How the Rank 0 Chef Survives 067: Murmurs
The crowd buzzed—not just the diners inside, but the people lined up outside and even passersby had all stopped in their tracks, gathering in front of the shop. The commotion was spreading. Every eye was fixed on one spot.
A hulking giant, built like a mountain, was on his knees in a bizarre scene. And this wasn't just any brute; he was the official Rank 997 ranker, Blood Axe Thrower. One of the top 0.001%, a true powerhouse among powerhouses. Yet this terrifying ranker knelt before... a mere chef.
The onlookers gawked in stunned silence, their gazes flicking between the kneeling Blood Axe Thrower and the chef looking down at him with haughty disdain. The chef, apron emblazoned with a bear doodle, seemed utterly puny by comparison. That only made it harder to believe, their eyes widening like saucers. After all, the chef had subdued him without lifting a finger.
Just moments ago, they'd seen the enraged Blood Axe Thrower hoist his massive double-headed axe high. It happened in the blink of an eye—no time to react. A shrill scream escaped from the crowd. But the chef didn't flinch. He simply spat out a single word in a chilling voice, chewing it like gristle.
"Kneel."
That was it. The raised axe drooped limply behind Blood Axe Thrower's back, and his knees hit the ground before the chef.
"Wh-what the...!" Blood Axe Thrower's face flushed beet red with panic and humiliation.
"What did you do to me? Release me ri—"
Slap—
A crisp smack echoed. His head snapped to the side.
"You crazy bas—"
Slap—
"You're dead—"
Slap—
"I'll rip your limbs off—"
Slap—slap—slap—
"Stop—"
Slap—
"You little shi—"
Hura raised his hand again.
"...!" Blood Axe Thrower instinctively squeezed his eyes shut, flinching at the anticipated strike.
"..."
Nothing came. He cracked one eye open.
"...Pfft."
A snicker rippled through the onlookers. Hura was scratching the back of his head with the raised hand.
"I was just scratching my head. Scaredy-cat?"
"You... you bastard...!" Blood Axe Thrower trembled with rage and shame.
Only now did Hura shake out his stinging palm, looking relieved. In truth, there was no real physical damage to Blood Axe Thrower. If anything, you could say his cheek had slapped Hura's hand.
Of course, that was purely physical. The crowd stifled their laughter at the ranker's pathetic sight.
"Geum Taeyang. Give him a few whacks too."
"Yes, boss."
Geum Taeyang grabbed an empty cold noodle bowl from a table. He slowly poured its contents over Blood Axe Thrower's head.
"...!"
Blood Axe Thrower's eyes bulged. The onlookers now laughed openly, giggling without restraint.
Geum Taeyang made sure not to spill a single drop, then whispered in his ear.
"Your face was so red, sir. Thought I'd cool you down."
"...!"
Hura nodded approvingly at Geum Taeyang, impressed. "Nice one. You've got skills."
"You're too kind."
Hura crossed his arms, glaring coldly down at Blood Axe Thrower. The ranker, cheeks slapped raw and drenched in cold noodle broth, was still reeling from the mental blow. Hura had no desire to hit him more or pile on the humiliation. He wasn't into tormenting people for kicks.
"..."
Hura kept staring him down with a piercing gaze.
The crowd held their breath under that icy glare, swallowing hard. They had no idea what this fearsome chef might do next—half terror, half anticipation.
"..."
Outwardly cool as ice, but inside, Hura's mind was pure chaos.
...I'm screwed.
With his rage cooled, reason returned. He'd acted on impulse in the heat of the moment, but cleanup was the problem.
How do I fix this?
Sweat beaded on Hura's temple. He'd just humiliated a ranker like this. The guy would hunt him to the ends of the earth.
What now?
"..."
Just leave him and bail? No. He had no clue when the effect would wear off or if it'd hold at a distance. If he wanted to wrap this up, now was the time.
Sorting his thoughts, Hura approached the still-kneeling Blood Axe Thrower and lowered his voice for his ears only.
"Swear you'll leave this village immediately, and I'll release you."
"..."
"The second you're free. No looking back. Got it?"
"..."
"Or stay like this all day."
"..."
Blood Axe Thrower, soaked in broth, nodded weakly. His spirit was broken.
Hura exhaled in secret relief. He stepped back a few paces and looked down.
"Get up. And stay out of my sight forever."
That was when it happened.
"I'll kill you!!"
The instant the command lifted, Blood Axe Thrower's eyes flashed demonically as he lunged. His iron fist closed in like lightning.
"...!"
In that split second, Hura reflexively reached for the Garden Master's Necklace. But the ranker's punch was faster. Even as a low-rank ranker, his physical prowess and reflexes were superhuman.
Blood Axe Thrower's iron fist filled his vision.
Ah. Posed too tough and now I'm dead.
A wry chuckle escaped him. Accepting the inevitable, he squeezed his eyes shut—
Then another hand shot out, blocking his view.
Thud—
It caught the iron fist effortlessly. Like catching a ball. Like playing hand-clap games with a child.
Blood Axe Thrower's eyes widened in disbelief. Hura's gaze followed the hand to Baek Bal Baek Jung, who had sidled up beside him.
Baek Bal Baek Jung grinned. "Mind if I step in now?"
Hura nodded dumbly.
Baek Bal Baek Jung squeezed the captured fist with crushing force.
Crunch—
"Gaaah!"
Blood Axe Thrower collapsed to his knees with a gut-wrenching scream.
"Can I do whatever I want?"
Hura nodded blankly again.
Slice—
Baek Bal Baek Jung flicked his arm, and Blood Axe Thrower's head flew. In the blink of an eye, he crumbled to ash and scattered.
The crowd erupted in chaos.
-A ranker!
-No way, a high ranker?
-Looks like the chef's subordinate?
-Then what the hell is Hura...!
Amid the uproar, Hura stared blankly at Baek Bal Baek Jung, who had decapitated a ranker in an instant. The guy suddenly seemed incredible. Rank 10's power hit home.
"...Baek Bal Baek Jung."
"Yes, Hura."
"You're more impressive than I thought..."
"...What did you take me for?"
"Dunno. A gluttonous Middle Eastern tycoon?"
"..."
Baek Bal Baek Jung glanced at the noisy crowd and asked Hura, "Anyway, what now?"
Hura looked around too. "Perfect time to pack up. Ingredients are mostly gone, and we've got a good excuse."
Hura activated his skill Lion's Roar.
"Everyone, listen up!"
The buzz died instantly, all eyes on him.
"Shop's closing. After that mess, I can't keep going."
Murmurs rose again.
"Ah— if that Blood Axe Thrower jerk hadn't caused trouble, we'd keep going."
He muttered a bit too loudly for "muttering" as he headed to the kitchen. That should direct the anger at Blood Axe Thrower. Even if a riot like in Genesis Village broke out, it'd be aimed at him.
In the kitchen, organizing tools, Hura smirked proudly.
"Heh, I've grown."
* * *
They wrapped up the shop and, with Baek Bal Baek Jung's help, tracked down the rude cold noodle fans from before. The bibim cold noodle delivery went off without a hitch, and on the way back...
"That Blood Axe Thrower ranker won't come after us, right?"
Hura chatted idly with Baek Bal Baek Jung.
"No need to worry."
"Why?"
"It won't happen. Not for at least 48 hours real-time, anyway."
"Huh?"
The specific number popped a question mark over his head.
"The moment he respawns, a mob will gang up on him."
"Mob attack?"
"Yeah. Dozens of players will be waiting right on cue."
"Why?"
"Killing him gets you a shot at the ranker seats, even the bottom. Holding it is another story."
"...Ah."
"Ranker life is nonstop hardship. Can't relax anywhere. That's why some powerhouses avoid the rankings on purpose."
With main and alts pushing a billion characters, top 1,000 was cutthroat, yeah.
"Plus, dying twice drops stats hard."
"...Really?"
Big stat drop? He'd died once and hadn't noticed.
...Why don't I get it?
"Anyway, he won't have the guts to chase after that. No worries."
"Got it."
Hura pulled out the neatly organized memo from Geum Taeyang.
"Hmm. Lots of good info here."
And good money.
He calmed his twitching lips and flipped through.
"Now... where to first...?"
As he walked, scanning the memo, someone popped in front.
"Aigoo. You the young man selling cold noodles back there?"
A hunched elderly woman, probably an NPC.
He pocketed the memo. "Yes, that's me."
"You're a chef?"
"Yes. Chef."
She clapped, relieved. "Aigoo, perfect. Mind a request?"
Quest smell!
"Of course. What's up?"
He asked kindly.
"Ever heard of the Desert Rose?"
"Desert Rose?"
She beckoned him closer. He leaned in, and she whispered low.
"A super rare ingredient."
"...!"
"Interested?"
"My ears are yours, granny."
She signaled her waiting group.
"Ah, Baek Bal Baek Jung. This'll take a while—take the kids for ice cream." She handed over some silver coins. "Talk slow."
Baek Bal Baek Jung got the hint and herded Geum Taeyang and Tteoksoon-i away.
-Sweet! Kids, whatcha want?
...Or maybe just excited for ice cream.
Beaming, Baek Bal Baek Jung skipped to the ice cream shop.
-Berry Berry Strawberry for me.
-Um... Nilla Nilla Vanilla.
-...No such flavor.
Geum Taeyang and Tteoksoon-i trailed after.
Hura watched their excited backs, then turned back to the old woman.
"Go on."
"Strictly speaking, Desert Rose isn't a real rose."
"Then what?"
"This world runs on mana. Waves crash, snow falls, volcanoes erupt from mana."
"Right."
"Great Nature's mana always cycles. But sometimes, that noble mana pools in one spot."
"..."
"Deserts too. The mana swirling through rarely gathers—super rare odds."
"So...?"
"Yep. When it fuses with the desert's purest sand, you get Desert Rose. Shaped like a beautiful rose, hence the name."
Hura asked curiously, "Sand? How's that an ingredient?"
"Heh, can't use it raw. Needs a special process."
"Special process?"
She beckoned his ear again and murmured.
"Only I know it."
"...!"
"That's why it's so precious."
He pulled back, organizing his thoughts.
"So, bring you Desert Rose, and you share the process?"
"Exactly. Sharp one. Wanna try?"
Key moment. This negotiation sets the quest difficulty.
His eyes hardened coolly.
"...How many?"
The old woman grinned, spreading both hands wide.
"Ten."
"Impossible."
"...!"
She looked shocked. Didn't expect flat refusal.
"One."
"What a lunatic! One for my precious process? For free?"
"You said it's rare."
"The process is rarer! Only I know it!"
She barked.
But Hura smirked coolly.
"Is it?"
His twisted lips curled into icy scorn.
"If you're really the only one who knows."
"...!"