I Cook Limitlessly In a Fantasy World

'This is my main power.' Ainen grinned. 'The food I cook is the best. Now you know that the Limitless Cradle Pot method is the best for me.'

'…It's tailor-made for you. Now I feel like there is a chance for you to destroy those two forces.'

'Eh? So you didn't feel that before I showed you all my stuff?'

'Erm…t-that's not what I mean.'

'I am just pulling your leg.' Ainen laughed. 'Anyway, I just got Sand Manipulation, which is somehow related to Earth, so I guess the Geopulse Flower will indeed work as one of the core ingredients of the food dish that I will use as the catalyst.'

'Oh? It looks like this dungeon you found is pretty good to give you such rewards.' Lord Black looked around the hall, impressed.

'Dungeon? This is not a dungeon. It's… never mind. It's not important. Just know that this is a place that I can only enter if I gain a ticket for it, and time here flows differently. One hour here is one minute outside.'

Lord Black was surprised. 'I have heard of such places, but I have yet to experience one.'

Ainen smiled. 'You are now. Anyway, now that you know what skills and stuff I have, pick out something from your compedium for me. Meanwhile, I am going to train in one skill.'

Ainen took out a skill scroll from his Inventory.

[ Mark of the Hunter ]

Rank: A

Attributes: Mystic

Effect:

—> You can mark a target within your vision at the cost of 50 Mana. You can see a special trail left behind by the target in the air, allowing you to chase your target. The mark will stay for 10 hours unless erased by someone who manages to detect it. The mark's obscurity depends on the user's proficiency in this skill.

—> The first attack that the marked target takes from you after getting marked deals 20% more damage.

[This is a trial-based skill. To learn it, you have to complete a trial. If you fail, the scroll will be destroyed.]

'This is a bit familiar,' Lord Black said as he read the scroll's details. 'It's similar to the legacy trials and some opportunities given to Adventurers by big forces to learn skills.'

Ainen smiled. 'I'll go and get this skill.'

…

The trial was about hitting targets with long-range attacks. He could use a bow or his own spells.

There was a range limit, so he had to stay at a certain distance and get bullseyes every time without making a single mistake.

There was no average, high, or perfect score.

There was just one result required to get the skill: No second tries. First shot, bullseye.

If he missed even one, it would be over.

'A spell won't be enough. I want precision — and style.'

He raised his hand. Mana surged from his Pot, molten and heavy, spinning like molten syrup before stretching, shaping, and hardening into something long and curved.

A bow.

He didn't want to use the Silverend Twilight Bow.

Ainen felt he could make a better bow with his Fire Manipulation.

The fire behaved as he willed, and so, he cooked a monstrosity he could wield flawlessly, in his style.

Its limbs were forged of flame so condensed they gleamed like polished crimson steel. Golden runes crawled across its surface, forming an elegant, pulsating design that almost looked alive. Its string was a thread of white fire, humming softly like a lute's highest note.

He tried using some sand, and it strangely turned into glass. Of course, he didn't use much of it, and only used it to enhance the bow's look since he didn't have much mastery of it yet.

But as far as this bow went, Ainen was satisfied.

'Perfect.'

His idea was shaping into reality.

This bow didn't work on the same principle as other bows.

He pulled the string back, and instead of conjuring an arrow, he compressed a single bead of fire between his fingers until it turned into a razor-sharp arrow projectile, glowing white-hot, compressing fire energy at the back part.

After Ainen conjured this arrow, he let go of the bow as it floated while holding the arrow on its own.

This bow wasn't about pulling hard and shooting.

Ainen cracked his neck and stretched his arms.

Swirl!

Bam!

He spun with a Jet Blaze from his palm, gathering force before slapping the arrow with his full power.

BOOM!!

'It rang!

A loud explosion rang as the arrow blasted off straight, tearing through the air before striking straight on the bullseye of a target 100 meters away, before exploding a big chunk of the five-meter circular target.

Ainen whistled softly at the destruction he'd just caused. This combination of his full physical power and full magic power was his new strongest long-range means. For close range, it was another combination of his physical and magical combined spell—Supernova Burst from his Tyrant Mage's Arms, where he punched with his full exertion while exploding out a condensed burst of flame.

'Heh… this feels good. Finally broke my previous strongest attack's speed limit. There's nothing else faster than this arrow in my arsenal now, and if I can do heat tracking after putting some kind of fire mark in the target…' Ainen grinned. 'For that, I need to put a bit of subtle heat mark on the target in some form. If not on their skin, then in their clothes and other places where they can't sense it.'

'And then, I would have the means to launch homing attacks.'

Ainen was thrilled at the idea.

But he felt that he would be able to create such a spell better after gaining some knowledge by learning and mastering this new skill—Mark of the Hunter.

The trial continued as now two targets appeared, both further away.

Ainen closed his eyes, while streams of Sand manifested and swirled around him.

'There's no time limit. I should get used to Sand more and improve this new spell. Let's call it Infernal Hunter Bow.'

Ten minutes later, Ainen summoned a second bow, shaping it faster this time. The first one dissolved into embers as the new one appeared — slimmer, lighter, with a more streamlined frame. The runes were sharper now, the glass inlays more refined, giving it a deadly elegance.

'An array of heat that keeps the arrow stable while aimed at the target.'

'Humu, looks good.'

He conjured another arrow, this one longer and more stable, fire compressed so tightly that its glow turned blinding white.

Swirl.

BAM!

He struck it again with a blazing palm, one by one, on both arrows.

BOOOOM!! X 2

Both arrows exploded from their bows and hit the mark in a blink.

'What speed am I hitting this with?! Is it Mach 4 or 5?'

The arrow didn't just pierce the bullseye — it exploded the entire target into molten fragments that rained down like fiery petals.

More precise, more focused power!

'I can make different types of arrows!'

And so, Ainen continued the trial, lost in the thrill of magic craft while hitting bullseyes.

The challenges got tougher as the targets were further away and even moving eccentrically.

But that just fueled the thrill and creativity of Ainen.

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, two hours had gone by.

Ainen took his time, but he finally completed the trial.

He also progressed his proficiency in Sand Manipulation to 38%.

'Congratulations. That was wonderful. You have a great aptitude for magic in general. You are what people call a one in a million prodigy.'

Ainen chuckled. 'Thanks. Well, cooking with these magic powers I got and growing stronger fills something in me, and it feels amazing.'

'I can relate to that, hahaha!' Lord Black laughed. 'Your words reminded me of my days when I was alive.'

'Anyhow, you are done, and I am also done.' Lord Black added. 'I have chosen some solid skills that can boost your combat arsenal.'

'Great. Let's practice. We got roughly five hours in the tower now.'