges came from all over the world and had different food cultures, chose chicken as the main dish.

Each of the five judges had their own preferences.

In ancient Rome, pepper was considered a symbol of status. Serving pepper at a dinner party was considered a sign of true generosity.

Shirou specially prepared for Caesar the same spices that were most popular in Rome during his time: long pepper and black and white pepper.

Macedonia was also deeply influenced by Greek culture. The Ancient Greece at that time liked a sweet and sour taste with vinegar, and Shirou served Iskandar olives and a concentrated grape sauce with a slightly sour taste.

Consort Yu was a woman who witnessed the decline of Qin and the Chu-Han Contention. Shirou presented her with a Chinese-style sauce and a fruit juice that a woman's heart would like.

It seems that Enma-tei was influenced by the habits of sparrows. Shirou specially found a small bowl that matched her size and served her a bowl of slightly firm white rice, hoping that this would better suit her taste.

The judges tasted Shirou's dishes one by one, and eventually stopped.

"Now, please let the judges announce the final scores. First up is Chef Liu, whose total score is... a whopping 99.7! An absolutely high score!" Cleopatra announced.

"What! 99.7... That means everyone scored 19.9 or higher..." Erina exclaimed in surprise.

"That's an incredibly high score, but I understand. After eating this old man's cooking, no matter how picky I am, I simply can't give it a lower score." The moment Nakiri Senzaemon put the shumai he was holding into his mouth, his clothes tore open.

Everyone was worried for Shirou.

First, Caesar's score is 20 points for the Old Chef, Shirou's is 19.9 points, Iskandar's score is a perfect 20 points for both sides, Consort Yu is 19.9 points for both sides. Based on these three scores, the Old Chef is currently 0.1 points ahead.

"The combination of peppers is quite elaborate, but I still prefer this imposing cosmic shumai!" Caesar said with a smile.

"Hahaha, the food on both sides is superb! It's a true conquest of the taste buds!" the Conqueror King exclaimed, giving a thumbs up.

"Hmph! For a human, it's not bad at all," Consort Yu snorted, then pouted and continued, "Afterwards, pack one portion of each of these dishes for me. That lord is now Servant, so he should be able to taste them too."

The key lies with Boudica and Enma-tei; all eyes are on them, eager to hear their opinions.

Boudica gave the old chef a score of 19.9 and Shirou a perfect score of 20.

"Both dishes are incredibly delicious, but chicken is definitely more to my liking than pork. And as a woman, it's really hard to resist such a gentle and comforting meal," Boudica said with a shy smile, her face flushed.

Boudica was Queen of East England, Celtic person. For the Celtic person, wild boars were a matter of life and death; no matter how powerful a warrior, encountering a boar could lead to a miserable end. For example, Diarmuid perished under the tusks of a wild boar, and in the King Arthur legend, the boar gave birth to a three-eyed cat demon that fought alongside King Arthur and caused the Knights of the Round Table considerable trouble. Perhaps chickens are indeed more adorable.

The last character, Enma-tei, also revealed her score: 19.9 from the old chef and a perfect score of 20 from Shirou.

"Whoa! What an incredible comeback!" Cleopatra exclaimed.

"So!!! The champion of this Culinary God Cup Competition has been announced! The winner is Masked X! No, his real name is Shirou Emiya!!! 99...8! 99.8 points! The winner is Masked X!!!" Cleopatra raised her hand and announced loudly.

Chapter 456 The Holy Grail? No, the Holy Cauldron

"Then let's hear what happened at the crucial last 0.1 minutes! Please welcome Ms. Red!" Cleopatra said, and the camera immediately focused on Enma-tei had a serious expression on her face.

"The culinary skills on both sides have reached the realm of the gods, which is the pinnacle of my admiration. But as a chef, besides the food itself, I think it's also very important to consider the guests' needs." The red-haired girl spoke frankly from the perspective of proprietress innkeeper.

Between the two chefs, one serving a giant shumai that was many times larger than her, and the other Shirou had specially brought her small tableware, she naturally made the choice that would please her more and be more convenient.

"And... compared to shumai that contains the universe, home-style rice is definitely more to my liking. It's truly amazing as a dish that wins people over. I really want you to be the head chef at a hot spring inn." Enma-tei paused, looked at Shirou, blushed, and said honestly. A straightforward girl like her wouldn't lie.

"Is that so? Is that so? Compared to the deliciousness of the food itself, I have indeed lost in terms of consideration for the guests." The Elder Liu stroked his beard and sighed, accepting the result with a sense of relief.

The God of Cookery Cup champion has been decided!

The large screen outside the building also lit up, switching from the background of the battle between Elder Liu and Masked X, with flames burning behind them, to a golden sacred cauldron Gil brightly in the center, and then a bust of Shirou in a red chef's uniform appeared there.

"That's awesome, Shirou!" Erina excitedly ran forward and jumped into the man's arms.

"Oh..." Shirou finally loosened his clenched fist. He had given it his all, but after tasting the old man's Cosmic Shumai, he couldn't find any way his own dish could surpass the old man's. He thought he had lost again. Unexpectedly, he won by a mere 0.1 points.

Inside the large building, mechanisms were switching, and the ceiling above the top floor moved left and right, from which cannons and fireworks were transported up. Flames were lit, and fireworks and cannons were launched into the sky!

Pablo's affair was initially diverted by Cleopatra's perfect social skills and irresistible charm. Then, the revelation of Masked X's true identity sparked a frenzy online.

Office workers who had eaten at Shirou's small restaurant saw the photos and shared their experiences.

Apart from a small number of French people, no one had time to pay attention to the bearded man chef's whereabouts.

Subsequently, the organizers of the God of Cookery Cup updated and synchronized the information online, publishing all the dishes from the previous competitions in the form of pictures and text, including the ingredients used, on the website. The text version of the judges' comments was also published on the website.

This sparked a heated discussion online.

"These buns are as big as mountains, like a circus act, and they even look delicious. Judging from the judges' comments, they're absolutely amazing."

"That's shumai! Not steamed buns! Shumai are not sealed, they're like large jade pomegranates, but this one is a cosmic pomegranate."

"Then why? Why did the 'Cosmic Shumai' lose to the set meal?"

"Although I don't understand it, the dishes on both sides are glowing, and none of the set meals are ordinary. Judging from the happy looks on the judges' faces when they taste the food, both sides are indeed amazing."

"Ah, especially that Miss Yu who seems to be of Chinese descent. She looks like a haughty girl, but she ate the most happily, and the expression on her face... well..."

"It has a slightly astringent taste."

Yes, yes!

"I prefer the gentle, older British woman."

"Huh? Doesn't anyone else think that the Enma-tei Loli is the best?! I really want to be scolded by her!"

"Hello, is this the police? Yes, yes... this is the person."

The men's conversation veered off course in a strange direction.

And on the women's side...

"Masked X- Man!!!"

"Shirou! I want to have your Monkey!"

As the winner, Shirou's already decent-looking face, combined with the golden brand of "God of Cookery," even his deadpan eyes were automatically filtered out and beautified, making him a male god in the hearts of many women, especially in Japan, where he has become a national idol of the new era.

"I calculated the ingredients, and the set meal that Masked X made this time uses common ingredients at very affordable prices. The cost is less than 2,000 yen. I wonder if you can eat it for 10,000 yen?"

"It's cheap! My monthly rent is 70,000 yen. How come I've never found a place like this before?"

"I'm booking a plane ticket from Silicon Valley to Tokyo right now."

"No, no, even if you flew over, Masked X is already completely famous, so it's impossible for him to open a small shop like that anymore, right?"

"Yes, will there be another chance in the future?"

"No! Masked X is a weirdo who likes to run small restaurants, and his prices are famously reasonable. It's said that since he opened, he's consistently limited to selling only 100 meals a day, which has been well-received by all his customers. So, we might actually have a chance."

"Yes, yes, after all, what he specializes in is simple and convenient home-style cooking, unlike the extra labor required for dishes like the Cosmic Shumai. It would be very difficult for even a head of state from another country to eat a dish made by that old man himself. But if it were the younger Masked X, the chances would definitely be much greater."

"In any case, I'm prepared to stay near his restaurant permanently, even if it's just once in a lifetime."

Of course, those in the venue at the time were unaware of this online.

"Congratulations, young man. You've won this time," the Elder Liu said to Shirou with a smile, stroking his beard.

"No, Teacher Liu, I won by luck this time, but it's also thanks to you not going all out, and..." Shirou said humbly, bowing with his hands clasped. He dared not underestimate this old man who had left behind so many legends and had just taught him a lesson in cooking.

Shirou looked up at the old man and continued, "... I haven't seen your eight legendary cooking utensils yet. If you were to use these most skilled utensils to cook, I probably wouldn't have a chance at all."

At that moment, the atmosphere around them changed, and the air pressure seemed to become heavy.

"Holy crap, kid. You still want to compete head-on with me when I'm giving it my all? Hahahaha!" The Elder Liu seemed like a completely different person. He looked at Shirou and laughed loudly, then his eyes lit up, his gaze so sharp that no one dared to look him in the eye, as if their eyes were about to be stabbed. At this moment, the old man's aura became extremely terrifying, several times more frightening than the hysterical, outwardly strong but inwardly weak Pablo from before.

After all, Pablo was just an ambitious madman, while this old man was a true master who had held the title of the number one chef in the world for decades. The two were simply not comparable.

People are only now realizing that this kind-faced old man probably never took Pablo, such a petty scoundrel, seriously from the start. He never even once showed his fangs.

"Wait! Shirou. I'm sorry! Senior Liu, he's just straightforward. He only wanted to show you respect verbally. Please don't be angry." Erina walked over, patted Shirou on the shoulder, and bowed to the old man.

The Elder Liu looked at Erina, then at Shirou, and slowly nodded. He pondered for a moment and said, "A little girl with a divine tongue, a promising future... and a brat with discerning eyes, a good nose, and unique abilities... indeed... if you two were to come together, you might actually create a miracle I've never seen before..."

"Alright then! When you're ready, come find me in China! If you can cook a meal that satisfies me, then I'll grant your wish! I'll be staying in Japan for a month, living with you. As payment, I'll be responsible for your meals every day. You can just watch and see how much you learn; that's up to you." The Elder Liu said.

"Yes!" Shirou smiled with delight, bowed deeply, and answered loudly.

"Huh?!" Erina exclaimed, looking at Shirou in disbelief. Had they really been accepted like that?

"You two young couple must live in harmony. Only with a happy family can you focus wholeheartedly on your culinary journey," said the Elder Liu, stroking his beard. He now had the air of a teacher, imparting his life experience to the young man.

He acknowledged that if Shirou were to be with Erina, she might become his rival in life, engaging in friendly competition and mutual encouragement at the pinnacle of culinary arts, ultimately reaching an even higher level.

Therefore, he is now willing to teach the two of them cooking skills so that they can improve quickly.