A large crowd had gathered—mostly middle-aged men, some elderly in their sixties and seventies wearing headscarves, as well as teenage boys and girls, and housewives. There were thousands of them!
Armed with benches, baseball bats, kitchen knives, and other makeshift weapons, they all glared menacingly at Ann and the men in black behind her.
"Young Master, our apologies for arriving late!"
"Yes, Young Master. The moment you called, we came from all over Tokyo."
"If you want to bully us ramen artisans, you'll have to get through us first!"
Several of the leaders stepped forward and respectfully addressed Tōsuke.
"Mom, am I dreaming? This is terrifying," muttered Megumi, who had just woken up. Upon seeing the scene before her, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted once more.
"Damn, so many people?"
Even Ann's thugs couldn't hide their shock at the sight of the crowd. Despite the presence of elderly people, children, and women, their sheer numbers and determination created an overwhelming atmosphere.
"Who are these people?" Sui asked curiously.
"They're ramen craftsmen from various parts of Tokyo, along with their families and friends," Tōsuke replied nonchalantly.
Sui was taken aback. He hadn't expected Tōsuke to wield such incredible influence. While Eizan might be a prominent player in the high-end culinary world, Tōsuke was clearly the champion of the common ramen artisans across Japan.
In terms of financial prowess, Tōsuke couldn't rival Eizan, but when it came to inspiring loyalty and respect, his reach was unmatched, more than earning his place as the Third Seat of the Elite Ten!
"We're deeply grateful to all of you for coming to support us," several ramen shop owners from the neighborhood expressed, clearly touched by the turnout.
"Haha, don't mention it! The young master called, and we came without a second thought."
"That's right! We could never repay the young master for all he's done for us."
"As humble ramen artisans, life has always been tough. Of course, we'll stand by the young master when he needs us."
The leading ramen craftsmen responded heartily, not bothered by the danger they faced.
"This is none of your concern. You should leave now," Tōsuke said calmly to Sui.
"Are you sure you can handle this, Senpai?" Sui asked, concerned for Tōsuke's safety.
"There's no need to worry. I can handle this on my own," Tōsuke replied confidently.
At that moment, Sui received a new task from the system.
'"New task received:'
'Task Description: Assist Tōsuke in protecting the neighborhood from demolition and win his friendship.'
'Task Reward: Random Cooking Skill Gift Pack."'
"A Random Cooking Skill Gift Pack, huh?" Sui murmured to himself, intrigued by the potential reward.
"Senpai, if you need any help, I'm more than willing to assist," Sui offered again. While he wanted to complete the task, he also held great respect for Tōsuke.
Tōsuke could easily have pursued fame and fortune, but instead, as the Third Seat, he humbly pushed a ramen cart around Tokyo, helping struggling ramen shops wherever he could. It was an admirable quality none of the other Elite Ten members shared, making him the complete opposite of Eizan.
"No. I don't like owing people anything," Tōsuke said, his tone surprised yet firm as he glanced at Sui. Though he was touched by the offer, he still declined.
Ann, however, was growing increasingly frustrated. Initially, she thought dealing with a single member of Totsuki's Elite Ten would be a simple task. But she hadn't expected Tōsuke to have such a devoted following.
With so many people supporting him, using force to resolve the situation was no longer an option.
"In that case, let's let the guests decide," An declared coolly.
"Let the guests decide?" Tōsuke paused for a moment, then asked, "What do you mean?"
"We'll each open a noodle shop here, and after three days, we'll compare our earnings. If you lose, you'll have to leave. But if you win, we'll abandon our development plans. How about it?" An proposed with a sly smile.
Tōsuke remained silent for a moment. Even though he had rallied a large group, these ramen craftsmen had their own businesses to run and couldn't afford to stay here indefinitely. Ultimately, this challenge was the most reasonable option available to him.
"Alright, I agree to your terms," Tōsuke nodded firmly.
"Then it's settled," An replied, a smirk playing on her lips.
She was relieved that things wouldn't escalate to violence. After all, a public altercation involving the WGO could attract unwanted attention from the authorities. Besides, even though Tōsuke was one of Totsuki's Elite Ten, the WGO had an army of talented chefs. How could they possibly lose?
"Senpai, if you need any help, I'm still available," Sui offered once again.
This time, Tōsuke didn't refuse. "At this point, I'll accept your help. I didn't expect that I'd end up owing you another favor, even though I haven't repaid you for the last one."
Though he had loyal ramen artisans backing him, they were mostly lower-tier cooks. Their skills couldn't compare to Totsuki's elite students. Having Sui on his side would certainly improve their chances.
"Whether we succeed or fail, I owe you a debt. I'll teach you everything I know about ramen. If you ever need anything, just ask," Tōsuke said earnestly.
"You're too kind, Senpai," Sui responded humbly.
Meanwhile, the WGO had already begun their preparations, renovating a nearby shop with astonishing speed. It was expected to be fully operational by tomorrow.
"Young Master, we'll head back for today and return tomorrow," one of the leading ramen craftsmen said. They couldn't afford to be away from their own shops for too long.
"Don't trouble yourselves with returning tomorrow. You've done more than enough," Tōsuke said, appreciating their help.
"But, young master, what if you don't have enough staff?" one of them asked with concern.
"Don't worry. Between Sui and me, we'll manage. There's no need for you to come back," Tōsuke reassured them.
With that, Sui and Megumi also took their leave, preparing to return the following day.
Later that evening, back at the mansion:
"Tonight… let's continue our cooking competition," Erina whispered, her face flushing deeply with embarrassment.