My wife name is Erina Nakiri

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Japan, a nation deeply intertwined with seafood, is home to many master seafood chefs. Its coastal environment, long-standing custom of eating sashimi, and the prevalence of fish in the diet mean that many Japanese are adept at handling various marine life. While many can handle a porcupinefish, doing it perfectly is another matter entirely. Competent and exceptional are two different things.

The patrolling judges meticulously inspected each dish. In front of some chefs' stations, they paused for several seconds before deciding to eliminate or advance them. Some porcupinefish dissections, at first glance, seemed fine, but upon closer inspection, they hovered on the borderline of acceptable and unacceptable. It was hard to say they were perfectly done, yet also hard to say they weren't done at all, leaving the judges hesitant. Such controversial cases were often left to the head arbiters to resolve. The patrolling judges' role was simply to clear out those who were unequivocally unqualified.

At table number 7, Renz's station, the judge quickly passed by. He glanced at Renz's plate, nodded, and moved on. Meanwhile, Datu was unfortunately eliminated. No, "unfortunately" isn't the right word; he didn't even attempt to dissect the porcupinefish, simply stood there watching others cook. He was, quite rightly, escorted off by the judge. Those eliminated either left or moved to the spectator stands to watch the rest of the competition.

After a large-scale elimination, just over a hundred participants remained—specifically, 104 people. This was still more than the 64 allowed for the qualifier round. The host, who was also the show's assistant director, Shinjii Takahashi, stepped out to explain the situation. In many understaffed shows, one person often held multiple roles.

"The theme for this preliminary round was porcupinefish dissection. Currently, 104 people remain on the floor. However, our qualifier round only permits 64 participants to advance. Therefore, we still need to eliminate 40 more people to proceed to the next round," Shinjii Takahashi announced, speaking clearly into the microphone.

The competition format remained brutal. There was no notion that all 104 people who successfully dissected the porcupinefish within sixty seconds would pass. Instead, they were plunged into an even more agonizing phase: the judge elimination round.

"Next, all 104 participants remaining will undergo review and commentary from three judges, who will decide who stays and who goes," Shinjii Takahashi declared in a stern voice, shedding his usual approachable demeanor. As a vice-director serving as host and potentially a judge, he needed to maintain a strict persona. If he were too lenient, contestants might argue, making it difficult to proceed with the show, as some might constantly challenge authority. He had to be rigorous when necessary.

Upon hearing this news, the chefs on the floor erupted in an uproar. According to the rules, those who successfully dissected the porcupinefish within sixty seconds should have passed. An additional review round was an unexpected turn. However, no one dared to voice any complaints. Those with genuine skill weren't afraid of a second review. Only those lacking confidence would attempt to challenge authority and seek leverage. But in a Japanese social environment, without a leader stepping forward, would anyone truly dare to question it? Moreover, this additional round was quite fair; it was, in essence, the law of the jungle—the excellent would continue.

The judging began with table number one. Mana Nakiri glanced at it dismissively and immediately moved to the next table, leaving behind a crisp, "No."

For a contestant to advance, they needed approval from two out of three judges. With only sixty-four spots available for the next round, those judged first were at a disadvantage. The judges didn't know whether a contestant was good or bad relative to the average, so they had to rely purely on instinct. If they passed someone early, what if a better chef later on didn't get a spot? And if they didn't pass someone, what if someone worse came along later? The judges found themselves in an awkward position.

Yoshio Ono and Kaku Kanemoto whispered to each other, then both declared, "Pending." They weren't sure how the later contestants would perform, and while they thought the porcupinefish was well-prepared, they dared not defy Mana Nakiri's authority by giving two "Yes" votes after her "No."

The person at table 2 gave up immediately; they couldn't dissect the fish. The person at table 3, who had failed the dissection from the start, was also sent away. The person at table 4 remained, but unfortunately, Mana Nakiri was the first judge again, delivering her same expressionless "No."

Mana Nakiri genuinely didn't know how to evaluate the knife skills of these contestants. To put it nicely, their handling was rough. To put it harshly, they were just phoning it in. This was the drawback of underground chefs; many hadn't received formal training and were self-taught, often neglecting details. "Pending," came another two votes.

The atmosphere in the studio grew heavy again. So far, no one had passed the judges' review, and the already tense atmosphere became even more oppressive. The pressure fell on all the remaining contestants.

At table number five, Rindo Kobayashi's heart pounded excitedly. This kind of pressure invigorated her. Compared to friendly matches, the thrill of winning or losing brought an indescribable comfort and excitement, despite the tension. Mana Nakiri observed Rindo Kobayashi's dish. In silence, she nodded slightly. "Yes," Mana Nakiri's voice broke the silence.

The collective, held breath of the entire room trembled. The lingering pressure of no one passing finally eased somewhat. Mana Nakiri's imposing presence during judging instilled a sense of timidness, making one afraid to challenge her. After Mana Nakiri's nod, two figures considered titans in the Japanese culinary world also nodded, giving a "Yes." However, due to Mana Nakiri's overwhelming aura, these two respected judges now seemed like mere followers behind her, their presence completely overshadowed by hers.

"No," Mana Nakiri said, shaking her head at table 6.

The contestants, who had just seen a glimmer of hope, were once again thrown into anxious uncertainty by Mana Nakiri's "No." This woman was truly terrifying! Even Renz had to marvel at the deterrent power of this former world's number one judge. Why "former world's number one"? Because the next world's number one would be Erina, making Mana Nakiri the former world's number one judge.

Renz, who daily satisfied the palate of the next world's number one judge, Erina, felt no fear of Mana Nakiri's judgment. Moreover, he believed his porcupinefish dissection was well executed.

At table number 7, Mana Nakiri approached. Her gaze, like a cold wind, swept over Renz, then lowered to observe the expertly separated porcupinefish meat on his table. Mana Nakiri looked, first with surprise, letting out a soft "Oh," then meticulously examined the porcupinefish on the plate.

Her single, ambiguous utterance, whether of admiration or doubt, caused all the chefs in the room to tense up. Everyone turned their attention to Renz. All eyes, in an instant, converged on Renz.

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