CH 369

Boil and throw the scum away. Boil and throw the scum away.

The process of making the marrow bone broth for Ellie’s ox bone soup required a high degree of concentration, constant and swift movements, and high chef skills. Minhyuk did not even dare to take his eyes off of the pot for a moment, in fear of the soup becoming black from accidental neglect.

To avoid all distractions, Minhyuk turned off his whispers and GC notifications. Of course, he made sure to tell Genie the situation that he was in, before he went radio silent. Genie readily agreed and thus began Minhyuk’s lonely battle in this quiet kitchen.

The kitchen was literally a steamer at this point, thanks to the constant heat and steam coming from the boiling soup. But Minhyuk continued to stand in front of the pot as he cooked, despite the perspiration dripping down and covering his entire body.

Instead of stopping, Minhyuk just hung a towel around his neck to wipe off the perspiration dripping from his forehead so that no sweat could drop into the marrow bone broth. He had already been repeating the process twenty times. This just showed how difficult it was to process the Giant Cow’s Marrow Bone.

When he closed his eyes once, he felt the sleepiness and exhaustion coming over like a tide and washing over his entire body. Every time this happened, Minhyuk would splash his face with cold water to make him come back to his senses.

‘The soup has to boil until it becomes milky white!’

Then, the notification rang when he reached his limit!

[You have triggered the Skill: Will.]

[All of your stats, skills, and abilities, including DEX will temporarily increase by 28%.]

[You have gained 1 Will.]

Minhyuk had already lost track of time. He did not know how long he had been in the kitchen, but he knew that this was already the 23rd time that he had boiled and thrown the scum away from the broth. Goodness. All of the chefs in the world would be shocked to learn that he had boiled and removed the scum from the marrow bone 23 times in a row. This just showed how special the Giant Cow’s marrow bone was.

[The best broth from the marrow bone is starting to come out.]

[You have to frequently adjust the heat.]

[This is the final stage. One small mistake and the Giant Cow’s Marrow Bone will be contaminated and scrapped.]

[Change to medium heat.]

A white, thick liquid began to spread in the soup from the Giant Cow’s Marrow Bone. Minhyuk gathered his senses and hurriedly adjusted the heat. Not long after…

[Change to low heat.]

The notifications rang in Minhyuk’s ears constantly. Sometimes, it happened every few seconds, sometimes, every few minutes. It was a very strange and mysterious ingredient. Joy was slowly blooming on Minhyuk’s face as he watched the soup slowly turn milky white.

Ellie was Minhyuk’s noona and dear friend. In the past, she dropped everything and ran straight to the Chocolate Mine when he called for her help. This time, it was his time to return her call.

Just the thought of Ellie eating this ox bone soup made Minhyuk feel happy and calm. He had always received things from others but this time, he was giving his all to make an amazing dish to give to someone else. Then, at that moment…

[Turn off the heat and scoop a bowl of marrow bone broth.]

Minhyuk hurriedly turned off the heat and grabbed an earthen pot. Then, he scooped out a huge ladle of marrow bone broth before pouring its contents into the earthen pot. After ladling out the soup, he quickly added the noodles that he previously made with the ‘Legendary Sun’s Wheat’ and added a generous amount of brisket, shank, knuckle bone, and ox foot.

‘Anyone will be happy if they can find a restaurant that serves a large amount of meat in their ox bone soup!’

Some restaurants would serve a bit of meat in their ox bone soup, and that was it. Every time that happened to Minhyuk, he would always feel disappointed. So to avoid that, he made sure to add a large heaping of meat. Then, he sprinkled some green onions on top of the soup.

‘The best time to sprinkle the green onions is when you’re about to eat it.’

Then, the notifications began to ring.

[The Somen made from the Legendary Sun’s Wheat added in the Marrow Bone Broth will never get soggy and will always maintain the best temperature for eating.]

[The Giant Cow’s Marrow Bone has been boiled properly. The meat is tender and the flavor of the soup is rich and deep.]

[You have cooked the Ox Bone Soup.]

[Trance. This is a dish that has your ‘hard work’, ‘passion’, ‘love for someone’, ‘spirit of an ideal craftsman’, and ‘power of a true chef’ poured into it.]

[You have made a dish that has transcended the Human Realm.]

And with those notifications, pillars of light fell from the sky, before getting sucked into the bowl of ox bone soup. Not long after, Ruth came in. However, the notifications still did not stop ringing in Minhyuk’s ears.

[You have made a God-grade Ox Bone Soup.]

[Since you have made a God-grade Ox Bone Soup, the power that you desired the most will be made ‘permanent’.]

[‘Anonymous’ has been announced to the entire continent for your achievement in creating a food closest to God.]

[God’s Cooking Skill has leveled up.]

[You will be able to make a better dish.]

[You have gained 100 DEX.]

[You have gained 200 REP.]

[You have gained 100 AP.]

[You have acquired 300,000,000 EXP as a special reward.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled…]

[The marrow bone broth inside the pot has special powers. You will receive an amazing buff effect that has never been seen before, once you eat or cook these marrow bones.]

[The marrow bone broth inside the pot will add a buff effect tailored to the person eating the dish.]

Minhyuk immediately checked the information of the ‘Ox Bone Soup’.

(Ox Bone Soup)

Ingredient Grade: Legendary

Grade: God

Requirements: Only Ellie will receive the effects permanently.

Shelf Life: Everlasting

Preservation Time: Everlasting

Special Abilities:

• Allows one to overcome any kind of illness or disease.

• The Marrow Bone Soup will help create a harmony between the body and the powerful force ravaging the body. However, this will limit the power that you can use during the process. This problem will be solved by growing stronger through a step-by-step process.

• All stats will increase by +50 and all skills will increase by +1.

• Upon consumption, the probability of dealing a fatal damage increases by 200% while the attack evasion rate increases by 300%.

• Upon consumption, HP will increase by 15,000 while MP increase by 10,000

Description: The chef that came close to God had created an Ox Bone Soup that surprised even the Gods. The dish goes beyond increasing vitality and will help allow one to overcome any kind of illness or disease. It has a variety of powers and has the best taste among all of the existing Ox Bone Soup.

The abilities of the dish were truly amazing, and that was the situation when the effects of the dish ox bone soup was solely focused on Ellie’s treatment. It was also in a state where the additional effects would remain permanent! Minhyuk was truly in awe.

Then, he rushed quickly to where Ellie was currently resting. Ellie’s complexion was darker than what he saw the last time. Even her veins were bulging and swollen.

“Noona will get cured once you feed her this ox bone soup.”

“You’re saying that… once she eats this ox bone soup then…?” Ruth said as he looked at the still steaming ox bone soup in the earthen pot.

He had also seen the pillars of light get sucked inside the pot of ox bone soup. However, he still thought that this was just an ox bone soup. But even if he thought like that, this was still the ox bone soup that Minhyuk worked so hard to complete for Ellie. So, Ruth carefully received the ox bone soup, before discreetly checking the information of the dish.

‘This is unbelievable…!’

Ruth was struck dumb. The ox bone soup had the power that transcended the human realm. This was a dish that only a true God could make!

“Sob, sob, sob, sob, sob! Thank you!!! Thank you very much!!!”

Ruth was in tears as he knelt down and prostrated in front of Minhyuk.

At first, Ruth wondered how a fool could appear in front of Ellie. He truly could not understand. Why did Ellie love him so much? Why did she care about him so much? But as time went by, he realized why. And today, that very same fool had saved Ellie.

***

After telling Ruth to feed Ellie the ox bone soup the moment she woke up, Minhyuk returned to the Imperial Kitchen. Once Ellie ate the ox bone soup, she would be completely cured. This thought made Minhyuk feel much lighter.

Then, he saw the marrow bone broth left inside the cauldron. At a glance, the amount left inside the cauldron was enough to serve ten people. According to the notifications earlier, the marrow bone broth itself has an amazing power.

‘I also worked very hard…’

Minhyuk felt the pangs of hunger, and his overwhelming appetite tugged him towards the food. This was the marrow bone that created a godly dish! He quickly filled another earthen pot with the marrow bone broth. Of course, he made sure to add somen made from the Legendary Sun’s Wheat and plenty of meat.

Then, he sat down with his steaming ox bone soup, shining red radish kimchi, and well-ripened kimchi. Minhyuk also made sure to sprinkle green onions on top of ox bone soup. He grabbed a spoonful and took a sip of the soup. Minhyuk was amazed by the rich and savory taste of the marrow bone broth the moment the soup touched his mouth.

“Wow…”

‘Is this really something that I made? It tastes so good that I can’t even believe it.’

Minhyuk grabbed a pinch of salt and seasoned his bowl properly. When he found it to be moderately salty, he dug in with his chopsticks and grabbed a mouthful of somen. Minhyuk personally preferred eating almost all of the somen first, leaving only a bit with the soup before adding some rice in it. Then, he slurped the somen. The chewy somen created a perfect blend with the thick and rich marrow bone, and gave out a pleasant flavor. Then, he grabbed another mouthful of somen, but this time he added some brisket into the mix.

“Sluuuuuuurp!”

He slurped the somen again, before taking a bite of some kimchi.

Crunch, crunch—

Eating somen with perfectly ripe, sweet, sour kimchi, was like an icing on cake. He ate somen again. This time, it was with rice.

“Hiyaaaaa.”

Minhyuk pressed the rice with his spoon in the marrow bone soup. The combination of the rice and the milky white soup was so harmonious, that it was like art itself.

He scooped a spoonful of marrow bone broth, rice, brisket, and the final touch, the brightly colored radish kimchi that could stimulate the appetite, was placed on top of the spoonful. Just like that, Minhyuk brought the entire spoonful into his mouth.

Crunch, crunch, crunch—

As soon as he placed the spoonful in his mouth, he tasted the marrow bone soup, the rice and the sweet, sour rice kimchi. The flavor of each ingredient blended together and created a harmony that was perfection itself. Then, Minhyuk lifted the entire earthen pot, blew a little on the soup, before gulping it down.

“Sluuuuuuuuuurp! Kyaaaa! This is so refreshing!”

The soup was really the best! Just like that, Minhyuk continued to consume his ox bone soup until the bottom of the pot started to peek at him. He quickly lifted the pot again and tilted it, before scraping the remaining rice and soup and bringing it to his mouth.

Minhyuk patted his bulging stomach after eating everything. Then, he wiped his greasy mouth with a napkin, and drank a cup of cool, refreshing water.

Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp—

After drinking everything, Minhyuk could not help but burst in awe, “Kyaaaah!”

Minhyuk had been extremely hungry after not being able to eat properly the past few days. He was already in that state, then he tasted the most delicious ox bone soup in the world. It was only natural that he was in awe of its flavor. The surprise did not end there.

[You have eaten an Ox Bone Soup made from the leftover Special Marrow Bone Broth.]

[Your HP and MP reserves have increased by 1.6x.]

[Your Skill Cooldown has been reduced by 40%.]

[Your Physical Attack has increased by 30%.]

[Your Skill Attack has increased by 30%.]

[Your Physical Defense has increased by 30%.]

[Your Magical Defense has increased by 30%.]

[Your Critical Hit Rate has increased by 30%.]

[Your Evasion Rate has increased by 300%.]

[Your EXP Acquisition Rate has increased by 300%.]

[All of the skills in your repertoire will exert more power than usual.]

[The buff will last for three days.]

“…?”

Minhyuk doubted his ears for a moment. A 1.6x increase in HP and MP reserves? A 40% decrease in skill cooldown? There even was a 30% increase in physical attack and the like. For example, if Minhyuk was at Level 500, then, he could already exert the power of someone at Level 680 with this. The most surprising thing about this was the fact that it would last for three whole days, and to think that there was still quite a lot of marrow bone broth left.

Minhyuk was in awe. However, at the same time, he also truly felt lost. He felt like if he could continue going on at this rate, he would really become invincible. However, the thought only lasted for a fleeting moment.

“Urk…”

Minhyuk was really tired. He had been awake for days on end in Athenae ever since he started learning the Pinnacle from Conir. After saving Ellie, he finally relaxed and the exhaustion began to engulf his entire body. For now, he should log out.

***

After Minhyuk logged out, he ate his cherry tomatoes and salad, before drinking water and was already getting ready to get a good night’s sleep. On his way to bed, he passed by the people hanging out in the living room. Sitting in front of the TV were his dietitian, Hye-Jin, and personal doctor, Lee Jinhwan. Then, he heard the desperate cries of the Korean commentators.

[The players and NPCs around Berdk will get wiped out!!!]

[The remaining troops inside Berdk Castle have to do their best to defend the base.]

[But the number of troops that they have shaved off from the enemies are only a few. And there seems to be significantly less troops left inside Berdk castle.]

[Right at this moment! There are 3,000 additional Chinese troops marching towards Atlas, Food God Minhyuk’s territory!!!]

[Cerberus and Locke had shown an incredible show of power by keeping a thousand troops at bay. The Master Trapper and Poison Specialist and Black Mage Ali have joined them in Atlas! But, even though they have hundreds of Atlas soldiers left inside the territory, will they really be able to fend off more than 3,000 enemy troops?]

[The players in the Korean Defense Base are getting pushed back!!!]

[We can’t beat them with their huge number of troops!!!]

[Aaaaaaah! Is this how Korea will lose in the Continent Cloud?!!!!]

[If they completely pry away victory from our hands, the players of Cairon Continent will definitely invade Asgan Continent.]

[All I can see is darkness. Is there any way for us to get out of this desperate situation?]

Minhyuk turned around again. It was only for a moment, but he saw the exhausted faces of Genie, Khan, Locke, and the rest of the Let’s Eat Sect Guild. Even Conir and Aruvel looked tired from the long and overdrawn battle.

‘Just wait a bit, the marrow bone broth is coming.’

Minhyuk headed straight back to his Athenae capsule.