Perry and the girl were sitting on the stage. As they finished the dish, Perry's body suddenly emitted a soft blue glow. The light flowed from his skin, rippling gently like water. He felt a warm power surge within him, clearing his mind in an instant, as if all fatigue had vanished. His energy was far more abundant than before, and he could even feel the air around him becoming lighter, as if the entire world was becoming brighter and more lively.
At the same moment, the girl next to him experienced a similar transformation, though her glow was a deep, warm brown. The light enveloped her like gentle sunlight, giving off a sense of peace and strength. She wore the same surprised expression as Perry, clearly caught off guard by the sudden surge of power. She raised her hands and watched the faintly flickering brown glow, delighted to realize that she, too, seemed to have become stronger.
The audience gasped in astonishment, with some people standing up to applaud enthusiastically. Bradley seizing the opportunity, quickly stepped to the front of the stage, raising his arms and addressing the audience with excitement: "Ladies and gentlemen! Please focus your attention on the stage! What you are witnessing is a normal phenomenon during their upgrade! Only when the dish perfectly matches one's attributes can this brilliant glow be produced!"
The audience erupted in murmurs and whispers. Some discussed the different colors of light around Perry and the girl, while others speculated on how much stronger they had become after leveling up. Bradley smiled subtly, gesturing for everyone to quiet down, then waved his hand toward the large screen at the back of the stage: "Now, it's time to reveal the results! Whose dish allowed them to gain the most levels? The answer is right here!"
All eyes turned to the enormous screen, which began to light up slowly, revealing rows of numbers and graphs. Goblin straightened his posture, his face brimming with confidence. He made no effort to hide his satisfaction and raised his eyebrows smugly: "I used so many ingredients in my dish; the effect is bound to be better! I've already won based on quantity alone."
However, standing across from him, Hinnal let out a cold laugh, crossing his arms with a disdainful glint in his eyes: "Don't get ahead of yourself. The quality of the dish matters far more than the quantity. Your way of piling up ingredients only wastes the essence."
Goblin scoffed, curling his lips: "You're too conservative, Hinnal. Of course, the original taste of ingredients matters, but it also limits your creativity. My dish is unique in both flavor and effect, and your outdated techniques are long past their prime. You always stubbornly believe your methods are correct, and that's why I never saw you as a worthy disciple."
Hinnal's eyebrows arched, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes, but he refrained from responding to Goblin's provocation. He merely looked calmly at the screen, as if he didn't care about Goblin's words. Seeing Hinnal's indifferent attitude, Goblin's face darkened, and he was about to retort when the host intervened.
"Alright, alright, everyone, let's settle down!" Bradley stepped in to diffuse the tense atmosphere. He said loudly, "The results are in! Let's see how their levels have changed!"
The numbers on the screen slowly stabilized, showing Perry and the girl's level data. The audience held their breath as Perry's original level, 22, started climbing. It finally stopped at 25! The crowd erupted into enthusiastic applause and cheers.
"Perry's level has increased to 25!" Bradley announced excitedly, his voice brimming with joy. Right after that, the girl's level started to change as well; she had originally been at level 25, but now it had risen to 29! Her brown glow was even more radiant than before, clearly indicating a significant boost in power.
Once again, Bradley raised the microphone, exclaiming, "Do you see that? Both Perry and this young lady have experienced remarkable level gains thanks to their dishes! This is the power of cuisine and the result of their efforts! It looks like Chef Goblin is leading for now."
Goblin burst into triumphant laughter as soon as he saw the results, his face full of pride, his voice dripping with mockery and contempt. With his hands on his hips, he sneered at Hinnal: "Hahaha, just as I expected! My dish is the best! Do you see this, Hinnal? You arrogant fool, there's no way you could beat me!" His words were sharp like a blade, cutting into Hinnal, and the audience roared with approval, cheering for Goblin.
Some audience members even stood up, joining Goblin in mocking Hinnal, pointing and jeering: "Give up, Hinnal! You can't compare to Master Goblin! Your dishes don't have anything special!"
They were only doing this to attract Goblin's attention, hoping that pleasing him might get them a taste of his cooking.
Amidst the uproar, Hinnal remained calm, his gaze steady and unruffled, not even a furrow appearing on his brow. He simply watched the large screen with a serene expression, as if he had anticipated the outcome. Perry noticed Hinnal's demeanor, sensing a profound confidence in his composure, as though he had unwavering faith in his dish. This attitude made Perry feel slightly more at ease, making him suspect that the competition's outcome might not be as certain as it seemed.
At that moment, the glow around the girl began to fade, the brown light slowly dimming until it vanished completely. Perry glanced down at himself and found that his blue glow remained just as bright, showing no sign of diminishing. The strange phenomenon quickly caught the audience's attention, and the triumphant grin on Goblin's face froze, replaced by a look of shock.
"What's going on?" Goblin's eyes widened in disbelief, his voice tinged with confusion and fear. He couldn't fathom what he was seeing. Why had the girl's upgrade stopped while Perry's continued? This was impossible! Goblin had always prided himself on his cooking skills, never imagining that anyone could surpass him in this domain.
Just as Goblin's face was filled with shock, Hinnal's lips curved into a slight smile, a subtle hint of triumph flashing in his eyes. His guess had been right: the true key to victory wasn't the quantity of ingredients but the compatibility between the food and the user. At that moment, the audience members who had been mocking Hinnal earlier grew silent, casting curious and astonished glances his way. They began to realize that things weren't unfolding as they had expected.
On the large screen, the girl's level remained at 30, while Perry's level continued to rise. His blue glow became more and more radiant as the numbers finally froze at 28... 29... 30... and then continued climbing. Every person in the audience held their breath, staring intently at the giant screen, not daring to make a sound, afraid they might miss any change.
At this point, Bradley was also stunned by the sudden twist. His voice trembled with excitement as he shouted, "Oh my goodness! This is unbelievable! So far, the highest record set by the world's number one chef, Kamanda, was to help someone level up by 11 levels! Is Chef Hinnal about to break that record?!"
The atmosphere in the arena reached a fever pitch as the host's words echoed, and every gaze remained fixed on the screen, not budging an inch. The numbers continued to climb—30... 31... 32—until Perry's level finally stopped at 32. At the same time, the blue glow surrounding him began to fade, eventually disappearing completely.
As Perry's level-up ended, the numbers on the screen ceased to change, locking in at 32 and shining brilliantly. The entire venue was utterly silent, as if everyone was still processing the astonishing outcome.
Perry's advancement not only surpassed the girl's level of 30 but also far outstripped the other contestants. Seeing this, Hinnal finally smiled in satisfaction, while Goblin stood frozen, his face as pale as a sheet. His confidence shattered completely; he had never anticipated losing so decisively.
Gradually, the audience snapped out of their shock and began to applaud Perry and Hinnal. The applause was deafening, roaring through the arena as everyone celebrated this incredible turnaround.
Bradley glancing at the final results on the big screen, shook his head with a hint of regret and sighed, "What a pity that Chef Hinnal didn't break the record, but his performance was still outstanding." There was a deep sense of emotion in his voice, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled at Hinnal. "Still, congratulations to Chef Hinnal for winning this competition! Now, let's have Chef Goblin fulfill his promise and hand over his chef's badge!"
Hinnal heard the Bradley's words, and although he furrowed his brows slightly with a trace of regret, he sighed lightly. It seemed he had hoped to break the record too, but he quickly adjusted his mindset and walked toward Goblin, who was now kneeling on the ground, completely defeated. His face was ashen, as if all his pride and dignity had been destroyed in that instant. One hand clutched tightly to his chest, his eyes filled with despair and rage.
"How could this happen?!" Goblin gritted his teeth, bloodshot eyes staring at Hinnal with resentment and fury, his voice trembling, "I used more ingredients in my dish, so why did I still lose to you?! This is impossible!"
Hinnal didn't rush to respond to Goblin's question. He simply stood there calmly, his gaze carrying a hint of complex emotion. At that moment, he appeared unusually composed, while Goblin's inability to accept his defeat cast a heavy silence over the audience. The tension was palpable, as if everyone was waiting for the final resolution.
"Chef Goblin, please follow the rules," Bradley face turned serious, his voice colder, staring down at Goblin who remained kneeling, "You know what happens if you break the rules, don't you?" His tone was authoritative, and all eyes in the audience were focused on the two chefs.
Goblin froze, a flash of fear and hesitation crossing his eyes. He knew full well that if he refused to hand over his badge, the consequences would be far more severe. Not only would he lose his title as a chef, but he might be banished from the culinary world altogether, forever losing the chance to pursue his dream. At that moment, his hand trembled slightly, and finally, he lowered his head, slowly unfastening the badge pinned to his chest, his gaze empty as if all his spirit had been drained. His voice was hoarse and low, "Take it, Hinnal... you've won."
With a shaky hand, he held out the badge that symbolized his honor and rank to Hinnal. The silver 20-number badge gleamed dully, weighing heavily in his hand. Hinnal accepted the badge, looked at Goblin, and gave a slight nod before removing his own chef's badge and handing it to Goblin. It turned out that Hinnal had always been number 50, and this victory had catapulted him directly from 50 to 20—a huge leap that left the audience in awe.
Just as Hinnal and Goblin exchanged badges, a soft chime sounded from the stage's system. A virtual screen in front of Perry lit up, displaying a message: [Congratulations, Host! Your Water Element skill has been upgraded!]
He was momentarily stunned. Who would have thought that cooking could also lead to a substantial skill upgrade?
Watching Hinnal, Perry felt a surge of admiration. He saw not only the outcome of the competition but Hinnal's unwavering dedication and pursuit of culinary excellence. Unlike Goblin's arrogance, Hinnal's calm and tenacity were the marks of a true master.
As the competition concluded, the audience gradually came back to life. Some whispered about the unexpected results, while others marveled at Hinnal's remarkable skill. Although Hinnal hadn't broken the world record, his performance had left a deep impression, while Goblin had lost the glow he once boasted of.
Bradley took the opportunity to step forward, once again drawing the crowd's attention with a smile as he announced, "And so, the winner today is Chef Hinnal! Let's congratulate him on his victory!" As his words echoed, another round of applause erupted, filling the arena.