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95
“It was a good competition.”
After the contest wrapped up, Hanbit came face to face with Liwei.
His expression was one of genuine, clean-felt satisfaction.
“I had a fair amount of confidence in my cooking. But I lost cleanly.”
It was not simply a difference of knowledge.
Concept, understanding of ingredients, cooking ability — there had not been a single element to win on.
Even if they competed dozens of times, the result would not change.
-Cooking king, wow.
-First time seeing a non-professional take first place. Lol.
-Cooking of all things, and he’s good at that too;
-One more Black Dragon trivia added.
-World-renowned chef.
-Michelin 3-star chef.
Hanbit’s cooking ability was a surprise to the viewers as well.
This was not a skill you could gain just from reading a novel.
“Come to think of it, we never decided what the winner would take.”
Liwei, recalling the loosely defined competition terms, thought for a moment.
Then he continued as though something had come to him.
“Ah, how about a wish token?”
“A wish token?”
“Whatever you want, I’ll make it happen. One thing.”
“……?”
-Oh?
-A wish token from a vanguard.
-Now that’s generous.
He thought he had misheard.
It was far too extraordinary as a prize offered by a mid-tier vanguard.
“Want to decide now? Or you can tell me later.”
“…I’ll say later.”
“Sure. Then accept my friend request.”
Ding—
A friend request notification arrived with those words.
It was the first since the people at DD Studio.
“I’ll challenge you again next time. I won’t lose then.”
Thump—!
Having announced his next challenge, Liwei disappeared into the distance like that.
A meeting like a storm — but the gains had been enormous.
‘In the end, I collected everything.’
The frostbitten spider’s venomous fang and the snow-flower deer’s tough hide.
The lava seed soup and the non-freezing cooking gloves.
The latter two had been unexpected, but the preparations could now be made more thoroughly than before.
And on top of that.
‘To see Rook here of all places.’
Rook — the authority on Western cuisine who had served as the competition’s judge.
A man of considerable repute in the Royal Capital, who ran a large trading company centered on his restaurant.
As someone who was sincere about taste, every interaction with him had always begun with food.
Having secured a badge and a future meeting from him, the progression in the Royal Capital would also become a little more convenient.
“I gave it my best as well, but it proved difficult indeed. I was simply reminded once more of Black Dragon-nim’s remarkable ability.”
Avantgarde, who had come out of the competition venue somewhat late, walked over.
He seemed to have met someone he knew and had a brief exchange.
“I was fairly confident in my cooking, actually. By the way, who was that person you met?”
“Ah, a fellow streamer. He said he stopped by on his way to the restricted area.”
Players were gradually converging on the restricted area.
No news of a successful clear had reached him from anywhere.
The community was doing nothing but sharing its collective frustration.
⟨Is the restricted area even clearable?⟩
I don’t even know how many attempts I’m on, but is it actually possible to kill this godforsaken golem?
Damage just isn’t going in at all.
If there were at least some kind of gimmick I could look for, but I have absolutely no feel for it.
Anyone have info to share?
-This content is genuinely insane.
-Black Dragon has poisoned RP.
-Has anyone from the vanguard gone in?
└Odin looks like he’s starting in the evening?
-Big thumbs up if it’s that Ranger who bailed early.
└Is that guy mentally okay? Lol.
└Three consecutive fails is rough;
-Why isn’t Black Dragon posting the guide?
└OK, starting today I’m staging a guide protest in Black Dragon’s stream.
└It’s because of people like you that it’s not being released.
The players were in a state of endless chaos.
It would likely be difficult to make any progress until the video was released.
“How strong is the vanguard called Odin?”
“I’d say think of him as a little stronger than Liwei. But his rate of growth is among the fastest you’ll find. I thought he’d be pushing for the top ranks — but this time he announced he’d be resetting the Edelen episode.”
“Is that so?”
‘Odin’ — a name he had seen in the challenge dungeon records.
Someone who was always mentioned when speaking of players with exceptional talent.
And yet, to give up on pushing ahead and return to Edelen for a reset.
It was not a decision that could be made easily.
‘It is the right answer, though.’
If Odin had been someone Hanbit knew, he would have unconditionally recommended the reset.
A button fastened wrong from the very start is fastest and most accurately fixed by starting over.
Pushing through by force only leads to ruin in the end.
“Let’s get to what we need to do.”
“Oh, where are we headed?”
“It’s a simple matter, just a stop at the blacksmith. Let’s move.”
The two immediately set off along the road toward the blacksmith district.
Walking forward, Hanbit arrived at his destination.
Among the craftsmen in Ifrit, this was one of the more capable shops.
“Welcome.”
Upon stepping inside, the owner greeted them in an ordinary manner.
Hanbit pulled out the materials from his inventory and handed them over.
“I’d like to have armor made with these for cold resistance.”
“Let me have a look.”
The owner examined the materials one by one.
The frostbitten spider’s venomous fang, the snow-flower deer’s tough hide, and the fire polishing compound.
Using these, it was possible to craft armor that wrapped the entire body in cold resistance.
“A combination like this would be difficult for precise work…….”
“That’s fine. Just follow the specific instructions.”
Hanbit explained the required work process to the puzzled owner.
The man listened with a serious expression and gave a nod of understanding.
“With that method, I think it can be done. I’ll get to work right away.”
The owner immediately gathered the materials and headed down to the workshop.
Since it was a matter of layering onto already completed armor, it would not take very long.
Ding—
While waiting for it to be finished, an alert chimed.
It was a message from Kim Jaeha.
「Kim Jaeha」
「Finished the Edelen episode. Heading your way.」
***
[Episode 1 has been completed.]
[Achievement: One Who Walks the Path of Truth has been unlocked.]
“Phew.”
Having completed the final main quest, Kim Jaeha let out a sigh of relief.
The episode had been progressed exactly as Hanbit had shown him.
Thanks to pouring time into it through the night, it had taken less than twenty-four hours to complete.
‘Absolutely unbelievable.’
Everything he had done from the moment he arrived in Edelen had been astonishing.
Helping Atzvel’s mother without learning magic.
Unable to enter the challenge dungeon — instead, recruiting adventurers together with Ria and rescuing Plona.
More than once he had muttered ‘this is actually going to work?’ — but the results had all come out exactly as Hanbit had predicted.
‘Even skipped most of the story.’
The method for shortening the episode was simple.
Bypass the detailed narrative and process, obtain the evidence directly, and deliver it to Cowen.
Naturally the rewards shrank considerably, but the speed was astonishing.
It was like handing over the ingredients and leaving all the cooking to the NPCs.
Whatever the case, he had been able to finish far ahead of the time he had aimed for.
‘I should head there right away.’
For some reason Hanbit was in the middle of a cooking competition with a vanguard.
It was about time it wrapped up, so he should hurry as well.
With that thought, just as Kim Jaeha moved to take a step—
Ding—
The call receive button of his linked smartphone appeared.
⟨Trash⟩
The name that appeared at the top.
It was a call from the section chief.
“…….”
Kim Jaeha’s expression darkened in an instant.
The last meeting where he had declared they would never see each other again.
Having personally delivered his resignation and notice to quit directly to the CEO, there should have been no reason to be entangled with this man.
And yet, for some reason, a strange sense of unease crept in.
Was it the PTSD from having been worn down for so long?
“Phew.”
Kim Jaeha removed his gear and looked at his smartphone screen.
Seeing the calls continuing to come in, it was clear the man had no intention of giving up.
After sorting through his thoughts for a moment, he accepted the call.
“What is it?”
(Ugh, I’m dying here. Why do you pick up so late? Want to watch someone kick the bucket?)
A pained, whining voice came straight through the speaker.
Kim Jaeha furrowed his brow and spoke.
“I told you we wouldn’t see each other again. I’m blocking you, so don’t contact me. I’m hanging up.”
(Hang up? Don’t you dare hang up, you little— That Black Dragon bastard put me in the hospital for four weeks!)
“…What did you say?”
For a moment, he thought he had misheard.
At that, the section chief continued in a voice laced with a sneer.
(He hit me in the parking lot. Don’t you remember?)
“What kind of nonsense are you talking about? Who hit who?”
(I already have the medical certificate and everything, so don’t think you can just brush this off.)
Ding—
A message arrived at the same time.
The attached photo was genuinely a medical certificate.
Bruising, abrasions, concussion, sprain, ligament damage — a list of minor injuries was enumerated.
“In this day and age, you think extortion like this will work? One look at the CCTV at the company entrance would settle this.”
(CCTV? That thing’s been under maintenance for the past week.)
“…Maintenance?”
Things breaking down at that godforsaken company had been a regular occurrence.
If it really had broken down, there would be no way to find out what had happened during the period when the CCTV was not operating.
“Did you deliberately plan for this?”
(Plan? What plan? And you’re just as bad, you little— Your superior gets assaulted and all you do is spew profanities.)
The section chief scoffed and spoke with brazen confidence.
Speaking so boldly about something that never happened — he was probably being careful about the call being recorded.
(What, nothing to say? Anyway, think carefully. Tell Black Dragon. I’m filing a personal lawsuit and tipping off the press, so just sit tight and wait.)
The name Black Dragon was already widely known to the world.
Gossip and rumor about someone on people’s lips growing was a natural thing.
If an article went around saying he had been sued for assault, the picture of what would happen painted itself clearly.
Passed through the hands of those simply chasing dopamine, Black Dragon would inevitably be turned into a violent thug.
‘This filthy piece of work…….’
The section chief had seen all of that coming and was planning a false lawsuit.
Without CCTV, the only basis for judgment would be testimony.
But his goal of damaging Black Dragon’s image was something he could unquestionably achieve.
“…What do you want?”
(What do I want?)
Whether it was the reaction he had been hoping for, the section chief’s voice shifted slightly.
Letting out a few more groaning noises for no reason, he continued at a leisurely pace.
(Both of you come to me in person and bow your heads. For compensation — just bring me some useful information or something.)
“…….”
A demand that sought both his pride and his gain.
He himself was fine — but he had no desire to subject Hanbit to something this foul.
He had to find a way somehow.
(I can hear the wheels turning, you little—. Anyway, think it over carefully. Try anything funny and the article goes up right away, so keep that in mind.)
Click—
Having said his piece, the section chief hung up.
“Son of a b——”
A hellish cycle he could not escape even after handing in his resignation.
Overwhelmed by surging stress, Kim Jaeha pressed his hands against his head.
The section chief was incompetent, yet his capacity for action was impressive.
If things truly went wrong, he would tip off the press and chip away at Black Dragon’s image.
What should he do.
How could he resolve this situation alone without causing harm to Hanbit.
“Phew.”
The agonizing deliberation continued for a time.
But there was no time to sit with it either.
He needed to get to Ifrit quickly so Hanbit could proceed with the episode.
Buzz—
He put his gear back on, and the game screen appeared before his eyes.
After agonizing over it several times, he sent Hanbit a message just as he normally would.
「Finished the Edelen episode. Heading your way.」
