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[Name]: Okabe
[Age]: 9 years old
[Martial Power]: 50
[Spirit]: 30
[Charisma]: 20
[Basic Skills]: Knife Work, Dough Kneading
[Advanced Skills]: Body Control (Gold), Five Methods of Vegetable Identification (Blue), Elementary Sense of Taste (Blue), Japanese (Green), Chinese (Blue), Gentle Strength Penetration (Blue)
[General Skills]: Stir-frying (Purple), Soup Making (Purple), Flour-based Dishes (Purple)
[Passive Skill]: Gustatory Image Deduction (Purple)
[Recipes]: Three-Fresh Five-Flavor Vegetable Soup (Green), Hot and Sour Shredded Potatoes (White), Yuxiang Shredded Pork (Blue), Red Fruit Yuxiang Shredded Pork (Blue), Dry-Mixed Sliced Noodles with Minced Meat Sauce (Blue), Midsummer Four-Color Fruit and Vegetable Stir-fried Sliced Noodles (Blue)
[Kitchen Tool]: Seven-Star Knife: Wu Qu (Purple)
[Host's Martial Power has reached 50 points, meeting the unlocking conditions for the Elementary Five Senses. Now unlocking Elementary Vision (Blue), Elementary Hearing (Blue), Elementary Smell (Blue), Elementary Touch (Blue).]
[Host's Martial Power has reached 50 points, and Elementary Sense of Taste has met the conditions for advancement. Issuing Elementary Sense of Taste advancement quest now.]
[Quest Triggered]: Great Gustatory Evolution!
[Quest Description]: After long-term accumulation, your Elementary Sense of Taste has finally reached its peak. It is time to shift from broad exploration to deep research, achieving mastery in a specific area of your sense of taste.
[Quest Requirement]: Research any one of the five flavors—sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami—to a profound depth.
[Quest Reward]: Advanced Sense of Taste
"An increase of 8.68 in Martial Power? No wonder my body went through such a drastic change! Vision, hearing, smell, and touch all unlocked at the same time, and my Elementary Sense of Taste, which had its proficiency maxed out long ago, can finally advance further!"
Looking at the brand-new stats panel, a look of excitement appeared on Okabe's face.
He had exhausted himself, enduring Akisame Koetsuji's demonic training for three years just to raise his Martial Power from 10 to 42.32. Now, just from a single medicinal bath, it had shot up by 20%. The potency of this bath was truly formidable!
"How are you feeling?"
Seeing Okabe's excited expression, Kensei Ma knew he had gained a lot, but he still asked with a cheerful smile.
"Incredible. I feel like I have an endless supply of strength! And my five senses are much sharper."
Okabe described how he felt.
Although it was only an 8-point increase in Martial Power, perhaps because it was all at once, he felt refreshed and brimming with inexhaustible energy.
Furthermore, after gaining skills for his five senses, he could clearly feel that his field of vision had widened, his ears could hear sounds from farther away, his nose could detect subtler scents, and he could estimate the approximate weight of things just by lifting them.
"Good. Sharpened senses are an inevitable result of improved physical fitness. After all, an enhancement in bodily functions allows a martial artist to see and hear better, heightening their senses. Go run a few laps outside to burn off the excess energy before you go to sleep. There should still be some residual medicinal power in your body, and exercise will help you absorb it better."
Hearing the answer he wanted, Kensei Ma nodded in satisfaction.
"Yes, sir!"
"Is there anything else?"
Seeing Okabe reply and prepare to leave, only to stop at the door, hesitant to speak, Kensei Ma called him back and asked him why.
"Master Shigure told me to start learning how to use kitchen tools from various countries with her tomorrow. You too, Master Ma. I want to know why this is so sudden…"
If everyone had been holding back before, now it was as if they were going to teach him everything they knew. But why so suddenly?
Was it because of his duel with Erina Nakiri? He had thought about it for a while on his way here and concluded that the possibility was low. After all, during his duel with Erina Nakiri, he hadn't displayed strength far beyond his usual level; it was a normal performance.
So what was the reason? He was very curious.
"It's time. You have now laid a solid foundation, and next, you should learn truly advanced techniques. Shigure, myself, and the other masters will all begin to pass down our most treasured skills to you. As for how much you can learn, that will depend on your own ability."
As if he had anticipated Okabe's question, Kensei Ma answered directly upon hearing it.
These three years were a period for polishing his fundamentals, and also a period for observing his character. After all, they had already had one rebellious disciple in Isshinsai Ogata.
Now that Okabe's foundation was solid and his character was upright, they had no reason to keep hiding their skills. That was not what masters should do.
"Your most treasured skills?!"
Hearing Kensei Ma's words, Okabe's breathing quickened, and a strong sense of anticipation welled up in his heart.
"That's right. Our most treasured skills."
Seeing Okabe's excited expression, Kensei Ma stroked his beard, a profound smile on his face.
"Alright, if there's nothing else, go get some exercise. Make use of the medicinal power before it settles; you might see a decent improvement."
"Yes, sir!"
Shouting his response, Okabe jogged out of Kensei Ma's room and headed straight outside Ryōzanpaku, preparing to run a marathon to expend his energy.
"This absorption rate... it's truly terrifying."
Staring at the medicinal tub, where the liquid's color had become very light, Hayato Fūrinji appeared in the room at some point.
Most of the thick medicinal aroma in the air had dissipated, yet Kensei Ma was still continuously adding herbs to the tub.
"Yeah, this time was more intense than usual. Before, we never needed to add extra herbs; just pouring it into the hot spring on the back mountain would have a good effect. This time, even though we used the 'Medicine King,' which is much more potent, if we don't add new herbs, I'm afraid it will lose all its efficacy once diluted by the spring water."
Kensei Ma's voice held a note of complaint as the medicinal aroma in the air grew thick once more with the addition of herbs.
"Come over after you've finished brewing this pot of medicine. I've already notified the others."
"We are convening the Ryōzanpaku Masters' Meeting immediately!"
Looking at the tub that was boiling once again under the flames, Hayato Fūrinji left Kensei Ma's room after leaving these words.
"A Masters' Meeting, huh? The last time we had one was, what, ten years ago…"
Tossing the last dozen herbs into the tub, Kensei Ma turned down the stove fire beneath it, then vanished from the room in a flash.
In a spacious and bright conference room, Hayato Fūrinji sat at the head of the table. On his right sat Shio Sakaki and Kensei Ma, and on his left were Akisame Koetsuji, Shigure Kōsaka, and Apachai Hopachai.
"The Dark Cuisine World has started to become active."
After a long silence, having rehearsed his words in his mind several times, Hayato Fūrinji finally spoke.
"Although I don't know when it began, in recent years, many young chefs from all over the world have chosen to join the Dark Cuisine World. These are the prodigies from various academies and families who are just below the absolute top tier, and they are powerful in their own right. Now that they've joined the darkness and learned those forbidden cooking techniques that are harmful to the body, their strength is bound to increase even further."
Hayato Fūrinji's voice was deep.
The reason the Dark Cuisine World was called such was not only because their beliefs were the complete opposite of the Light Cuisine World's, but the fundamental reason was that the cooking techniques they learned caused irreversible damage to a chef's body.
This damage doesn't manifest suddenly; it's the result of long-term accumulation. Once it erupts, the chef will lose all mobility in a short period. This leads to the Dark Cuisine World having formidable overall strength, but lacking truly top-tier power.
And to solve this predicament, every generation of chefs from the Dark Cuisine World has been collecting the Legendary Cooking Utensils.
It is rumored that if one gathers all eight Legendary Cooking Utensils, they can create dishes that grant immortality, cure all diseases, and even control people's minds. Ambitious men want to control the world with mind-controlling cuisine, those who practice forbidden cooking techniques want to use it to repair their bodies, and those who desire long life want immortality.
All sorts of people, for all sorts of reasons, have gathered in the Dark Cuisine World for the sole purpose of collecting all eight Legendary Cooking Utensils.
And now, the long-dormant Dark Cuisine World has suddenly become active. There must be a new discovery.
"Isn't this just the Dark Cuisine World's usual tactic? Only those who are weak-willed and looking for shortcuts would be drawn in and become one of them."
"If worse comes to worst, we'll just have a Shokugeki! The loser never cooks again for the rest of their life!"
Shio Sakaki's voice was filled with disdain.
Those guys from the Dark Cuisine World, at the end of the day, are just a bunch of mediocrities looking for shortcuts. He didn't think for a second they would lose to people like that.
"We don't have to condemn them all in one fell swoop. There are plenty of people in this world who, in their pursuit of the ultimate culinary arts, accidentally strayed into the Dark Cuisine World. After all, ordinary chefs have no contact with them, so they couldn't possibly know the dangers."
Akisame Koetsuji spoke up.
He saw things more comprehensively. The world isn't so black and white; human nature is complex and varied. Even the Dark Cuisine World might not be devoid of good people. This needs to be looked at dialectically.
"We don't know which snake is venomous, so naturally, we'd want to smash its head in when we see one. The vast Dark Cuisine World might indeed have a few good people, but since they've chosen to stand on the opposite side, we can't treat them as such."
Hearing Akisame Koetsuji's words, Shio Sakaki responded directly.
Of course he knew there were good people in the Dark Cuisine World, but so what? Since they chose to join it, they had already drawn a line between them.
Normally, the two sides are parallel lines that never intersect. After all, ruining one's own body is a personal choice; others can comment, but not overly criticize. The problem is that the Dark Cuisine World is unscrupulous in achieving its goals.
In modern society, constrained by law, they only dare to act nefariously in the shadows. But in ancient times, the Dark Cuisine World was no different from mountain bandits, relying on their superior martial strength to kill without restraint.
Even in modern times, in earlier years, they still schemed to control the Nakiri family's secret domain in Tōtsuki through a Shokugeki, and thereby control Japan's culinary world. If not for Mr. and Mrs. Hakuji stepping up to face the enemy and securing a crucial victory in a doubles match, Japan would have likely become the headquarters of the Dark Cuisine World by now.
That year, two of the Five Tiger Stars died, and their leader retreated, heavily wounded. Two years later, he was arrested and executed for breaking the law. Things were quiet for a while. His second son then became the new leader. Now, after recuperating for over a decade, it seems they are ready to stir up trouble again.
"Currently, there are only two known Legendary Cooking Utensils in the world. They are the Garuḍa Knife, held by the all-around chef Lan Fei Hong, and the Dragon Turning Pot, in the research facility of the 'Tianxia Diyi' corporation."
"Both are utensils passed down through generations, and have been in the possession of their respective powers for a hundred years. The Dark Cuisine World has had its eye on them for more than a day or two, so it's unlikely they would suddenly launch a major offensive for them."
Hayato Fūrinji's voice rang out again, stating the known intelligence.
And before he could finish his next sentence, Shigure Kōsaka said: "In other words, they've discovered the whereabouts of a new Legendary Cooking Utensil."
"Correct. To suddenly make such a big move, it can't be just for show. They must be after something, though the specifics remain unknown."
"Then, Elder, do you have a plan in mind?"
Akisame Koetsuji looked at Hayato Fūrinji, awaiting his response.
"About that…"
Hayato Fūrinji's expression was grave as if he were in deep thought. Not far away, Shio Sakaki watched him, arms crossed, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
"I intend to respond with our usual strategy."
"Still using that strategy, huh?"
Hearing Hayato Fūrinji's words, an 'I knew it' expression appeared on Shio Sakaki's face. He cracked his knuckles as he spoke.
The others also showed knowing smiles.
"Operation: Cross That Bridge When We Come To It!"
Hayato Fūrinji announced the name of the operation with great vigor. This was Ryōzanpaku's consistent strategy.
Such a strategy was not one of avoidance. It was true wisdom.
On one hand, a single Legendary Cooking Utensil couldn't change much. On the other hand, the Dark Cuisine World was mostly composed of juniors, so it wouldn't be appropriate for them, the masters, to get involved right away.
Despite no direct confrontations for so many years, there has always been an unwritten rule between the Dark and Light Cuisine Worlds. That is, juniors fight juniors, and seniors fight seniors. Anyone who tries to break this rule will face the most brutal retaliation from the other side.
And as of now, neither side has the ability to flip the chessboard first.
"Then this session of the Ryōzanpaku Masters' Meeting is adjourned."
Watching the masters get up one by one to leave, Hayato Fūrinji suddenly spoke:
"Kensei, Akisame, you two teach little Okabe well. He is our Ryōzanpaku's head disciple, and also the child of Mr. and Mrs. Hakuji. He is bound to be targeted by the Dark Cuisine World."
"If his skills are lacking and he loses his life in a struggle, he can only blame himself for being inferior. What we must do is prevent that from happening."
"Don't worry. We've watched the Okabe kid grow up. We would never let him be defeated by those guys from the Dark Cuisine World."
Kensei Ma adjusted the hat on his head, his voice brimming with confidence.
"Indeed. I will teach him well."
Shigure Kōsaka also nodded, having already decided in her heart that no matter how much Okabe begged for mercy, she would teach him everything she knew.
"Heave-ho~"
Setting off from Ryōzanpaku, Okabe ran swiftly along the riverbank. Unconsciously, a layer of white vapor had formed around his body.
It was the residual medicinal power in his body, stimulated by the intense exercise, being expelled from his pores as steaming heat.
He could clearly hear the rustling of leaves ten meters away, smell the scent of earthworms moving in the soil, see objects clearly from hundreds of meters away, and even perceive subtle changes in the airflow through his sense of touch. This feeling of an all-around enhancement of his five senses gave him a completely new perception of the world.
"Sniff sniff"
Suddenly, he felt something was off. A faint, bloody odor had tinged the night air.
It wasn't the ordinary smell of fish or a decaying animal carcass, but a more bizarre scent, carrying a rusty sweetness mixed with the bitterness of some kind of medicinal herb. It was a very strange sensation.
"This smell…"
Okabe slowed his pace, looking in the direction the scent was coming from. It was a dense patch of reeds by the river, swaying gently in the night breeze.
Previously, he would have never been able to catch such a faint scent while running. But thanks to his newly awakened Elementary Smell, he was exceptionally sensitive to changes in his surroundings.
He hesitated for a moment, but still decided to go check it out.
He was right below Ryōzanpaku. Even if he encountered danger, the masters could come to his aid at a moment's notice.
Of course, more importantly...
"Ikaros!"
"I am here, Master."
As Okabe shouted to the sky, a beautiful figure in pink and white streaked across the moonlit sky and landed before him, standing gracefully by his side.
This was their special signal. Whenever he called Ikaros's name, the sound would be transmitted directly to her ears, allowing her to reach his side at top speed.
"There might be danger ahead. Based on my own strength, if I encounter a threat I can't handle, you intervene directly. Otherwise, let me handle it myself."
Okabe simply stated his needs.
He was not without combat ability now. As long as the opponent wasn't too strong, he could handle them easily. Calling Ikaros over was just for an extra layer of insurance, but if he could solve the problem himself, he preferred to do so.
With all preparations made, Okabe took a deep breath, reached out, and parted the layers of reeds. The scene before him made his pupils contract sharply.
A middle-aged man covered in blood lay in the reeds. His clothes were soaked through with blood, and there was a wound on his chest so deep that bone was visible.
In his arms, he clutched something like a cloth bag. His expression was one of extreme pain, yet he refused to let go of the bag.
"This is…"
Alarm bells rang in Okabe's mind.
Although he was prepared, seeing this scene still gave him a shock. He seriously wondered if the man before him was already dead.
However, just then, the man who had been lying on his side suddenly lifted his head. His face first showed hope, then despair, and finally, a smile uglier than a grimace.
"Quick… get away from here!"
When the reeds were parted, Liu Wei, who thought he had been saved, saw the boy's young face, and the hope on his own face turned to despair.
But he quickly pulled himself together, forcing a smile and shouting in a low voice, trying to get the boy who had accidentally found him to leave.
____
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