"I was a little impressed before," Kaizen muttered.
"It's not just that she resembles Linne-sama's younger self—she also looks exactly like Nakiri Alice."
"When she wasn't in a chef's uniform, I didn't think much of it. But the moment she put one on..."
"There's no difference at all."
His gaze shifted down slightly.
"Even her figure is the same."
...
The challenge began.
The moderator randomly selected a theme. In the adjacent food supply area, all necessary ingredients were already prepared.
Alice and the challenger began cooking.
Throughout the match, Alice didn't rely on aura. She simply used her cooking skills, crafting dishes with pure technique.
Kaizen noted this silently.
This must be a rule of the Moon Court. Using aura against someone who can't manipulate it would be unfair in a culinary competition.
"Come to think of it," Kaizen mused, "a lot of the people I've met in this world resemble characters I remember from other worlds."
"And now Alice… just like the Alice from Shokugeki no Soma."
...
Soon, both contestants presented their dishes.
"Dish 127, complete."
The plates were placed before the judges.
"Winner: Alice!"
All five judges voted unanimously.
It was a one-sided victory.
Another challenger stepped forward.
"Winner: Alice!"
Again, unanimous.
Six matches in a row.
Far fewer students dared to challenge the other Top Ten. In fact, Alice alone received more challenges than all the others combined.
But after six consecutive matches, a pattern began to emerge.
Alice, despite being the youngest of the Top Ten and holding the tenth seat, didn't seem to be the weakest.
Each win had been decisive.
Not a single vote ever went to her opponents.
If the others in the top ten were put in the same situation... could they have pulled off such dominance?
The challengers began choosing more cautiously.
Rather than rushing to face Alice again, they weighed their options more carefully.
...
"Winner: Snow!"
"Congratulations to Snow for claiming the ninth seat among the Top Ten!"
Thunderous applause erupted—not because people were particularly invested in Snow, but because audiences love an upset. The weak overcoming the strong is always satisfying.
One by one, number nine of the previous Top Ten was defeated. He left the platform dejected, spirits crushed.
The new ninth-seat hero took his place.
But a successful challenge was just the beginning.
To solidify their spot, they had to hold the seat for three full days.
Only by surviving repeated challenges could they secure their place.
...
Meanwhile, radiant starbursts of light converged on the crystal ball in front of Kaizen.
His Observer's Will progressed faster than ever.
"If this keeps up," Kaizen thought, "I'll hit 50% by the end of the Top Ten Challenge. Faster than I originally planned."
...
The tournament continued.
The audience came and went in waves. So did the judges.
By the time the sky had gone completely dark, the Top Ten were finally allowed to rest.
The next morning arrived quickly.
More rounds followed.
Still, very few challengers succeeded.
Most failed outright.
And most of the attempted challenges were directed at the lower ranks of the Top Ten. Hardly anyone dared to face the top seats.
Alice, meanwhile, continued her win streak—over thirty victories without a single loss.
Every match ended in a unanimous decision.
By the third day, no one dared challenge her anymore.
"Alice is seriously strong."
"As a member of the Top Ten, her culinary skills are at least middle tier—maybe higher."
"Some of her challengers were no slouches. One of them lost to Alice, but later defeated the eighth-seat and took their place."
"That proves Alice's level is at least eighth or higher."
Her reputation soared.
Calling her a "genius" felt like an understatement.
She was a genius among geniuses—like Kaizen in Heavens Arena, or Wendy in the Kingdom of Fiora, or even the members of the Phantom Troupe in Meteor City.
Of course, that was only in terms of renown.
In pure combat strength, Kaizen outclassed Alice easily. Wendy likely surpassed her too.
But in the kitchen?
In terms of raw talent, even the Phantom Troupe paled in comparison to Kaizen, Alice, or Wendy—at least most of them.
Wendy ranked among the top three prodigies of her generation in the entire Kingdom of Fiora.
Alice, barring any surprises, was likely the most talented culinary artist in this generation's Gourmet Paradise.
And Kaizen? Just being a traveler made him a unique existence in this entire world.
...
On the third day, the Top Ten Challenge approached its final phase.
Challenger turnout dwindled.
But changes within the Top Ten themselves were just beginning.
Kaizen glanced at his crystal ball.
46%.
And rising.
Outside the arena, the crowd had grown.
Because now came the main event—the internal ranking matches between members of the Top Ten themselves.
The lower-ranked would challenge the middle seats.
The middle would take on the upper ranks.
New matchups. Shifting positions. Pure drama.
At that moment, Alice stood up.
She left her seat and stepped forward.
The crowd followed her movement with wide eyes.
"Who is Alice challenging?"
"That direction… it looks like one of the top-tier!"
"Is Alice going to challenge one of the top three?!"
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (1047 chapters in total)