Big Sis Sera
Lee Sera. Hura's older sister by six years, she was the pride of their parents—an elite among elites. From a gifted academy to a science high school, then KAIST, skipping grades in both high school and university to graduate early. A true prodigy. All Hura knew about her current life was that some prestigious institution had scouted her as a researcher. She was also renowned for her stunning looks. Her expressionless face always carried a cool, aloof, and mysterious aura, earning her nicknames like "Engineering Elsa," "Ice Princess," and "Cool Beauty."
But to Hura, she was always just his goofy big sis.
When Hura was in second grade:
"Hehehe! This is mine now!"
"Ahh! My robot!"
Sera stuck out her tongue. "Come take it if you can."
"Hey! Stop right there, Lee Sera!"
"Hehehe!"
"Argh, seriously, sis!"
When Hura was in his third year of high school:
"Hehehe! This is mine now!"
"Ahh! My workbook!"
Sera stuck out her tongue again. "Come take it if you can."
"Hey! Who steals from someone while they're studying?!"
"Me! This stuff's useless anyway, right?"
"Stop right there, Lee Sera!"
"Hehehe!"
Rumor had it that several famous foreign companies had offered her outrageous terms to join them, but for some reason, she'd turned them all down and taken a job at a research lab near home. After Hura started living alone, she'd never once visited his place, claiming she was too busy. So running into her at the convenience store? Hura just blinked at his own sister in disbelief.
"...Sis?"
"Oh? It's your sis. Missed me, huh?"
Sera leaned over the counter and pulled Hura into a tight hug. The cool water scent that only came from hugs with Dad. Hura just stood there, dazed, inhaling his sister's familiar fragrance.
"...What brings you here, sis?"
"What? Can't I come?"
"No, it's not that..."
Freed from her embrace, Hura stared blankly at her. Then his eyes widened, and he pointed dramatically.
"Oh, oh! So you were the one who bought over ten thousand won worth and left!"
"Heh, obviously."
"Ugh, you trying to kill me? I thought I'd die stuffed."
"Pfft? Even stuffed to death, you'd look handsome?"
Dahyun chuckled as the siblings pinched each other's cheeks in a playful tussle.
"You two get along so well."
"Eh. Kinda."
Hura mumbled with his cheek still grabbed. Sera released his hand from her cheek and said,
"Heard you're playing Fantasy World? Made a killing in some dungeon, paid off your deposit with it?"
"Totally. It was amazing. Ancient imperial gold coins from the empire era—super rare find."
Dahyun chimed in excitedly. Hura could easily guess where she'd gotten that info.
"And you're the chef the hot Tteokbokki Legion's looking for? Dahyun showed me the video. My little bro's a celebrity~?"
"Right? Everyone's buzzing about how good it tastes!"
Hura shot a glare at Dahyun, who was chirping like a magpie.
"Dahyun-ssi. My sis hates games, that's why I was keeping it secret."
Sera replied instead.
"Huh? I love games. I'm playing Fantasy World too!"
"What? You? But you hate games."
"When did I say that? I just pretended 'cause Mom and Dad hate them. You did too, right?"
"I pretended 'cause of Mom and Dad too."
"...Really?"
"Yeah."
The siblings blinked at the late-revealed truth.
"Anyway, you're in Shin-dong Village, right?"
"Huh? Yeah. But how'd you know?"
"Dahyun here spilled everything."
As Hura glared at Dahyun—zzzzing—she slipped behind Sera.
"Sis~ The customer's glaring at me~"
Hura eyed the instant sisters warily. Sera ignored him and continued.
"So, meet up after your shift tonight? I'll head there."
"You know where Shin-dong Village is?"
"Duh. See you then. Gotta run, sis is busy."
"Me too~"
"Dahyun-ssi, hold up. Talk to me."
Dahyun, trying to sneak out with her, got grabbed by the collar.
"Huh? I, uh... Sera sis~"
Ding-a-ling~
She turned, but Sera had already left the store.
"......"
Dahyun stared blankly at the door, then slowly turned back.
"...Hehe, I, I'm busy too."
"Dahyun-ssi."
"Y-yes?"
Wide-eyed, she looked at Hura.
"How am I supposed to feel when you blab everything without asking? Huh?"
"S-sorry... family... so..."
"Family means spill everything from A to Z? Then you'd tell my game-hating parents too?"
"Uh, th-that's..."
"What? Speak up."
"Sorry..."
Dahyun hung her head. Hura pictured a retriever with droopy ears.
"Hmph... Fine, one question then."
"Yes! Ask anything!"
Her head snapped up.
"I need to meet a high ranker for a quest. Know a way to contact them?"
"High ranker? Who?"
"Rank 3, 'Geogi Seora'."
"Oho~ Really?"
Dahyun's reaction was odd. Hura's eyes sparkled.
"Why? You know her?"
"Yeah."
"Close?"
She grinned mischievously.
"Kinda? We just met recently."
"Perfect. Could you ask for me?"
"Hehe~ Maybe."
"Thanks. Here's a strawberry candy."
Hura handed her one from the counter.
"Jeez, you think I'm a kid?"
"Don't want it? Fine."
Dahyun snatched it as he pulled back.
* * *
On the way home, a familiar car was parked in front of the villa.
"Hmm... Seen this somewhere?"
As he tilted his head, the driver's door flew open. Two arms shot out, yanking him inside.
"Eek! Kidnapping!"
A cool water scent wafted over, followed by a low whisper tickling his ear.
"Nah? Human trafficking."
Kuku. Teasing laughter followed.
"Hey, lil' bro. Still got that cute scream, huh?"
"Eek! Sis!"
He smacked her hands away with his knife-hand strikes and finally broke free.
"What're you doing here? Said we'd meet in-game."
"Yeah. Got your stuff?"
Sera stepped out with his Dream Gear.
"Sis hasn't eaten dinner. Chef, dinner please?"
"Fine, just let go."
He shook off her sneaky arm-link.
"Hehehe, so tsundere."
* * *
"You cook really well! Got talent?"
After dinner, as they cleared the table, Sera said.
"...Yeah?"
"Way better than Mom's."
"Ahem. Good to know. Studied hard."
They finished cleaning, grabbed their Dream Gears, and put them on.
"Wait a sec, bro~ Sis is coming!"
"Sure. Take your time."
Welcome to Fantasy World.
Unlike the dark real world, Fantasy World was bathed in warm sunlight.
"Check skills first."
Before sis logged in, time to inspect his skills.
Training all day under the old man's smacks had paid off. He'd whacked Hura's head until he could control the darkness, then left.
'Dunno how you did it, but progress is too fast. Stop chasing clues about that guy for now—focus on cooking skills. Haven't cooked monster yet, right? Hunt some, cook 'em, build skills.'
The old man's parting words. Sigh. Wanted to become Demonic Chef ASAP, but no choice. Plenty else to do, like Ptah's quest. Anyway, he'd found his way to control darkness. Kinda. It was more like gritting his teeth and enduring as it crept up. Downside: could only speak in short bursts.
"Dark Chef."
Dark Chef used.
Darkness begins to envelop you.
Cooking-related skills amplified; personality turns feral.
The dormant darkness stretched and stirred, but Hura clenched his teeth, suppressing it. Then, in that state, he tested another skill.
"Cooking Clone Art!"
Cooking Clone Art activated.
Cloned food taste reduced by 80%.
Thanks to Dark Chef, the penalty dropped from 90% to 80%. Quantity increased slightly too. Effect still minor—probably low skill level.
"Cooking Throw!"
He hurled the cloned tteokbokki.
Splash—
It scattered across the green field.
Cooking Throw
- Tteokbokki: Inflicts Bleed status on enemies. (Bleed: HP drains gradually.)
Sizzle—
The grass blackened and melted. Wider spread than normal, higher potency. Longer duration, stronger effects—like Bleed draining 15 HP instead of 10.
Hadn't tested Cooking Charm yet. Tteokbokki Legion was already chaos; with Dark Chef? No thanks.
Finally, he pulled out a fried egg and tteokbokki.
"Cooking Summon!"
Flash—
The change was most dramatic here: their white suits turned pitch-black tuxedos. And the personalities...
"Yo! Boss!"
Geum Taeyang was a full-on thug now.
"...Heh heh heh. Hello, Master."
Tteoksoon-i's meaningful smile wasn't much better.
...Guess I'm the only normal one.
"You two. Over there."
They moved as pointed—Geum Taeyang swaggering, Tteoksoon-i haughtily.
"Now. Spar."
They glared at each other. Geum Taeyang drew his fried-egg shield; Tteoksoon-i, her reddening threads.
"Go."
They charged. Tteoksoon-i's eyes and hair partially red, threads flying.
Whish—
They sliced air but bounced off Geum Taeyang's shield.
Clang—
He barreled forward shield-first; she retreated, whipping threads wildly. They grazed him here and there, but his tougher hide ignored them. He bulldozed on.
Tteoksoon-i dodged behind a tree at the last second; he smashed into it.
Thud!
The tree just shed a few leaves, unscathed. Tteoksoon-i tripped on a root while evading.
"Ack."
She didn't get up. Spar over.
"...Stop."
They returned. Geum Taeyang swaggering, Tteoksoon-i limping.
"......"
What a freakshow party. One's attack still sucks, the other's defense too.
"Tch. Release Dark Chef. Back to food, you two."
Poof—
Smoke, then fried egg and tteokbokki. He pocketed them in inventory.
Tank got tankier, attacker hit harder. Decent combo together, at least. Downside: must summon both.
Then shadows blanketed the hill.
"Hm? Clouds?"
He looked up.
"...Holy moly."
Rumble—
A massive spaceship straight out of a movie hovered there. Zoom— A blue beam shot down; a figure descended through it.
Exotic deep-blue hair and eyes. But the face? Familiar.
"...Sis?"
She beamed.
"Hey, lil' bro?"