The next three episodes don't do much to advance the plot. We get to see Tonegawa lecture the blacksuits about health hazards at work when one of them came down ill. He even has all of the rounded up to teach them how to properly wash one's hands and sanitise them every now and then. It doesn't do much when he has to take a temporary leave from work when he himself became bedridden as the result of some wayward virus still managing to overcome his defence strategy and forcing the main character off the action for a couple of days. A regular blacksuit is assigned the role of temporary manager, except that regular blacksuit is a misnomer. This particular blacksuit was chosen to fill in for Tonegawa because he happens to be the oldest member of his team.
There's a whole new subplot about how he left many opportunities slip and now he's working side by side with younger people, something considered shameful from a professional point of view. He eventually overcomes his hesitations and his unfavourable past and does his best, only for Tonegawa to come to work and step into a roomful of coughing blacksuits upon his return.
Ebitami makes a reappearance, trying to make up for Tonogawa. The latter dismisses his attempts and just tells him that there are no shortcuts to success after Ebitami convinces him to sit through a lecture for an opportunity to make easy money after it turned out to be pyramid scheme. The former Teiai member makes a last ditch effort to impress the titular character by trying his hand at entrepreneurship and starting a new line of lobster wrap called Ebiroll.
Of course, since lobster wrap is already a well-known food item, it has to stand out in some way. Ebiroll accomplishes this requirement by using a whole lobster wrapped in flatbread, complete with its claws and eyes sticking out on the front end, where the customer takes the first bite. Ebitami convinces Tonegawa to hold a demonstration fair at their usual meeting room along with all the rest of his team. Everyone is hesitant to eat the foodstuff artifact, until Tonegawa takes the bit between his teeth and takes the fateful first bite.
A moment of expectation and suspense ensues, his expression of appraisal lingering for what seems to be an eternity. Everyone looks on in suspended surprise and soon one by one they start tasting the curious snack. Tonegawa at long last tries to put into comprehensible words his sensation, just stating that it stings. Soon, the others drop their pretense to politeness and start to come clean about their personal opinions, which is not very positive. Ebitami is devastated, not the least because he had purchased a large amount of the ingredients required for the chaotic lobster wrap. His former coworkers still have a shred of humanity in them though and start proposing to buy the culinary components so he can recoup his financial losses.
Fukumoto decides that it's time to display another side of both Teiai and Tonegawa. We are treated to the interview process at Teiai. Before the interview, there's a selection process that starts with the acceptation of the job application and a written test. It's never clear what exactly is demanded in this test, but we can all guess that it's either an IQ or a general knowledge test. Most likely a combination of both. After passing the exam and being called for the interview, the applicants are expected to be dressed properly for the job, which includes wearing the characteristic black suit and having a facial expression peculiar enough to be told apart from the rest of the employees. Anyone who is too conventional is dismissed, Tonegawa holding the reins and showing how to proceed with the niceties necessary to discharge the unwanted men. His learner thinks for a second that he had understood, confidently conducting the next interview which takes place with a man who would be less out of place working for Dr. Wily. Everything about this candidate is perfect, he aced his written exam, gave all the right answers and had a peculiar facial expression just like Tonegawa had taught him. Only problem is that he looks like Gutsman, causing Tonegawa to explain that no one should stand out more than the chairman. His apprentice falls into a pit (more like a black hole) of doubts and quandaries, and not even Tonegawa's firm resolution can pull him out.
After the morning shift is over, it's time for a reprieve in a middle manager's work life. Lunchtime is up, but our protagonist deems himself to be a little hungrier than usual. He decides to pass his usual prandial haunt and aims for a more casual eatery, which he describes as a place that he wouldn't usually eat at. An overhanging navy blue banner with large lettering beckons to him, and he makes his way inside. Taking his place, he notices a man eating a sort of pork dish in a relatively small bowl and thinks that might be appetising enough, but in a larger bowl to meet his current hunger's requirements. He orders the large portion of whatever that stranger is eating, and everyone within earshot range gasps at his words. The staff prompts him for confirmation, and he assuredly reasserts his position. Some minutes later a bowl bigger than his own chest is brought before him while simultaneously the employees ask if they can take his picture, causing an awestruck Tonegawa to peek at a succession of pictures on the wall up above, famous men defeated by the large portion. All of them visibly beaten and worn, having to wave the white flag and call it quits before it was over. Tonegawa battles with his own thoughts, angry at himself for not being careful with his order. He remembers how backing down would is never an option for real men and defeat would lower his self esteem (and his team's opinion of him). At length, he pulls himself up and tells them to get the shutter ready and that they are going to witness a legend. He braces for the battle ahead and start to furiously tackle the opposing pork. It's a vicious contest. Tonegawa devises strategy after strategy to finish the edible layers in the best possible way to pace himself until his food antagonist is no more. But it reveals itself a fierce foe by its underlying layers of pork, causing Tonegawa to regroup and charge at it again. After a violent clash, he still manages to consume the last rice grain with enough decorum to grace the picture with a victorious poise. Unfortunately, upon his return to Teiai, the chairman was feeling unusually generous and told him to taste his latest savory find: the pork dish he had just waged a deadly battle against, in sandwich form.
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