Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 753: The Life Elixir

The first, second, and third most-searched terms on all of the portal sites in the world were related to the Food God. He had basically dominated all internet traffic.

[1. One Shot, One Kill.]

[2. Food God’s Swordsmanship.]

[3. Fabian.]

‘One shot, one kill’ meant that one had killed their enemy in one attack, a feat that was only possible if there was a huge difference in levels.

[Fabian is at Level 599. His total HP, an accumulation of the HP he received during level ups and the increase with his countless titles, must be incredibly high. But…]

[I know, right. But with just one shot…?]

[Wow. This is crazy.]

[What the hell is Food God’s Swordsmanship? Isn’t Minhyuk using Ellie’s Swordsmanship?]

That was right. Minhyuk, during his early days in Athenae, had always used the swordsmanship that he learned from Ellie.

[I haven’t seen him use Ellie’s Swordsmanship recently.]

[That’s right. As his level increased, the frequency at which he used Ellie’s Swordsmanship decreased.]

All of the players knew that it was inevitable. It was a cause of concern for the public. After all, the Food God was a non-combat class. Combat classes could acquire additional alternative skills whenever they leveled up. Conversely, Minhyuk would not be able to acquire those combat skills, and instead only gain skills related to cooking. In other words, he would end up lagging behind his peers.

However, Minhyuk’s Food God’s Swordsmanship’s ‘Sword of Carnage’ was able to force Fabian to log out. Because of that, the people could not help but to pay huge attention to the Food God’s Swordsmanship.

[Aren’t swordsmanship divided into several chapters?]

Swordsmanship, unlike other skills, was usually divided into several chapters. Hence, one could display and use several skills within a swordsmanship skill.

[Wow. But to tell you the truth, I never expected that he would be able to one shot, one kill Fabian…]

[Is this even realistically possible…? No matter how strong the skill is, Fabian is still second in the rankings.]

Just like what the other players were saying, it should be impossible for most high level players to one shot their opponents who were on a similar level. However, the Sword of Carnage sent 38 sword attacks with 2,000% additional damage toward the enemy. There was also the part where it could ignore defense.

[Fabian, although he was ranked first in the global rankings before, is known for being a beggar.]

Fabian was known for not having any ‘God-rank’ artifacts among all of his equipment. People estimated that the man had at most three legendary rank artifacts. This just meant that Fabian’s gamer luck was extremely bad.

There was also Minhyuk’s title, ‘Pioneer’, which had great effects.

(Pioneer)

Unique Title

Requirements: The very first to achieve Level 600.

Title Effects:

?A 20% increase in your equipped weapon’s basic attack and skill attack.

?A +1 in skill levels of all skills in your possession.

?Whenever a surprising achievement is gained, special rewards and world messages can be obtained.

Because of the Pioneer’s +1 in skill level and +20% in equipped weapon’s basic attack, the Sword of Carnage could exert even more power.

Minhyuk slowly walked back to the place where Fabian had died. It seemed like he had left behind a ring and some gold.

[You have acquired 121 platinum.]

[You have acquired the Ring of Growth.]

Upon checking the item, Minhyuk found out that it was an item that could permanently increase one’s EXP acquisition rate by 10%. It was an item that was very useful to him. But then, at that moment, something very unexpected happened.

***

The entire world turned red as strong waves appeared in the sea and lightning fell down on the ground.

Vwoooooooooooooong—

A strong and powerful storm engulfed all of Athenae.

[The Greatest God is furious at what the ugliest gods had done. Strong waves rose from the sea and lightning bolts fell down from the sky with her wrath.]

“…?!”

“What, what’s happening?!”

The players, shocked by the sudden turn of events, could only wonder about what was happening.

[The Greatest God purges the gods, who had taken away a man’s freedom by trapping and inflicting eternal pain on him because they were jealous of his talents.]

Crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle—

Everyone in Athenae, including both players and NPCs, turned to look at the howling skies.

“Keuaaaaaaaaaack!”

“A, aaaaaaaaack!”

“Motheeeeeeer!”

“F, forgive… aaaaaack!”

Screams and shrieks rang loudly in the skies above them.

Craaaaaaack—

Craaack—

Crack—

[The ones that followed the Greatest God took their swords and attacked those gods, stabbing them in the neck and filling the Land of the Gods with their screams.]

“…”

“…”

Many held their breaths as the wrath of the Greatest God Athenae unfolded, along with the purge of the gods.

Of course, what followed next was the question, ‘Who was the person that incurred the jealousy of the gods and was trapped by them?’

[The Greatest God looks sadly at the man as he walks silently on his own path.]

[The Greatest God returns the memories and the history of the man, stolen and sealed by the gods.]

At the same time, the name of the man appeared in the minds of the people from all over the world. Most of the people that knew of the man were either almost a hundred years old or over a hundred years old.

Athenae had hundreds of millions of people all over the world. There would certainly be a lot of people that were over a hundred years in age. Some of them had lived longer because they were strong and powerful legends, while some lived longer than the others because they had long lifespans.

An old woman, who was sitting on her rocking chair, looked at her young granddaughter and began to tell a tale, speaking as if she was reading from a fairy tale book. “A long, long time ago, there was a man that was so talented in alchemy that the gods grew jealous of him. The man had a beautiful wife that was pregnant with their child. For the sake of his wife, who was weak in nature, the man climbed mountains and crossed seas just so he could make a potion that could cure and revive even those that died.”

Many people from all over the world began to remember the man.

***

In a bar.

A hundred-year-old man that had lost all of his teeth drank some black lager and told the story of the man, as if he was speaking about a hero’s story in the past.

“He finally completed it! The best potion in existence, a potion that can revive even the dead! But what did he get in return for this feat?! The gods grew jealous of him! They threw him in a prison and gave him eternal life, so that he would not die and suffer for all eternity. He has been living in pain and suffering!!!”

In a small village somewhere.

“Around a hundred years ago, a huge epidemic broke out in our village. More than 2,000 people suffered and died. However, a man, who said that he was trying to make a potion for his wife, appeared and made a medicine that cured the epidemic for us.”

The legend in a small village that had disappeared before, finally resurfaced. The statue of the man once toppled over by the gods was rebuilt.

The young girl, who was listening to her grandmother tell a fairy tale-like story, asked, “What’s the name of the man?”

The people listening to the story inside the Black Lager Pub gathered around and asked, “Old man, what’s the man’s name?!”

And the villagers, who escaped the epidemic, moved to confirm the name written beneath the statue.

“Mandala. His name is Mandala.” The old lady smiled at her granddaughter.

The old man drinking black lager slammed his mug down on the table. “The Legendary Alchemist, Mandala.”

As for the villagers, this was the name that greeted them: ‘Our Hero, Mandala.’

All of the villagers bowed their heads and expressed their gratitude.

Meanwhile, in places all over the world, praises of Mandala began to ring out.

“Mandala. His talent in alchemy is second to none in this world,” someone said.

“Aaaaaah~ Mandala~ The man that incurred the envy of the gods~”

That was not all, the name of this legend was also engraved in the hearts of all those that studied and practiced alchemy.

[The Greatest God watched the man as he walked away after gaining his freedom.]

[After being imprisoned for the longest time, Mandala finally became free.]

[The Greatest God looked at his lonely figure and spoke to him…]

[Child.]

Everyone held their breaths as Athenae’s ethereal voice rang in their ears.

[Do you resent them?]

“…”

“…”

Everyone was rendered speechless as the world message, which had been ringing non-stop in their ears, explained Mandala’s situation.

Although he successfully created the elixir, Mandala still failed to hand it over to his wife. He had been dragged away and imprisoned by the gods, suffering for a long time. When he finally broke free, what greeted him was his wife’s cold grave.

Clench—

“These bastards!!!”

“How could they do that?!!!”

“Mandala, it’s fine to be mad! You deserve to be angry!!!”

“Gods!!! How can you treat us humans like bugs!!!”

Many fully understood Mandala and his feelings. Then, Mandala’s voice rang in their ears.

[I resent them.]

Not long after, Athenae’s voice rang once again.

[There are some that I haven’t purged yet. I will give you the power to do as you please with them, kill them if you may.]

Vwoooooooooooooong—!

The wind blew even harder, sweeping across the entire world of Athenae. Then, a startling notification rang in everyone’s ears.

[Mandala is turning into the Evil Incarnate.]

[There is a high chance that Mandala, who will turn into the Evil Incarnate, will go berserk.]

Both players and NPCs alike felt fear. They knew that Mandala was very pitiful. However, they did not know what would happen if Mandala went berserk.

One after another, the people caught sight of Mandala walking silently by himself as a black pillar of light fell down from the sky and engulfed his entire figure.

Black wings like that of the demons sprouted from behind Mandala’s back. Through it all, Mandala kept on walking, as if he already had a destination in mind. The trees started to wither and dry as life was sucked out of the places that Mandala passed by. Even the verdant grass turned gray and crumbled into pieces. Mandala, the man that had traversed the world for the sake of his wife, was slowly transforming into the Evil Incarnate.

Someone, who was watching him walk like that, murmured, “If he continues on that path, then…?”

“Isn’t that the path toward the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom?”

***

The power that God Athenae had given Mandala was surging in his veins. The black pillar that fell down from the sky struck his body and tried to transform him and make him into the Evil Incarnate. Even so, Mandala just continued to walk silently.

Did he resent them? Yes, of course. After all, they deprived him of witnessing even the end of his wife’s life. Did he want to take revenge on them? That was right. Mandala wanted to wring the necks of the gods that forced him in this situation.

As he continued to walk, a huge wall appeared in his sight. Mandala looked up at the sky bitterly and said, “But you know…” a teary smile flashed on his face. “My wife is a good person.”

[…]

“My daughter, Leny, had grown up so beautifully and brilliantly, living her own version of a happily ever after.”

].

[…]

“They wouldn’t want me to become like this.”

Shwaaaaaaaaaa—

The black demon-like wings that sprouted on Mandala’s back slowly disappeared as the black pillars of light that fell from the sky scattered into nothingness.

Thud, thud, thud, thud—

As he continued on his path, Mandala’s eyes caught sight of someone. There were countless BJs and broadcasting stations officials around this individual, who smiled quietly as he watched Mandala approach him.

Seeing that smile, the Greatest God felt an indescribable emotion well up in her chest.

[Athenae delivers the voice of Mandala, who has given up on becoming the Evil Incarnate!]

[I have nowhere to go now.]

The faint smile on the man’s face remained as Mandala continued to approach him.

[Whenever I think about where I should go, you are the only thing that comes to mind. Now, I’m…]

[I just want to laugh, cry and grow old.]

Mandala arrived in front of the man. This time, a pillar of white light fell down on his body from the sky above.

Shwaaaaaaaaaaa—

When the pillar of light disappeared, Mandala’s appearance had already changed. His ragged clothes had turned into a beautiful white robe, and even his hair had been brushed up while his scruffy face had been tidied up. Then, the symbol of a ‘fork and knife’ crossed together appeared on the back of his robe.

[I want to stay here by your side.]

The man stepped closer to Mandala after hearing those words. Immediately after that, a new world message rang in the world.

[Mandala, who was turning into the Evil Incarnate, refused to become the Incarnate with his own power.]

[The Greatest God has bestowed the position of ‘God of Alchemy’ to the qualified one!]

[Mandala has become the God of Alchemy!]

The man standing in front of the new God of Alchemy was none other than Minhyuk. With a warm and gentle gaze, Minhyuk smiled brightly and said, “Welcome, Mandala.”