I Cook Limitlessly In a Fantasy World

"I guess there's only one way to go about this, Diana," Naresh said. "The two of us can fight, and the winner will take it."

"Or we can let one of our party members fight." Diana smiled. "This is a Tier-2 resource of Fire-attribute, and we both are planning to give it to our Awakened-rank party member who has the Fire manipulation skill. So, the better one among them deserves this fruit."

Naresh looked at the black-haired young man at his party, who was in his early twenties. "What do you say, Henil?"

"I'll handle it, boss! That fruit's mine." Henil thumped his chest with a loud smack, then shot a grin at the orange-haired girl from the rival party, a grin that practically shouted, Watch me beat you.

"Sirika, the stage is yours." Diana smiled at the orange-haired girl.

"I'll wipe out that stupid grin of his," Sirika mumbled.

Naresh waved his hand as a stream of Earth energy manifested.

Both parties moved and made space between them as a 30-meter radius platform formed.

"This should be big enough."

"Yeah. Let's finish this fast before other people find this."

Just as Henil and Sirika got on the platform, Diana and Naresh shifted their heads in the same direction simultaneously.

"Wait."

"Someone's here."

The adventurers became alert, their weapons flickering.

"Umm, sorry to disturb you, but can I also participate in this?" Ainen asked while wryly smiling as he walked into the grove. "I also want that fruit."

Looking at Ainen, everyone blinked twice.

'An Awakened-rank?' Naresh raised his eyebrows, and his eyes soon shifted to Ainen's outfit.

'Doesn't have a catalyst yet, eh?' Diana narrowed her eyes, sizing up Ainen. 'But that outfit…strange, how strange.'

"Are you stupid?" Henil snorted. "This is what we found, so it belongs to us, and will go to one of our parties. You can't participate."

"That's right. It looks like you lack common sense." Sirika rolled her eyes.

Ainen coughed and awkwardly smiled. "Well, how about I offer to make food for you? After that, you can decide whether I can participate or not. I really need that fruit to make a catalyst for my Magic Core."

"Huh?"

Everyone was confused.

Food? What the hell.

"You think we'll agree after eating your food? Pff..."

Some of them couldn't help but laugh at such a foolish proposal.

"My food is very tasty, and it also gives good buffs." Ainen smiled. "Because my awakened class is Mystic Chef."

"A Chef class?"

"Why would you want a chef as your class?"

"Looks like you want to cook food in your life."

"With that as your class, how can you even win against those two?"

Diana and Naresh looked at each other and nodded.

"What's your name?" Diana asked.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Chef Ainen. Nice to meet you all."

"You don't even have a complete Magic Core yet," Naresh said. "It's clear you recently broke through, so your level must be low."

"Yes. I am just level 51," Ainen said with a chuckle. "I haven't killed any monsters yet after breaking through, but I am planning to hunt here and get strong before visiting Lainark Town."

"So you are indeed from another place since we haven't seen you in Lainark Town's Adventurer's Guild before. That said, where did you buy that outfit? Looks expensive," Diana asked with a smile.

"It was a gift," Ainen answered with a smile.

"That outfit is very strong," Naresh said. "You cannot use it in the fight. If you agree to that, you can participate."

"What? For real, boss?" Henil pulled a face.

"Of course, we didn't say it would be for free." Diana smiled. "This is what we found, so it belongs to us. If you want to vie for it, you have to pay a price."

Ainen blinked. "My food is really good…"

"..."

"Nobody wants your food, so shut up." Sirika rolled her eyes.

'Should I tell them it can increase stats too?' Ainen thought. 'Well, let's hear their price first.'

"Okay. What's the price I have to pay?"

"Ten high-grade Mana Stones or one thousand median-grade Mana Stones," Naresh said, his eyes glinting. "This type of resource with highly concentrated elements is rare, so its price can reach that number."

'They are fooling you, or rather testing you.' Lord Black's voice rang in Ainen's head.

'Oh? Is the price too high?'

'It's utterly absurd. This is a Tier-2 resource, so its general value is in low-grade Mana Stones. Using Median-grade Mana Stones to pay for it is considered generous, and using High-grade Mana Stones to buy it is considered foolishness. You can buy a hundred of those with ten High-grade Mana stones.'

'What?!' Ainen was dumbfounded. 'High-grade Mana Stones are that rare?'

'Not rare, but more valuable. High-grade Mana Stones are only used by people of Lord and King life-ranks, and are for Tier-5 and Tier-6 items and resources.'

"Why do you think I would have such a large amount of Mana Stones?" Ainen wryly smiled as he looked at Naresh.

"He is just pulling your leg, Ainen." Diana chuckled. "Well, we'll still ask for the price, and it's 1000 low-grade Mana Stones."

'That's fair, I suppose.' Lord Black said. 'It's basically the price of this resource, so they are profiting a lot if you lose after participating.'

'Will I lose?'

'Nope.'

'Great.'

"Can I pay later? I don't have Mana Stones on me, right?" Ainen wryly smiled. "Of course, my food-"

"Enough about food. If you can't pay, get lost. Or you can also give that outfit," Naresh indifferently said.

"…umm, but I need that."

"Sorry, boy. But that's how this works," Diana said. "Pay now or leave. We are wasting our time now."

'Master, screw them. Let's get the fruit. It's ripened now.'

'Yes, Master. We will use our full power and freeze those two and bind others.'

'They won't see us coming. You can take the fruit and escape.'

Saffa, Clovelle, and even usually calm Fraisea sounded angry.

'How dare they reject Master's divine food?! They deserve to die!'

'Seriously. They are brainless fellows.'

Ainen wryly smiled, his eyes sharpening. 'It's dangerous, but I trust you three. Let's get it.'

'Be careful.'

He walked forward.

Immediatly, Diana and Naresh also drew their weapon from their storage rings, pointing at him.

"Bastard, are you courting death?" Henil sneered.

"Since this is a jungle, if I can take that fruit on my own, you won't hold it against me, right?" Ainen smiled as a faint veil with flaming sparks flickered around him.

Diana and Naresh narrowed their eyes, a powerful aura oozing from them as Ainen couldn't help but feel goosebumps.

'Humph.' Saffa snorted. 'Let's start, sisters.'