Which meant… Menchi's skills had improved tremendously. To the point where even he—someone ranked above her—had to acknowledge it.
Netero seemed to be enjoying the dish as well, but the bald referee sitting beside them was on the verge of tears. The taste alone sent his mind spiraling back to a dream he had longed for, a taste he had remembered and yearned for, night after night.
No—this was even better than the white caviar he had eaten all those years ago!
Once they recovered from the moment of bliss, the three judges picked up the scoreboards in front of them. Without hesitation, they all revealed the same score.
10 points.
The judging system was simple—each dish was rated individually, with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 10 points per judge. Since there were three judges, the highest possible score a dish could receive was 30.
For a full-course meal, the highest theoretical score was 150 points.
But in all the years this competition had been held, not once had a team ever managed a perfect score. Larry tapped his fingers on the table, a thought crossing his mind. 'Maybe today… history will be made. Maybe this will be the first time a perfect team appears.'
After all, gathering two chefs of this caliber in the same team—Menchi, an expert Gourmet Hunter, and himself, someone whose strength and skill were in a league of their own—was nearly impossible. Menchi's participation was one thing, but finding someone on his level to complement her cooking? That was a rarity.
As the appetizers were rated, the judges turned their attention to the next dish.
Menchi couldn't hide her happiness. Seeing the perfect scores, a bright, satisfied smile appeared on her face.
Larry, on the other hand, didn't show much reaction. To him, this was the expected outcome. With the finest ingredients and the best chefs, it only made sense that the food was perfect.
Rather than the score, he was more focused on the effects of the food itself. After finishing the white caviar, he could feel his body changing. His physical strength surged, and his mental energy soared once again.
Was he seriously going to reach S-rank before leaving Gourmet Paradise at this rate?
Each dish he ate brought massive improvements to his abilities. The effects weren't minor—his strength wasn't just increasing, it was skyrocketing.
With every bite, the energy in his body evolved—like a vast lake expanding into an endless ocean. Menchi watched him with amusement, her lips curling into a smile.
For a Gourmet Hunter like her, there was no greater satisfaction than seeing someone enjoy her food. And even more so when that person was someone she cared about.
As the meal went on, the judges continued to rate each dish.When the final scores were tallied, there was no surprise.
'Larry & Menchi: Final Score—150. A perfect score.' The moment the announcement was made, the bald referee looked devastated.
Not because he was unhappy—but because even 150 points didn't feel like enough. If it were up to him, the score would be infinite! It was a bittersweet moment.
He realized the harsh truth: no matter where he went, no matter what he ate… he would never taste anything better than this meal. No score could ever do it justice.
With unanimous approval from the three judges, Larry and Menchi were declared the winners of the competition. There was supposed to be a one-week waiting period before the rankings were finalized, giving all participants a chance to be judged before announcing the results.
But honestly? There was no point in waiting. Even if someone else managed to reach a perfect score, it would only mean a tie for first place—not a challenge to their ranking. And everyone knew… no one else could pull off what they had just done.
The judges stepped forward to hand out the prizes.
The bald referee, still overwhelmed by emotion, presented them with two A-grade ingredients. Though they weren't quite on the same level as white caviar or dream tuna, they were still some of the rarest high-end ingredients from the Six Continents. And with that, Larry and Menchi stood victorious—the first perfect team in the history of the Gourmet Competition.
The prize given by Linne was rather unique—a land deed granting Larry ownership of 4.4 acres on Gourmet Island. It wasn't just any piece of land, either. It could be used to open a shop, start a business, or even live on. But what stood out the most was its location.
Perhaps as a little joke—or maybe with some deeper meaning—Linne had arranged for it to be right next to Menchi's shop. Then, there was President Netero's reward, one that suited his status as the head of the Hunter Association. He officially granted Larry the title of a One-Star Gourmet Hunter.
For Menchi, who was already a One-Star Hunter, it wasn't a direct promotion, but a disguised push towards Two-Star rank. All she needed was a few more contributions, and she'd easily qualify for the next level.
In the end, the rewards covered three areas: rare ingredients, personal territory, and professional titles. Larry and Menchi were both satisfied. But if they were being honest, these prizes weren't the real reward.
The true prize was something else entirely—the once-in-a-lifetime feast they had prepared, and the absurd amount of rare ingredients Larry had secretly stashed away in Gengar's belly. Those were the things that mattered most. Still, the judges' rewards were generous, and they gladly accepted them.
As Larry and Menchi soared into the sky on Dragonite, disappearing into the horizon, the three judges watched them leave with different thoughts running through their minds.
The bald referee was still lost in the lingering taste of the food, already dreading the rest of the competition. After experiencing such divine flavors, how was he supposed to go back to eating regular food?
Linne, on the other hand, was simply happy to see how much the two had grown. He was especially pleased that Menchi had found someone who could truly match her.
But Netero's thoughts were in a completely different direction. As he stared at the disappearing Dragonite, a grin spread across his face. "Hmm... When should I set up another sparring match with Larry?" A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. 'Maybe this time, I should wear my heart T-shirt.'
The next morning, Larry and Menchi woke up at the same time. They exchanged a knowing smile before getting out of bed. Their relationship had developed naturally, and because of that, neither of them felt awkward about it.
It wasn't as if anything had visibly changed, but at the same time, everything felt different. They had become closer than ever before. Their interactions became more casual yet intimate, filled with small gestures that reflected their newfound connection.