The First Guardian
You have entered the <Guardian> Room.
Guardian?
I blinked. I hadn’t expected that at all. A Guardian? In a Dragon’s Lair, that could only mean those transcendent beings who received power from a dragon and stood watch over its lair. That was how the myths described them, after all.
Oh…!
Eyes bright with anticipation, I stared straight ahead. The chamber looked to be about three hundred square meters—noticeably smaller than the cavern where Dania stayed. Yet ancient runes and hieroglyphs carved into every wall glowed with a faint light, weaving an atmosphere of pure mystery. It felt like gazing up at the stars in the depths of space. Pillars ringed the edges of the room, each one etched with the forms of dragons that seemed to watch over the place even now.
The pressure in here is no joke.
I swallowed hard and let my gaze drift to the center of the chamber. There, arranged in neat rows, stood massive stone slabs. Bathed in the light from the walls, they looked even more otherworldly.
What are these?
I stepped closer. Upon each slab were carved beings of every shape and species imaginable: a stone golem assembled from rocks of different sizes; a colossal bird with wings like an eagle’s; a lion wreathed in rolling flames; a turtle whose shell rose like a rugged mountain; a spirit whose entire body seemed woven from pure lightning; a sharp-eared woman of explosive beauty, as if sculpted by a god… and countless more, lined up one after another.
“Don’t tell me these are all Guardians?”
Good heavens. As if entranced, I laid my hand upon one of the slabs.
User confirmed.
Dragon’s Contractor verified.
Checking level…
Minimum level 10 confirmed.
The first Guardian, <Gaia Slime>, awakens from its long slumber.
“……!”
My eyes flew wide once more as a brilliant golden light erupted from the stone slab.
Sizzle!
The sound of potatoes frying in oil filled the kitchen, and with it came the rich, savory aroma of potato mingling with hot oil until the entire room was steeped in it. The dish An Jaeseong was preparing right now was none other than potato croquettes.
If I had to name the potato dish kids love most, croquettes would be right at the top of the list.
There were countless high-end potato dishes he could have made. The first ones that flashed through his mind were Truffle Potato Purée, Potato Darphin, Potato Parmentier, Duchess Potatoes, Gratin de Pommes de Terre—every last one of them the sort of fare you’d find in a fine restaurant, exactly what you’d expect from a Michelin three-star chef. In the end, though, the potato dish he chose was potato croquettes.
He was more confident in his croquettes than anyone alive. Why? Because once upon a time, they had been his own favorite potato dish. Fancy food wasn’t automatically the most delicious. So he decided to pour his heart into the potato dish he had loved so much as a child and make it for the kids.
And it wasn’t just potatoes. For sweet potatoes he chose sweet-potato muffins—another of his childhood favorites. On top of those two main dishes he also prepared roasted potatoes and roasted sweet potatoes.
“Whoa, something smells amazing!”
“Gulp.”
Even while An Jaeseong cooked, the children kept drifting in and out to watch. At last the food was ready.
“Everyone worked hard.”
“Not at all. You’re the one who worked the hardest, Chef.”
“Seriously, how do you put so much passion into it… You’re incredible!”
The assistant chefs who had helped him gave An Jaeseong a thumbs-up. They had watched him pour genuine care into every dish for the children.
“Ah!”
“Wooooow!”
“Potato croquettes!!”
“There’s sweet-potato muffins too!!”
The kids swarmed the finished food, eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Hah… Chef An, I truly don’t know how to thank you. How on earth…”
Looking at the one-hundred-thirty portions of potato and sweet-potato dishes spread out before him, Kim Jeonghwan’s face filled with emotion. Even a glance was enough to show how much effort An Jaeseong had poured into every plate.
“Please, try some.”
At An Jaeseong’s words, Kim Jeonghwan nodded.
“Director, we’re starving!!”
“Go ahead and eat!”
His good-hearted children had waited without touching a single bite until he took the first one.
“Let’s all eat together.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. Don’t mind me—dig in.”
“Yes!! Thank you for the food!!”
The moment he spoke, the children shoveled food into their mouths.
“Wooooow!”
“I-it’s so good!!”
“Whoa!! These potato croquettes are freaking delicious!!”
Explosive reactions erupted from every direction. One child even teared up while chewing a sweet-potato muffin. As expected of Chef An Jaeseong—a Michelin three-star chef really was on another level. Relieved that everyone was enjoying the food, Kim Jeonghwan took a bite of a potato croquette himself.
Crunch!
“……!”
Fireworks went off inside his mouth. The outside was astonishingly crisp; the inside, by contrast, was magically soft. After the crispy shell shattered cheerfully between his teeth, a creamy potato purée melted across his tongue.
Ah…!
For a moment every complicated real-world problem vanished from his mind, and he surrendered completely to the taste. The natural nuttiness of the potato deepened into something richer and more complex. Its gentle sweetness and savory depth bloomed until they filled his entire mouth. Because these were mana-infused potatoes, a faint herbal or spicy aftertaste seemed to linger like a soft echo.
This potato croquette was a dish whose contrast between crunchy shell and creamy filling was pure charm.
Is this… truly food of the mortal world?
His eyes widened as far as they could go. Watching the children’s reactions earlier, he had wondered how good it could possibly be. He had even scolded himself, thinking maybe they were just so happy because he had been cutting back on snacks and food money lately. But no. This was the kind of taste that made every taste bud on the tongue go wild—divine food, plain and simple.
And the surprises didn’t end there.
Stamina recovery rate increased for 45 minutes.
Huh?
A message floated before his eyes. Every bite had sent a wave of vitality and fresh energy through his body, as if his stamina were recovering on the spot. It hadn’t been his imagination.
It actually… applies a buff?
Good heavens! He had honestly thought “buff” was just a figure of speech. He was so stunned he could only open and close his mouth soundlessly.
Don’t tell me the sweet-potato dishes do it too?
Crunch!
He popped a piece of sweet-potato muffin into his mouth. After a light crispness came an astonishingly moist, soft texture. The muffin was packed with sweet-potato purée, so every bite delivered an airy lightness paired with rich, cream-like smoothness. Unlike ordinary muffins, the mana-rich sweet potato made the interior silky yet springy and elastic, like a sponge. And the flavor? The natural sweetness of the sweet potato spread through his mouth—deeper and more intense than any regular sweet potato. Its characteristic rich aroma was amplified by magical energy until pure happiness washed over him with every bite. A subtle honey or caramel-like savoriness lingered inside, leaving him feeling both sweet and full of healthy energy.
Ah…!
Kim Jeonghwan’s face melted. The immortal truth of salty-then-sweet: that was exactly what the combination of potato croquettes and sweet-potato muffins delivered. The slight saltiness left by the croquette was perfectly neutralized by the muffin’s sweetness, creating supreme satisfaction.
Stamina increased for 25 minutes.
This one applied a buff as well.
Just who in the world…
The superhuman who had sold him these ingredients—Madoje. The same superhuman who had sold him the King Lunadria. What on earth was his true identity? Was he really some reclusive master who had conquered the highest floors of the Abyss Tower?
Kim Jeonghwan kept murmuring in awe as he added another croquette and another muffin to his plate. Even he was completely lost in An Jaeseong’s cooking—so how much more the children?
An Jaeseong walked over to them and asked, “Kids, does Uncle’s cooking taste good?”
“Yes!!”
“It’s so delicious!”
“The best-!”
Junho and Sua, who earlier had been trembling while holding the potatoes and sweet potatoes, now clutched them with happy smiles. Just seeing those smiles made all the fatigue of cooking melt away.
“It’s really amazing!”
“These are the best potatoes and sweet potatoes in the whole world!”
“No, the best in the whole universe!!”
The children laughed and chattered, glancing at one another’s plates with pure joy. Every time their small hands lifted a spoon and tasted the food, An Jaeseong felt the care he had poured into the dishes being repaid. Listening to their clear laughter, he found himself smiling without realizing it, and he understood just how much happiness this moment gave him.
So this is why people sponsor places like this.
A whole new horizon seemed to open in his life. From now on, whenever he had the free time, he would stop by the orphanage and cook for the children. In that instant his heart spread warm and soft like spring sunlight. The children’s laughter settled into his chest like scattered flower petals, and the whole world seemed to brighten.
On the Superhuman Net, a single post appeared.
Once Rainbow Potion publicly certified it, Bangbaedong Gourmet’s claims gained even more credibility. And with that, the nickname Madoje inevitably began drawing attention once more. The curtain was rising on the moment when Madoje’s name would start spreading far and wide in earnest.
“Popo!”
Wobble, wobble.
“Uh…”
A slime wriggled and moved right in front of me. It was a fairly large one, coming up to my waist, its semi-transparent body a harmonious blend of green and brown. If I had to name a distinctive trait, it would be the warm aura gently radiating from its surface.
“Now that I look closely, grass and flowers are growing on it too.”
Tiny blades of grass and blossoms. A slime that grew plants and flowers from its body? I had never heard of such a thing. But that wasn’t even the most surprising part.
Lv103
Species:Gaia Slime
Name:Popo
A semi-transparent window floated above its head.
Level 103…
It was a level beyond imagination. The common belief was that Lv 99 was the absolute ceiling. Yet 99 wasn’t the end after all.
Is this also some secretly known information?
I opened Superhuman Net and searched.
The overwhelming consensus was that Lv 100 simply didn’t exist. And yet…
……It’s sitting right here in front of me.
“Popo!”
Wobble, wobble.
This little guy crawling around like a snail still clearly displayed Lv 103 no matter how many times I rubbed my eyes. An astonishing discovery. Would anyone even believe me?
They already can’t believe the Lv 99 crops… Wait. Hold on.
If 99 wasn’t the limit, didn’t that mean the spirit herbs, elixirs, and crops I was growing could climb past 100 as well? That would be an absolute jackpot. I needed to start thinking seriously about how to cultivate spirit herbs and crops that broke the Lv 100 barrier.
“So, what can you actually do, buddy?”
I was curious. At a full Lv 103, what was this little guy capable of?
“Popo?”
It tilted its head at my words. Being a slime, it really was cute.
“Popo!”
It pointed at the ground it had been crawling over. I looked, but there was nothing…
Huh?
Wait a second. What was this? The places it had been wandering around without a care in the world…
“The color of the soil changed?”
I blinked, crouched down, and brushed my fingers across the earth—
Fwoosh!
Brilliant particles of light burst from the soil.