Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 971

When the man placed his hand on the crystal ball, Aesden closed his eyes and tried to look through him. However, it was not too long before Aesden was left in shock.

‘What– What in the world...?’

Aesden could not see anything. He was only presented with pitch-black darkness. Was it because the man's future in front of him was dark? No, that was not the case at all. It would be more apt to say that Aesden could not see through the man.

Aesden closed his eyes tightly and tried to concentrate even more. He moved around and chased after the sole light in the darkness. This light, floating in the distance and only as big as a dot, seemed to have the answer to his question.

He stretched his hand out and ran to reach the light. And finally, Aesden reached the light.

Crack, crack, crack, crack, crack–!

The cracks on the crystal ball grew more prominent. At the same time, goosebumps rose on Aesden’s back when he finally saw what he wanted to see.

Thud–!

‘Ah!’

Shocked, Aesden fell off his chair. Then, sweat began to pour down from his forehead.

‘Just now, what did I just see...’

Then, Aesden heard the concerned voice of the man above him. “Are you alright?”

Aesden’s disciples hurriedly approached him.

“Tower Master?”

“I’m– I’m fine. It seems like I’m not in good condition today.” Aesden patted his clothes as he stood up and looked at the man again.

There was still a long line behind him to the point that it snaked through the wide-open street. The nobles waiting in line looked at Aesden in expectation.

“Since he asked for a hundred million platinum first, wouldn’t he ask for a billion this time?”

“Who knows? If that guy is still wet behind the ears, he might just ask for ten billion!”

“Hahahaha!”

The nobles were laughing and making fun of the man. After all, they wanted to blow a blow to this man who was still wet behind the ears and did not know much about the world.

But then, Aesden looked at the man and said, “I wou– I won’t accept any fee for the information you require.”

Aesden, who unknowingly spoke courteously, hurriedly corrected himself. However, even then, the nobles standing on the line were shocked when their expectations were proven wrong.

“If the one asking for information is fit and qualified, he would not charge any money.”

“So, the rumors were true.”

There were rumors that every few years, people would appear who did not need to pay for Aesden’s services. These were people who were fit and qualified to find the information that they wanted. Although the others did not know, the truth was...

‘They are people who I dare not ask for money.’

Aesden would never ask for payment for such people, only these people alone.

The man standing in front of Aesden looked at him in surprise. “Are you sure you don’t want any money?”

“Yes, I don’t need you to pay.”

But the man rummaged through his inventory and pushed something into Aesden’s arms.

***

Minhyuk was left in doubt when he heard that Aesden would not ask him for money. He thought that perhaps it was not because of him but because the crystal ball cracked when he touched it.

‘But the most important part here is that I was allowed to go to a new world free of charge. This is truly a tremendous opportunity.’

Minhyuk believed it was worth a million platinum and perhaps even more than a hundred million platinum. But he was not without conscience. When he heard that Aesden would not take any payment from him, he quickly took something out and shoved it to the old man.

What did he give the old man? It was ABD chocolate. Minhyuk had around 30,000 emergency chocolates in his inventory just in case he suffered from low blood sugar.

“...”

Aesden, greeted by a fistful of chocolates, looked at the man in doubt.

But Minhyuk hurriedly grabbed his hand and transferred the chocolate to him. He said, “I’m not the type of person who would give food to anyone. So, consider this as an extraordinary gift, Aesden.”

For a moment, Aesden thought that the man in front of him was playing a joke on him. However, he could tell from his eyes and voice that the man was completely sincere.

This was the truth. Minhyuk was indeed not the type of person who would give food to anyone. And now he was giving a fistful of chocolate to someone?

‘Good job, Minhyuk! You have improved by a lot!’

Minhyuk felt proud of himself.

And Aesden? He just nodded with a small smile while saying, “Thanks. Follow me. This way.”

Aesden led Minhyuk until they reached a room. There, Minhyuk was greeted by a huge magic circle drawn on the floor.

Aesden looked at the man favorably. Perhaps it was because of the chocolate he shoved in his hand, or maybe it was because of what he saw through the crystal ball. Aesden, as the Continental Master, knew more information than someone hailed as a sage.

“Here, let me give you some help,” Aesden said as he waved his hands around Minhyuk. Then, Minhyuk’s ears stretched and became sharp as light stretched from Aesden’s hands.

[Your appearance has changed into that of a half-human, half-elf!]

[You can release your transformation as a half-human, half-elf anytime!]

“In the World of Hybrids, only half-human, half-god or half-human, half-transcendental have a form similar to a human. The ordinary people there, equivalent to ordinary humans in our world, are half-human, half-elves.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, please stand in the center of the magic circle.”

Minhyuk obediently followed Aesden’s words and stood in the center of the magic circle. Then, a bright light appeared and enveloped his entire being.

[You are being warped into the World of Hybrids.]

Minhyuk bowed politely as he slowly disappeared. After disappearing, Aesden looked down at the chocolates and smiled slightly. He gently opened one and put it in his mouth.

As the sweetness covered his mouth, Aesden recalled what he had seen when he finally reached the dot-like light in that darkness. What did he see back then? It was none other than a beach.

“He is sometimes the land, sometimes the sky, and sometimes the sea,” Aesden murmured, pondering over those mysterious words as he stared at the place where the man disappeared from for a very long time.

***

Minhyuk, who was warped inside a forest, immediately heard a series of notifications in his ears.

[You are the first player to have stepped on the World of Hybrids: Utopia!]

[You have acquired the Title: The One who Arrived First.]

[Your EXP Acquisition and Artifact Drop rates would double for a week.]

Minhyuk first checked the title The One who Arrived First.

(The One who Arrived First)

Unique Title

Restrictions: The first person to arrive in Utopia.

Title Effects:

•Whether you’re hunting monsters or doing quests in Utopia, your EXP Acquisition Rate will increase by 25%.

•Whether you’re hunting monsters or doing quests in Utopia, your Artifact Drop Rate and Reward Yield will increase by 10%.

•All of your stats will increase by 2% if you are in Utopia.

The title was excellent within the scope of Utopia. Then, additional notifications rang in Minhyuk’s ears.

[You have completed the Class Quest: The World of Hybrids.]

[The Linked Quest: Find the Food God’s Progeny, Rhoando.]

[Linked Quest: Find the Food God’s Progeny, Rhoando.]

Rank: Class

Requirements: Food God who entered Utopia

Rewards: Creation of skill related to the Food God (upon completing all quests.), ???

Penalty for Failure: Unable to proceed with the following quests.

Description: Rhoando, the Food God’s Progeny, lives in Utopia. Find him somewhere in the Barov Kingdom.

“...Oh!” Minhyuk exclaimed.

The words “Food God’s Progeny” meant that this person carried the bloodline of the Food God.

‘Gods could also have children. In some rare cases, children would be born between a human and a god.’

However, in the world where Minhyuk was residing, the gods did not necessarily let their children inherit their thrones. They would only offer the position or give trials to allow them to inherit it to qualified people.

There was a reason why the gods in Minhyuk’s world did not necessarily give their positions to their children.

‘Because their children did not inherit the full power of a god at birth. Only then would the players have the chance to inherit their positions.’

‘But this world might be different.’

That was right. The rules of this world might just be different. Perhaps the Food God’s progeny would have inherited entirely the power of the Food God here. But there was something else more interesting to take note of.

‘The Food God. Maybe they're talking about Ravier, or maybe it’s Allen.’

Or maybe it was another Food God. But one thing was for sure: whoever they were, the Food God once came to the World of Hybrids. After all, that would be the only reason he has a progeny left behind in the form of Rhoando.

And there was also something that Minhyuk was looking forward to. ‘Since he’s the Food God’s progeny, he can make delicious food, right?’

Of course, this story would only be discussed once Minhyuk completed all the quests.

Minhyuk started to walk. First, he had to get out of this forest and find the nearest village or kingdom. Only then would he be able to find the location of the Barov Kingdom.

‘It would be enjoyable to pick all the mushrooms and fruits from the World of Hybrids I will encounter on the way!’

Minhyuk did not know if a rough road was awaiting him. But even if he knew, his happiness would not be dampened. As long as he could eat or harvest a lot of delicious food while working, he would be happy.

But before leaving the forest, Minhyuk did not forget to try to summon Beanie.

“Oiiiiiiink!”

Fortunately, he was able to summon Beanie. Beanie, who appeared inside the forest, scratched his hips and looked around thoughtfully.

“Beans, this is a new world called Utopia. And it is said that the Food God’s progeny lives here. Maybe this world is filled with dishes developed by the Food God’s descendants! Ah, maybe there are special fruits here!”

Beanie scratched his butt and laughed when he heard Minhyuk’s words.

“Oink. Oink, oink. Oiiiiiiink! (Let’s go quickly, master! Oink!)”

The small Beanie immediately led Minhyuk after he had scratched his butt to his heart’s content. The two pigs were brimming with excitement as they moved forward. But strangely enough, they could not find anything. Even when one hour or two hours had passed.

“Why?”

And the same was still true after reaching the third hour of their journey.

“What in the world is happening?!”

“Oiiiiink!”

Nothing changed even after the fifth hour.

“Why is there nothing?!!”

“Oiiiiiiiiiink!”

The two pigs finally realized that something was wrong. No fruit hung on the trees' branches, and mushrooms did not grow near the roots.

The two found it completely strange. For some reason, they felt like they were walking in a peculiar land devoid of food ingredients.

“NOOOOOOOO!!!”

“OIIIIIIIIIIINK!!!”

Desperate cries rang loudly and resonated all over the forest.

***

Special Players Management Team.

Lee Minhwa and Team Leader Park watched Minhyuk and Beanie scream through the monitor.

“The Food God’s final quest has begun.”

“Indeed.”

The Food God’s final quest. Minhyuk had finally reached this point.

Finally, the two had reached their destination. And just like what Minhyuk and Beanie had seen, there were no fruits, mushrooms, or any other food ingredients that could be found in Utopia.

[Beans, there must be a lot in the village or a kingdom, right?]

[Oiiiiink!]

The two rushed, their eyes filled with hope. But Lee Minhwa shook her head. “There are no ingredients in Utopia. They would not be able to find one.”

Team Leader Park nodded with a bitter smile on his face. “It’s not that there aren’t any ingredients. It’s more accurate to say that they have lost it, no?”

“That’s true.”

It was just as the two said. Food had been removed from the World of Hybrids, Utopia.

If one thought deeply about it, the World of Hybrids should be very chaotic and confusing. Despite knowing this fact, why did the hybrids create Utopia? This was because they could not get along with ordinary humans or elves.

Since they could not get along well with humans and elves, would the half-gods and the half-transcendentals get along well even if they went to a new world? This should prove to be a very daunting task.

But what if a very strong power appeared and controlled them? Then the story would be different. Strangely enough, a system had been set, and they were clearly divided into classes.

“It’s because of Hybrid God Arce.”

Yes, of course. There was a god in the World of Hybrids.

“He’s half-god,” Team Leader Park murmured.

Lee Minhwa immediately followed up. “And half-transcendental.”

The two, who had a very tacit understanding, looked at each other.

Then, Team Leader Park said, “And Arce...”

“Received the power of the Food God,” Lee Minhwa finished.

That was right. Arce was half-transcendental and half-god. His father was the Food God.

Team Leader Park smiled. “This time, Player Minhyuk would have a hard time. Perhaps he would even fail.”

Since this was the final quest, its difficulty level would also be at the highest.

“You look like you’re enjoying this?”

Team Leader Park cheered on and supported Minhyuk. However, he believed that it was still better for him to experience these hardships and trials occasionally. After all, it was hard to see Minhyuk on a roll every single time.

“Well, I find it nice that Player Minhyuk will have a hard time with a story created by Joy Co. Ltd., you know?”

Park Minggyu wanted to shout to the world this time, ‘Joy Co. Ltd. finally won!’ Yes, Joy Co. Ltd. won against Minhyuk for the very first time. But then, he remembered something.

He turned to Lee Minhwa and asked, “By the way, do you know what skill Player Minhyuk intends to create once he completes the quest?”

The Special Players Management Team members could easily listen to the players’ conversations through their monitors. Because of that, they could easily infer or assume what the player wanted to do.

“Yes,” Lee Minhwa replied.

“What is it?”

Lee Minhwa gave the answer that she had inferred. “He wants to create a field of God-grade ingredients.”

This was something that any chef player had dreamt of. But everyone knew that it was impossible, no?

“From what I have seen, he wants to extract a portion of the ingredients that he will acquire, plant them in the field, and cultivate them until they grow again.”

“...” Team Leader Park’s face turned stiff when he heard that. ‘I thought that we won this round...’

Could this be considered a tie? That was just how amazing the skill that Player Minhyuk had come up with.

‘If he can successfully create that skill, then...’

If that truly happened, Joy Co. Ltd.’s various teams would once again scream for help.

“Haa...”

“Haa...”

And, of course, the same was true for the Special Players Management Team.