Page 25 of EP3 (At the Festival) (Patreon)

 The food show segment of the arena entertainment has begun! While chefs  prepare meals with furious intensity, a series of contestants attempt to  consume the food with equivalent zeal.

  Meanwhile, the young agudner Mabu is inspired by the arena contestants.  Even though he is the smallest of the four children, he has eaten more  than the others and is showing no sign slowing down! While his reckless  behavior is concerning to the kind-hearted Bakku, Mabu laughs it off and  boasts that it is nothing to him. He explains that while battling  against talyxian wildlife isn't his thing, as he has no interest to be  in a situation that he could be injured. Instead, he dreams of  participating in the competitive eating shows to put his iron stomach to  work!

 About Food Entertainment and Competitive Eating

 Food entertainment and competitive eating existed in Gold Ring as a form  of public entertainment during the time before General Rain's war. It  had two main elements to it: first, it was a cooking show that chefs  could participate in to showcase their craft in both excellence and  swiftness. The second part was the "food demolition" aspect where  contestants would compete to see who could gobble up the meals as quick  as possible. This is similar to real-life hot dog eating contests and  Japan's famous "tuna demolition" shows where a large fish is prepared  and eaten in record times.

 However, the nature of these shows took a dark twist after word of  General Rain and her bizarre and perverted acts — such as swallowing  live Eltus children — spread to those in Gold Ring. Some of it was based  on truth, while others were exaggerated accounts and rumors. Either  way, some became inspired by these tales of Rain Silves and wished to  emulate it. This spawned a niche underground culture based around the  immoral fetish of swallowing live creatures for the entertainment of  others.

 Known as "carnivore shows" or "vore shows" for short, these usually  involved the swallowing of a live talyxian animal by a sergal for  smaller prey or Talyxian creature such as a Stalker for larger prey.  However rumors spread of "extreme vore shows" where young Eltus people  being devoured as well. Nevreans in particular were targeted to be "vore  show" victims for two main reasons. The first is that they are easier  to swallow whole due to their smaller size compared to sergals and  agudners. Second, before nevreans achieved equal human rights laws  around the year 70 RC (Rain Calendar), it was not regarded as highly  criminal to abuse nevreans.

 While some "extreme vore show" victims may have been later regurgitated  off-stage to only give the illusion of perishing or as part of a  consentual "daredevil" stunt, not all would have been as lucky. Even  those that consented as a stunt faced high risks of permanent injury or  death. This lead to the Gold Ring Vigilance Committe performing busts  and raids on these underground shows where Eltus peoples were at risk of  death.