Updating (2)

[Hint: ~The bomb must be defused!

Explanation: A bomb has been hidden in a small area. You have 1 hour to find it.

Constraint: If the bomb is not found, it will explode. Be careful, the explosion will spread over all the terrain. Even if you don't die from the explosion, it will be powerful enough to cause you to lose a HP wherever you are.

This clue was completed by solver: Kaishō Suzuki]

As the notification confirmed our suspicions, announcing that Kaishō Suzuki had successfully completed the "you must defuse the bomb" clue, a mixture of frustration and respect crept into me. He had once again proved his skill and determination, even if it meant that we were now facing a formidable opponent.

In keeping with my promise to the victor, I prepared to hand Kaishō the food I had in store. His triumphant smile as he approached me was a bitter reminder of our budding rivalry. He knew perfectly well how to tease me, but I vowed not to let his provocations throw me off balance.

In a final burst of desperation, I tried one last trick, seeking to throw Kaishō off balance. 

"But tell me. What do you plan to do if I don't give you the promised food?" My aim was to perhaps look for a crack in his confidence. However, his confident smile spoke volumes about his determination.

"I'll take it from you by force," he replied, his voice calm and assured.

"As if I'd let that happen..." I retorted, but Kaishō was already several moves ahead. He explained his plan to me with disconcerting ease.

"Don't worry. I'll be happy to tell the others that I intended to share the food with them but that you had refused to give it to me." 

I understood his strategy. This way, he'd alienate a good number of the people present.

That was the skill of the manipulator of words. Kaishō knew how to use others as pawns in his game, manipulating them to serve his own interests. His confidence and ability to predict others' reactions were disconcerting.

Saé's look of implicit reproach made me realize that perhaps I should have thought harder before acting in the first place.

I handed her the food with a tight smile, trying to hide any trace of irritation. It was an act of defeat, but I knew I had no other choice.

Edano, frank as ever, commented on the situation with a mixture of bitterness and disapproval. 

"How regrettable to see this food, which once belonged to you, pass into the hands of this individual."

Kaisho retrieved the bag I'd handed him, his usual assurance palpable in his words. 

"You don't have to worry Bun... Unlike you, I won't be so selfish." 

His words were like sharp pricks, penetrating my skin and reminding me of my bitter defeat.

As he grabbed the bag, Kaisho was surprised by its weight. 

"It's pretty heavy. You were going to keep all this food for yourself and your group. You're definitely shameless, but I thank you!"

His first words seemed to underline my apparent generosity, but his tone changed radically when he discovered the real contents of the bag.

His eyes widened as he discovered the decomposed bodies of several monsters. A mixture of disgust and anger flashed across his face. At first, he stammered. "You... You... You're serious, what's that?" However, this reaction of displeasure quickly turned into an explosion of rage when he realized the real contents of the bag.

"You've got to be kidding me!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the cave. "That's not food!" His eyes glowed with unquenchable fury as he turned to me, his face marked by betrayal and indignation.

Saé immediately grasped what I had done. She had recognized the monsters I had retrieved when, thanks to her 'spotlight', she had eliminated them.

"You had it all planned!" she laughed, appreciating the deception I had orchestrated against Kaisho.

Meanwhile, murmurs were rising among the others in the cave. 

"Did he really keep his word?" someone asked in a low voice, eliciting puzzled looks and questioning whispers. 

"Technically it's like meat isn't it?"

"We can't consider it food, we don't even know if it's edible?"

Confusion reigned, with some wondering if I'd really lived up to the agreement I'd promised.

Meanwhile, Kaisho continued to persist in his reasoning.

"Wait a minute! That wasn't the deal Bun! The contents in that bag are not food!"

However, the hitherto discreet child's voice was heard to confirm that the monsters were indeed edible.

I gloated at Kaisho's distress. The man who had been so confident a few moments earlier was now wearing a totally different face, one of confusion and frustration.

Finally, I suggested another solution.

"You're a sight for sore eyes, so I'll suggest something else: drink the sea water!"

It was a risky proposition, as I had no certainty as to its potability. However, I left it up to Kaisho to decide whether he wanted to take the risk or not.

Kaisho asked incredulously if I was serious, declaring that he wouldn't risk his life for such a proposition. He then solicited the help of the other people in the cave, promising anyone who volunteered to support him in the next trials of the riddle.

The people in the cave began to deliberate, weighing up the pros and cons of Kaisho's offer. One of them dared to ask the crucial question.

"And how do you intend to help us in return?

Kaisho confidently assured them that he had gained assistance for the trials ahead, and that he had a clear vision of what was to come. His words aroused a wave of skepticism among those present.

I couldn't help laughing at Kaisho's aplomb. It was almost comical how far he was prepared to go to serve his own ends.

Ryo intervened in the debate, urging the people in the cave to make a decision quickly, as night was fast approaching.

After a brief deliberation, no one volunteered to drink the sea water proposed by Kaisho. With an air of annoyance, Kaisho returned the food I had offered him. He probably couldn't cook it himself, as he didn't have the cooking skills to do so.

I turned back to Saé, a teasing smile stretching my lips as she questioned my attitude to Kaisho's words.

"It's just that... Normally, it wouldn't be long before she made her entrance," I replied mysteriously, my eyes sparkling with amusement.