Credits to google for all the photos used....
Everyone of the participants started preparing and slicing their ingredients. They're all moving as fast as they can and looked so tensed, but Mitsuri and Shinobu just looked so relaxed. They looked like they aren't bothered by it at all. In the middle of their cooking, the audiences could smell the aroma of the food all being mixed up together around them. This made a lot of the people drool and hungry.
'With this kind of competition, everyone of them would be able to show everything they've learned about cooking and food as to please the judges and the audience.'
Ryuugi thought as he watch the participants.
'With this, they'll be able to see their efforts and hard work they've done in order to learn.'
With that, they heard the sound of the gong again and every participants put their hands behind their heads and stopped moving. The judges all stood up and walked around.
'This will also show how skilled and polished a person is. If they can't finish preparing their food within the given amount of time, even if the food might taste delicious, they're out.'
Ryuugi thought again as he watch two participants being pulled out not being able to finish preparing their food on time.
"This is starting to get even more interesting." Ryuugi commented which caught his friends' attention.
"Well it really is." Obanai said agreeing.
"Heh! So you noticed it too." Tengen replied.
The next round started again. Everyone moved around again. They might seem to be fighting against each other in cooking, but no, their actual enemy here is time itself. A single flaw and everything will be ruined. A single distraction and everything will be a mess. At this, everyone's focused not even glancing at their fellow participants or the audiences like what they did during the past few rounds.
Shinobu and Mitsuri's pretty fast and are almost working and moving at the exact same time. After all, the both of them cooked together and prepared foods with each other. Despite the limited time they have, the two still managed to glance at each other before putting their ingredients altogether. They might look like they're cooking the same food but they're not. Soon after that, the round was finished again.
Until they managed to reach the eighth round and finish it again.
"Now that's a lot." Tengen said seeing seven people to be pulled out.
"At least they've done their best." Ryuugi replied.
There were only a total of five participants left on stage. They all stayed until the two were pulled out after the nineth round. A total of three were left for the last round.
"Since this will be the last round, our judges for this time will be the former head chefs of the chief's family!" The proctor announced.
Five new people went up and sat at the side again. They looked obviously old, a lot older than Ayato's father.
"With this, we will know which one amongst the three of you shall be pulled out and the remaining two to serve both the chief and his wife."
The three focused on listening. Right after the proctor's signal, they all started moving again.
'Thirty minutes....'
Shinobu thought.
'... That's the only time we have!'
'This is already the last round! I'm happy that me and Shinobu-chan finally reached this point!'
Mitsuri thought as she hold back herself from squealing.
Within the given time they all finished it. The judges all stood up and went to each of them tasting their dish. They all gave a positive response and opinion.
"This tastes so good!"
"This one's just got the exact softness and tenderness!"
"Mmm, the way you made your dish taste is well balanced."
"It's been years since I could taste this kind of cooking from a young one!"
"This is pretty nice! The aroma goes well with the food!"
The eldest of them soon faced Shinobu and Mitsuri and asked for their names and where they came from.
"I see, that's very wonderful then. It's an honour to meet up with a slayer face-to-face." He said after knowing their connection with Ayato.
"It'll be very hard to decide since all of these dishes are delicious." He added.
The rest agreed and now have to talk with each other in order to choose one to be pulled out.
"This is quite interesting, to have two people last this long competing in cooking against me."
The two ladies turned their head to their left side and saw a young man. He has a black hair tied in a high ponytail reaching his back, green eyes, and a proud smile on his face.
"I'm Midorime Shu in case you two don't know." He continued.
"No wonder you looked like Midorime Tetsuya-sama." Shinobu replied with her usual smile.
"He's my father after all. But I guess I can't be too friendly, you two are my competitors. I feel sorry for the both of you instead." Shu said glancing at them.
They were taken aback by his words.
'How arrogant.'
Shinobu thought keeping her usual smile.
Mitsuri got obviously shocked at this, she is just about to protest when the judges asked for the trio's attention.
"We have decided. It might be hard to choose but, we really have to." The eldest said.
"We have chosen Kocho-san and Kanroji-san to move on to the final round."
His words shocked all three of them. Shu seemed to have been very devastated while Mitsuri and Shinobu hugged each other.
"Shinobu-chan! Did you hear that?! We passed!" Mitsuri squealed.
"Yes! Yes we did!" Shinobu agreed.
The two ladies soon turned their heads to the man who just mocked them earlier and smiled at him.
"Are you serious?" Shu asked under his breath who still can't believe what he just heard.
"They were chosen over me?"
His words were loud enough for the judges including Shinobu and Mitsuri to hear.
"Shu, your dish is honestly delicious. But this time, you have to accept defeat, as your teacher, let this be a lesson to you." The same old man said.
Shu was just about to protest some more but he saw his father tap his shoulder.
"I apologize for my son's rudeness. I'll do my best to teach him about his morals again." Tetsuya said as he look at his son.
Shu didn't dare open his mouth and just slightly bowed his head down to the judges and to the ladies. After that, he just silently followed his father.
"Did they pass?.... DID THEY JUST PASS?!" Tengen exclaimed out of joy and disbelief.
"That's the Insect and Love Pillar for you, hahaha!" Kyojuro praised as he raise his fist up in the air.
"I'm glad, I'm so happy for them." Gyomei said with his tears streaming down his face.
"Hah! That guy just got pulled out!" Sanemi scoffed.
Ryuugi stayed silent as he silently look at the father and son walking away from the judges towards the crowd with his visible eye. He noticed that they seem to be going somewhere but he just shrugged it off. Soon afterwards, the final round begun.
"After this round, the chief would be the one to decide which one of you will be lucky enough to be the winner." The proctor said.
"You may start now ladies."
The two took in a deep breath. They glanced at each other with smiles on their faces as they nod.
Thirty minutes later.....
The both of them served their finished and well-cooked food in front of the chief and his wife.
(Mitsuri's cooked food)
(Shinobu's cooked food)
The couple looked at the foods first before eating it. The two dishes might look simple but their taste is overwhelming. The two have a satisfied look on their faces. And with that, the couple looked at each other before nodding.
"Guess this is a tie. You two have done such delicious and savory foods it's hard to decide." The chief commented.
"All these years, it was always Shu who kept on winning but now, the tables have turned. You two are really great." The chief's wife commented.
"Thank you very much!" Mitsuri and Shinobu replied in unison.
"Could you tell us who taught the both of you on how to cook these dishes in such limited time?"
Hearing the chief's question, Shinobu and Mitsuri gave each other a smug look before turning their head around. As the two looked at the Pillars, they saw that someone's missing. The others soon, looked to their side and saw Ryuugi's spot empty.
"That kid...."