Akira thought back to his father's words.
It was during one of his short breaks from training. Akira sat on the porch, legs dangling off the edge, when his father stepped out and crouched beside him.
"Akira," Ryuji said, voice unusually firm, "do you want to know something even stronger than magic?"
Akira looked at his father with tired eyes. "What is it? A gun?"
Ryuji chuckled and shook his head. "No, not a gun. Something far greater… a smile."
"…A smile?" Akira blinked.
"Yes." His father's tone carried the weight of conviction. "A smile can melt defenses, gain trust, sway hearts, and even turn the tide of battle without lifting a finger. Magic can make you strong, but a perfect smile can make you unstoppable."
Then, leaning in a little closer, he added, "And when you want someone of the opposite sex to do something for you, use it wisely. A smile can open doors that force never could, but remember, it loses its power if you abuse it."
With a faint grin, he continued, "This isn't just some trick. My father passed it down to me, and now I'm passing it to you. Our family has always known that strength isn't only in power, but in how you reach people."
He tapped Akira lightly on the chest. "Remember this, son. Even a smile can be a deadly weapon when used properly."
Back then, he thought his father was just joking around, but looking at Erina's blushing face now, Akira could tell it was working.
"So, it's true," Akira thought. "My father didn't lie to me."
In the VIP room, Akira's mother wore a cold expression as she watched her son's antics. She had seen this exact technique used by someone else before.
"I wonder where he learned this from," Akira's mother said with a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes.
"Yeah, I wonder... hahaha," Akira's father said, breaking into a cold sweat. He had taught his son a few tricks, but he hadn't expected Akira to master them this well.
"Seems Akira-kun is going to break a lot of hearts in the future," Iori said with a grin.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Erika asked, confused by the conversation.
"I'll tell you when you're older," Iori replied, smiling at his sister. He knew it was too early for her to understand.
On stage, Erina was engaged in an intense mental struggle. Her father's teachings were still deeply ingrained in her. The dish in front of her was everything her father had warned her to avoid, but both her aunt and Chef Dojima had said it tasted incredible. She wanted to taste it herself, to see if it was truly that good, but her pride held her back.
"So, will you taste my food?" Akira asked again with a bright smile, his secret technique, The Say-Yes Smile, still in full effect. Erina could no longer resist. His smile was too overwhelming, and as a judge, she knew it would be unfair not to try it.
"Well, I guess I'll take a bite. Just because I'm the judge, and it would be unfair not to taste it. But just one bite, alright?" Erina said, looking annoyed and embarrassed, her cheeks tinged with red.
Under the expectant gaze of the audience, Erina took a bite of the El Burdigato, but as soon as the food hit her tongue, she was momentarily lost. It tasted amazing. For a brief moment, she forgot where she was and simply enjoyed the flavors. After a second, she came back to her senses.
"I can't believe it," she thought, stunned. "I forgot to judge and just enjoyed the taste and that texture... what's going on?"
As she went in for another bite, Akira grinned.
"Oh? You're going for a second bite? I thought you said just one," Akira teased, noticing her action. He is not going to let this chance go to waste.
Erina's face turned even redder. She felt both embarrassed and frustrated at being called out.
"What?! Do you have a problem with that?" she snapped, banging her fist on the table in frustration.
"I'm just joking. Take your time and enjoy it," Akira replied with a smile.
Still blushing, Erina took another bite, this time carefully analyzing the dish.
"How is this possible?" she thought. "Even though each part of the dish is so different, the flavors and textures somehow work together perfectly. Every element complements the other, and it's as if any small mistake in the ingredients would've ruined the balance. This is nearly impossible to achieve... How did he do it?"
What Erina didn't know was that Akira had relied on his Mystic Eyes of Reason to achieve such precision. With their sharp clarity, he could calculate every measurement down to the finest grain of salt. Combined with his photographic memory, he recreated the dish through sheer trial and error until it reached perfection, and since, like the god tongue, his mystic eyes can also never be turned off, so it wasn't really cheating.
"The rich flavors, the crunch of the taco, and the gooey cheese all come together perfectly. With every bite, the flavors explode and caress my mouth. This is unlike anything I've ever eaten... It's an entirely new world of flavor," Erina thought, astonished by the dish.
As Erina took another bite, her mind spun into a bizarre fantasy. Suddenly, she was no longer in Tōtsuki, she was a towering kaiju stomping through a city made entirely of food. Sushi, ramen, and other food citizens fled in terror. A little candy girl watched the destruction and cried out for help.
"Help us, Food Rangers!" the candy girl screamed.
Suddenly, A blinding pillar of light split the sky. Five heroic figures descended, striking exaggerated poses: a blue burger ranger, a pink taco ranger, a yellow hotdog ranger, a black pizza ranger, and finally, a red ranger who looked exactly like Akira.
"We won't let you destroy our delicious city, Kaiju!" Red Ranger Akira declared, pointing at her dramatically. "Zords, assemble!"
The sky split open, and five colossal food Zords descended. The hotdog Zord hit the ground first, splitting and transforming into massive legs. The taco Zord folded apart, becoming two sturdy arms. The pizza Zord unfolded into shining wings and a gleaming sword. Finally, the towering burger Zord crashed down, its top bun snapping off to form a shield while the rest compressed into a broad chestplate. As the final pieces locked into place, and finally, the robotic head snapped into place, bearing Akira's unmistakable grin.
The El Burdigato Megazord stood tall, wings spread wide, sword in one hand, burger shield in the other.
"El Burdigato Megazord—Supreme Mode!" they shouted in unison.
Erina roared, unleashing a powerful beam of light from her mouth. The Megazord raised its burger shield, deflecting the blow.
"Counterattack—sesame missile Barrage!" The Megazord's burger shield pulsed, firing a volley of sesame seeds like missiles, pelting her back, knocking Kaiju Erina back into a pudding tower.
But she rose again, eyes glowing with fury. Giving a ferocious roar, "Grrraaahhh!".
"Now, let's end this with all our strength," Red Ranger Akira commanded.
The Megazord's pizza blade glowed with fiery light as it soared forward, wings slicing through the clouds. With a sweeping arc, it unleashed its finishing move.
"SUPREME HUNGER SLASH!"
The glowing strike tore through Kaiju Erina in a single slash, splitting the sky with its brilliance.
"Noooooo!" she roared as the light consumed her, shattering the fantasy. She jolted awake, blinking in reality, only to see Akira smiling calmly across from her.
"So, how's my dish?" Akira asked, still smiling.
"I…" Erina stuttered, her voice trembling. She knew it tasted amazing, unlike anything she'd ever had, but her pride clawed at her throat, refusing to let her admit defeat.
"I…" Akira echoed, tilting his head playfully.
"I… I… I!" Erina's face flushed crimson. Unable to handle the storm of emotions boiling inside her, she suddenly screamed, "I HATE YOU!"
Tears welled in her eyes as she bolted from the hall, leaving only her fading footsteps behind.
The Hall froze. Everyone was stunned into silence.
Even Akira, who had been smiling just moments before, stood frozen with wide eyes.
"…Eh?" was all he could manage.