Chapter 23: Exceptional Food Buffs

[You have accepted the friend request from Kill Clause.]

[Kill Clause (Offline)]

It was afternoon, and plenty of players were still busy with real-world responsibilities. Martin didn’t dwell on his new party member being offline, especially since it was the first time he’d seen the Forest Hidden Monster Hunter Academy during the day.

It looked much bigger in the sunlight. Sunrays poured through gaps in the canopy and lit up the clearings, revealing far more open space than he’d noticed before. Wanting Ao Tenshin to see it too, he let her out of her dimensional pocket and cradled her in his hand.

She squealed from inside her shell and peeked out.

"I researched a little, and your name sounds like ’Blue Angel’ in one of my world’s languages. I’ll call you Angel," Martin said, watching her look around with clear interest.

As soon as she heard it, Ao Tenshin looked up at him with sparkling eyes. She liked it.

With a soft chuckle, he headed for the training grounds.

"I hope you’re not hungry yet. I want to practice my new skills and get the hang of them before tomorrow."

Ao Tenshin didn’t object. She simply retreated into her shell for a nap.

He shook his head like a disappointed father.

—

Spring Kitchen.

The moment he stepped inside, Buracchu greeted him. He patted the dog’s head, then handed him Ao Tenshin, who somehow managed to stick to the top of Buracchu’s head with ease. The two of them roamed the restaurant together, earning tips with adorable stares.

In the kitchen, Samu was already waiting.

It was about time to become the First Star Chef.

[Quest: Become The First Star Chef!]

[Objective Updated: Cook 1 party-grade meal before your next dungeon entry.]

"That’s great!" Samu laughed. "I needed someone to wash the dishes!"

Martin’s face went dead. From one dead-end job to another? No thanks.

Before he could say his piece, Samu shook his head and dropped the act.

"I know you didn’t come to our world for mundane tasks."

Martin sighed. "Thanks... I already work myself to death in my world..."

Samu gave him an apologetic look. "Apologies. I’ll get to the point, then. In our world, food comes with buffs and debuffs. Buffs come from well-prepared, balanced meals. Debuffs come from the opposite. I won’t teach you how to make poisonous food, but your failures might produce something toxic you can feed to your enemies."

Martin gave a short nod.

"To become a proper First Star Chef and get the most out of your ingredients, you first need to learn how to prepare them correctly. After that, you can follow any recipe and you’ll be fine. I’ve mingled with a few players and learned you prefer food you can eat quickly."

"I agree. Most players are combat-focused, so if food gives buffs, they want to eat fast and get into battle. I want to learn how to cook that kind of food, but first I’d like to learn the Bonefire Fish Porridge. Angel loves it," Martin said, making his intent clear.

Hearing the nickname and how he prioritized the little beast, Samu softened and agreed.

First, he showed Martin how to prepare the ingredients for Ao Tenshin’s meal. Crushing shells and dealing with fish bones wasn’t as novel as Martin had expected, but he could tell his movements lacked Samu’s finesse. Still, he followed the instructions, then worked through the recipe.

At last, Ao Tenshin had her meal for the day.

At a whistle from Samu, Buracchu carried her into the kitchen.

"Here’s your food," Martin said, setting the bowl on the table. "This time, I made it."

Ao Tenshin reacted with intense curiosity. She shoved out her tiny legs, waddled to the bowl, and dug into Martin’s Bonefire Fish Porridge. She liked it, but it still fell short of Samu’s version. Even so, she finished everything, squealed her thanks, and went for yet another nap.

"Not bad for the first time," Martin chuckled. "I think she’s encouraging me to keep going."

"Must be," Samu said, playing along. "Now let’s handle your food."

He rolled up his sleeves.

Samu slid a cutting board toward him, along with a thin strip of marbled meat and a handful of skewers.

"Preparation first," Samu said. "If you rush this, your buff will be sloppy."

Martin trimmed the tough edges, then scored the surface with shallow cuts the way Samu showed him.

He rubbed in salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed herbs until the meat darkened and turned tacky under his fingers.

Samu heated a small iron grate over a blue-flame rune. The air filled with a clean, smoky scent.

Martin threaded the strip onto a skewer, laid it on the grate, and listened to the first sharp sizzle.

"Don’t press," Samu warned. "Let it seal."

Martin rolled the skewer a quarter turn at a time, basting it with a thin glaze Samu handed him.

Fat crackled and dripped, and the surface browned into a glossy crust.

When Samu finally nodded, Martin pulled it off and let it rest for a moment.

Ten minutes later, he had a sizzling meat stick ready. It looked so good his mouth watered, and he swallowed before opening its status window.

[Vanguard Meat Stick (I) (Common) (One Time Use)]

[Effects (Lv 1–10): Defense +6%, Vitality +8, Max Stamina +8% to +14% (scales with level)]

[Full effects apply only after the entire item is consumed, and only for players between levels 1 and 10.]

[Quest Progress: 1/1 party-grade meal cooked.]

[Objective Complete.]

Samu tapped the window with a knuckle. "Six out of ten. It’ll do."

[System Notes]

[Grade I: Full effect for Lv 1–10 only.]

[Rarity (Common): Baseline potency. Higher rarity = stronger rolls.]

His eyes flicked to Martin. "After what you pulled off with that Baby Kraken, I expected you to learn fast. Don’t prove me wrong."

"Understood," Martin said.

This Vanguard Meat Stick could be eaten in three bites. Even at low grade and rarity, the boost was impressive. Martin wondered if Thorn’Shield and other players relied on buffs like this for their dungeon runs. After all, he was still level one, so he’d get full value.

"Could I spend an entire day here?" Martin asked.

Samu’s eyes widened in surprise. "Sure. You have my thanks for providing the academy with Baby Kraken meat. This is the least I can do."

"I want to learn to cook different foods for my party. We’re tackling the dungeon tomorrow as a team, and I want to beat more than just a Baby Kraken," Martin said, competitive fire flashing in his eyes.

Samu’s eyes sharpened as he stared at the young man. "Lads like you make me miss my youth. I don’t want to become like Rangar, so I’ll have you learn a lot today. No shortcuts. Then you’re on your own, like the others."

"Yes, Chef!" Martin roared.

[Kill Clause has come online.]

A second later, Martin’s chat window flashed.

[Direct Message: Kill Clause → Emperoar]

[You free? I’m near the Light Tree.]

[Wanted to sync for tomorrow.]

Martin’s grin returned, warmer this time.

Perfect. I’ve been curious since the moment I saw that name.

He wiped his hands, typed a quick reply, then headed out toward the Light Tree.