At the volcano's lip, a stone tablet stands covered in etched noodles.
"HE WHO DARES TO STIR SHALL BE FOREVER STUCK IN THE STRAND."
Arin tilts his head. "Poetic. Love that."
Lira: "It's a warning."
Arin: "Or a recipe."
He pokes the surface.
The broth below glows bright orange — like magma seasoned by gods.
Suddenly, a tendril of steaming noodle rises, curls toward him, and slaps his face.
"AGH! IT'S AL DENTE AND AGGRESSIVE!"
The volcano rumbles.
The noodle retracts, splashing boiling soup across the ridge.
Manny: "We woke it up."
Arin: "Correction — I introduced us."
THE BROTH SPIRIT AWAKENS
The crater bubbles.
Something moves beneath the surface — a colossal mass of twisting noodles forming a vague humanoid shape.
Eyes of glowing egg yolk open in the soup.
BROTH SPIRIT: "WHO DISTURBS MY STEW?"
Arin, still dripping: "Hi! We're from Earth. We come in— uh— slurp?"
The spirit roars, sending a wave of soup upward.
Manny dives forward, punching the broth, creating a splash that forms a perfect heart shape midair.
"Tenderizing mode: ON!"
Ewan yells from behind a rock, "BRO YOU JUST PUNCHED A VOLCANO!"
"Yeah," Manny grunts, "and it blinked."
THE COOKING BATTLE
Arin leaps forward, Quantum Knife in hand.
He slices through a noodle the width of a jeepney. It retracts, sizzling.
"Too chewy. Needs vinegar."
He sprinkles Twin Sun Salt and a dash of calamansi concentrate — instantly stabilizing part of the broth.
Lira fires her Whisk Blaster, whipping soup cyclones into shape. "I'm thickening the flavor matrix! Hold it steady!"
Ewan is just crying in the corner. "I think it's seasoning my soul!"
The Broth Spirit lunges again.
Manny intercepts, punching a chunk of noodle flat.
Steam erupts, forming a perfectly round serving bowl in the crater floor.
Arin grins. "Perfect plating zone. Thanks, champ."
Manny smirks. "Always happy to make an impact."
THE EXTRACTION
Arin spots the Golden Strand — one single noodle connecting the spirit's heart to the volcano core.
He inhales. "This is it. The Infinite Miki."
He jumps, slicing downward — but the noodle dodges.
Lira screams, "It's fighting back!"
Arin, midair: "Of course it is! That's how you know it's fresh!"
He twists, slashing again — a perfect "Vinegar Resonance Spiral Cut."
The noodle snaps free, glowing bright as dawn.
The volcano lets out a low, relieved burp.
The team collapses on the rim, drenched and steaming.
Ewan picks up a bit of broth on his finger. "...It's perfect. Like my childhood, but hotter."
THE COOKING
Back at their mobile kitchen pod, Arin hangs the Golden Strand over the wok like an ancient relic.
He drizzles it with star oil, tosses in chopped chicharon from Lechon Mountain, and cracks the Phoenix Egg from last mission — because of course he still has one.
Lira stirs the sauce with the Whisk Blaster, humming the Flavor Anthem.
Manny tenderizes side meat using uppercuts.
Ewan taste-tests everything twice.
Finally, Arin tosses everything together — the wok spins itself, defying gravity.
The aroma?
Unholy.
Heavenly.
Like pancit cooked by fate itself.
THE TASTE TEST
Judges appear.
One sniff and faints.
Another cries.
A third yells, "I CAN FEEL MY LUNGS DANCING!"
Manny: "That's how you know it's working."
Arin plates the dish and bows. "Behold… The Infinite Miki of Calderona."
Judge: "Flavor reading… off the charts. Flavor Debt reduced by—"
(buzzer sound)
"—0.0003%."
Lira groans. "At this rate, we'll save Earth in about… never."
Arin grins. "Then we better cook forever."
THE AFTERTASTE
As they cheer, the screen glitches.
A voice cuts in — sharp, commanding, unmistakable.
"PATHETIC."
The hologram clears.
A woman in a black apron appears, arms crossed.
Gold jewelry glinting. Eyebrow raised.
"You call that a show? This isn't cooking. This is chaos!"
Lira gasps. "Is that—?"
Arin squints. "Ninang Rye."
She smiles dangerously.
"I'm taking over your timeslot. Let's see how your little vlog holds up against a real chef."
The feed cuts.
Silence.
Then Arin smirks.
"Finally. A rival worth roasting."
TO BE CONTINUED — Chapter 3: "THE MARITES MENACE."