Leveling Up through Eating

Chapter 1177

Chapter 1177

Gorodis Kingdom’s King Anton had just received very unwelcome news.

‘The Gourmet and the Slaughter Squad will never be able to come to the Gorodis Kingdom again.’

They had been exploiting the Gorodis Kingdom for a very long time to satisfy their palates.

‘The problem is... will they just sit on the sidelines?’

In Anton’s opinion, this was utterly impossible. After all, they did not have any mercy for the continent's people.

‘Fortunately, they did not personally make a move against the Gourmet and the Slaughter Squad.’

Anton sighed deeply as he stood and walked toward a woman lying in a coffin. This woman was none other than Anton’s daughter and the princess of this nation.

He looked at the empty plate lying in front of the statue that was standing in front of him. This plate initially carried the Guardian Deity’s Dish, the most outstanding dish representing the entire Gaia Continent.

Shockingly enough, the beings currently ruling this land had sealed all of the guardian deities. Before they were sealed, the guardian deities used the last of their strength to leave their power in the land in different forms. One took the form of a dish, another of a sword, another of an ore, and another of a tree.

‘The guardian deities originally protected the Gaia Continent.’

Under the guardian deities' protection and care, the continent's people lived in peace and harmony. But when they appeared, everything changed. This had happened a very long time ago, and all that was known about it was what had been written in the legends. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

According to the legends, to protect the people of the Gaia Continent, the guardian deities used the last of their strength to transform their powers into different forms before they could be sealed. Even after that, they were not satisfied. They then took whatever the guardians transformed into and kept them under control.

They ordered the Gorodis Kingdom to guard the dish that was once on that empty plate. Alas, that was not the case. Ten years after the Gorodis Kingdom started protecting the Guardian Deity’s Dish, it completely disappeared. However, this dish could not be controlled or taken away by any ordinary force. Anton knew that the only ones who could take it were them.

Then, they spoke.

–The Gorodis Kingdom has failed to protect the Guardian Deity’s Dish. You have to pay the price of your sins.

Then, they put his daughter in the coffin and made her sleep for ten years. In a few days, his cute, gentle, and adorable princess will again wake up to the world. r

Anton stroked the hair of his petite daughter, who had not aged a day since the day she fell asleep in the coffin.

At that moment, a raven suddenly flew in. This was the raven that they had sent. They had always given their orders through this raven.

There was a rolled-up parchment tied to the raven’s leg. Anton untied it and read its contents.

He could not help but groan. ‘In the end, things have come to this, huh?’

Anton chuckled sadly. In the letter, they once again asked him to pay the price for failing to protect the Guardian Deity’s Dish. They said that they would force his daughter, who was now on the verge of waking up, into another long and deep sleep.

That was not all. If they could not produce a dish rivaling the Guardian Deity’s Dish in five days, they would isolate the entire Gorodis Kingdom. Isolating them meant controlling everything from their food to their clothing and even their housing. In other words, they would destroy the whole Gorodis Kingdom and force them to either starve to death or be frozen to death.

‘They’re retaliating.’

They showed how furious they were after confirming the disappearance of the Gourmet and the Slaughter Squad. And with the disappearance of the Gourmet, they probably questioned the use and significance of the Gorodis Kingdom.

“Urk!” Anton coughed a mouthful of blood.

He only had around ten days left. His only wish was to see his daughter wake up before he died. But they were even trying to take that away from him.

However, there were some things that they did not even know about. Would the guardian deity who had taken on the form of a dish not expect they would also try to suppress it?

‘Of course, they had expected it.’

And because of that, Anton had the recipe of the Guardian Deity’s Dish, which had been handed down for generations, in his hands. As for the second fact that they were unaware of—well, that was related to Anton’s tiny and adorable daughter.

Anton patted his daughter’s head and turned to the soldier beside him. He said, “Gather the most outstanding chefs and knights of the Gorodis Kingdom.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

At that moment, Anton recalled something.

Just as the soldier was about to rush off, Anton told him, “Bring the Great Gourmand here too.”

***

Minhyuk frowned as he stared at the 12% Exploration Rate. This number meant he had only pioneered 12% of the Gorodis Kingdom since the map opened.

‘Driving the Gourmet away is a huge thing.’

Some high-rankers might not even be able to do anything about the Gourmet. Regardless, even after such a huge achievement, Minhyuk’s Exploration Rate remained at 12%. At this point, he believed that there was something that he had to do to increase the Exploration Rate again.

Shortly after, Minhyuk was brought along with the other chefs to seek an audience with the king. Then, he heard about the current situation.

‘Genocide?’

Minhyuk was shocked. The beings that Anton was talking about were like the gods of the Gaia Continent, and they were trying to eradicate an entire kingdom just because they did not like the people in it?

‘What the hell? What kind of continent is this?’

The gods of the existing continents in Athenae were arrogant. Even so, there was not a single one of them who would dare to kill people indiscriminately. Things seemed different in this land. From what Minhyuk could tell, the laws, rules, and discipline in this land were shaped based on the judgment and whims of their gods.

Minhyuk listened carefully to Anton’s story.

The chefs were all left in both shock and awe.

“This is the Guardian Deity’s Dish’s recipe.”

“The recipe of the Guardian Deity’s Dish!”

“If someone makes or eats this dish, they will be able to protect our kingdom!”

“Your Majesty, will we even be able to make this dish?”

That was not all.

“What are the ingredients needed?”

Balvark had been running the Azure Leaf Restaurant for a very long time. He was a kind chef who gave food to the hungry and needy, but he had also reached a shocking level after dedicating all of his attention to cooking.

However, the stone resonated weakly with him.

[The Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone resonates with the chef, who has achieved a pretty impressive level.]

[He is a fantastic chef who has satisfied the ordinary people and even the Gourmet.]

[However, the Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone only partially acknowledges him.]

“...”

Balvark smiled bitterly. When Andrej stepped forward, the stone just reacted the same way. Even the chefs, who stood in front of it one after another, received a similar reaction.

Finally, King Anton stepped in front of the floating light. Then, something very unexpected happened.

[Someone has injected an unknown power inside the Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone.]

“...!”

“...!”

“...!”

Everyone present was appalled.

[The power of ‘Lightning’ slumbering inside the Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone will run rampant soon.]

“H-how?!”

Anton realized that they had given them a glimmer of hope just so they could trample on them once again. Perhaps they had already broken this stone. Maybe even the recipe had been included in their sinister plans. Yes, in the first place, these things were already in the palm of their hands.

[The power of Lightning is about to go berserk.]

[Lightning strikes will fall upon everyone associated with cooking in the kingdom.]

[The being sealed within the Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone will also be extinguished once all of the people related to cooking in the kingdom have been eradicated!]

Crackle, crackle, crackle!

Sparks appeared and made the entire castle shake and tremble.

At that moment, a voice rang from within the stone.

[Everyone... run...!]

It was the voice of the Guardian Deity. It seemed like the deity was desperately trying to stop the berserk power. The deity did not want to see the people of the kingdom disappear just like that.

[In three seconds, the power of the Ten Thousand Lightning will fall upon you!]

[The only way to stop the descent of the Ten Thousand Lightning is for someone to be acknowledged by the stone.]

[Be acknowledged and calm the Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone.]

Rumble!

The sky darkened above the entire Gorodis Kingdom. If the Ten Thousand Lightning fell, its power alone would instantly kill the hundreds of thousands of people who worked in the kingdom's kitchens.

“Ah-aaaaaaah! Damn you, God!!!”

This was the first time that Anton had cursed them. At the same time, thunder rumbled in the sky above them.

Rumble.

[In one second...]

Everyone present felt lightheaded from the sudden turn of events.

Thump.

Then, at that moment, someone stepped forward.

Thump, thump, thump.

He walked swiftly and placed his hand on the stone emitting countless sparks. Even though the ferocious sparks of lightning were ravaging his hands, the man did not seem to be in pain. He even patted and stroked the struggling Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone, like a mother would coax and hold a child.

“You fool!” the Light Dragon Order Commander shouted, his eyes wide open in surprise.

According to the sound that they had heard earlier, nothing would change if the stone did not acknowledge anyone.

[An overwhelming power of cooking has started to drive away the dirty power injected in the Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone.]

[This overwhelming power comes solely from his cooking. Their power could not dare to fight against it.]

[Those who dared to inject the dirty power to stain the Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone tried to use the human’s greed to seduce him.]

[Despite the temptation and seduction, he remained steadfast. He did not even waver or shake!]

[The power of those who dared to inject dirty power to stain the Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone could not show its presence before him!]

Shwaaaaaa!

The power that was running rampant in the hall was sucked back inside the stone.

[The Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone has calmed down.]

A shocking sound echoed in the hall.

Meanwhile, Minhyuk continued to stroke the Guardian Deity’s Cooking Stone. Then, with a slight smile, he said, “Thank you for holding on.”