The triathlon was the first match, starting with a swim. The chefs leave Rice Beach and loop around Takoyaki Island to pick up ingredients when they get back to land. From there, they transport those ingredients on bikes and travel across Tofu Wasteland, an area with a rigid ground having the texture of frozen tofu.

Once they passed this part, they start running and must pass the Konpeitou Ridge, covered in slender spikes. They pick up tools at the cooking utensils station located at the sheer cliffs of Okaka Hill, and then they'll start cooking when they reach the cooking station at the goal. There, the chefs that complete the 50 most delicious dishes will progress to the next round.

"Now then, please begin the broadcast report!"

"You've got it! We're here at Cooking Island's famous spot, Rice Beach. If you take a look at the white sand, you'll realize it's actually all grains of rice!" Tina smiled brightly at the camera. "Triathlon Cooking will be starting from this beach"

The chefs were gathered at the starting point. Some of them like you and Komatsu decided to wear a swimsuit for the occasion, while others didn't seem to care that much of getting their clothes wet. Or so you thought.

Your friend was still a nervous wreck next to you, and honestly, you thought you weren't better. Judging by how unnatural you looked in the broadcast, that is. A sudden gunfire pulled you out of your thoughts, and you realized that it was the cue to go. You almost stumbled face first into the water when the chefs pushed their way through to enter the sea. The best you could do was dog paddle, while the others could practically run on the surface. This showed you how much stamina and experience you were lacking, but you didn't let it discourage you. You were a bit worried for your friend's safety, though, seeing his limbs flail around.

Still, the two of you managed to complete the first part even if you were in last place. You heaved a sigh as you got out of the sea, checking out the ingredients that were left.

"At least we were able to make it without drowning" you murmured, earning an exasperated nod from the smaller chef next to you.

"I think I need more of Toriko-san's strength..." Komatsu whined.

You deadpanned when you heard a strange sound behind you, and you turned in time to see something - or rather, someone dashing right in your direction. You yelped in fright as you fell on your backside with Komatsu, glaring in bewilderment at the newcomer: a tengu. You gaped at the red-skinned man, quickly recognizing who it was exactly. He ignored the both of you, walking in the direction of the ingredients in disinterest.

"U-Um...M-Might you happen to be....B-Brunch-san?!" wondered Komatsu with starry eyes.

"Huh? Who're you?" he looked over his shoulder, glaring at the two of you.

"A-AH! He is, Komatsu!" you shook your friend's shoulder, fangirling hard. "It's so nice to meet you! My name is (y/n) and I-"

"Wait. What'd you say your names were?" the tengu faced the two of you, expression confused.

"Ah, er...My name is Komatsu...." the young man blushed, rubbing the back of his head while you fiddled with your fingers.

"And I'm (y/n)" you enriched next.

"Komatsu...(y/n)..." Brunch repeated to himself, before his eyes widened in disbelief and surprise. "KOMATSU? (Y/N)? REALLY?"

"...Yes?" you responded, a little unsure about the man's strange reaction.

"WHAT?! You're friggin' Komatsu and (y/n)?! For real?! I thought ya all be some dirty bastards, but yer just kids! Did you really form a combo with two of the Heavenly Kings?!" Brunch exclaimed, examining you and Komatsu from head to toes.

"Ah, that's right. At the moment" Komatsu replied sheepishly.

"Liars! If yer makin' funna me, I'm seriously gonna deck you, dammit! There's no way in hell yer higher than me! No way I would believe that!" the tengu spat, making a vein pop beside your head.

"Who's going to deck who?!"

Your hand moved on its own, pinching and tugging down on the man's ear so he was bending down to be on the same level as yours. The tengu howled in pain, hands twitching in the air while Komatsu gazed at you both in panic. Your friend pleaded you to let the man go as you began to reprimand the chef from acting rude toward you both.

"H-H-How s-strong is she?!" barked Brunch. "OWOWOWOWOW!"

"(y/n)-chan!" exclaimed Komatsu, sweatdropping.

Back at the stadium, a certain dark haired male brought a hand over his face, shaking his head while his comrade next to him simply commented about how you were about to tear off the tengu's whole ear (not that he minded, seeing the way he both treated you).

"Say, could I maybe have...an autograph? Just five?" Komatsu inquired sheepishly after you released the tengu, who rubbed his ear painfully.

"Why?! Are ya serious? Why the hell would I sign anything fer you!? And what the hell ya mean just five? That's a friggin' lot!" shouted Brunch. "After the Four Heavenly Kings were toutin' yer praises like that, I was really lookin' forward. But you ain't even gonna be a challenge-AND NO EAR PULLIN'! I'm goin'...."

Komatsu looked a bit crestfallen from his refusal, but still followed him nonetheless. You stopped in front of the ingredients that were left over. You heard Brunch clicking his tongue, commenting about how they left the 'cruddy' ingredients.

"Tch. Even the ingredients're depressed" stated Brunch.

"T-That's not true!" Komatsu shook his head, advancing toward the ingredients.

"He's right" you added, crouching next to your friend to have a look at them. "There's the Ramen Spider that makes strands of ramen come from your mouth"

"Look! You also have the Chestnut Mandarins that have a slight chestnut flavor! And there's Capsicum Pork that has a spiciness that'll make your eyes pop and melts together with rich meat"

"While it's true that there aren't any high-class ingredients left, these are all wonderful ingredients you can make some delicious dishes with" you smiled.

"Aah, I wish I could take all of them!" the smaller chef pouted. "There are still so many left, I don't wanna leave them behind"

Brunch remarked quickly how the ingredients seemed to glow after your praises, and his demeanor changed when he finally understood where exactly you were considered a challenge.

"Sure is. A damn shame" Brunch enriched with a smirk. "Then let's just bring'em and cook'em all. Every last one"

"H-Huh? B-Brunch-san?" you blinked in confusion.

You didn't like the way he smiled. Not one bit.

Your screams resonated loudly through the Tofu Wasteland, being pulled by the collar of your shirt. Not a minute after you changed into your chef attire and charged the bike with the ingredients, Brunch had immediately dragged you and Komatsu into a long and fast run, passing confused participants who were once way ahead of you.

The tengu was beyond fast, even riding on a bike. Your arms were flailing around as you tried to make sure that your arse remained on the damn bike's seat with your friend screaming incomprehensible things in the background.

"B-B-BRUNCH-SAN!!! STOP IT ALREADY!!!" you yelled, teary eyes shifting to the tengu who was grinning maniacally.

"What are ya talkin'about?! We're catching up with those bastards!"

Your prayers were answered when he came to a sudden stop after passing a slim bridge, Brunch-san facing the other contestants who didn't pass it yet. His expression became more vicious, lifting his leg high in the air and slamming it down on the ground. Cracks slithered around the bridge, before it gave away and got destroyed, making the others fall.

"Woops. My foot slipped" Brunch snickered.

"B-Brunch-san, you can't do things like that! You've gotta play fair and square!" Komatsu frowned at the tengu.

"Well, you got a point. I guess I did kinda pretend my foot slipped. Next time I push them off fair and square!" he barked a laugh.

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"

"Let's go, kids!!!"

After passing the third area, Konpeitou Ridge, all that was left was the marathon run. If Brunch was fast on a bike, he was faster on his two feet. He basically lifted both you and Komatsu over his shoulders the minute you discarded the bikes, running through the next area without wasting a single second. You felt like you were going to pass out, your mind getting dizzier.

You don't even remember passing and packing your tools at the utensil station, or even realize if Brunch stopped to grab them. You were hurled forward when Brunch suddenly accelerated his pace, catching up with the legends that were Chef Yuda, Chef Zaus and Chef Setsuno. The elders didn't even realize what was going on until the last moment, when they saw the problem child passing them and finishing the race in first place with you and Komatsu.

Brunch came to a screeching halt, his feet digging into the ground and marking it. There was a long silence among the audience, trying to process what just happened. And then, there was loud cheering as the announcer shouted the results:

"IT'S BRUNCH, CHEF KOMATSU AND CHEF (Y/N)! THEY MADE IT TOGETHER FIRST TO THE GOAL! WHAT AN UTTERLY DELICIOUS, DRAMATIC COMEBACK!"

"I-I t-thought I was going to die..." heaved Komatsu, his face having aging considerably with the previous stress.

"I must look like a ghost now..." you added.

"Well, if it isn't a rare appearance by the problem child?" Granny Setsuno mused as she approached the three of you with Zaus and Yuda behind her. "What brought this on?"

"Nothin' happened" answered Brunch, putting you and Komatsu back on your feet. "I just thought I'd perform the last rites for a couple 'a elderly problems"

"Who are you calling an elderly problem, greenhorn?!" snapped Setsuno.

"Hell yeah you're elderly problems! How the hell long are you plannin' on dominating the industry? For real! You guys're in our ways!"

"H-Hang on a minute, Brunch-san!" you stammered, eyeing the tengu in panic.

"Don't get cheeky, youngster" spoke Zaus, narrowing his eyes at Brunch.

"SHUT UP, BEARD FACE!"

"B-Beard face?!"

"Wha's with that beard? It's so lame!" the tengu continued to insult.

"Don't get cocky, you shitty tengu brat!" the old woman shook her tiny fist at him.

They continued to bicker among each other while you and Komatsu tried to regain your breath and full consciousness. The next part of the first round went smoothly, with you managing to prepare a delicious dish for the audience and the judges of G7. A total of 50 chefs moved to the second round, and you were left surprised that you were among the chosen. The next event concerned Death Cooking, a competition testing the chefs' cooking speed. You were divided into two groups: those who will compete in the Scale, and those who will compete in the Sieve.

The Scale invite two chefs to stand on each plate of the scale, having the same amount of ingredient to maintain a certain equilibrium. When they start cooking the scale with more ingredient drops nearer a strong fire, making continuing to cook difficult. The winner is the chef that has no food leftover after the customers finish eating.

The Sieve is a competition where a chef must grab ingredients under a time limit, displayed around the large mesh strainer. Once the time is up, they must separate effectively the solids from liquid to create a soup that would please the judges and the audience. The only 'danger' unlike with the Scale is the area separating the ingredients and the strainer, filled with wicked beasts. While they were of low capture levels, they can still represent a certain danger for a chef who is unprepared. The winner is decided by both the judges and the audience at the end of the event.

"It seems I will compete in the Sieve..." you murmured, eyeing the names displayed on a screen for the two different events. "And we're the firsts to go"

"Don't worry, (y/n)! I'm sure you will proceed to the next round without any problem!" Komatsu assured next to you, patting your shoulder.

"It's not the cooking part who makes me nervous...It's what I will find in-between the ingredients and the strainer"

Though, there was simply no way they would put in danger the chefs in such a friendly competition. Right?

You came dead last in the drawing, with Granny Setsuno being the ice-breaker to start this event. To avoid using the same tactics, the other competitors were forbidden to see the chef's match until they are called in once they are done. Stressed couldn't describe the way you were feeling at the very moment. Beyond nervous would be an understatement. When you heard your name being called to enter the event, it took a moment to process what the announcer was yelling through the mic. With shaking steps, you entered the arena with the loud cheers of the crowd behind you.

"It's going to be fine...It's going to be fine..." you thought repeatedly, gazing at the huge strainer in the center of the arena.

Around it, you found a few pillars filled with various ingredients. Already, you were concocting a recipe that would certainly satiate the palates of the others in your mind. However, something else caught your attention. A wide gap between the platforms with the strainer and the pillars, filled completely with water.

"ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY! Our next and last contestant is none but Chef (y/n)! The rules are still the same: they only have 5 minutes to gather their ingredients they can deposit in the basket right next to the Sieve! However, they must also avoid being spotted by our fearsome guardian: the Anglerus!" informed the host.

"Ang-what?" you smiled in an unsure manner, eyeballing the water.

Coco blinked, stunned when he heard the wild beast's name. A reaction that didn't went unnoticed by his comrades next to him as they gazed in worry at you. The Anglerus was...a tricky beast, if they were honest with themselves. Its level is considered low if certain conditions are met.

"Oi, are you sure that Usagi is goin' to be alright?" demanded Sunny, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"The Anglerus isn't dangerous. They can easily lure their prey and predators into a trap, per say, but they do not feed on them.I'm pretty sure they wouldn't use the dangerous species" spoke the fortune teller.

The timer was set on a large screen, and the announcer gave the go to start the event. You dashed in the direction of the closest pillar that held some ingredients. You didn't want to waste even a second of your time. There was a total of eight pillars, but only two of them really interested you when it came for the ingredients. You finished a pillar under record time and filled the basket with the goods.

However, as you were about to reach the next pillar, the ground started to rumble. You froze in your track, eyes shifting to the side where the shadow of a large figure was swimming under the dark layers of the water. Something stuck out above the surface, resembling a dorsal ray with a luminescent fruit at the end of the tip. You didn't know why, but you felt strangely...attracted to it. The bright colors, the smell...

"Look at the size of this thing! Can we eat it?!" Toriko exclaimed, beginning to drool profusely.

"This is the Anglerus's esca! It's trying to lure her into the water!" Coco stood up abruptly from his seat, his eyes wide like saucers. "(y/n)!!"

Coco's calls of your name didn't reach your ears as you continued to walk in the direction of the strange fruit. The closer you were, the more it smelled delicious. You wanted to add this ingredient to the basket. The ground rumbled more violently, and the Anglerus emerged from the gap to land in front of you. It released a feral cry, revealing rows of sharp teeth between its prominent tusks. Its mouth stretched wildly, aiming to eat you whole. And it would have, if you haven't decided to throw yourself on the side to avoid the attack.

ANGLERUS (MAMMAL) CAPTURE LEVEL - 25

A scream left your lips as it tried to slam one of its flippers over you, smacking another against its stomach. The audience and the judges remained paralyzed in shock while you fled, hiding behind a pillar.

"I thought Anglerus are supposed to act more friendly" Toriko frowned.

"The esca is too prominent, but strangely it hasn't ripen yet. It hasn't fallen yet and it's in pain!" Coco gritted his teeth, fists clenching tightly. "It will lash out to anything close to it"

"Meaning the little lady is in trouble" grunted Zebra, ready to activate his Sound Armor around you at anytime.

Your gaze shifted to the screen where the time was display, seeing that you had only 2 minutes left to gather ingredients. And the Anglerus was guarding the ones you desperately wanted. Gritting your teeth, you took a look around the corner, blinking in confusion at the strange distortion around the esca of the beast. The fruit seemed to be...stuck, somewhat. At that right moment, you figured out what you needed to do, even if it was pure madness and beyond dangerous.

Once more, you were being reckless as you ran toward the Anglerus. You heard people scream as you threw yourself on the dorsal ray while the beast was distracted by the pain it went through. You managed to grab the esca and pulled on it, earning a snarl from the wild beast who began to flail. You cried out a little when one of the tusks dug itself into the skin of your stomach, and you nearly loosened your grip around the esca. Ignoring the distressed calls of your friends, you continued to pull the fruit until you heard a ripping sound that sent you chills in the back. Falling on your butt with the esca in your hands, you stood frozen on the spot a bit mortified, your head slowly gazing back at the Anglerus. The beast's stomach rumbled, confused purrs and murmurs escaping from its mouth. It slapped its stomach with its flippers a few times, with a cry that sounded content to your ears resonated from the beast.

You smiled, uncertain. You thought it looked...happy. As if a weight was lifted from its shoulders. But your smile soon dropped when you saw a red patch forming under your uniform, and the sudden dizziness you immediately felt right after. Your head fell backward on its own, catching sight of Coco's panicked expression before you lost consciousness.