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Kofu's Restaurant was located right next to the Cascarrafa Gym in Cascarrafa City.
It was more than just a restaurant it also served as a club where enthusiasts of Paldea's cuisine gathered to share their love for the craft.
The restaurant's architectural style was primarily blue, reflecting Kofu's expertise in preparing seafood dishes and his secondary role as Cascarrafa Gym's Water-type Gym Leader.
After challenging Kofu in battle, Kai had once been invited to sample his personally prepared dishes. In fact, the recipe for the braised fish Kai had cooked before had come from none other than Kofu himself.
Now, Kai approached the restaurant with Poliwag by his side. Kofu, wearing his signature ocean-patterned apron, had been waiting outside, arms crossed, scanning the crowd with the keen eyes of a seasoned chef.
Despite his burly frame and bald head gleaming under the sunlight, Kofu had a warm, boisterous personality. His cooking was beloved by the people of Cascarrafa City.
"Hey! Have you eaten yet?" Kofu greeted with his usual hearty enthusiasm. His sharp eyes quickly caught sight of the small blue Pokémon at Kai's feet. "A Poliwag? You don't see many of those around here in Paldea. Is this one of your new catches, Kai?"
Kai grinned, shaking hands briefly with Kofu before glancing down at Poliwag. "I was actually just coming to try some of your new dishes. And yeah, I caught it for my farm planning to evolve it into a Politoed."
"Politoed, huh? Not a bad idea," Kofu mused, rubbing his chin. "They're great at controlling the weather. But that King's Rock you'll need for its evolution isn't easy to come by."
As a Water-type specialist, Kofu had a decent knowledge of Water Pokémon from other regions. He had even looked into Politoed before, given its rare Drizzle Ability.
"Poli poli!"
Poliwag happily wagged its tail and greeted Kofu in its usual cheerful manner.
Seeing this, Kofu broke into a warm smile and crouched down, gently patting Poliwag on the head. "Well, aren't you friendly? Make sure you grow up strong, alright?"
After greeting Poliwag, Kofu straightened up and gestured toward the bustling restaurant behind him. "Enough small talk. It's time for you to try the freshest Basculin I just caught, paired with some rare, premium-quality seaweed I managed to import all the way from Hoenn. When these two ingredients come together, they create the ultimate delicacy!"
"The ultimate delicacy?" A voice interrupted before Kai could respond. "As a chef, I can't let that statement slide so easily."
Both Kai and Kofu turned toward the source of the voice.
Standing a short distance away was a man with meticulously styled blond hair, dressed in an immaculate white chef's uniform. A blue scarf was neatly tied around his neck, and he carried a large, heavy-looking case in one hand.
The man's sharp eyes locked onto Kofu's, carrying an intensity that hinted at something deeper beneath the surface.
Kofu's usual jovial smile stiffened slightly. He met the man's gaze head-on, sensing the presence of a fellow culinary master.
A silent tension sparked between them, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air.
Kai & Poliwag: "?"
'Uh… What exactly is happening right now?' Kai vaguely recognized the blond man.
But no matter how hard he tried, Kai couldn't place a name to the face.
After a brief silence, Kofu was the first to speak. "Hey, kid. Which kitchen do you hail from?"
The man gave the restaurant behind Kofu a cursory glance before carefully setting down his heavy case. His voice was calm and composed.
"I am a traveling chef, searching for the pinnacle of culinary excellence," he said. "My name is Siebold."
Kai: "!!!!"
Kofu furrowed his brow, his eyes widening in realization. "Wait a second… You're Siebold?! The head chef of that famous three-star restaurant in the Kalos region?!"
"That title is meaningless to me," Siebold replied coolly, shaking his head. "At present, I'm merely a chef on a journey."
He shifted his gaze toward Kai and Kofu. "I overheard your conversation just now. I came to Cascarrafa City in Paldea to seek new culinary inspiration, and I must say, this city has opened my eyes to a world of diverse flavours."
His expression sharpened as he turned back to Kofu. "That ultimate dish you just mentioned… I'm quite interested in it. How about a cooking duel, Chef Kofu?"
Siebold's challenge was direct, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
Kofu was momentarily taken aback but quickly burst into laughter. "A battle of pride, eh? Sounds good to me! Let's settle this with a no-holds-barred culinary showdown!"
Without hesitation, the two chefs found themselves in complete agreement, both eager to showcase their skills.
As they turned toward the restaurant, Kofu glanced back. "How about we have Kai here serve as one of the judges?"
"I have no objections," Siebold said with a hint of confidence. "Even if he's your acquaintance, I'll present a dish so exquisite that he'll be left in awe."
It was only at this point that Siebold seemed to properly register Kai's presence. Initially, his focus had been entirely on Kofu. But as he looked at the younger man, his expression briefly faltered.
Was it just his imagination, or… did he see a glimpse of Diantha in this young man?
His gaze lingered on Kai for a moment, as if he were contemplating something.
To Kai, though, the entire situation felt absurd. Two professional chefs had just met and, within minutes, decided to have a dramatic cook-off?
This wasn't Master Chef. This was the Pokémon world! Why did it feel like he had just walked into an episode of Food Wars instead?
Beside him, Poliwag, on the other hand, was completely enthralled by the scene unfolding before them. It hopped energetically in excitement, eager to see how things would play out.
As they stepped inside, a woman with long green hair dressed in a pastry chef's uniform greeted Kai with a gentle smile.
"Oh my, long time no see, Kai~"
Kai blinked in surprise. "Katy? You were invited by Kofu too?"
It wasn't completely unexpected, but it still caught him a little off guard.
Katy, the Gym Leader of Cortondo, was not only a master of Bug-type Pokémon but also an expert pastry chef. She owned Patisserie Soapberry, a well-known bakery, and had studied under Kofu in the past.
"That's right. I arrived a little earlier than you," Katy replied in her usual slow, relaxed tone, her ever-present smile giving her an air of warmth and calm. "Oh, and congratulations on officially reaching Champion rank~"
"Hehe, it's amazing how quickly you surpassed all of us in just a year~"
Kai scratched his cheek, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I couldn't have done it without my team. This journey wasn't something I accomplished alone."
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