How the Rank 0 Chef Survives Chapter 139: Huda-dak - Hura's Desperate Flight
Hura bolted away helter-skelter. The Sap Knight who burst out of the forest spotted him and bellowed.
"Hura! Where do you think you're running?!"
Hura yelled back as he sprinted. "I'm not running!"
"Then what the hell is it?!"
"Making a getaway!"
"......? What's the difference?!"
"What's the difference? You wouldn't even know, you promise-breaking loser shithead!"
"Wha—what...? Loser shithead?"
Molrangkau shouted at Hura's retreating back as he fled with all his might.
"Hey! Quit provoking him and just get lost already!"
"Getaway!"
"Getaway, whatever!"
The Sap Knight let out a guttural roar and burrowed into the ground.
"Huraaa! Our duel isn't over yet!"
Kwarrrrk—
A tunnel began snaking after him, stretching out in an instant.
Molrangkau said urgently, "Block that thing!"
"Don't have to tell me!"
Beda leaped high toward the path of the tunnel.
"Got it!"
He slammed his greatsword down with perfect timing and full force.
Kwaaaang—!!
A deep chasm tore open. The long tunnel snapped clean in two.
"Gack!"
The Sap Knight popped out of the ground like a mole whacked by a mallet.
His glowing pink eyes flicked once to Hura's fading figure, then to Beda.
"That familiar greeting of yours hasn't changed. I accept it graciously, Issneun Himkkeul Beda."
"Good to hear."
"I'll return the favor, so wait your turn? You're next after Hura."
"I can't let you get to Hura-nim."
Beda blocked the direction Hura had fled.
"...You wanna go at it right now?"
"I've been asked nicely, so why not."
Beda replied calmly. The Sap Knight stared at him intently.
His head tilted slightly to one side.
"...What did you just say?"
He approached Beda slowly, cocking his head and peering at his face from every angle. His pink eyes gleamed ominously.
His already battered armor was scorched black from fire, dented in places. With every movement came a screech of rusted metal and clumps of dirt crumbling off. Even his pink helmet plume and cape were half-burned away.
He looked utterly wrecked, yet somehow more dangerous—like a cornered wild beast. A sharp feral edge radiated from him, a ferocious intensity ready to erupt at any moment.
"Fight me? You, who always slithered away like an eel no matter how hard I chased? You're saying fight?"
"I was asked."
But Beda just stated it flatly. The Sap Knight took a step back.
"...I didn't know you and Hura were that close. Close enough to honor a request you hated so much."
"......"
Beda gave a wry smile. Truth be told, he had no desire to fight the Sap Knight if he could help it. The guy was a pain in the ass.
Just when you thought he'd croaked? He'd come charging back. End of the line? He'd lunge again. Surely he's really dead this time? He'd bounce back even friskier.
It was maddening. And while Beda's stamina drained with each encounter, the Sap Knight grew a little stronger every revival—like some damn cheat code.
That's why Beda had always greeted him with a smash, then bolted before he could respawn.
But after his training, he'd achieved something satisfying. He had confidence in it now—no fear of losing.
If one strike didn't kill him, just question if the strike was weak enough. If he kept reviving, then cleave him so thoroughly he never came back. With everything he had.
Beda twitched his greatsword.
"Come at me."
The Sap Knight's eyes flashed. A grin split the shadows under his helmet. He gripped his dirt-caked shovel tight.
Just as he launched toward Beda—
Molrangkau, who'd been watching quietly, cut in.
"Hey. What about me?"
He froze mid-leap. Like an arrow nocked and released from a snapped bowstring, dangling awkwardly in his hand.
"Hey, shithead. Didn't you hear? Why am I benched?"
"......"
The Sap Knight ignored her and said to Beda, "Looks like our duel will have to wait."
"Suddenly?"
"Farewell for now."
The Sap Knight planted his foot on his shovel and vaulted toward where Hura had vanished.
But Molrangkau's phoenix, waiting in the air, slammed him right back to earth.
Kwaang—!!
"...Damn it."
The Sap Knight, embedded in the ground, casually brushed off the flames crackling over him and glared at Molrangkau.
"Why interfere with me, Molrangkau?!"
"'Cause I feel like it."
"I just want to finish my duel with Hura!"
"You lost. Admit it and go home."
"No way!"
"......"
"How can I leave with this injustice?! A loss without even fighting! How can I face Jeil Hura like this?!"
"...What the hell are you babbling about?"
Molrangkau sighed at the Sap Knight, who was ranting incomprehensibly and thrashing about.
This lunatic didn't respond to words. If he did, Hura would've talked him down ages ago.
"Guess you gotta beat sense into the crazy ones."
As she muttered and began casting, Beda approached.
"How many times has that guy revived?"
"Uh... twice? Three?"
"Better end it in one go."
Molrangkau kept casting as Beda muttered. "Just keep him from burrowing. I'll handle the rest."
"What're you saying? I'll take him—you just support."
Molrangkau furrowed her brow. "Oh, really? Planning to go all day? We gotta stall till Hura's safely away—er, escaped, tie the guy up quick, and bail."
Sap hahahaha! Come on, then! I can fight all day!
Molrangkau eyed the cackling madman distastefully.
"See that? You wanna scrap with him all day?"
"I'll finish it quick. Don't worry."
"Hmph. Sure you will. Just block him from digging, like I said?"
"No."
With that, Beda charged the Sap Knight, greatsword raised.
"Damn it, for real!"
Molrangkau followed, her hands blazing red.
"Sap hahahaha! Yes! Let's play!"
And so the three high rankers clashed.
Kwaaaaang—!!
* * *
Fire-watching, fight-watching, people-watching. But hands down, the best is fight-watching.
Especially when it's high rankers in the top 10? No way you pass that up. Only a fool would.
No one here was that dense, at least.
"This is insane."
"Live-streaming this? Maybe I lived decently in my past life?"
"Popcorn, anyone?"
From users dragged here by Hura's Cooking Command, to those who couldn't resist their curiosity—despite freaking out at Molrangkau's arrival, they'd soon spread out mats and settled in to spectate.
"Ah, Hura-nim's leaving."
"Too bad. Wanted to see him fight."
"Yeah, even if he wins, the Sap Knight'd just whine and cling for a rematch. I'd run too."
"Right? Dodging the shithead 'cause he's gross, not scary."
"Ooh, but now Molrangkau and Issneun Himkkeul Beda might throw down?"
"Weren't they on the same side?"
"They're glaring like they wanna kill each other."
The users chatted amiably while enjoying the rare spectacle.
"Popcorn here. Let's munch and watch."
"I got roasted squid."
"Chips?"
"Cold beer too!"
"Nice! Perfect snacks."
They shared food in cheerful harmony. Tteokbokki-dan members were mixed in too.
"......"
The Chairman stared blankly at the scene, dumbfounded.
He was one of those ensnared by Hura's Cooking Charm, forced to trail faithfully behind.
And in doing so, he'd seen everything. With his own wide eyes. Directly.
Unbelievable. He wouldn't have bought it from anyone. But witnessing it firsthand left no room for denial.
"......"
The Chairman stared hard at Gwisinigo Kalroli, who was munching popcorn beside him. Her lips were pursed, bummed she couldn't go with Hura.
She'd been mildly surprised by Beda, sure. Molrangkau? Whatever—they'd met before.
All she cared about was not being at Hura's side.
"Gwisinigo Kalroli."
The Chairman called to her as she crunched away.
"Yes?"
"...Did you know?"
"Know what?"
Gwisinigo Kalroli asked innocently, still chewing.
"...Never mind."
That was answer enough. His mind reeled.
Did Hura-nim really play the villain on purpose... for us? He could've wiped us out, but...>
The Chairman clutched his head.
Even so, he took the villain role to give us a shot at redemption? A chance to prove our worth? Was that Hura-nim's mercy?>
A hand landed on his shoulder. Jang Wusan.
"......"
Jang Wusan met his gaze silently, then spoke.
"I told you."
"......"
"Baek Bal Baek Jung was just the tip of the iceberg."
"......!"
It was true. The Red Witch Molrangkau, and the monster swordsman Issneun Himkkeul Beda. Both seemed tight with Hura.
One word from them, and Tteokbokki-dan would've been obliterated.
The Chairman realized: Tteokbokki-dan had survived this long because Hura allowed it.
Everything had unfolded according to Hura's design.
"......"
With a heavy heart, the Chairman watched the high rankers. Learning it was all someone's scheme, that they'd danced in the palm of his hand—it wasn't pleasant.
"Hura-nim is..."
Looks like we'd better rethink Tteokbokki-dan's core policy—
The Chairman muttered to himself.
......
A short distance away.
"Getting good shots?"
Niimorul Chataseo asked, nibbling dried anchovies.
"Yes. Captured every frame without missing a beat. Kept a safe distance and got it all."
"Good work."
Niimorul Chataseo tore her anchovy snack in half and popped it into the cameraman's mouth.
"By the way, sis—what happened back there?"
The cameraman asked without taking his eyes off the screen, munching.
"No idea."
"No idea?"
"Yeah. My body just moved on its own. Check this out."
Niimorul Chataseo held out her mic—the one that had gleefully whacked the briefly stunned Sap Knight. It was badly crumpled; no way it'd work right now.
"...You really nailed him, huh?"
"Yeah... gotta buy a new one."
Niimorul Chataseo grumbled with a pout.
"Don't worry, sis. Once we upload this footage, mics like that? We can buy a dozen."
"True enough."
Her pout vanished into a grin as she chucked the mangled mic aside.
"Never thought I'd live to smack the Sap Knight's skull."
"How'd it feel?"
"Rock hard."
"Figures. You got lucky surviving."
"Pure luck. He was so fixated on chasing Hura, he just dug away."
"Phew."
"Whoa! They're about to clash! Focus!"
"Got it."
Kwaaaaang—!!
The three high rankers collided, unleashing a massive shockwave.
They'd half-expected it, but the aftermath exceeded imagination.
"Nngh! Hold steady!"
"On it!"
Chaos erupted over there. The spectators, happily chatting on their mats, got hurled every which way by the sudden blast.
"Waaah!"
"We were far back, and it's this bad?!"
"Nooo! My popcorn!"
Mats flipped, snacks scattered like they'd been hit by a storm.
"Nngh! Still gotta see this!"
"Miss it and I'll regret it forever!"
Even so, they squinted through the chaos, desperate to catch the epic brawl.
And after some time...
The fight ended.
About half the crowd remained, all with saucer eyes and gaping mouths.
A battle beyond their wildest dreams had left them utterly floored.
Niimorul Chataseo muttered softly.
"...Jackpot."