How the Rank 0 Chef Survives Chapter 155: The Undisputed Strongest Lifeform on Earth
The undisputed strongest lifeform on earth. The absolute ruler of this world. The being closest to a god, having lived for near-infinite time.
We hurriedly apprehended the criminal bouncing around on the head of such an existence.
"Eek. What's wrong?"
The criminal resisted. "Aigoo, get down! What are you doing?"
"Are you really trying to kill us all?"
Vesta dug in even harder, persisting in her criminal act.
"This guy's still sleeping! You insolent beast!"
Vesta stomped on the dragon's head with her feet.
"Aigo! If you're tired, you can sleep a bit!"
"Calm down!"
"Let's talk after you get down first."
We barely managed to grab one of the criminal's arms each and dragged her off the dragon's head like we were making an arrest.
"Let go! Won't you let go?!"
Thank goodness we were far from the Flame Palace. No fire allowed. If even a fireball had been unleashed, we might've already been dragon chow.
Vesta, once dragged off, was being firmly held from behind by Molrangkau. Only then could I finally let out a sigh of relief and take a proper look at that massive body.
It was a white dragon. A white dragon, to be precise.
Its body was so enormous that even curled up in a ball, it took up half a soccer field. You had to wonder if such a gigantic creature was even allowed to exist.
And its scales gleamed with a soft light, like the first snow under sunlight. Each one was a perfect work of art in itself.
I was admiring the sleeping white dragon in awe when noisy sounds came from the side.
Vesta, still clutched by Molrangkau, was shrieking.
"Didn't you say you wanted to meet my friend? Then we have to wake him up!"
"...Pardon?"
I stared blankly at Vesta for a moment before asking, "The friend you mentioned... is the white dragon?"
"That's right! The guy named Glacies!"
Vesta glared at the white dragon and said, "This one's a serious sleepyhead. Once he falls asleep, it's incredibly hard to wake him. That's why I told him not to sleep!"
...How the hell did you befriend a white dragon? Our former Red Witch sure plays on a different scale.
When Molrangkau finally released Vesta, she climbed right back onto Glacies's head and started stomping again.
"Wake up! I said wake up, you sleepyhead!"
But the white dragon didn't budge an inch.
"How do we wake him?"
At Molrangkau's question, Vesta and I turned to her simultaneously.
"Wouldn't your fire magic work?"
At my suggestion, Vesta thought for a moment and said, "Molrangkau. Summon the phoenix."
"...Pardon? B-but what if he gets mad?"
At Molrangkau's frightened words, Vesta replied confidently, "That won't happen. I'm here, so don't worry."
"......"
"Ordinary fire magic gets completely nullified by this guy's frost-infused scales, so we need powerful flame magic."
"Really?"
Molrangkau asked skeptically.
"If you don't believe me, try tossing a fireball."
Molrangkau hurled a fireball at the dragon, but it fizzled out with a pop before even touching the pure white scales.
"...Insane chill."
"See? So summon the phoenix."
"Okay."
Molrangkau steeled herself and began casting. Her red hair whipped around, her red dress and necklace shimmering as if aflame. Red light gleamed from her eyes.
"...Hup!"
Red light enveloped her like an egg, and soon a massive phoenix burst forth from the Molrangkau-shaped shell, rising up.
Whoooosh!!
"Ooh..."
It was the same magic I'd seen when we were fleeing the Shovel Knight. I hadn't gotten a good look then, but up close, it was seriously cool. An eternally burning bird of fire.
The phoenix that emerged from the Molrangkau egg soared up majestically. It eyed the dragon, then Molrangkau—eyes squeezed shut—pointed a finger wreathed in red light at it.
Whoooosh!
Shedding embers as it climbed high, the phoenix dove, slamming its talons into the dragon's nape.
Booom!!
Flames erupted spectacularly. And there was a reaction.
Hmm...
The dragon shifted its massive body slightly, changing position.
Snooore...
Then it sprawled out flat, blatantly sleeping even harder.
"......"
"......"
"......"
We stared in disbelief at the sleepyhead dragon, belly up and snoozing like a human.
True to Vesta's word, it was one hell of a heavy sleeper. Who knew such a powerful attack wouldn't even wake it.
Vesta, even more pissed, yelled, "Hit it harder!"
"But any harder and this place might collapse!"
"Don't worry. I'll support so the shock doesn't spread."
"...Okay, got it."
After that, attacks rained down repeatedly. Phoenix beak dives, fireballs from hundreds of magic circles, smashing mini-suns together for simultaneous blasts, and more.
Each time, the dragon's lair shook dangerously, but our sleepy white dragon just mumbled and rolled over.
Mmm... no more... can't eat...
"......"
"......"
"......"
We gawked at this lucky bastard of a dragon, our jaws on the floor.
A vein bulged on Vesta's forehead.
"You... you damned lizard!"
Vesta kicked the dragon's snout wildly, shouting, "More! Hit it with something stronger!"
"Anything more and it really might collapse."
"Argh! Who cares! Let this stupid lizard's lair crumble for all I care!"
"But..."
This could go on forever. I stepped in to mediate.
"Lady Vesta. It's not the mighty wind that strips the traveler's coat, but the warm sun."
Vesta looked at me like I was insane.
"...What nonsense is that?"
...That stung. Just a little.
"I mean, let's try waking it with food. Not tactile stimulation, but olfactory. Smell can be even more powerful than touch sometimes. Get it?"
Vesta pondered briefly, then nodded readily.
"Hmm... Give it a shot. Can't hurt. If it doesn't work, we can eat it ourselves."
...Was that the goal all along?
"Does Glacies have any favorite foods, by chance?"
"Warm things. And spicy things."
Vesta answered immediately, then added thoughtfully, arms crossed, "Come to think of it, he used to beg Sulis for ramen every day."
"...Pardon? You were friends with Sulis too?"
"Why so surprised? Who could resist Sulis's cooking?"
"......"
They really rolled on a massive scale. A white dragon who loves ramen... Hard to picture, but hey, taste knows no borders.
"Summon."
I placed a pot on the summoned 'Flame-Breathing Dinosaur Head Burner' and started boiling water. If Jeil Hura had been using it, my deepest condolences to whatever dish spilled from the sudden vanishing act.
Vesta muttered at my dinosaur burner, "You really like that dinosaur thing. What exactly is a dinosaur?"
"Kinda like dragon cousins."
"No wonder it looks similar."
The satisfied ghost and three spectators quietly watched me cook.
With thousands of practices under my belt, the ramen was done in seconds. I set the finished bowl right under the white dragon's nose, then dashed back to hide behind Vesta.
"...You think it's gonna eat you or something?"
"You never know."
"...Coward."
I peeked out from behind Vesta to watch the white dragon's reaction.
"......"
"......"
"No response?"
"Wait a bit more. Looks like it's catching the scent now."
And sure enough. Moments later, its huge nostrils twitched. Then the massive white dragon's eyes snapped open.
Mystical silver irises revealed vertical slit pupils.
Glacies mumbled in a dignified voice that seemed to rumble through space itself.
...Sulis?
* * *
Ssshh...
Glacies rose, its majestic body unfolding. Despite the size, it moved with catlike grace—elegant, refined, almost silent.
Rumble...
With all four legs planted, it lifted its head to about 30 meters tall.
Glacies closed its eyes and sniffed. It soon spotted the tiny pot before it—minuscule compared to its body.
The pot brimmed with bright red ramen, noodles coiled in spicy broth.
Glacies lowered its massive head, staring intently into the pot, nose nearly dipping in.
Polymorph.
Flaaash!
Blinding pure white light exploded everywhere, filling her vast nest with radiance.
"Guh..."
We reflexively shielded our eyes.
Soon, the light faded.
When the pure white glow finally cleared, the massive white dragon staring at the ramen was gone.
In its place, a white-haired woman crouched before the pot, expressionless, staring intently at the ramen.
A snow-white beauty straight out of a fairy tale gazed at the ramen, then picked up chopsticks and slurped some noodles.
Slurp!
It was a masterful slurp, born of much practice.
"...!"
Her eyes widened slightly. A flicker of surprise.
She looked up, scanning for someone. Her gaze locked onto the black-haired man peeking from behind the translucent ghost.
"Sulis...!"
Her silvery-white hair fluttered. The ice princess, hazy from sleep, kicked off the ground and charged toward her dear friend standing right there.
"Sulis!"
One step before reaching him.
Instead, a greeter awaited. A thick old wooden staff smacked her head.
Thwack!
"Ow!"
She clutched her head and plopped down on her butt.
The translucent ghost looked down at her.
"Get a grip, Glacies."
Glacies, sitting dazed, blankly looked up at her other dear friend.
Her striking white eyelashes blinked a couple times as she mumbled, "...Vesta?"
The former Red Witch clicked her tongue.
Vesta handed the temporarily borrowed wooden staff back to Molrangkau and spoke.
"Sulis is dead."
"Ah...?"
"Wake up already, you dimwitted sleepyhead."
"But, but surely—"
Vesta cut her off firmly.
"Sulis died. Thousands of years ago."
"...Ah."
"You saw it yourself."
"Ah..."
Glacies's head drooped.
"Still wandering in dreams?"
"......"
"Pathetic. And you call yourself a great dragon?"
Vesta's scolding poured down like a drizzle. The white-haired woman silently endured it, clothes dampening.
But the next moment, she snapped her head up.
"Then what's that?"
Glacies, still expressionless, pointed at the black-haired chef peeking from behind Vesta.
"The mana feels exactly like Sulis's."
She eyed him appraisingly and continued, "Even looks similar."
"Well, yeah."
Vesta grabbed Hura's nape like a cat's scruff and yanked him forward from behind her.
"This guy's Sulis's successor."
"What."
Hura dangled limply from Vesta's grip, palms up placatingly.
"Ahahaha... Nice night with a full moon, huh? Thrilled to meet you, Lady Glacies. Overwhelmed with emotion—practically boundless, haha..."
"......"
"......"
Glacies stared at Hura silently for a moment, then nodded.
"The nonsense proves he's Sulis's successor."