[Location: Nebula Prime — a planet-sized grill orbiting a dying star]
The planet sizzled. Literally.
Every inch of Nebula Prime was charred meat — endless slabs of cosmic beef stretching to the horizon. Smoke rose like holy incense.
Lira adjusted her suit helmet. "We're walking on… steak."
Arin knelt, touched the surface, and sniffed. "Aged three million years. Wagyu-grade gravity."
She sighed. "You're insane."
He grinned. "Yeah, but ayos insanity."
The sky shimmered — a blinding light broke through the smoke, and with it came the legend.
1 — ENTER MANNY
He descended from orbit like a comet, leaving behind a trail of sizzling adobo mist.
Muscles gleaming, fists glowing from re-entry, apron flapping dramatically — the man landed with a seismic BOOM! that sent seasoning flying across the horizon.
It was Manny.
Not a boxer anymore. Not since he retired after punching a planet into flavor equilibrium.
Now he was Manny the Meat Tenderizer — champion of the Galactic Grill League, a man who marinated by fist.
Arin whispered, awestruck. "No way. The man who punched a supernova and made it taste like bulalo?"
Manny cracked his knuckles. "Kid, I don't punch to win. I punch to tenderize."
Lira blinked. "That's… horrifying."
He nodded solemnly. "Only way to respect the meat."
2 — THE CHALLENGE
The Flavor Network's drone appeared overhead:
"Round Ten: The Nebula Steak of Eternal Sear. Objective: extract a single slice from the Cosmic Cow before it regenerates."
Manny turned to Arin. "You think you can slice what I punch?"
Arin smirked, Quantum Knife glowing faintly. "Only if your fists don't ruin the presentation."
Lira groaned. "Please, don't antagonize the man who can season atoms."
Too late.
Manny grinned and slammed his fist into the ground. The planet groaned, then mooed.
3 — THE STEAK STRIKES BACK
The ground cracked open. From beneath the molten surface rose the Cosmic Cow — skyscraper-sized, hide shimmering like aurora bacon. Each breath warped gravity.
Manny squared up, stretching his shoulders. "Alright, breakfast."
Arin readied his knife. "You mean ingredient."
"Same thing, boy."
The beast charged — an interstellar stampede that made entire moons flinch.
Manny leapt into the air and punched the sky. The impact released a sonic boom of black pepper and starfire.
Arin yelled, "You seasoned the atmosphere!"
"Always start with the base layer!" Manny shouted, dodging a laser moo.
Arin sliced through a tendril of cosmic meat, his Quantum Knife whirring like a chainsaw of light. Every cut exploded into a burst of umami mist that smelled like victory—and cholesterol.
4 — THE FIST VS THE KNIFE
Lira ducked as an avalanche of molten fat poured over their heads.
"Do you two ever consider subtlety?"
"Subtlety," Arin said, slicing through a glowing tendon, "is just laziness with extra sauce."
Manny laughed mid-punch. "You've got spirit, kid! But let's see your technique!"
He punched the steak so fast the meat started singing a national anthem no one remembered.
Arin countered with a diagonal cut so sharp it split molecules and created a temporary flavor vacuum.
The two stared at each other — one holding the blade of genius, the other the fists of destiny.
For a heartbeat, all was still.
Then BOOM!
The flavor energy detonated, sending a shockwave that marinated the entire sky.
5 — THE MEAT THAT STARTED A WAR
The steak cracked open. Inside, a glowing core pulsed like a heart — each beat releasing pure flavor particles.
Every chef across the galaxy felt it.
Every palate screamed.
Every alien judge fell to their knees.
The broadcast erupted with chaos.
"Unregistered taste wave detected!"
"Unauthorized umami field spreading beyond culinary jurisdiction!"
"THIS IS AN ACT OF FLAVOR AGGRESSION!"
Arin blinked. "Wait—what? We just cooked!"
Manny folded his arms. "Congratulations, boy. You didn't just cook…"
He smirked. "…you declared war."
6 — THE BEGINNING OF THE CULINARY WARS
The stars opened.
From every corner of the multiverse, ships appeared — battle kitchens, frying pan frigates, dessert dreadnoughts.
The Federation of Flavor had arrived.
So had the Holy Pastry Order, the Sauce Syndicate, and the Vegan Armadas.
Every chef. Every faction.
All ready to fight for culinary dominance.
Lira turned slowly. "Arin. You idiot. You just united the universe… against us."
Arin shrugged, pulling his gloves tighter. "Well, at least they'll be well-fed."
Manny grinned. "You've got guts, kid. You'll need them — because soon, someone's gonna eat yours."
End of Chapter 10