kscans

Chapter 90 - The Pre-Battle Strategy Meeting: The Last Supper of the Stomach Hero's Tale

The Hobgoblin Forest. Before the stage of the decisive battle, the Hobgoblin's cave, the five members of the demon party had gathered.

Their opponent was the "Reincarnated Heroes," led by their former nemesis, Hero Ares. Their main forces consisted of the master swordsman known as "Hitokiri Yuto," Yuto Mikazuki, the insane puppeteer, Mel Aria, and the hero with the greatest firepower and defense, Ares himself.

Mamoru and the others decided to formulate a strategy that leveraged their individual abilities and evolved forms.

"Alright, let's get some grub! This is literally our last supper before we die!"

The one who stood up was, of course, the cook, or rather, the "Hero of the Stomach," Defray.

"Today's menu is this! I call it..."

\ \ 《Katsu-don (Winning Bowl)》!!! / /

When Defray popped open the lid, a bowl heaped with a thick, juicy cutlet appeared. On top, golden-simmered onions and a soft, runny egg gently covered the cutlet.

"The cutlet is the back meat from the Earth-Rending Demon Ox Gorumāda! Lightly fried, with a hint of flavor from Kurubaku's Discharge Feather in the sauce!"

"The Gorumāda meat is so tender and sweet and delicious...!" Koni-chan's eyes went wide after one bite.

"The egg is a... uh, what was it, a refined egg-like thing made from the tanned part of the Thunder-Devouring Bird Kurubaku's liver!"

"That sounds terrifying!" Amy reached for her chopsticks hesitantly, but after one bite, she fell silent and then took another.

"Sooooo gooooood!" Koni-chan hugged the bowl, unable to stop eating.

"I call it the 'Win Tomorrow Bowl.' Eat this, and go win. It's a 'Winning Bowl' 'cause you're gonna win. It's a pun, but at times like these, you need all the luck you can get."

Tiris stared at the bowl in silence, then took a bite and smiled faintly.

"...It's delicious. It tastes of kindness. The egg is very... warm."

She ate every last bite.

Mamoru ate in silence until the end, but after finishing his bowl, he let out a deep breath.

"...That was good. The best beef katsu-don ever. It was delicious."

"I'm really countin' on ya! The power of my cutlets is gonna save the world!!"

"The last supper of the Stomach Hero's Tale is now complete!"

The moment they ate this meal, the team became one, their faces breaking into silent smiles.

"Luck is important too. Eat this, and go win!"

Everyone's stomachs were full, and their hearts had grown a little warmer.

A moment of connection through a comrade's cooking, right before the battle. It spoke to the fact that this fight was not just a mere conflict.

■ Team Name
\ \ 【Stomach Hero's Tale】 / /
"Food Saves All"

A unique party of demons connected by cooking and united by their stomachs. True to their name, they would challenge the world's strongest team of reincarnators with a combination of "delicious food + bonds + tactics"!

◆ Battle Formation
【Mamoru vs. Hero Ares (1-on-1 / Defensive Style Strategy)】

"I will not fall. I'll stop Ares's sword. Until then... you guys take him down."
・An iron-walled defender, the evolved Goblin Lord.
・Tasked with "stalling for time" by tanking Ares's high firepower and waiting for his comrades' support.

【Tiris and Amy vs. Puppet Princess Mel Aria (Magic Thread Severing / In-fighting Style Strategy)】

"Puppetry with threads? You can't fool the eyes of the forest people."
・"See" the magic threads and "cut" them.
・Force a close-quarters fight and seal Mel Aria's techniques.

【Defray and Koni-chan vs. Hitokiri Yuto (Distraction and Evasion / Out-fighting Style Strategy)】

"Alright, time to run away again today!"

"I'm runnin' toooo!"
・The double diversion duo. Operation Name: 《Flee-rathon》
・A battle of attrition where they run circles around the battlefield, chipping away at the enemy's concentration and aiming to exhaust his stamina.