After returning to their workstation, Fenix and Maya waited as the final moments ticked down on the timer. Around them, participants who knew they were out of the running had already started snacking on their own creations. Laughter and chatter filled the camp. The tension eased as everyone rexed.

  Maya leaned closer to Fenix, as she gazed at the other workstations. “I kinda wish we’d made an extra wrap. It smelled so good.”

  “Same,” Fenix replied, gncing around. “As soon as this is over, let’s go grab something to eat.”

  “Deal. I’ve been eyeing one of those stew stands we passed earlier,” Maya replied, rubbing her belly.

  Caught up in their conversation, they didn’t notice the timer's final seconds slipping away until a sharp beep rang through the campsite, cutting through the noise. Startled, they gnced around as Sarah stood from her chair at the moderator’s table, cpping her hands to get everyone’s attention.

  “Time’s up, everyone! It’s time to announce the winners!” Sarah’s voice rang out, and the buzz of conversation shifted into murmurs of anticipation.

  Excitement buzzed through the air, conversations cutting off as everyone leaned in.

  “In first pce,” Sarah began with a grin, “is Pain in Diaz!”

  A group of three strutted up to the table, their faces filled with smug satisfaction. The crowd cpped, though there was a mix of smiles and eye rolls as they took their pce by Sarah.

  “And in second pce,” Sarah continued, “Mission: Possible!”

  Another team approached, their steps a little hesitant but full of pride. They received appuse and encouraging cheers.

  "And st but certainly not least... The Saucy Squad!" Sarah announced.

  Maya’s eyes widened, and she nudged Fenix with excitement. “That’s us! Come on!”

  Fenix grinned and they walked up to the long table, the sound of appuse following them. As they stood in front of the moderators, Sarah’s smile widened.

  “You all did an incredible job today,” Sarah said warmly, gesturing to the crowd. “Cooking in these conditions, under pressure, is no easy task, and yet you all rose to the occasion. Each of you finished your dishes in the short time you had. I commend you for that.”

  Sarah stepped to the side, revealing three golden gift boxes adorned with rge white ribbons. The crowd ooh-ed and ah-ed as Sarah presented each team with their boxes. As soon as the teams reached out to touch them, the boxes vanished, dissolving into pixels.

  “Oh, and just a reminder,” Dae-Jung added with a grin from his seat, “the codes for your rewards will be sent to your emails, so keep an eye out for that.”

  The teams nodded, already familiar with the process.

  Sarah cpped her hands again, drawing everyone’s focus. “Let’s give one st round of appuse to the winners!”

  Cheers erupted, with pyers shouting congratutions and cpping, filling the campsite.

  Hiro cpped his hands, raising his voice to grab everyone's attention. “Now for our special event!” he announced, grinning as the participants quieted down. “The moderators will taste the dishes of the three winning teams, and the best-tasting one will walk away with the ultimate prize.”

  The crowd stirred, excitement bubbling up as Dae-Jung stood and added, “Let the best team win!”

  A chorus of cheers erupted, participants gathering around the long table as the moderators prepared to judge. Anticipation hung in the air like a thick fog.

  The moderators approached Pain in Diaz’s dish first, lifting the cover with a flourish. Their dish, a crispy-looking concoction with a bright pink sauce, drew a few murmurs from the crowd. The moderators took a careful bite, chewing thoughtfully. Their faces showed no emotion at first, then a slight nod of approval.

  Next was Mission: Possible’s turn. Their dish—a hearty stew—gave off a strong, spicy aroma that seemed to turn a few heads. The moderators took a spoonful, eyes lighting up as the rich fvors hit them. They whispered something to each other, exchanging nods as they did.

  Finally, it was The Saucy Squad’s dish—the Smoky Bite Ashserpent Wrap. Fenix’s heart raced as a moderator lifted the lid, revealing the vibrant, neatly wrapped dish. The moderators grabbed a wrap each, steam rising as they took a bite. Their expressions shifted from curiosity to surprise, then to delight. One moderator even raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed.

  The crowd was hushed, watching each reaction closely. Fenix’s palms itched with nervousness, but Maya stood there, calm and confident as if she already knew the outcome.

  After what felt like forever, Hiro turned back to the crowd, his grin wide. “And the winning dish is… The Smokey Bite Ashserpent Wrap by The Saucy Squad!”

  Cheers exploded around them. Fenix let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Before he could say anything, Maya leaned over with a smirk. “I already knew we’d win.”

  Fenix ughed softly, her confidence infectious. “Yeah, I guess you did.”

  “Congratutions!” Hiro said, raising his hand. “You’ve won a Foxy cookware set! The code for it will be sent to your emails.”

  Fenix grinned to himself. The moderators weren’t even being subtle about how crucial cooking would be in the next update. They were practically dropping spoilers right in front of everyone. He shook his head, amused by how btant it was.

  As soon as the other teams heard what the prize was, they pstered on those polite, fake smiles, offering congratutions that felt hollow. Fenix didn’t bme them, though. Until the update dropped, most pyers saw cooking as a useless skill. They probably thought the prize was a dud.

  But not Fenix. He was more than happy with the prize. He knew the cookware set wasn’t just any cookware set—it was the kind that came with buffs, improving the quality of any meal cooked with it. Cooking might not be important now, but he knew the future. And the Foxy cookware set would give him an edge.

  He turned to Maya, curious if she was disappointed with the prize, but to his surprise, she was beaming. She looked completely satisfied with the prize. Her reaction threw him off for a second. Why was she so happy? Most pyers don't care about cooking at all.

  A brief thought crossed his mind. Was she reborn too?

  Fenix quickly shook his head, pushing the idea away. He'd ask her about it ter.

  As the buzz of excitement slowly dimmed, Jin-Sook stood up from her chair, a pyful gleam in her eye. With a sharp snap of her fingers, the entire scene shifted. The vibrant campsite dissolved, repced by the familiar green of the football field. The moderators stood on the podium once more, just as they had when the event first began.

  "I hope everyone enjoyed the event!" Jin-Sook’s voice rang out, clear and confident.

  The crowd responded with a wave of enthusiastic nods and murmurs of agreement.

  "But," she continued, her tone growing serious, "I'm afraid it's time to bring things to a close."

  A loud groan rippled through the pyers.

  Jin-Sook chuckled at their disappointment, her grin widening. "I know, I know. No one ever wants these things to end. But don’t worry—another convention is just two years away!”

  At that, cheers erupted from the crowd, renewed excitement buzzing through the air.

  "Until then, goodbye!" Jin-Sook said with a final wave before snapping her fingers again. In the blink of an eye, she and the other moderators vanished from sight.

  Before anyone could fully process their departure, a glowing logout button appeared before each pyer, hovering gently in midair.

  Fenix didn’t hesitate. He pressed the button, and immediately, a swirl of kaleidoscope colors spun around him, the vibrant hues dancing until everything turned bck.

  [System: You can take off your VR headset now!]

  The message blinked in front of him, and Fenix raised his hand to his headset, lifting it off. The sudden light of the real world stung his eyes for a moment. As he blinked away the blurriness, he gnced over to see Maya pulling off her headset and setting it down on the table.

  “That was so fun!” she excimed, her excitement spilling over.

  Fenix nodded, a satisfied smile pying on his lips. “Yeah, it really was.”

  Maya stood up, stretching her arms before gathering their things. Fenix followed suit, rising from his chair and settling into his hover chair.

  Maya handed Fenix his bags and said, “Ready to head back downstairs?”

  “Yup, looking forward to eating something.”

  “Who knew virtual reality made you hungry?” Maya ughed as she pushed him out of the event room, the chatter of other pyers still filling the space behind them.

  Once in the hallway, Maya steered him toward the elevator. Inside, they began discussing the prizes they’d earned.

  “I can’t wait to see what we won,” Maya said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “If I don’t win the pod, I’ll just sell some of the prizes I got. With what I’ve saved, that should cover it.”

  Fenix just grinned to himself, already knowing the outcome—she’d won. She wouldn’t have to sell any of her prizes.