Where… where is this? When did I fall asleep? Kiana Kaslana opened her eyes to see a yellow beach and a blue sky over the ocean. A hint of confusion filled her azure eyes.
Hiss~ My neck hurts! As Kiana turned her head, a sharp pain shot through her neck, making her cry out.
"Kiana, you're awake. Are you okay?" Mei's gentle voice reached her, putting Kiana at ease. It seemed there was no danger, since Mei-senpai was here.
"I… huh?!" Kiana tried to stand up, but found she couldn't. She looked down… Which bastard tied me to this chair?!
"Oh, Judge, you're finally awake. This one and the dumb dog have prepared our dishes. Please, begin your judgment," said the rabbit-eared Eviya, carrying a platter with a cloche over it.
"Wait! Why am I tied up?! Let me go! The previous agreement doesn't count! I don't want to be the judge anymore!" Kiana shrieked, struggling and writhing in the chair. Of course, thanks to Eviya's masterful and mysterious binding technique, her struggles were completely useless.
"Don't be scared, human! The ice cream I made is delicious! It's full of sugar and fresh squid tentacles! Come on! Sweetness is the source of all biological evolution!!" The dog-eared Pretty tried to persuade Kiana to eat, holding out an ice cream cone in which a squid tentacle was slowly wiggling.
Sweetness is the source of evolution? Apologize to every organism on Earth that took millennia to evolve! You can evolve just by eating sweets? Suddenly, the prestige of biological evolution has plummeted… Li Xuan, a bystander in the peanut gallery, silently complained in his mind.
"No! Why would you put squid legs in ice cream?! And they're still moving!!" Kiana looked as if she had seen through it all. This was undoubtedly a dish from the dark culinary world.
"Instead of that trashy ice, why not try my curry? Squid juice and curry are a perfect match! The brilliant yellow of the curry and the elegant black of the squid juice, mixed together with salt and chili—this is the pinnacle of gastronomy!" The rabbit-eared Eviya preached with a worshipful expression.
Hey! Your creation isn't any better than hers! It's a big yellow-and-black lump that, if displayed, would be rated for ages eighteen and up… and would need to be censored… This has to be the epitome of dark cuisine, right?! Li Xuan thought, his face paling as he looked at the mysterious, poop-shaped curry that challenged human sight.
"Ugh!! The disgusting color is even iridescent! And what's with all these bubbles?!" If Li Xuan's face was pale, Kiana's was turning green.
"Bronya calculates… a strong chemical reaction is occurring within the curry," Bronya said, unable to maintain her usual emotionless expression. The corner of her mouth twitched.
"Well… it certainly doesn't look very good," Raiden Mei said, looking unwell. The moment she spoke, the two familiars turned to her simultaneously, holding their platters, their eyes seeming to ask, 'Do you want to take her place as judge?'
Mei immediately backed down. "But since we promised to help you two settle the score, I guess we'll have to trouble Kiana a bit…" Mei could only sell Kiana out, holding back tears.
"Help! I don't want to die!! Mei-senpai, don't give up on me!!!" Kiana was completely beside herself with despair.
"Don't be afraid, Kiana. Just close your eyes and eat it. It'll be over before you know it," Li Xuan advised. After all, if Kiana didn't eat it, who knows if it would be his turn next? Better you than me, my friend.
I'm afraid if I close my eyes, I'll never open them again, Kiana Kaslana thought in despair. She could almost see her mother in heaven.
"My condolences. Though I don't want to save Kiana, letting this continue could have unforeseen consequences," Bronya said.
"Consequences like…?" Mei asked, confused.
"The two familiars were likely drawn here by an unusual Honkai energy emanating from the squid. The dishes they made are also emitting this strange energy, and with the smell of the food, the energy is spreading continuously," Bronya explained with concern.
"Roar, roar~" Suddenly, the roars of Honkai Zombies came from behind them.
"How can this be?! Didn't we clear them all out?" Li Xuan said, turning around in surprise. Not far behind them, Honkai Zombies were pouring in through the opening Mei had cut in the fence.
"This is bad…" Li Xuan said, a headache coming on.