Megumi Tadokoro's sudden collapse caught everyone off guard.
The competition hadn't even begun, yet the head chef had already fainted.
There was no way to continue like this.
With no other option, Emiya turned to Loki for help.
Loki let out a light laugh. In the next instant, she flashed to Megumi Tadokoro's side.
She reached out, brushing aside Megumi Tadokoro's hair and revealing a delicate, youthful face.
"What a cute girl," she said casually.
Then she raised a finger and tapped Megumi Tadokoro on the forehead.
"Alright. Wake up and continue the competition. I'm looking forward to your cooking."
Megumi Tadokoro's eyelashes fluttered.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
By the time she was conscious, Loki had already returned to her seat.
Soma Yukihira let out a long breath of relief.
"Thank goodness, Megumi. You're finally awake."
If she hadn't woken up, he honestly didn't know what he would've done.
The awakened Megumi Tadokoro looked completely different from before.
There was no panic.
No hesitation.
She spoke decisively.
"Soma, it's getting late. Let's start right away."
With that, she began preparing the ingredients.
Soma Yukihira froze for a second.
"...Oh."
Megumi Tadokoro had already moved to the cutting board.
Her movements were clean and efficient. Steady. Precise.
Like someone who had been doing this for years.
Soma Yukihira had never seen this side of her before. He only joined in after she urged him.
And it wasn't just Soma.
Everyone present could tell that Megumi Tadokoro had changed.
Confused looks appeared on many faces.
Emiya couldn't help asking,
"Loki, what did you do?"
Loki smiled.
"She was too nervous. Too scared. I forcibly calmed her mind so outside factors wouldn't interfere. Now she can display her true potential."
"I see," Emiya said.
That explanation was enough.
Erina Nakiri couldn't help but look at Loki with awe. As expected of a god. Doing something like this was effortless for her.
Gin Dojima and the others exchanged subtle looks, unsure how to feel.
Kojiro Shinomiya, the other head chef, showed no reaction at all.
He didn't see Megumi Tadokoro as a threat.
Even if she used one hundred percent of her ability.
Even one hundred and twenty.
Even two hundred.
It wouldn't matter.
She was just a student.
Did she really think she could beat him?
Only Kojiro Shinomiya knew how much he had endured to reach his current position.
He was the First Seat of the Totsuki Elite Ten.
Long past the level of a student.
He had even received the "Pluspol Medal."
A student-cheating or not-couldn't defeat him.
So he calmly handled his ingredients, refining every step.
This time, he intended to give his full effort.
Not to crush a student.
But for the judges.
Kojiro Shinomiya wasn't foolish. He knew these judges were extraordinary.
If his dish impressed them, the benefits would be immense.
This was not a competition he would take lightly.
As both chefs poured themselves into their preparations, Emiya suddenly clapped his hands.
"Oh. I forgot something."
"Forgot what?" Loki asked, still watching Megumi Tadokoro with interest.
"Haruhi Suzumiya."
"Who?" Loki asked.
"A high school girl from another world," Emiya explained. "She possesses the power to make wishes come true."
Takashi Natsume couldn't help blurting out,
"Are high school girls that powerful now?"
Loki tilted her head.
"Can she grant any wish?"
"I'm not completely sure," Emiya said. "Probably not. But she can change the world."
"That's going too far," Takashi Natsume muttered.
Nyanko-sensei was equally startled.
"Is she some kind of goddess?"
Loki shook her head slightly.
"Even gods can't alter time with a single wish. I really want to meet this Haruhi Suzumiya."
"I promised her that if I ever ran into something interesting, I'd call her," Emiya said. "I forgot. Wait here. I'll go get her."
With that, he vanished from the Food Wars! world.
In the next instant, he appeared in Haruhi Suzumiya's world.
Fortunately, she was already home.
After Emiya explained the shokugeki, Haruhi Suzumiya agreed without hesitation.
"I can't miss something this interesting."
"Then come with me."
He took her straight back.
When Emiya reappeared with a girl beside him, Gin Dojima and the others were still visibly startled, even though Erina Nakiri had already told them some things.
Gin Dojima reacted instantly and instructed someone to bring another chair and set of tableware.
In his eyes, this girl was clearly another judge.
After all, he had heard Emiya's conversation.
Her name was Haruhi Suzumiya.
The high school girl who could make wishes come true.
"This is the Haruhi Suzumiya I mentioned earlier," Emiya said.
Then he introduced the others to her.
"This is Takashi Natsume, a human with strong youkai power, and my friend. This is Madara, a great youkai, Natsume's teacher and bodyguard. And this is Hinoe, Natsume's friend-and also a great youkai."
"And this one," he added, "is Loki. My boss. The leader of the strongest Familia in Orario. A god."
Haruhi Suzumiya spoke frankly.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Haruhi Suzumiya. And as you can see, I'm just an ordinary high school girl."
Takashi Natsume immediately retorted,
"I've never seen a high school girl who can make wishes come true."
Loki stared at Haruhi Suzumiya intently.
She could clearly sense a powerful force within her.
But it was different.
Completely different from divine power.
Haruhi Suzumiya wasn't a human who had inherited a god's authority.
As for why a high school girl possessed such power-
Loki didn't know yet.
After all, this was their first meeting.