The Mad Archer's BBQ Epiphany
Shin Taemin was an ordinary office worker. Every morning, he dragged himself to work clutching a bouquet of despair; every late evening, he trudged home with a backpack full of stress. His sole hobby was archery—a passion that had carried him from his high school club to the present day.
But as his job grew more demanding, he found himself with less and less time to visit the range. In the end, Taemin created a character named Baek Bal Baek Jung in the fantasy world of Pangwol as a substitute. There, he unleashed a frenzy of arrows to blow off steam.
"Kim, you fucking section chief!!!"
"Gah! It's that crazy archer!"
"Why the hell are you shooting off here with all these people around? Get lost!"
"Die, Kim!!!"
Day after day, he rained arrows down amid incoherent screams, earning himself the moniker "Mad Archer." Constantly drawing his bowstring to the limit honed his skills until, one day, he cracked the rankings.
"Rankings? What's that?"
He couldn't have cared less. He just wanted to shoot arrows to his heart's content. But others did. Rankers desperate to climb or defend their spots swarmed Baek Bal Baek Jung. He gleefully turned them into moving targets, no hunting required.
"Krahaha! Die! Die!!"
Sticking an arrow between the brows of every challenger who came his way, Baek Bal Baek Jung soon ascended to high ranker status—Rank 10, no less. The windfall was money he could never have dreamed of in his mundane office life. Joyfully, he slammed his resignation on the desk and walked out.
With the infinite stress-regenerating rat race gone, his worries vanished. From then on, Baek Bal Baek Jung napped lazily in secluded spots, taking it easy.
Rumors swirled when the Rank 10 high ranker vanished: Had he quit the game? YouTube streams spun wild theories, and aspiring top-10 hopefuls scoured the world for him. Some even posted massive bounties for his whereabouts.
But he was never spotted. A master archer knows how to hide—snipers by trade. At the pinnacle of archery, Baek Bal Baek Jung was a grandmaster of stealth.
Yet here he was, bewitched by Hura's cooking, descending from the tree like a man possessed.
"……."
"……."
"…Who are you?"
Snapping out of his trance, mid-drool over Hura's Wild Boar BBQ, he jolted.
"Whoops."
And vanished on the spot—like smoke. It was stealth on another level from Hura's own.
"……?"
"He's gone."
"Yeah, I saw."
"He was drooling."
"Yeah, that too."
Tteoksoon-i squinted, scanning the surroundings, but no presence lingered.
"Seems like a freak who regulates body temperature with saliva."
"…Or maybe he was just drooling over the food smell?"
"Ah. That makes sense too."
"……."
Hura glanced around briefly, shrugged it off, and divided the [Wild Boar BBQ] among Gold Sun and Tteoksoon-i.
"Eat up. We've got hunting all day."
"Yes! I'll savor it, Master!"
"Thanks for the meal, Master!"
* * *
After eating, Hura left some leftovers on the ground—sprinkled with white powder, of course—and stood.
Once he was gone, birds gathered, creeping toward the food. Then, from empty sky, a long-haired man dropped.
"Shoo! Get lost!"
He flailed his arms, scattering them. Baek Bal Baek Jung carefully lifted the abandoned [Wild Boar BBQ].
"Whoa…"
The aroma assaulted his nose. Just looking made saliva pool uncontrollably.
Without hesitation, he took a massive bite.
"……!"
Juices exploded instantly.
This… it's a waterfall! A waterfall of meat juices! And this flavor…!
The torrent flooded his mouth, sweeping his mind back to buried memories—ones he'd tried to forget but never could.
A fancy restaurant. Shin Taemin chomped happily on pork BBQ.
"Mi-ok, this BBQ's amazing. Dig in."
"…Oppa. Let's break up."
Thud—the chunk in his mouth hit the table.
"…What?"
The beauty with the charming mole on her nose bit her lip, then sighed.
"Are you just dating me for my money, oppa?"
"What? No way, Mi-ok."
"We always come to expensive places. You know how I live."
"You know I'm struggling right now, Mi-ok. Once I land a job, I'll pay you back double."
"All talk."
"C'mon, my pretty Mi-ok~ Something bugging you? Spill it. I'll listen."
She sighed instead. It happened often. But today was different—her eyes were ice-cold.
"Can't even get a job like everyone else. All talk—when will you actually do it?"
"It's not that I can't—I'm holding out for the right company. You know that."
"Just a convenient excuse?"
Mi-ok's gaze turned frosty. Taemin's heart chilled.
"No, Mi-ok, it's…"
"I don't want to hear it. I'll pay here. Let's never meet again."
"Mi-ok…"
Clack-clack. His belated hand fell limply on the table. He couldn't grab her. Wouldn't dare.
She was right. He'd never helped, only taken—from a pathetic him.
"Ugh… huuuh…"
Taemin sobbed, chewing her final gift: the BBQ.
Stares from the staff? He didn't care.
"Sorry… sorry, Mi-ok."
After, he applied everywhere, landing a job at a small firm. He called Mi-ok—dead number.
"Ugh… huuuh… Mi-ok… sorry…"
Baek Bal Baek Jung wept, devouring Hura's dish—just like that day.
* * *
Cooking Charm has been activated.
Ding! The expected alert. Hura smirked.
"Heh, figures."
A star-rated [Wild Boar BBQ] dusted with white powder? No resisting that.
Good he enjoyed it. A nameless passerby became the first customer for his "real cooking." Might as well learn the name—fate and all. He opened his skill window.
"Hm… Baek Bal Baek Jung. An archer, huh."
Muttering idly, he stepped forward, visualizing the ladle.
"Summon."
A plain Magic Ladle appeared in his hand—glowing faintly, nothing special compared to the Moonlight Frying Pan.
Time to brainstorm combat uses. Low attack power meant direct hits were useless.
"Then… how about this?"
He swung it, hurled it. Useless—the pan was better.
Aim at a tree. "Extend!"
It shot out, stabbing the trunk.
Thud.
"……."
Too light, too weak—no penetration.
Direct attacks sucked. "Shrink!"
Pondering, he noted its gimmick: rapid extend/shrink. Low power. What else?
His eyes drifted to the open skill window.
"Baek Bal Baek Jung…"
Brilliant idea.
"Gold Sun."
"Yes, Master."
"Toss me a decent rock."
"Here."
Partially extended ladle cradled the rock, tilted skyward.
"Shrink!"
Whoosh—the ladle contracted, slingshotting the rock at insane speed. It soared high, landing ages later.
"Hahaha! That's it!"
"Like firing an arrow."
"Brilliant as always, Master."
Satisfied with the ladle's combat role, Hura pulled out his notebook.
Couldn't wait to test it.
"Let's see."
Wild boars were easy prey. Next…
His eyes caught: 'Southeast of Shin-dong Village. A mysterious lake. On the tiny central island, mystical fruit ripens.'
Hm, mysterious fruit for dessert. Perfect pre-battle palate cleanser. Close by—quick pick and go.
But it continued: 'However, the lake has—'
"……?"
A grotesque monster doodle at the crucial part. No memory of drawing that.
"Hehe."
Tteoksoon-i peeked at the notebook, grinning mischievously.
"You draw this?"
"Yes, Master. Cute, right? Good job?"
"What is it?"
"A flower."
"……."
He'd lent it to her while iterating [Wild Boar BBQ] recipes. She'd doodled then.
Tteoksoon-i covered her mouth, giggling.
Couldn't smack her.
"Tteoksoon-i."
"Yes, Master."
"…You did great."
"Hehe, thanks!"
"Great art deserves a reward."
"A reward?"
"Yeah. Carry me. Special stamina training."
"……? Is that a reward?"
Gold Sun cut in. "Tteoksoon-i, you refusing to carry Master?"
"N-no!"
"Step aside. Master, on my back. I'll serve comfortably."
"No! On mine!"
Hura mounted the suddenly eager Tteoksoon-i.
"Head that way."
"How far?"
"Till the lake shows."
"Got it."
* * *
"Hah—hah—Ma, Master. We're here. The lake."
"Mm."
Hura dismounted, surveying. The forest lake was stunning—trees doubled in the clear surface, blue sky and drifting clouds mirrored below.
"Drew a pretty picture in my notebook, so stamina training as reward. Draw again, different prize."
"Hah—got it."
Tteoksoon-i panted. No more "flower" monsters in his notes now.
The lake was sizable, yet eerily empty—no people, no animals. Odd for a watering hole.
Staring at the center: a small ~10-pyeong island with a lone tree.
"Master, that tree?"
"Probably."
"Wait here comfy. I'll fetch it quick."
Before Hura could speak, Gold Sun charged the shore—miffed at missing carry duty.
He leaped in. Something erupted.
Whoosh—a water jet speared at him. Gold Sun reflexively raised his shield.
A massive pressure wave slammed it, hurling him back to crash into a tree behind Hura.
Bam!
"Sun senior!"
No time— a cerulean water dragon reared its long neck, looming arrogantly.
A Water Dragon.
"Ah, explains the emptiness."
Rooooar!!
It thrashed its neck, bellowing.