He stripped off his damaged clothes from the earlier fight, tossed them into the dimension's incinerator slot, and stretched.
Then he sank into the hot tub with a sigh that came from the soul.
"Finally," he murmured. "Peace."
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
The Template System Activates
[New Template Acquired]
Jōichirō Yukihira — The Wandering Chef of Legends
Damian straightened in the water.
"Wait. That's… a chef?"
More information appeared.
Template Details — Jōichirō Yukihira
• You gain his knowledge of cooking techniques
Knife work, cutting methods, searing, simmering, grilling, smoking, roasting.
• You gain his instinct for flavors
Seasoning balance, aroma control, ingredient synergy.
• You gain his food intuition
Know how to build a dish, sense cooking times, adjust on the fly.
• You do NOT gain recipes.
• You must discover them yourself
You must discover them yourself.
• You must experiment, fail, improve, and create.
• Cooking is now an art you must master by experience.
Damian tilted his head.
"…So I'm a demon slayer, fire controller, assassin-trained warrior…
and now I cook?"
A long pause.
"Actually… that sounds useful."
A tiny smile touched his lips.
For the first time in his life, Damian felt something he had never experienced:
A future.
A life.
Possibilities.
The Knife Moves Before His Brain Does
Damian reached for a chef's knife.
The second his fingers touched the handle—
His body moved on its own.
Slice.
Chop.
Dice.
Julienne.
His movements were smooth, fast, beautiful—
like Sun Breathing, but for food.
He paused mid-chop.
"Okay… that's new."
He tasted a piece of sliced pepper
He could sense what seasoning would enhance it.
Which ingredients would pair well.
How long to sauté it.
Even how the texture would change under heat.
It was insane.
He wasn't just cooking—
he was experiencing food.
The First Attempt
He threw together a simple dish:
thin-sliced beef
onions
garlic
peppers
soy sauce
ginger
rice
an egg
He didn't follow a recipe.
He followed instinct.
Oil heated in the pan—he could hear when it was perfect.
The beef seared instantly, releasing a burst of aroma that filled the entire room.
Vegetables hit the pan next, cooking precisely as they should.
Egg cracked.
Seasonings swirled.
Rice tossed.
Heat controlled with assassin-level precision.
When he plated it, the dish looked…
Beautiful.
Colorful.
Balanced.
Perfectly cooked.
"…This shouldn't be possible."
He picked up his chopsticks.
Took one bite.
Then It Hits Him
A realization.
An assassin who can kill demons with sunlight.
A fire user immune to weakness.
A martial arts prodigy.
And now—
A man capable of cooking food that could start wars.
Damian exhaled slowly.
"I'm going to ruin every restaurant in this city."
He took another bite.
And for the first time in a long time—
Damian Wayne actually smiled.
A true smile.
Not for battle.
Not for power.
Not for survival.
But because…
this was his.
A skill with no blood attached.
No killing.
No shadows.
Just creation.
Just life.
Just peace.