The weight of the decision settled over the academy like a storm. Kai, an apprentice who had only recently awakened his SSS-ranked Spiritual Chef Job, was about to step into a place where only the most elite had set foot—the Advanced Recipe Pavilion.
Many disciples envied him, some even resented him, but none could deny that he had earned this right.
As dawn broke, Kai stood before the pavilion's towering entrance. The building was ancient, its massive doors carved with depictions of legendary dishes that had once shaped history. A faint energy radiated from the structure, as if the very essence of cooking lived within its walls.
Master Wei approached from behind, his expression unreadable.
"Inside this pavilion," he said, "lie the records of the greatest chefs in history. Techniques, recipes, lost arts… and also, dangers."
Kai glanced at him, unshaken. "Dangers?"
Master Wei nodded. "Some of these recipes are incomplete or forbidden. If cooked incorrectly, they can backfire—damaging the body, the soul, even the world itself."
Kai's heart pounded. He had expected knowledge, but not risks of this magnitude.
Master Wei continued, "Even the simplest of these advanced techniques can take years to master. Are you truly prepared?"
Kai met his gaze without hesitation. "If I fear the challenge, I do not deserve the title of Divine Chef."
A flicker of approval flashed in Master Wei's eyes. Without another word, he pushed open the doors.
A wave of ancient energy rushed out.
The pavilion's interior was vast—rows upon rows of ancient texts, floating scrolls, and shimmering ingredients preserved in stasis. Each book seemed to hum with energy, whispering the secrets of the past.
Kai stepped inside, and the doors closed behind him, sealing him in the heart of forbidden culinary knowledge.
He took a deep breath and moved forward.
It was time to uncover the lost arts of the true Divine Chefs.