Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 600: First Teacher, First Friend

Minhyuk turned to look back at the last sentence on Valen’s final diary entry, ‘Instructor…’

Instructor Valen was both a teacher and a friend. He was the very first person that Minhyuk met and interacted with in Athenae. Minhyuk, who had suffered from eating addiction, was facing depression and social phobia, refusing to meet people and having no friends. In fact, he had already started to lose his will to live. During the darkest time of his life, Valen appeared. Valen was like the oasis that Minhyuk found in the middle of the desert. A man that cared for and treasured Minhyuk as if he was his own son.

Vwoooooooooong—

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaang—

Then, a figure slowly fell from the skies. Minhyuk immediately dashed forward to catch the figure. The figure was none other than Valen. He looked completely miserable, his entire body burned to a crisp.

“Ugh…”

“…!”

Minhyuk felt immense relief. Valen was not yet dead! He was still breathing and living! However, his breath was so weak that Minhyuk felt that the man would die soon. At the same time…

“That was dangerous,” a bone-chilling voice rang out.

Everyone present raised their heads and turned toward the direction of the sound. There, they saw Elizabeth, who had already regenerated half of her body that had been blown away.

“He should know. He should know that something like this could not kill me,” Elizabeth said, completely happy at the turn of events, “I temporarily stopped the draining process of his divine power so he would not die.”

Would Elizabeth do something like that for someone else? Ordinarily, the answer would of course be a resounding no. She smiled creepily and said, “This way, you will be able to see everything that you tried to protect fall apart and die, you know? Kyahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!”

Minhyuk gritted his teeth. She had only kept Valen alive so she could see him fall into despair until his death. Minhyuk could tell that if Valen continued to remain in this state, he would truly die.

At that moment, Richard hugged Minhyuk, who was holding on to Valen, tightly.

“Athenae’s Barrier!” Loyna shouted as her power surged out and created a huge barrier that enveloped them.

“Minhyuk, don’t forget what you have to do right now!” Richard shouted but the words did not register in Minhyuk’s ears.

If somebody else was in his position, it would also be difficult for them to find any semblance of reason. Minhyuk’s job was obviously to cook for Richard so that his Absolute Monarch’s Stigma could show its full potential.

‘Maybe I can make something to save Instructor Valen.’

But Minhyuk’s head was currently only filled with thoughts of Valen. Yes, Minhyuk believed that he should cook for Valen.

At that moment, Valen, whose breathing was growing weaker by the second, touched Minhyuk’s hand. Tears immediately gushed out of Minhyuk’s eyes when he saw Valen smiling weakly and shaking his head. Minhyuk hugged Valen tightly as the man called out his name, “Minhyuk…”

“Yes, Instructor?”

“Don’t lose your majesty as the king.”

“…”

Minhyuk actually did not care for that title right now. He would rather give up that title and choose to save Valen right here and now. But Valen squeezed the last of his strength and stroked Minhyuk’s head while saying, “I’ll give you a present.”

Shwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—

At the same time, Valen’s soul left his body and flew rapidly to someplace else.

***

Elizabeth realized that her enemies’ were far more formidable than she initially thought. But playtime was over. Elizabeth breathed deeply as her form started to change.

[Elizabeth is transforming into her original body!]

[Elizabeth, who has transformed into her original body, will be 1.4x stronger than normal!]

The process of Elizabeth’s transformation into her original body was gruesome. Her tongue split apart as she hissed while her bottom half turned completely into that of a snake.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaack!”

[Elizabeth has started to take control of the system!]

[All of your skills will not be available for five minutes!]

“…!”

“…!”

The close combat fighters immediately took advantage of the gap that the transformation had given them. Overlord Raldo, Sword Emperor Ellie, Spear God Ben and Beyond the Heavens’ Shield Elpis all leapt to the skies and surrounded Elizabeth. They certainly looked awe-inspiring.

Shwaaaaaaaa—

But then, hundreds of gigantic snakes stretched out and attacked them. Spear God Ben pierced through several snakes at once.

Slaaaaaaaaash—

A snake, which tried to take advantage of Spear God Ben’s inattentiveness, was split in two with Sword Emperor Ellie’s skillful display of swordsmanship.

“Weak humans,” Elizabeth sneered at them as the gigantic snakes writhed more fiercely and attacked them more violently.

Elli stepped on one of the snakes and leapt toward Elizabeth, her sword stabbing the middle of Elizabeth’s forehead with precise movements.

Staaaaaab—

“Ugh!”

“…!”

“…!”

[The world’s best NPCs have started a pincer attack and closed in on Elizabeth.]

[Did you see that? Their combined force is completely out of this world. Look at their movements? Their control is superb even in a situation where all of their skills have been disabled.]

After stabbing Elizabeth’s forehead, Ellie once again leapt to the skies. Elizabeth’s gaze immediately followed the figure of the daring human that stabbed her forehead. However, Spear God Ben did not give her any room to breathe. He immediately stabbed her chest with his spear.

Stab—

Stab, stab, stab, stab—

“Kyaaaaaaaaack!”

As Elizabeth tried to grab the spear stuck in her chest, Raldo moved forward and stabbed her flanks dozens of times in a row.

Stab, stab, stab, stab, stab, stab, stab, stab—

“Kiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!”

Elpis’ sword struck Elizabeth’s head consecutively.

Slaaaaaaaaaash—

A sword stuck through half of her head, the Spear God’s spear was stuck in her chest, the Overlord stabbing her sides, and even Elpis was about to split her head in half with his sword. The sight was grotesque. But despite the gruesome attacks that landed on her body…

“Kyahahahahahahahahaha!”

Elizabeth was still laughing. Immediately after that…

“…Don’t tell me!” Raldo shouted, his senses screaming that there was danger.

Elizabeth’s head momentarily turned huge as she bit Raldo’s left shoulder.

Cruuuuuuuuunch—

“Keuaaaaaaaaack!”

It was so easy. It was as if Elizabeth bit on something soft and easy to bite.

Drip— drip, drip—

Raldo’s left arm fell down, blood dripping on the ground. Raldo, the one hailed as the Overlord, slowly fell to the ground. But something far more shocking happened.

[Elizabeth’s innate ability has been triggered.]

“So, this is your power?” Elizabeth mumbled, a smile lingering on her face. Then, she spat out, “Overlord.”

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaang—

Blazing flames burst out of her body and swept the area around her. That was right. Each of the Six Monster Gods had their own special characteristics. Elizabeth was granted the power to control the system, but that was not the ability that represented her.

As long as she took a bite of her opponent, she would be able to use her opponent’s ability once. On top of that, the power would be at MAX level. Yes, it was an overpowered ability.

They were collapsing. The greatest existences of Athenae were collapsing in front of Elizabeth one after the other.

Thud—

Thud—

Thud—

“Your Majesty…” Elpis, Beyond the Heavens’ Shield, cried out as he reached his hands toward Minhyuk. Elpis grinned softly at his king.

Splurt—

Elizabeth’s hand pierced through Elpis’ heart while he was on the ground. Taking advantage of this, Ellie, whose entire body had been charred by the flames earlier, raised her sword and stabbed Elizabeth in the neck.

Slaaaaaaaaash—

However, only a small portion of her sword pierced through Elizabeth’s neck. Elizabeth turned to look back at Ellie, her mouth forming a vicious and crazed grin, “Die.”

Splurt—

Elizabeth’s hand pierced through Ellie’s heart.

Thud—

The Absolute Supreme NPC was slowly turning into a cold corpse.

“Elpis… Noona…”

Not yet satisfied, Elizabeth ran after the Dragon King, Elf King Argon, the beastfolk Jevis and Kiari and everyone else. In the end, everyone died.

“…”

Minhyuk stopped trying to cook. All of the people that he treasured and loved were collapsing. He did not have the time to process anything.

***

Joy Co. Ltd.’s meeting room.

[Sword Emperor Ellie has died.]

[Beyond the Heavens’ Elpis has died.]

[Sword Saint Conir has died.]

[Great Demon Gremory has died.]

President Kang Taehoon was shaking all over. All of the people present could not even breathe at the horrendous sight that was being broadcasted on their screens.

Elizabeth’s awakening was not supposed to happen at this point in time. None of them could handle her. Even if it was the Absolute Supreme NPC or Demigod Ben. After all, Elizabeth was an existence that had power at the ‘Absolute God Level’. Her level? It was around Level 1,200.

But Nerva Sephiroth had awakened her.

Kang Taehoon jumped from his seat. His steps were unstable but he still ran somewhere. Team Leader Park Minggyu chased after him, “President!!! President!!!”

Although Team Leader Park got a hold of him, Kang Taehoon ignored him and shook off his hands.

‘The steadfast and firm president…’

Indeed, Kang Taehoon was no longer calm, he was falling apart. Not long after, Kang Taehoon arrived at the place where Supercomputer Athenae was located. He was gasping for breath as he shouted anxiously, “Athenae, stop Elizabeth right this moment!!!”

“President.”

President Kang Taehoon had told his employees time and again that they should not intervene in the Athenae worldview. He had always told them that it was a world that the NPCs had to lead and that their intervention would cause a collapse. But now, the very same President Kang Taehoon was shouting at Athenae to stop Elizabeth.

[I cannot do that.]

“Athenae, do not make me say it twice! Do it right now…!”

[As of this moment…]

Athenae’s voice stopped Kang Taehoon from his tracks.

[…the stars that have lost their light have awakened.]

“What?”

Both Kang Taehoon and Park Minggyu could not understand what Athenae meant. But it seemed like Park Minggyu thought of something as he rushed back to the meeting room.

“…No way,” Team Leader Park Minggyu gasped as he tried to catch his breath. He was aware that Valen’s soul left to go somewhere else. And the place that he headed to was revealed the moment Park Minggyu entered the meeting room once again.

Every single person inside the meeting room jumped to their feet and looked at the screen with bated breath. At that moment, a world message appeared on the screen and was displayed to the entire world.

[The Gods of the Abyss have awakened and opened their eyes to the world once again.]

***

Hell on earth unfolded in front of Minhyuk. The body of the powerful Sword Emperor Ellie, with her heart pierced through, was slowly turning cold. Elpis, ever so reliable, smiled gently at Minhyuk even until his death. Conir, the boy that liked to cook ramyeon, died with his neck snapped into two. The Dragon King and Elf King Argon, who ran for his sake, fell down and died on their knees. Spear God Ben, who returned for him, had died in front of the barrier that protected him with his spear stabbed on the ground and his heart burst into pieces. Almost everyone that came here for his sake had died. Even those that tried to escape were killed under the hands of Elizabeth, a mountain of corpses appearing in front of Minhyuk’s eyes.

Richard had lost all sense of reason after witnessing the pandemonium in front of him, “Uuuuuurk!”

On the other hand, Minhyuk gnashed his teeth and glared at Elizabeth.

Grit, grit, grit—

Minhyuk himself had almost lost all sense of reason, but…

‘You guys don’t want me to give up until the very end, right?’?Minhyuk asked everyone.

I am a king. I am the Food God. I am your friend.

He would fight until the very end.

Swoooooosh—

Athenae’s Barrier slowly disappeared upon Loyna’s death. Minhyuk prepared for his final battle as the barrier slowly melted and disappeared.

Shwaaaaaaaaa—

In the battlefield covered with corpses, a soul appeared right in front of Minhyuk, carrying a sword to the best of its abilities. The soul looked at Minhyuk gently and stroked his head with a grin on its face.

“You’re amazing.”

“…”

Minhyuk just looked at Valen. And Valen? He looked up at the sky and said, “Minhyuk.”

Minhyuk had always called Valen ‘Instructor’. But this time, he called him differently, “Yes, Master.”

“Become a true god today.”

Then, Valen entered Minhyuk’s body.

[You have inherited the power of the Sword God!]

[All of your swordsmanship skills have transcended the human realm and reached the level of the gods!]

[You will only be able to use the Sword God’s power temporarily!]

Then, Minhyuk followed Valen’s gaze and also looked up at the skies. There, he saw twelve floating stars. The twelve stars fell down like meteors and circled around Minhyuk. There was a very familiar man among the stars.

“Food God?”

[The Twelve Gods look at you and the Sword God.]

[You have inherited the powers of the owners of the Abyss!]

Immediately after the notifications rang, the twelve stars entered Minhyuk’s body. At the same time, Minhyuk’s hair turned golden while his eyes turned a beautiful shade of silver. Then, thirteen swords appeared right in front of Minhyuk. Written on the blades of each sword were the names of the gods that owned them.

[God of Life, Arjya.]

[God of Magic, Archipelo.]

[God of Animals, Ideo.]

[God of Alchemy, Karma.]

[God of Shield, Aurod.]

[God of Time, Card.]

[…Creation…]

[…Blacksmiths…]

And finally…

[Sword God, Valen.]

Minhyuk held one of the swords in his hand. The owner of the sword? God of Life. Arjya. Under Elizabeth’s shocked gaze, Minhyuk’s voice rang and resonated with the sacred voices of the thirteen gods. The words got transmitted to everyone, including the viewers and commentators that were watching the broadcast.

[The One that Connects the Power of the Gods has wielded the Sword of Life.]

Fwoooooooooooooooosh—

Then, Minhyuk swung the ‘first sword’.

[The tree that was once dead, has found life, growing leaves and bearing fruits again.]