Since Zane didn't yet possess the Hundred Holes Chef's Knife, he had to improvise. He drilled tiny holes into an ordinary kitchen knife and threaded steel rings through them.
"Miss, look at that knife. He's drilled small holes into it and threaded steel wires through them."
Standing beside Erina, Hisako observed Zane's handiwork closely.
"Are you really planning to use that strange knife to process the sea bream?" Erina, snapping out of her thoughts, stepped forward, unable to hide her curiosity.
"Yes. To perfect this dish, this knife is essential," Zane replied as he adjusted the stovetop to medium heat and placed the knife directly over the flame.
Both Erina and Hisako were dumbfounded. The knife itself was peculiar enough, but why heat it over an open flame?
Meanwhile, Zane prepared a white cloth towel—the same kind Megumi often wore around her wrist. He tightly wrapped the cloth around his right hand, securing it with a precise bandaging technique. Then, he set a basin of cold water beside him.
"…Could it be?"
Watching his actions, realization struck Erina. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Was he really going to—?!
"What is he doing?" Hisako, still puzzled, blinked in confusion.
A few minutes later, the blade glowed red-hot. Without hesitation, Zane turned off the flame and—
Tsss!
He gripped the scalding-hot knife with his right hand, still wrapped in the cloth towel.
"Ah!"
Hisako gasped and covered her mouth in shock.
Even though Erina had anticipated his move, witnessing him boldly grasp a searing-hot knife still sent a chill down her spine.
This guy is insane!
Zane, however, remained unfazed.
With a practiced motion, he began mincing the sea bream meat with the blazing-hot knife.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of chopping echoed through the izakaya.
Like cherry blossoms caught in a gentle breeze, tiny flecks of fish danced through the air before landing gracefully on the plate.
The holes and steel rings in the knife played a crucial role. The heated blade quickly seared the fish's surface, preserving its delicate freshness while ensuring uniform mincing.
Erina stood frozen, her thoughts spiraling.
She had never encountered such an extreme culinary method before.
To preserve the delicate taste of sea bream, there were numerous traditional techniques… but Zane had forged an entirely new path.
And it worked.
Then—
Crack!
The knife shattered.
Perhaps it was due to the blade's inferior quality. Or maybe the rapid heating and cooling had weakened its structure. Either way, the knife was no longer usable.
Zane, however, paid no attention to the broken blade.
Instead, he swiftly unraveled the cloth from his right hand, revealing a reddened palm with faint burns.
Without a word, he submerged his hand in the cold water basin to prevent further injury.
Erina hesitated before stepping forward.
"…Are you okay?"
Her voice, softer than usual, carried an unfamiliar concern.
"I'm fine."
Zane glanced at her and smiled.
"Although wrapping my right hand is considered a taboo in professional kitchens—it affects a chef's tactile sensitivity—I had no other choice."
"No, I meant…" Erina bit her lip.
"…Your hand. Are you really okay?"
Zane chuckled. "It's just a minor burn. After soaking it for a bit and applying ointment, it'll be fine."
"No way. I don't believe you."
For the first time, Erina found herself frustrated by Zane's indifference toward his own well-being.
Doesn't he understand?
A chef's hands are their most precious tool. Without them, even the greatest culinary skills would be meaningless.
"Why do you have to go this far?" she asked, her voice almost trembling.
Zane smirked.
"Didn't I already tell you?"
"I want to create the most perfect dish for you to taste."
His words struck Erina like a bolt of lightning.
For me…?
He risked burning his own hand—just for a dish he wanted her to experience?
"So you're willing to injure yourself just for that?"
At that moment, Erina realized something she had never truly understood before.
Cooking isn't just about techniques, ingredients, or even talent.
It's about the heart behind it—the desire to cook for someone you care about.
This was the core philosophy of Shokugeki no Soma—one that Erina had never personally grasped.
Until now.
She felt… moved.
But just as her emotions reached their peak—
Zane pulled his hand from the water and laughed.
"Hah! Did you really believe that?"
Erina's breath hitched.
"What?"
"You thought I burned my hand just for you?"
Zane grinned.
"This method preserves the sea bream's flavor—that's why I did it."
"It has nothing to do with you."
"Besides, someone like you isn't worth that much effort yet, so don't get ahead of yourself."
"…Wha—?!"
Erina's jaw dropped.
This guy… this guy is so infuriating!
She clenched her fists, feeling the overwhelming urge to throw something at him.
And yet—
She couldn't deny it.
Zane was mysterious. Unpredictable. Infuriating.
But also… utterly fascinating.
—
With the sea bream ready, Zane moved on to the final step.
He wrapped the delicate filling inside spring roll wrappers, folding them with precise movements.
One after another, he crafted 20 flawless "Reincarnation Spring Rolls."
"Spring rolls?" Hisako blinked in surprise.
In traditional medicinal cuisine, spring rolls were considered an unremarkable snack.
But Zane's approach was anything but ordinary.
He dropped the spring rolls into the oil pot.
But—
"The oil temperature isn't hot enough yet!" Erina gasped.
If fried too early, the rolls would absorb excess oil, becoming greasy and misshapen.
Zane ignored her reaction, calmly watching the rolls sizzle.
Soon, the wrappers turned a perfect golden-brown.
Then—
A dazzling light burst forth from the spring rolls, illuminating the entire izakaya.
"Wha—?!"
Hisako instinctively shielded her eyes.
Even Erina was momentarily stunned.
"Why are they… glowing?"
Her mind raced, trying to rationalize what she had just witnessed.
Can food… shine?
Scientifically, there were ways to create luminescent effects in dishes—certain fluorescent ingredients, chemical reactions between citric acid and sodium bicarbonate…
But none of those explanations seemed to apply here.
Zane's dish had achieved something beyond logic.
A moment later, the glow faded, and the izakaya returned to normal.
Still in shock, Hisako muttered, "I… I don't understand what just happened."
Erina clenched her fists, frustration bubbling within her.
She had spent her life analyzing every culinary technique.
But now—she couldn't explain this at all.
Even if she dragged Newton out of his grave, she still wouldn't be able to make sense of it!
And that realization…
Made her want to taste it even more.