Leveling Up through Eating

Chapter 287: Dangerous Company

Translator: ChubbyCheeks

PR: MattForgenti

79 Dangerous Company

Team Leader Park Minggyu couldn’t help but flick his finger. He stared at Great Thief Elion and User Minhyuk who had reached the 40th floor.

“C, crazy……!”

“What’s the matter?”

Everyone turned their attention to Team Leader Park.

“All of User Minhyuk’s plans are being enacted right now.”

“What are you saying?”

“Huh?”

Manager Kim Daesik, President Kang Taehoon and Lee Minhwa focused on his words.

“User Minhyuk knew most of the information about the tower up to the 50th floor. Even the 40th floor.”

“That’s right.”

“Yeah. It’s thanks to Aruven and the bet he made with Roven, the tower’s architect.”

“So User Minhyuk knew that the 40th floor needed a chef.”

All of them nodded their heads in agreement.

“And he knows that he’s the one who’s most likely to be able to meet the conditions for that floor. So Callauhel would be placed in a situation where he had to choose. He would either take his time to find another user or just cast his net to User Minhyuk. But both choices are close to impossible.”

Team Leader Park gulped his saliva to moisten his throat before continuing his words.

“User Minhyuk has accelerated his pace in climbing the tower. This was so he could put pressure on Callauhel. If you don’t hurry up and clear it then I’ll be there in no time or something like that. Of course, teaming up together is impossible since the two are hostile against each other. Now, Callauhel’s position was simple.”

“……?”

“Break the trial with User Minhyuk’s help by all means necessary.”

President Kang Taehoon’s eyes widened in shock.

“So Great Thief Elion has to create a quest for that?”

“That’s right.”

Team Leader Park gulped again before continuing once more.

“User Minhyuk will receive a quest from Great Thief Elion. And Callauhel will pretend to be an NPC to lead Minhyuk. And User Minhyuk is most definitely sharpening his blade while pretending to be fooled.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

All of them were left speechless. It was a ridiculously impossible plan. First of all, Minhyuk did not know of the existence of Great Thief Elion. However, he knew that Callauhel would make a move to use him in any way possible. In other words, he was reversing their roles.

“H, he’s going to do…… that plan?”

Manager Kim Daesik still couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe that Minhyuk intentionally fell for their plan as he prepared to give them a big shock. It was like everything was on the palm of his hands.

Team Leader Park Minggyu’s eyes returned back to the monitor. He took in a breath before speaking again.

“I’m sure of one thing. If User Minhyuk is not obsessed with food and he plays like a regular player……”

For a moment, goosebumps rose all over Team Leader Park’s body.

“And if he had a regular job class…… Then, that user would have been in the top ten of the world’s ranking”

***

There was a reason why Minhyuk could easily tell their plans as soon as an old man showed up in front of him. It was because he knew a lot about the 40th floor.

The 40th floor was the floor where ‘King Arthur’ appeared. And he knew that King Arthur would give a quest that would require the strength of a few vassals and users. According to Aruvel, the 40th floor was also unlike other floors in a way that it could be climbed without clearing the floor.

But an old man greeted him as soon as he climbed to the 40th floor. He was obviously not King Arthur. Then, the man said……

“You’re really amazing for climbing the 40th floor. My name is Bero. Can you listen to my story?”

The old man continued to talk.

“A long time ago, I lost my beloved to the being called ‘Sly Devil Diablo’. So I chased him with my colleagues. But killing him was not an easy task because that bastard hid at the last trial in this place. And one would need the power of an excellent chef to clear the trials. I need the chef’s cooking to lure and tempt the monster in the sixth trial and get a piece of the broken blade. Can you do it for me?”

Then, a notification rang at that moment.

Ring!

[The quest that will be created will change depending on the user’s job class.]

[Chef Class Quest: The man who had lost his family to the Sly Devil, Old Man Bero’s Request.]

Rank: SS

Restrictions: The person who has reached the 40th floor.

Rewards: Bero’s Treasure

Penalty for Failure: Drop in Bero’s favorability.

Description: Old Man Bero had lost his family to the Sly Devil Diablo a long time ago. Known as one of the Strongest Men of the continent, he arrived here with his colleagues. However, he has yet to pass and overcome the sixth trial that required a chef’s expertise. Help him break through the sixth trial and hand him the piece of the broken blade!

‘Hoho. Quite surprising.’

Minhyuk was quite surprised.

He can create a quest window?

He thought that the old man was someone who had drunk something like the doppelganger’s potion. However, he could now tell what the skill of the person in front of him was.

‘So this person has this ability……’

It was a mysterious ability. But there was one thing that he was sure of. He was Callauhel’s man. If Minhyuk did not know Aruvel and he was unaware of the tower’s information, the chances of him being fooled were high.

But Callauhel did not know that Minhyuk had the tower’s information up to the 50th floor. So in fact, the person that was being fooled right now was Callauhel and not him.

“I understand.”

When Minhyuk accepted the quest, the old man smiled kindly at him.

“Come here. I will introduce you to my friends.”

Bero led Minhyuk to where the six people were gathered.

‘One of these people is Callauhel.’

He could not see Callauhel’s figure anywhere. In fact, all six of them that were standing at the place where Bero guided Minhyuk were people that he had never seen in Athenae.

‘They all changed their faces and pretended to be NPCs.’

“Nice to meet you. I’m the Taming Princess, Roney.”

“Yes. Hello. I’m Minhyuk.”

Minhyuk shook hands with them one by one.

“Can a rookie like this cook the dish that we need?”

The man openly mocked Minhyuk. He looked like he was a warrior class user with his bulging muscles and intimidating appearance.

‘Are you going to play the undesirable NPC?’

Quite a few of the NPCs, especially those who exert great power in their respective Empires, often ignored users.

“Hehe. Even if I look like this, just one of my dishes will end it all.”

Then, Minhyuk said hello to the last person.

Then, at that moment……

[The Royal Class ‘Dragon Monarch’ has been born to the world.]

[May the birth of the first Royal Class be filled with blessings.]

The face of the man in front of him began to distort rapidly at the same time the notifications sounded.

Minhyuk could tell just by looking at him.

‘There’s a good chance that this bastard is challenging the Royal Class too. And clearing the 40th floor is his transferring process.’

In other words, the man in front of him was Callauhel. However, the man in front of him quickly erased his raging emotions as he spoke.

“Black Monarch. Orden.”

“Food God. Minhyuk.”

The two shook hands. This was the first meeting between Callauhel and Minhyuk.

***

Ten minutes ago.

Black Dragon was told by the Dragon Knight that Krakana of the Destruction was located on the 16th floor of Demon World’s Tower. And finally, he was now facing Krakana of the Destruction. Next to Krakana of the Destruction was the Demon Sorcerer that injected him with magi and made him go crazy.

“Because of you, I couldn’t make him mine! If I make you disappear, then Krakana of the Destruction will completely become my dragon!”

The Demon Sorcerer shouted loudly at him. And Krakana also roared with him.

“Kiyeeeeeeeek!”

[Krakana of the Destruction has been under the influence of the Demon Sorcerer for quite a long time.]

[Based on his explosive state, Krakana of the Destruction’s abilities and skills has been increased by 1.6x.]

[You should either cure or make Krakana of the Destruction submit to you.]

[To become the Dragon’s Monarch, you must be able to ‘communicate’ sincerely.]

[We hope that you can communicate your sincerity with Krakana of the Destruction.]

Krakana of the Destruction was a huge dragon with reddish scales covering his entire body. Then, he flew high up in the sky as he opened his mouth.

“Kyaaahaaaaaack!”

[Destruction Dragon’s Breath.]

[You will receive an additional 300% damage as soon as the attack hits you.]

Shwaaaaaaaak―

A strange sense of death suddenly appeared in Black Dragon’s head when he saw the breath that was rushing at him.

Flap―

With a loud sound, black wings spread out from his back. It was none other than Poison Dragon.

[Poison Dragon’s Wings.]

[At the moment of danger, he will spread his wings to protect you. He will also shoot ‘Dragon Plumes’ and randomly target your enemies with poison.]

Fwoosh, fwoosh―

Black Dragon flew as high as he could. Then, a square shield made out of bones appeared in front of him.

Bang―

The square shield collided strongly with the incoming Breath.

“Keuheop!”

Black Dragon groaned from the powerful impact of the shockwave and fell from the height he was staying at.

Crack, crack, crack, crack―

Cracking sounds suddenly echoed from the bone shield as Krakana of the Destruction slammed against Black Dragon.

Bang―

Smoke engulfed the huge area.

“Kyahahahahaha!”

The Demon Sorcerer laughed loudly.

But then……

Shwaaaaaak―

As the dust cleared, the man that dared challenge him appeared. And in his hands was a red spear that looked like it was made of bones. It was Britney’s ‘Dragon’s Tear Sword’ which turned into ‘Blood’s Tear Spear’. There was also a huge pair of wings that protected Black Dragon from the attack.

Flash―

Black Dragon’s wings spread out as he began to fly.

“Graaaaack!”

Krakana of the Destruction opened his huge mouth to bite on Black Dragon.

Bang―

Black Dragon successfully escaped letting the fierce dragon bite on empty air. Then, Black Dragon opened his mouth to speak to him.

“I’m not going to fight you.”

“Fufufufufufu. I don’t know if you can survive then.”

The Demon Sorcerer laughed wickedly.

But Black Dragon just tried to have a ‘dialogue’ with Krakana. He spoke of words that he believed would heal and cure him. His words were filled with sincerity!

“You’ll be with your siblings. And you, me, and the other dragons will defeat the evil of this world together! We will become the justice of this world!!!”

At the same time, Ruslein, the sorcerer, got goosebumps from the words that he heard.

‘What a cringey line……!’

The Dragon of Destruction, Krakana, was known to be the most brutal and violent among all four of the legendary dragons. No one could tame him at all. This was also the reason why the sorcerer couldn’t tame him despite injecting him with magi for quite a long time. However, he thought that it would be different if the owner that Krakana had been waiting for suddenly came. But now……

“How can you say that to win Krakana’s favor!”

Demon Ruslein truly laughed at him from the bottom of his heart. He couldn’t believe that the man in front of him would use such a cringey line to win the favor of such a brutal dragon.

However……

[Krakana of the Destruction’s explosive state has calmed down. He is now beginning to heal.]

The Demon Sorcerer couldn’t help but tilt his head in confusion.

***