"You can go back—but I can't open the gates to all three worlds at once. I can only connect to them one at a time, so we'll need to decide where to go first," Zed explained calmly.
This limitation came with the system's most recent update—one he hadn't chosen but simply had to accept.
The four of them—Zed, Rukia, Mirajane, Erina—gathered to discuss the order. It didn't take long for them to decide: they'd head to the world of Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato first.
After all, they were the first two to cross over to the Gourmet World. It only made sense for them to return and report their safety to their families. Once that was done, they'd move on to the other worlds.
"In that case, we'll go to Erina and Hisako's world first," Zed confirmed.
With a tap into the system interface, Zed activated the dimensional gate. Though he called it a gate, it took the form of ten massive black whirlpools, each three meters tall—pulsing ominously in the air.
Without hesitation, Zed stepped through the vortex. This was a system function, and if there was one thing he trusted, it was the system.
"No issues here. Come on in!" he called back once he confirmed the stability on the other side.
On arriving, Erina looked around. "This is our place. Give us a moment—we need to make some calls first."
She and Hisako immediately reached for their phones. The gate had returned them to the exact spot where they'd vanished during their crossover, so the first thing they thought to do was contact their families.
"Erina? Is that you?! Where are you right now?!" roared Nakiri Senzaemon through the speaker.
"I'm home, Grandpa. I'll explain everything when you get here."
Senzaemon didn't hesitate. "I'm on my way!"
Hisako's parents reacted similarly, relief washing over them at the sound of their daughter's voice.
Then Erina suddenly froze, staring at her phone. "...Hisako, do you remember what day it was when we disappeared?"
Hisako blinked. "The date? Why?"
Erina's expression turned serious. "Something's off. It feels like we were gone for months, but... according to the network sync, only ten days passed here."
Hisako checked her own phone. "You're right! We spent so long in Zed's world... but it's only been days here? Does this mean—?"
"It's the time flow difference between worlds," Zed interjected. "Let me test it."
He placed a timer app on his phone, tossed it through a newly opened gate into the Gourmet World, and waited one minute in the Shokugeki world. Then he retrieved the phone.
The expected ratio from past experience was 1:30—one minute in Shokugeki should equal thirty in the Gourmet World. But...
"...Only a few seconds passed on the other side," Zed muttered.
Rukia furrowed her brows. "So the flow has reversed. Before, the Gourmet World ran faster. Now it's the opposite."
Zed nodded. "It might be tied to our presence. Let's test it together."
He asked both sides to synchronize their timing. This time, the result was perfect synchronization—time in both worlds aligned exactly.
"So... it's like this: whichever world we're currently in experiences normal time, while the others slow down. If we're all in separate worlds, the system synchronizes everything," Zed summarized.
Everyone exchanged looks—amazed, but relieved.
"That's actually convenient," Rukia noted.
"But wait—what am I supposed to tell Grandpa now?!" Erina gasped. The excitement had distracted her from the obvious issue of her mysterious disappearance.
"Just tell the truth," Zed said with a shrug. "If they doubt you, they can walk through the gate themselves."
"And even if this news spreads... we're effectively untouchable here. Even your world's military-grade weapons won't harm us. Honestly, we're like superhumans compared to this world."
Zed wasn't bragging—it was the truth. Even Erina and Hisako, without being full-fledged combatants, were ridiculously strong now.
Erina blinked, then turned to Hisako. "...That does make sense."
Their strength was nearing Level 100. Against people from this world? They were practically gods.
Just then, they heard a car skid to a halt outside. Multiple sets of footsteps approached rapidly. With her enhanced senses, Erina recognized them immediately and opened the door.
"Erina! You're safe!" Senzaemon Nakiri's voice thundered as he enveloped his granddaughter in a bear hug.
"Come in, Grandpa. There's a lot to explain," Erina said, pulling him inside.
Senzaemon's gaze flicked to Zed and the others. "Erina... who are they?"
"Let me explain everything first. Then you can ask all the questions you want."
Erina then began recounting the entire story—how she and Hisako had crossed into another world, what they experienced, and how Zed had saved them.
When she finished, her grandfather sat in stunned silence.
"...Is what you're saying... all true?"
"You can see for yourself," Zed replied casually.
He opened another gate.
A ripple tore the air, and a black vortex appeared. Without hesitation, Erina stepped through.
Senzaemon, wide-eyed, followed.
When he emerged on the other side, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar world. His jaw dropped.
"This... this really is another world..."
Zed smiled faintly. "And the time flow is different, as Erina mentioned. We were here for several months. In your world, it's only been days."
Back in the Shokugeki world, Senzaemon turned to Zed. "...Thank you. If not for you, I might have lost my granddaughter forever."
"You're welcome," Zed said with a nod. "After all... they're my partners."
Senzaemon raised an eyebrow. "Partners?"
"I'll explain that part later!" Erina chimed in quickly.
Moments later, Hisako's parents arrived. Like Senzaemon, they were skeptical—until the truth became undeniable.
When the girls described their new strength, Senzaemon asked, "You say you've become powerful... but how strong?"
Erina answered simply, "If I wanted to, I could cut down the mountain that Totsuki is built on—with ten swings."
Everyone fell silent.
"That's... absurd!" Senzaemon finally managed.
To prove it, Erina calmly sliced the kitchen table in two. The clean, razor-sharp cut left everyone speechless.
"If that hit a person...!" Senzaemon shivered.
"That's just a taste of what we've become. And now, we need to head to Mira's world. She and Rukia have to report back to their own people," Erina added.
"Wait—other worlds?" Senzaemon blinked. He had assumed Zed, Rukia, and Mira came from the same place.
"Of course. Mira comes from a world filled with magic. Rukia... she's a Shinigami," Erina said.
The term Shinigami caused everyone to flinch.
"Anyway, we need to leave again soon. Even if the time here is slower, Mira's been missing from her world for several days."
"Can't you just leave Erina and Hisako behind?" Senzaemon asked.
Zed shook his head. "No. They're this world's coordinate markers. If they stay and the gate closes, we won't be able to reopen it."
"What if you leave the gate open?"
"I can only open one gate at a time," Zed replied. "Maybe the system will allow multiple later... but not yet."
"...Then... can I come with you?" Senzaemon asked hesitantly.
He'd only just reunited with his granddaughter—and he had questions, curiosity, and worry. But with the time flow difference, even a month's absence would only mean a day here.
Zed looked at him, then nodded.
"Sure. Just stay close."