Round 3 Starts NOW!
But what happened during Round 2 Overtime?
Though Round 2 closed at midnight, but for the two upper bracket fights, that bell only rang as the opening of an even fiercer battle as Secret Rule #1 triggered:
OVERTIME.
The rules changed in an instant, and the popular vote, that thing every faction had bled for all week long, froze where it stood. Only the boost cards held meaning during these desperate final hours. A flavor trailing in votes could keep being boosted, keep climbing, and drag itself back over the leader before its own clock stopped ticking.
Upper Bracket: Vegan Spicy Sesame Tantanmen vs Hearty Beef "Bo Kho"
Bo Kho carried the highest popular vote in the entire tournament, a veteran flavor that had won its own Battle of the Beef long ago to earn the right to exist. But in this battle, those popular votes from long ago seemed to disappear, as Tantanmen matched its popular votes exactly, each taking the lead.
But upon triggering overtime, Tantanmen held the lead, 336 to 306. Bo Kho responded in kind, activating its own Overtime with a small boost, just to keep itself in the fight.
Tantanmen did not take kindly to this, and brought its might to bear, activating multiple boost cards and pulling itself comfortably into the lead, crushing Bo Kho under its weight, 381 - 316.
But Bo Kho wasn’t done yet. Beneath the weight of it all, it struggled, and fought, scraping together all its might, and with a roar, shook off Tantanmen with a strength of its own--
And yet, just a hair too little. Even with the massive boost, Bo Kho couldn’t take the lead, putting itself only a scant 5 votes behind Tantanmen, 381 - 376...
Just enough to push it to Overtime 2... and beyond.
It triggered something in Tantanmen. Acknowledgement-- no, a glint of something more. Fear, perhaps. With renewed determination, Tantanmen roared back into the fight, drawing into its reserves and pulling yet another set of boost cards to pull it well into the lead, so that Bo Kho could never rise to meet it again, 431 - 376.
But as OT 2 ticked down, and OT3 continued, one hour passed. Then another. The evening bled into night, and night into the next day, and still Tantanmen did not move, and Bo Kho breathed with ragged breath beneath. The entire round 2 looked to be over...
And Bo Kho decided it had rested enough beneath the boots of Tantanmen.
At the very last minute, Bo Kho shouted its defiance, and wrested Tantanmen away, breaking free, 436 to 431, putting it at the same tiny lead that Tantanmen had enjoyed before. And that second wind turned into a third, and fourth wind, and Bo Kho’s energy erupted in the arena, the last minutes ticking down as it pushed forwards again, and again, until the final seconds of overtime evaporated.
498 - 431.
Hearty Beef "Bo Kho" is victorious over Vegan Spicy Sesame Tantanmen!
When the dust settled, the bracket had been rewritten, and round 3 begins.
Radiant Yuzu Crab Riêu and Hearty Beef "Bo Kho" advance, the tournament's two people's champions. The loudest crowds carried them here, each with their hard fought victories coming from behind.
Only one will remain undefeated after this round. Who will it be?
Shrimp Panang Curry and Vegan Tomato Basil Bisque are eliminated from the lower bracket, and gone from the tournament, as they lost their respective battles.
And yet, as Vegan Japanese Curry and Vegan Spicy Sesame Tantanmen fall to the Last Life lower bracket, where a single loss ends them forever, the motivated fans of each begin to rally again, calling for reinforcements to their side. All previous boost cards remain in play, and all boost cards used on the eliminated contestants can be now allocated to reinforce an existing flavor’s bout.
Upper Bracket:
Hearty Beef "Bo Kho" vs Radiant Yuzu Crab Riêu
Lower Bracket:
Vegan Japanese Curry vs Beefy French Onion Soup
Vegan Spicy Sesame Tantanmen vs Coconut Curry Laksa
And a new rule enters to be voted on!
SECRET RULE #2: THE BRACKET RESET VOTE
The community will vote on whether the grand final includes a bracket reset. No boost cards apply to this vote.
If the community votes YES: if the losers bracket champion defeats the winners bracket champion in the grand final, a second final will be held, since the winners bracket champion has not yet lost twice.
If the community votes NO: the grand final is a single match. Whoever wins, wins. The losers bracket champion can take the title in one shot.
Who survives the lower bracket's gauntlet? Will Tantanmen's war chest find its fury again, or has the giant been broken for good?
Find out next time, on Vite Vault Vote!