Banana x Spice - I’ll Whip up Something Tasty!

Alex climbs the massive tree, its size and lushness dwarfing any banana plant he's ever seen on Earth. The bananas themselves are larger, their vibrant yellow skin making them look almost unnaturally tasty.

He picks a large bunch, only to feel a bit of disappointment as the system fails to recognize them as items. Still, he collects as much as he can carry, figuring they'll come in handy, and carefully descends back to the ground.

Linus, climbing a separate section of the tree, manages to gather just as much, his movements quick and practiced.

Once back on the ground, Alex stashes most of the bananas into his inventory for later, while putting a smaller portion into his backpack for immediate use during cooking.

"I guess it's time to go back then?" Alex asks the group, looking at the others.

"Yes, we can go back," Eirini agrees, holding up several large banana leaves she's collected.

"What the hell are those leaves for?" Linus asks, clearly puzzled.

Eirini responds, "We can use them for wrapping food and maybe even cooking if we simmer something. They add a bit of variety and can work as decoration too. Good plating is highly valued by chefs, so it's worth having extra options."

Patricia grins, patting Eirini on the head. "You're so smart, Eirini. Good thinking." She grabs one of Linus's bananas, peels it, and tries a bite. "Not bad!" she says, smiling. "It's quite sweet. Maybe we can pair it with that sweet spice we found earlier. If we had some milk, we could even make a dessert!"

Alex offers another idea. "What about a curry? We could use the buffalo meat, the sauces, and spices, then throw in some bananas. People usually add apples for that sweet-and-spicy balance. We can substitute bananas for something a bit more tropical."

"It's not a bad idea, Alex," Eirini nods approvingly.

Linus, however, interrupts with an annoyed tone. "Guys, I don't want to ruin your cooking class, but let's move back already! Shalnark is probably getting pissed."

Alex shakes his head, smiling. "Don't worry, Linus. We still have over two hours if we leave now, plus an additional two hours for cooking. Shalnark's smart—he probably saw our movements and knows we went to the final spot. He won't be mad. Besides, with four hours to prepare, that's more than enough time to whip up three solid dishes. I just hope Shal managed to grab something good too."

He can't help but add, "You know, if you took out the life-and-death part of this, it's actually kind of fun."

"I guess so," Patricia agrees. "It's fun discovering ingredients, working with a time limit, and then competing. This exam is really well-made. It tests fighting, exploring, decision-making, and cooking—it's challenging but interesting."

"MOVE. NOW!" Linus barks, his patience clearly wearing thin.

Alex, Eirini, and Patricia exchange glances before nodding to one another. "One last thing," Eirini says, making Alex imagine the sound of something snapping in Linus's head.

"Which route do we take back? Do we run straight toward the camp?" she asks.

"I guess so. It's not like anyone knows our exact position or can predict the route we'll take to the camp," Alex replies. But mid-thought, he hesitates. "Worst case, someone skips hunting for ingredients altogether, camps at one of the entrances, and ambushes returning groups to steal their spoils… Wait. That actually sounds like a smart tactic now that I'm saying it."

Linus stops, momentarily perplexed. For once, he doesn't immediately demand they move. "Alex, now that you mention it… that's definitely something I'd consider. It sounds way easier, and you could even combine it with that strategy those two groups used earlier. Get rid of entire teams and steal everything. Even if more than 10 groups remain, you'd probably still grab enough to secure a decent spot and move on."

Alex reassures the group. "We'll be fine. First off, we already got rid of two groups headed west. And if anyone's lurking near the camp, Shalnark will probably come out to escort us in. That guy always has a plan and I doubt he'd leave us alone."

Eirini and Patricia seem to relax, nodding at Alex's reasoning. Linus, however, shakes his head in disbelief. "I still don't get why you all think that pretty boy is so strong. Whatever. Let's just go."

As they continue running, Alex notices the strain on his teammates. Patricia and Linus are holding up decently, but Eirini looks like she's about to collapse. Realizing they might not make it back in time or be too exhausted to cook, Alex rummages through his inventory and pulls out his remaining 4 [Energy Bars], a gift from Tereza.

"Here," Alex says, handing one to each member of the group. "These will help. Eat them."

Everyone takes one gratefully, chewing them down quickly. The effects kick in almost immediately, bringing a noticeable boost to their energy levels.

"Thanks… I needed that," Eirini says, her voice steadying as her tired expression softens. Even Linus looks slightly grateful, though he doesn't say much. Alex eats one himself, feeling the refreshing surge.

With renewed strength, the group resumes their fast pace toward the camp.

When they are finally near the camp, Alex checks the mobile device and notices Shalnark's position. "Guys, Shalnark's standing just outside the camp," Alex tells the group. "I think that's his way of signaling it's safe."

Everyone looks at Alex and silently agrees, following him toward the camp. As they approach, Alex is met with a shocking sight.

Around Shalnark, a handful of unconscious, or possibly dead, examinees are sprawled across the ground. Shalnark stands in front of the camp gate, smiling brightly and casually waving at them, as if nothing had happened.

Alex stops, stunned. I knew he was capable, but this is… overkill.

Eirini clutches Patricia tightly, visibly unnerved by the scene. Patricia looks equally unsettled but manages to pat Eirini on the back to calm her down.

Linus, on the other hand, bursts into laughter. "Not bad, pretty boy! Guess you cleared the way for us. Smooth entrance—no annoying flies trying to take our spoils."

As they approach, Shalnark's smile widens. "There you are! I was getting a little bored waiting here. Kinda mean of you to have all the fun without me. I hope you at least brought me some souvenirs!"

His voice is cheerful, but Alex can't help but feel a chill, looking at the bodies scattered around Shalnark. This guy… How did he take them all out so cleanly? And with that smile on his face, like it was just a warm-up. Guess that is his true character, I'm glad he is on my side… for now at least!

Despite his unease, Alex forces a grin. "We brought plenty. You'll like what we've got."

The group enters the camp together and chooses one of the 20 cooking stations the examiners have set up inside the camp, each equipped with basic utensils, stoves, and an oven. They pile their collected ingredients onto the table, taking stock of their haul.

Alex looks at the scattered items and summarizes for everyone: "So what do we have? Two Juta birds, five Juta eggs, a bunch of sauces, two small fish, a mix of spices, a lot of buffalo meat, and a ton of sweet bananas."

Shalnark smiles, clearly pleased. "Looks like I'm in luck. I felt bad about what I managed to find, but you all did great! I got butter and milk from a cooled box at my first location, a bunch of vegetables from the second spot, and a large sack of potatoes at my final stop. I didn't look for much else and just returned early. I spent the extra time gathering a lot of wood from dead trees. Since we've got stoves and an oven here, I thought we might want to try a smoker or grill. No wood or coal is provided, so I figured we'd need it."

Patricia examines the wood and shakes her head. "Good idea, but this wood isn't right. It's old and smells slightly rotten—using it would ruin the flavor of the meat. I'd stick with the stoves."

Shalnark shrugs with his usual smile. "Fair enough. Like I said, I'm no cook, so I'll leave it to you. I'll just help and give feedback. We need three dishes. Should we split up and have different people handle each one?"

Alex steps forward. "I'll take one. Linus, maybe you can help, and Shalnark, you can taste-test. With the buffalo meat and potatoes, I could do a pan-seared steak with pepper sauce, fries, and a few fresh vegetables—maybe just some carrots. My cooking isn't great, but if the ingredients are top-notch and I keep it simple, it should turn out decent. I can test it once or twice to get it perfect since it won't take long to cook."

Linus grins. "Yeah, that works! Hell, even I could sear a decent steak. Let's do it."

Patricia speaks up enthusiastically. "I'm thinking of making a stew—fish, the Juta birds, some buffalo meat, and a ton of vegetables, potatoes, spices, and sauces. I might even add some bananas for sweetness. It'll be hearty and rich. That's my style!"

Eirini chimes in, "I'll use the milk, eggs, butter, bananas, and that sweet spice to create a dessert—something like banana pudding. We don't have flour, but the bananas are starchy enough to work as a substitute. As long as it's sweet and fruity, it should turn out okay."

Shalnark nods approvingly. "Sounds perfect. You didn't let me down! The stew can be our appetizer, the steak the main course, and the banana pudding our dessert. I think this will be good enough to pass."

The group gets to work, preparing their ingredients and setting up their stations.

"I need to be careful," Eirini mutters, eyeing the limited eggs. "We only have five. I can only experiment once or twice to get the pudding's consistency right."

Shalnark approaches her, his expression calm and focused. "Let me help. I'm no chef, but I'm good with measurements. I can help you nail the consistency."

Eirini blushes slightly as the pretty Shalnark stands close, offering his help. She nods, flustered but grateful.

Meanwhile, Alex and Linus focus on the steak dish, peeling and cutting potatoes for fries, slicing carrots, and portioning the buffalo meat into steaks. Patricia, on the other hand, enthusiastically throws nearly their entire stock of ingredients into pans and then after a while into a large pot. Alex glances over, slightly concerned. Is she overdoing it? Seems like she is fucking around! Well, too late to second-guess now… I hope it's enough to pass.

The sun begins to set, but the camp's floodlights keep everything brightly illuminated. The group continues working diligently, their confidence building as the dishes start taking shape.

Suddenly, Menchi's voice echoes through their mobile devices: "You have five minutes to get back to the camp! After that, you'll have two more hours to prepare your dishes. You better hurry up!"

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