"This is too big of a leap, isn't it? Is she seriously going to challenge the First Seat of the Elite Ten?"
"Honestly, Alice is indeed a genius, but challenging the top of the Elite Ten—I don't think she can pull it off."
"The First Seat of the Elite Ten is also an extraordinary genius."
Alice stood before one of the Elite Ten on the arena stage as the instructor turned to look at her.
"Alice, are you sure?"
Alice nodded.
In an instant, the atmosphere across the plaza became heated.
"For real?"
"She just became the Tenth Seat and is already challenging the First?"
"She's only in her first year of high school and already aiming for the top senior student?"
"This is going to be good. Whether she succeeds or not, her courage alone is worthy of praise."
Still, among the crowd, those who actually believed Alice could win were few. Even if her past performances had been excellent, this was still the First Seat of the Elite Ten.
After confirming with Alice, the instructor walked over to the topic box and randomly drew a theme.
"Using fish as the primary ingredient—prepare a dish!"
"Begin!"
Alice and the First Seat of the Elite Ten immediately sprang into action. This wasn't just a spectacle for onlookers; it also drew the attention of the examinees, the other members of the Elite Ten, and even the instructors. Their movements were fluid and seamless.
"It's like art!"
Some observers were amazed by the sight of their actions.
"So graceful!"
"With that kind of preparation, the dish can't possibly taste bad. As expected from those on the Elite Ten level."
"Seems like neither of them had shown their full strength before."
Ron glanced at the crystal orb before him. The rate of absorption on its surface suddenly increased the moment Alice's match with the First Seat began.
"High-quality matches really do make a difference compared to low-quality ones—just like the Fighting Tournament versus an average bout."
A vibration came from Ron's phone. He answered.
"Hello, Ron."
"Hi, Wendy."
"Ron, have you been following what's happening with the manga platform?"
"I have."
Wendy continued, "The platform's doing great right now. Several high-quality series have brought in a lot of traffic, and subscription numbers have grown tremendously. Compared to before, the platform is now far, far more robust."
"It's even become one of the top contenders globally. Also, quite a few print publishers have reached out on their own."
"I've been thinking."
"The profit-sharing model we set earlier... it's actually unfair to you. Your contributions and value far outweigh the resources and manpower I provided. We should redistribute it."
The truth was, when Ron set the terms, he had indeed conceded more than necessary. But he hadn't based Wendy's side purely on visible resources or labor. The backing of the Fiora Kingdom was a crucial, invisible asset.
For example, some officials invest nothing into a company, yet they receive thirty percent of the profits. On the surface, they contribute nothing. But in reality, their presence represents invisible leverage—without them, the company wouldn't thrive. So Wendy's current share was justifiable.
More importantly, Ron wasn't focused on money. What he valued was the reach of Baki and Bungou Stray Dogs. That was far more meaningful to him. If Ron had taken too large of a share, the Fiora Kingdom might not have fully supported the platform's growth—not because of Wendy herself, but due to those under her and the related publishing interests.
"Wendy, there's no need. Let's stick to the original plan," Ron replied. "My goal is simply to build this platform into the biggest manga platform in the world. If the profits grow large enough, put them into promotion and expansion."
"I don't need that money. Or better yet—use it to improve the benefits for the creators. More than profit, I want to see people achieve their dreams."
Wendy was silent for a few seconds.
"Alright, then I'll tell them to use that extra margin for physical promotion and creator benefits."
Ron ended the call and opened the "Yoshihiro Togashi" manga platform on his phone. He gave it a full review. The platform hadn't been rebuilt for long, but it had grown rapidly.
The number of registered creators, the series uploaded, and the reader base—all had increased significantly. The platform's expansion also brought major popularity to Baki and Bungou Stray Dogs.
At that moment, the surroundings suddenly fell silent. Ron looked up. Alice and the First Seat had both completed their dishes, and the plates had already been delivered to the judges.
"Begin the vote," called out the instructor nearby.
A judge raised their voting placard.
"Red!"
"Blue!"
"Blue!"
"Red!"
"Red!"
The result was out, though not everyone had caught which color corresponded to which chef.
"Congratulations, the winner is Alice!"
"Alice is now the new First Seat of the Elite Ten!"
The former First Seat stepped down as Alice walked forward. A wave of cheers erupted around the plaza.
"Amazing!"
"Unbelievable!"
"She's just a first-year and already made it to the top!"
"Such terrifying talent and skill!"
"She's incredible!"
A faint smile appeared on Alice's face, far calmer than the crowd. To her, the outcome had already been expected.
Ron clearly saw a massive surge of starlight enter his crystal orb the moment Alice won. The orb's progress instantly jumped from forty-six percent to fifty-two percent. One match had raised the progress by six percent—a far higher yield than Ron's idle wandering in the World Zone.
Still, the World Zone was an essential part of Gourmet Paradise.
With the Elite Ten challenge over, the crowd slowly dispersed. Ron left the square at the border between the World Zone and the Academy Zone and headed toward the Graduate Zone.
Suddenly, someone ran after him.
"Ron." He turned around. It was Alice. She jogged up to him.
"Ron, sign a contract with me!"