Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 905

[The only thing you can reveal is the location of the Fortress of the Transcendentals’ Fantasy.]

The disclosure ban was being lifted, but the only thing that they were allowed to disclose was the location of the Fortress of the Transcendentals’ Fantasy. Not long after, Minhyuk came to see Conir.

“Conir, can you tell me about what you know?”

Minhyuk knew that Valen and Conir had hints about where the Transcendentals’ Village was.

‘Conir, who suddenly came back strong, followed Valen to meet with the transcendentals.’

Minhyuk found it very shocking. It was a while ago when Conir left. However, when he returned, he was more than 100 levels stronger than before. This meant that the transcendentals helped Conir grow stronger.

Conir quickly recalled the things that he encountered before. He had a good memory and would usually always remember what he had seen once or the places where he had been. He quickly began to draw a map.

[You have acquired the Map Drawn by Conir.]

After receiving the map, Minhyuk moved without any hesitation.

***

The man who helped Conir grow stronger and gave Minhyuk a hint was one of the few survivors of the Albraim Race, born from humans, but they possessed special powers.

As the members of the Albraim Race grew older, they realized that they were far more special than ordinary humans. The members of the Albraim Race possessed extraordinary powers that only those from the realm of the gods possessed. They realized they had nowhere to stand among the humans or the gods.

They tried to become gods, but the gods grew jealous and tried to kill them. When they tried to blend in with the humans, the humans refused them because they were far too strong. Because of that, the transcendentals could only seek those who were the same as them, those with transcendental powers. They gathered and created a village together, naming it Avanber Village.

There were originally around 200~300 people living in the small village of Avanber. However, most of the Albraim Races had died. Only five of them had survived up to this day. The Albraims that survived were one of the strongest and most special ones among the transcendentals.

Surprisingly enough, the man who stole the Sun’s Ore and Mountain Ore from Helenia was the very same man who helped Conir grow stronger. This man told the other transcendentals, “What do you think? I did well, right? Conir said that person is the one that can make the most delicious food in the world.”

“R- really?”

“Are you saying we won’t have to eat centipede innards?”

These transcendentals might have the power that could go beyond the gods. But now, they would be so happy if they could just see proper food.

“Had it been hundreds... no, thousands of years? I have only eaten centipede innards ever since then. I can’t believe I can eat human food again.”

“Bender did a good job? Which job?”

However, it was completely understandable. They had been locked up inside this fortress for hundreds, no, thousands of years.

“Helenia will come after us once we get out of this place. So, even if we want to get out, we can’t.”

It was just like they said. However, some of them were exceptionally rational.

“Did a good job? Bender, you did it again. I told you not to do this, even with that boy, Conir.” A tall, bald, and muscular man shook his head at Bender.

“In Conir’s case, I didn’t say anything because you had to do it at Sword God Valen’s request. I said nothing when you allowed him to enter the Second Gate or started training him. However, didn’t I give you a warning back then? I told you that you are not allowed to let someone unqualified to set foot in here. They have to be able to block the Eight Pillars on our behalf before they can set foot in here.”

The man scolded the others with a serious expression. He shook his head and continued, “Pathetic. You’re all blinded by the food that you’re willingly bringing in a kid without qualifications to enter this place.”

Bender looked at him in confusion. “But Nekk... Weren’t you the one that hugged Conir and told him thank you when the boy cooked ramyeon for you?”

“You’re also the one that mixed some rice in that bowl of ramyeon, right?”

“I believe you cried while eating it.”

Nekk was rendered speechless. He looked embarrassed. It’s not that Nekk couldn’t understand what they were feeling right now. They had been eating shitty bugs, centipede innards, and basilisk mouths for thousands of years in this place. Just looking at it was enough to make them think they were going to vomit. However, they had to eat so they could live.

“Even so, you know that this isn’t right.”

All of the transcendentals smiled briefly when they heard Nekk’s acceptance. However, they understood the reality of the matter, too. That was right. They weren’t supposed to do that. They had the duty to protect both the Land of the Gods and the Earth. That was why they could not let any unqualified person enter this fortress.

“Yes, Nekk. I agree with you. I want to eat something delicious, but that doesn’t mean he can come to this fortress yet,” a woman said. She looked like she was a mage.

They all looked sullen. However, Bender laughed. “As expected. I really shouldn’t have done that, right?”

Even though they saved the world in the past, they were left here, unable to eat anything delicious.

Then, Nekk said, “He must have already found his way here. So, I think we should use other means to send him back.”

The Fortress of the Transcendentals’ Fantasy had many gates. Before letting a new transcendental enter their village, they would first let them enter this fortress and undergo its trials and ordeals.

Most transcendentals that entered the fortress were inexperienced ones who did not know how to control and wield their powers. However, once they cleared one of the gates here, they would receive the teachings of the other transcendentals and grow further. Among the transcendentals here, the one with the highest record in breaking through the fortress's gates was Bender.

“Bender. What’s your First Gate clearing time?”

“I think it’s around six minutes.”

The path that would allow one to enter the Second Gate was straightforward. All they had to do was to break through the First Gate. However, to prevent unqualified people from entering the fortress, Nekk proposed a trick, “Bender’s clearing time is six minutes. So, from this moment on, only those that can clear the First Gate in seven minutes or less will be able to enter the Second Gate.”

“...Are you telling them to send themselves away kindly?” Mage Bernie asked.

Bender was the last among the transcendentals to enter the fortress. However, he had the highest position among them regarding power and strength. In other words, Bender was already a strong powerhouse before he came to the fortress and became a transcendental. While he only took six minutes to clear the First Gate, others would take around ten or eleven minutes at the very least.

“That guy hasn’t even crossed the wall yet.”

The wall that they were talking about was the Level 700 threshold. Simply put, it was impossible for Minhyuk, who was only at Level 620, to get close to, or even break Bender’s record.

“Then, will you just let those unqualified ones enter this fortress? In the first place, he should not have been allowed to enter the First Gate yet,” Nekk spoke coldly. However, this was the most logical and realistic take on this matter.

“I’m sorry. I brought harm to you with my reckless behavior again, just like I did in the past.” Bender smiled bitterly.

Bender was the one who stole the Sun’s Ore and the Mountain Ore, and he blamed himself for causing them trouble. However, everyone shook their heads.

“We all know that the choices you made back then and this time are for our sake.”

They all knew that Bender did this because he wanted them to eat something delicious.

Nekk soon changed the restrictions and content of the Fortress of the Transcendentals' Fantasy’s First Gate. After a while, a notification rang in everyone’s ears.

[An unknown being has entered the Fortress of the Transcendentals' Fantasy!]

Bender looked at the person who entered their fortress with a bitter smile. He thought, ‘My mistakes have brought harm upon you. I’m sorry.’

***

Minhyuk followed the map that Conir drew for him and finally entered the Fortress of the Transcendentals' Fantasy. The moment he stepped foot inside, a series of notifications rang in his ears.

[You have entered the Fortress of the Transcendentals' Fantasy!]

[You are not qualified to enter the Fortress of the Transcendentals’ Fantasy!]

[You can turn back and leave the Fortress of the Transcendentals’ Fantasy!]

[If you do not leave, you must challenge a much higher difficulty level when challenging the fortress's gates!]

[If you choose to challenge the higher-leveled Fortress of the Transcendentals’ Fantasy, then you will be able to receive greater rewards!]

Although the notifications warned Minhyuk that he would have to face a much more difficult fortress if he chose to enter, it did not stop him. Nothing could stop Minhyuk, especially after acquiring the Transcendentals’ Grinder and knowing that the one that obtained the Mountain Ore was inside.

‘It’s ridiculous to judge me based on my level alone.’

That was right. The place where the transcendentals were living had a strict requirement regarding levels. However, there were a few players whose powers could never be measured by their levels alone. After all, some players could easily win against a Level 599 opponent even though they were just at Level 500. A prime example of this was Minhyuk.

“I’m not leaving. I will challenge the fortress.”

Minhyuk did not hesitate at all. When he walked inside the fortress, he was greeted by a vast hall that reminded him of a colosseum.

[The trials and ordeals you will face inside the Fortress of the Transcendentals’ Fantasy will vary depending on your class!]

[The system is checking you. The system will guide you to the appropriate trial!]

[You will take the most common combat class trial!]

[You will now be guided toward the First Gate.]

[In the First Gate, you must kill 150,000 Level 500 monsters!]

[You can also bring in additional monsters after killing the initial 150,000 monsters. The more monsters you hunt, the better the reward you will obtain!]

[If you wish to bring in additional monsters, all you have to do is say “Summon Monsters.” 20,000 additional monsters will be summoned.]

[Boss-class monsters will appear from time to time. Please practice caution!]

The level requirement for the fortress was originally at Level 700. However, even for a Level 700 combat class that possessed outstanding skills and significant damage, hunting 150,000 monsters at that level would still be extremely difficult. Minhyuk thought, ‘Even if one million Level 700 players challenged this gate, they would still find it hard to clear it.’ But the worst was not yet over.

[The level of difficulty has been raised! You need to hunt 150,000 Level 500 monsters within seven minutes!]

[The level of difficulty has been raised! The monsters have grown 10% stronger!]

[A ranking system exists inside the Fortress of the Transcendentals’ Fantasy!]

[The ranking list for the 1st~3rd place will now be revealed!]

[Rank 1. Bender. 6 minutes 46 seconds. Total Number of Monsters Hunted: 198,513.]

[Rank 2. Beiss. 7 minutes 29 seconds. Total Number of Monsters Hunted: 156,413.]

[Rank 3...]

[You are challenging a trial with a higher level of difficulty. You will receive better rewards once you clear the gate.]

Minhyuk smiled faintly.

According to one of the Athenae experts’ analysis, Minhyuk, who possessed various powerful AOE skills, was strong enough to stand among the top three strongest in the world. And this was the truth.

It had to be known that the number of players that possessed skills comparable to the power of Minhyuk’s Overlord Technique

could easily exceed a hundred. However, players with skills comparable to the Supreme Overlord’s Technique, Sword of Absolute Death, and Intangible Sword were extremely few and far between. And there was also the fact that Minhyuk’s skills could create great synergy.

Creaaaaaak–!

Thuuuuuuuuud–!

Creaaaaaak–!

Thuuuuuuuuud–!

Hundreds of iron cages were placed over the wide colosseum that Minhyuk entered. At that moment, the doors of the cages slowly rose on their own and released more than a hundred thousand monsters out in the open.

Minhyuk quickly made calculations. ‘The more I kill and the faster I finish, the better the reward, right?’

From what he could gather, he would be able to receive a better reward if he could break the record and create a new one. Minhyuk quickly weighed his options, taking into account the better rewards that he would receive from the transcendentals and the 150,000 monsters charging at him at a fast speed.

***

The transcendentals all looked puzzled.

“Why isn’t he moving?”

“Maybe he got frozen?”

Nekk shook his head. It would be strange if someone did not freeze on the spot when faced with 150,000 ferocious monsters charging at them, especially if someone had not yet crossed the wall.

“Did he give up already?”

Nekk shook his head once more. It seemed like his plans went well. “He is not qualified. And from the looks of it, he has no courage. This is good. We already know that he won’t be able to carry on our pride.”

A bitter expression flashed on everyone’s face when they heard Nekk. However, they still nodded in agreement. A man who would freeze at such a level of fear did not have the qualifications to enter their fortress.

But then, not long after, the man that was being reflected on the crystal ball that was floating in front of them smiled. Then, he spoke.

[As expected. This would be the best course of action.]

Everyone looked confused. What was he talking about? Then, they heard the man murmur.

[Summon.]

“...?”

“...?”

“...?”

The confusion deepened on their faces. Did he just say Summon? The man wielded a sword. Besides, from what they heard from Conir, he had the Food God class and was one of the strongest of his era. Of course, they were also aware that he was an emperor. However, it was impossible to summon his vassals in this place.

“Maybe if it’s a skill...?”

They were left more confused when they heard someone’s murmur.

“What are you going on about? He’s not a summoner.”

“And he’s not a necromancer either, right?”

“And he’s also not a trainer.”

Not long after, the man finished his words.

[Immortal Knights.]

Flash, flash, flash, flash, flash–

At that moment, several people, accompanied by bright light flashes, appeared around the man. They were wearing shabby armor, helmets, and weapons in their hands. When the transcendentals saw this, they felt very relieved.

“I thought he had some kind of shocking summoning skills, but it’s just a skill to summon soldiers.”

“Well, there are kings and emperors with several miscellaneous skills in their possession.”

“Right. Besides, even if they’re excellent human soldiers, at most, they could only be on par with the monsters.”

They all clicked their tongues. However, the man who summoned the ordinary soldiers looked strangely relaxed as he looked at the 150,000 monsters before him. They saw him talk with the soldiers he summoned and wondered what they were whispering about. But then, the man pointed his sword at the monsters and spoke.

[Destroy.]