Chapter 1279

Chapter 1279

Duke Vakkaman, hailed as one of the Stars of the Luvien Empire, collapsed in front of a dungeon with a dazed expression.

“D-Duke!” one of the knights shouted, hurriedly approaching him to help him up.

However, Duke Vakkaman stopped him. It was not just him; countless bereaved families were crying and wailing around them.

“Duke! Please, I beg you! Please save our sons!”

“Luvien’s Star, please! Please save our children!”

The desperate pleas of the bereaved rang in Duke Vakkaman’s ears.

Meanwhile, the dungeon explorer who could check the inside of the dungeon without entering, gave a report. He said, “There are no casualties so far. The soldiers and the knights are hiding themselves well inside the dungeon.”

However, there was a bitter smile on the dungeon explorer’s face.

“It will be hard for them to make it through this day. Unbelievable. The boss monster has woken up...”

Ambrox Dungeon was where the Luvien Empire’s imperial army usually went for training. The dungeon was vast and could accommodate tens of thousands of soldiers at any time.

Borrowing the words of the foreigners, the dungeon could be said to have a level restriction. It only allowed the entry of Level 400~450 players and troops. Of course, the monsters inside the dungeon were also of the same level. This meant that they could easily deal with the monsters inside.

However, it would be an entirely different story if the boss monster woke up.

‘Why? Why did the boss monster, who had been slumbering for a hundred years, wake up so suddenly...’

The boss monster was around Level 600, which was already a problem in and of itself. The worst thing was that when the boss monster woke up, the level of the monsters in the dungeon increased by seventy. With the boss monster’s awakening, the dungeon suddenly increased in difficulty. Now, it was no longer possible for the soldiers and the knights to cope with the dungeon.

“How many people can still enter the dungeon?”

“Just one more.”

Duke Vakkaman lost his cool. One of the people who had entered the dungeon was his son—the apple of his eye and the only heir to the Vakkaman’s ducal family. Although Duke Vakkaman could be considered cold-blooded, he cared deeply for this child. He would do anything so that harm would not come his child’s way.

“If only one person can enter, how about giving him a bomb...”

“The dungeon might collapse once the bomb was set to explode.”

Duke Vakkaman found himself in a dilemma. The only solution was to get stronger. The knights and soldiers inside had to become stronger to break through and overcome this hurdle. Alas, there didn’t seem to be any possible way.

“A dish... Is it possible to ask a foreigner to bring dishes to the soldiers and knights inside?”

“I... think that’s possible.”

“How many God-grade dishes are left in the Luvien Empire?”

“Unfortunately, the war with Beyond the Heavens Empire had exhausted our reserves. Should we secure God-grade dishes right away?”

“Then it will be too late.”

They needed dozens of outstanding dishes. If they tried to secure them normally, it might be too late for the soldiers and knights inside the dungeon.

An image of Emperor Minhyuk flashed in Duke Vakkaman’s head at that moment.

‘I can’t ask Emperor Minhyuk to cook for us.’

Duke Vakkaman had killed tens of thousands of the Beyond the Heavens’ imperial soldiers during the war. Although they had signed a peace treaty and had declared an alliance, it would be shameless to ask that of Minhyuk.

The gears spun in Duke Vakkaman’s head. Then, he said, “Where are our chefs now?”

“They’re in a fifteen-day no-sleep cooking camp.”

“With Emperor Minhyuk?”

“That’s right.”

Duke Vakkaman hurriedly ordered, “Send a soldier and ask them to make God-grade dishes at once! We desperately need their help!”

“But Duke Vakkaman...”

Duke Vakkaman, who had been shouting at his men to hurry, suddenly remembered the reality of their situation.

“It will be challenging for our imperial chefs to make God-grade dishes in such a short amount of time.”

Nevertheless, Duke Vakkaman insisted. This was the only straw that they could grasp at this moment. They had to hold onto it tightly.

“I’ll go there myself!” Duke Vakkaman shouted, his eyes bloodshot as he rushed to where the chefs were.

***

Player Assen started playing Athenae purely to improve his poor cooking skills. He worked hard as both a player and a chef and became someone who could make Legendary-grade dishes. Eventually, he moved to the Luvien Empire and ended up operating a restaurant there.

Unfortunately, Assen’s growth reached a plateau after joining the Luvien Empire. On top of that, the Luvien Empire imposed a significant penalty on anyone who dared to migrate recklessly and without reason.

The worst part was not his stagnating growth, it was the Luvien chefs’ mindset. They had infected him and left him lazy. He had constantly been mocked and ignored as a chef regardless of where he went. This, coupled with the Luvien chefs’ mindset, had made Assen lethargic. In the end, Assen was left unable to go past the wall of the legendary-grade dishes.

Among the chefs present, only ten percent could make God-grade dishes.

At this moment, Assen thought,

‘If I make a God-grade dish, will they finally give me respect and treat me differently?’

Assen was very doubtful that would be the case. Besides, he had already started hunting recently and had found satisfaction and fun in the process. Regardless, there was one man who had not only shaken his beliefs but also the rest of the Luvien Empire’s chefs.

‘If they don’t see us, chefs, as equals then... what we need to do is make them crazy for us and our dishes.’

At this moment, they realized that the chefs weren’t being belittled and ignored because they were being unfair. They had already given up on proving themselves and had grown lazy.

‘I want to make it.’

‘I want to make it so they will get antsy and impatient for my dishes.’

‘I want to make them come find me themselves and beg me to cook for them!’

Their passion and determination as chefs, the same things that had grown stagnant over time, burned brightly because of a single man’s words.

[Pillar’s Affection.]

[You realized that pride is what you, as a chef, need the most.]

[All of your skill levels will increase by one.]

[All the dishes you will make will be 20% better.]

[Your Passive Skill: Blazing Cooking has increased by two levels.]

Crackle!

Blazing flames erupted from the dish that Assen was cooking. The Blazing Cooking was a force similar in principle to Minhyuk’s Trance and Divine Will.

[Perhaps you will be able to go beyond your limits today.]

[Blazing Cooking has been triggered.]

[Blazing Cooking has been triggered.]

[Blazing Cooking...]

This was the first time in his life that he had been immersed in doing something. He began making a dish.

Legendary grade.

So, he made it again.

Legendary grade.

Legendary-grade dishes kept on coming out. This was very shocking. After all, this was the first time since Assen started playing this game that he could produce Legendary-grade dishes several times in a row.

Assen raised his head for a moment and looked around. He was not the only one who was burning with determination. All the chefs present had already stoked the dim flames in their hearts into raging firestorms. All of them carried the same dream, and they were trying to turn that dream into reality.

‘I want to go beyond my limits. I want them to go crazy for my dishes.’

Amidst the tens of thousands of chefs was Emperor Minhyuk, who had not slept for more than ten days to accompany them. He was setting the perfect example for these chefs.

‘Is this the reason why he is the Supreme player? Is this why he was the first player to become the first Pillar?’

Assen thought.

It was a meeting that would probably happen once in his life. However, this meeting with Minhyuk had led to his enlightenment and helped him awaken into a new person.

At that moment, the empire’s brightest Star, Duke Vakkaman, appeared before them, shouting hoarsely, “Everyone, listen!!! Tens of thousands of soldiers have been trapped inside the Ambronx Dungeon and are isolated from the world! They all need your help!”

The chefs had never seen Duke Vakkaman act so flustered and panicked before.

Duke Vakkaman was trembling as he looked at the chefs with bloodshot eyes. He slowly opened his trembling lips and stuttered, “P-please. My son is inside the dungeon! P-please save my son!”

The cold-blooded, emotionless Sword Supreme, Duke Vakkaman carried a lot of titles and names. Yet, with the threat of his son dying, he was just an ordinary father. After uttering his pleas, he ended up collapsing on the ground once again.

Duke Vakkaman knew full well how lifeless and rotten the chefs of the Luvien Empire were. He could see it in their eyes whenever he met them. They had been deemed the lowest and the most useless class in the empire, had long grown complacent, and no longer wished to develop.

At this point, Duke Vakkaman could tell that there was no longer any hope. That was why his face was wrapped in despair.

“Duke,” Assen called out, his teeth flashing as he grinned widely.

At the same time, all of the chefs turned to look at Duke Vakkaman.

Yes, they weren’t soldiers who fought in the battlefield. They were just chefs. Still, Minhyuk’s words had awakened them completely. They were also waging a fierce battle alongside the knights and soldiers trapped in the dungeon.

“We will make sure to save them.”

“...!”

Duke Vakkaman’s eyes snapped open. The people they had despised before were looking straight at him, their fierce determination evident in their eyes.

At most, the Luvien Empire’s chefs could only make around fifty God-grade dishes in a month. It went to show how difficult it was for these chefs before.

Then, Minhyuk looked at the chefs around him and shouted, “Cook a hundred God-grade dishes right away!”

He shouted at them like a head chef shouting orders at his sous chefs. And just like the sous chefs, the tens of thousands responded to his orders in unison.

“Yes, chef!”

“Yes, chef!”

“Yes, chef!”

[Pillar’s Affection.]

[You have set a goal. You will now strive to make a higher grade dish and aim to go beyond your limits.]

[You will not give up until you have achieved your goals.]

[All of your cooking skills will temporarily increase by one.]

[Your chances of making a higher grade dish will increase by 20%.]

[If your will burns brighter and you continue without giving up, the Pillar’s Affection will remind you of your strength.]

[Your untapped potential has finally been awakened.]

[The Pillar’s Affection has increased your powers to the limit.]

Tens of thousands of chefs began to make dishes one by one. Groans and sighs erupted everywhere as the chefs attempted to create dishes with higher grades—signs of failure. However, they did not give up. With wry smiles, they began to prepare to make another dish. They had abundant ingredients as provided by the Luvien Empire. So, they were free to cook until they grew tired of it.

Minhyuk looked at the chefs, who were immersed deeply in their cooking.

[The Pillar’s Affection opens the eyes of the chefs to a new realm.]

[You will receive special privileges based on his growth.]

[You have gained 1,431 DEX.]

[The proficiency level of your cooking skills will increase by 19%.]

[Current Growth Rate: 69%.]

They were imperial chefs, which meant that their potential was by no means small. However, they had grown lazy, and because of that, their potential was buried underneath dirt.

‘The Pillar’s Affection is a power that can also raise someone’s potential.’

Hence, there was bound to be significant changes.

[Current Growth Rate: 73%.]

Meanwhile, the soldiers rushed to where Duke Vakkaman was and gave their report.

“The boss monster is starting to make a move.”

This meant that a fierce battle would ensue in about an hour. This also meant that there was a high chance that all of the troops trapped inside the dungeon, including Duke Vakkaman’s son, would die in an hour.

The duke fell into an even greater panic. Cold sweat dripped down his back.

“D-Duke!”

“Duke Vakkaman!”

Duke Vakkaman already thought that he would lose his son today. The thought alone made him feel weak, and he almost fainted. He wept sadly as he felt the world spinning around him.

‘Son...’

Duke Vakkaman cried for the loss of his son as he struggled to get out of the darkness of the abyss. Thankfully, the people were able to get him back to his senses.

As he struggled to open his eyes, he opened his mouth and asked, “How many minutes have passed...?”

“It’s been twenty minutes.”

‘Twenty minutes. Perhaps my son has yet to collide with the boss monster in the dungeon...?’

Vakkaman thought.

Then he realized the soldier that had spoken to him sounded excited.

‘Why...?’

When Duke Vakkaman finally opened his eyes, he was greeted by at least five hundred pillars of light falling upon the tens of thousands of chefs. Hundreds of God-grade dishes were shining brightly in front of him.

The pillar of light would no longer shine upon a God-grade dish if someone made more than one dish of that grade. This also applied to chefs who had made God-grade dishes, even if it was only one. Of course, it was different for chefs who made a God-grade dish for the first time.

Vakkaman turned to Minhyuk, who was looking at the chefs.

[Your Pillar’s Affection has pushed hundreds of chefs to overcome their limits.]

[The level of the Luvien Empire’s chefs has increased dramatically.]

[You will receive special privileges based on his growth.]

[You have gained 5,431 DEX.]

[The proficiency level of your cooking skills will increase by 39%.]

[Current Growth Rate: 138%.]

After obtaining hundreds of God-grade dishes, Duke Vakkaman stood up and returned to the dungeon.

***

Duke Vakkaman was able to rescue his son and bring him to safety.

Surprisingly, there were no casualties. This was mostly because of the almost five hundred God-grade dishes, the same dishes that helped the knights and soldiers overcome their limits.

Duke Vakkaman was thrilled that the Luvien Empire’s chefs had grown. The fact that the Luvien Empire gained stronger and better chefs meant that the Luvien Empire would develop even further.

The delighted Duke Vakkaman walked to where the chefs were going through their fifteen-day no sleep cooking camp.

The chefs went from making 500 servings of God-grade dishes to making 2,000 servings of dishes of the same grade. Around 1,000 chefs have overcome their limits and reached a new level.

“You will receive respect and special treatment in our Luvien Empire.”

[Current Growth Rate: 164%.]

Minhyuk listened to the notification while feeling disgusted with Duke Vakkaman’s words.

‘The empire has always been sitting on the sidelines and turning a blind eye to how the chefs had been treated.’

After receiving Minhyuk's teachings, the chefs had become talents that anyone would go crazy about. Now that they had reached a new level and became even more excellent and helpful, they finally decided to treat them with respect and show them courtesy.

Minhyuk sighed.

He knew that if their talent died down once again, they would be abandoned immediately. Of course, Minhyuk knew that these chefs would no longer be treated badly and discarded. Now that they had opened their eyes and received enlightenment, they would continue to move forward and reach new heights.

Minhyuk said, “It’s time for me to return. You have now become the heroes of the Luvien Empire...”

“No.”

Chef Barson, who performed the best among the chefs, stepped up. He had already made a God-grade dish in the past. This time, he made no less than four God-grade dishes in a row.

Chef Barson said, “Around seventy percent of the chefs have decided to follow you to the Beyond the Heavens Empire.”

“...!”

“We no longer want to belong to an empire that ignored and neglected us. We want to belong to an empire that will be by our side when we rise up and even when we’re shaken—one that will not abandon us.”

The seventy percent of chefs who chose to move to the Beyond the Heavens Empire fell on one knee and showed their respect to Minhyuk.

[21,371 Luvien Empire Chefs are applying to migrate to the Beyond the Heavens Empire.]

[The chefs swear their eternal loyalty to you!]