The Underworld Grocery Store suddenly transformed into a battle arena. Azrael, the friendly demon courier, now stood tall, his eyes glowing with fire and two small horns growing from his forehead. On the other side, Aruna held her knife tightly, while Zael, with a sour expression, stood beside her, ready to fight.
"I will test if you are worthy of this recipe, Aruna," Azrael said. "This recipe is not just about cooking, but also about power."
Zael scoffed. "Just keep talking. You're a show-off demon," he whispered to Aruna. "We'll just beat him. I'll use my demonic power, and you'll use... your kitchen knife?"
Aruna shook her head. "I have another idea," she said calmly. "He wants me to prove myself with power, right? I'll prove it my own way."
Azrael launched a fireball at them. Aruna deftly deflected it with a pot lid she had brought. The pot lid, hit by the fire, became black and smoky, but did not break.
"Interesting," Azrael said, smiling. "But is that all you have?"
Aruna didn't answer. Instead, she ran towards the shelves of ingredients, grabbed several strange bottles, and mixed them in a bowl she found. Zael, seeing this, widened his eyes. "You're crazy! What are you doing?" he shouted.
"I'm cooking," Aruna replied in a flat tone. Cooking-related actions had become her signature way of acting. She poured a purple liquid from a bottle, then mixed it with a green powder. "If this recipe is about power, I'll show that cooking also requires power."
Azrael continued to attack. Fireballs, energy blasts, and shockwaves were all launched at Aruna. Zael, who had initially complained, now stood firm. He used an invisible shield to protect Aruna from Azrael's attacks, all while continuing to grumble. "I am not a shield, Aruna! You have to cook faster!"
"It's done!" Aruna shouted. She held a bowl containing a steaming purple liquid. She threw the bowl at Azrael.
Azrael, seeing this, laughed. "You think you can defeat me with soup? That's the same mistake Lilith made!" He caught the bowl, and the purple liquid exploded.
But it wasn't a destructive explosion. It was an explosion of aroma. An unusual, fragrant aroma, a mix of unknown spices and something sweet, filled the entire room.
Azrael, surprised, inhaled the scent. "What... what is this?" he asked, his voice sounding confused. "The aroma... is delicious?"
"That is the 'Soul-Soothing Soup Recipe'," Aruna said flatly. "I mixed the Soul-Enlightening Mushroom powder, the essence of angel tears, and a pinch of spices from our world. This soup's flavor will bring you peace."
Azrael, inhaling the aroma, slowly returned to his original form. The fire in his eyes dimmed, his horns disappeared, and he reverted to the form of Takeru. His tense face was now more relaxed.
"That was... an incredible dish, Aruna," Takeru said, his voice now friendly again. "I surrender. You are worthy of the recipe."
Zael, seeing this, dropped his jaw. "He actually defeated a demon with food?" he muttered. "I'm really tied to a strange human."
Aruna looked at Takeru, then smiled. "Now, can I get that white cabbage?"
Takeru nodded. He pointed to the highest shelf. Suddenly, the wilted white cabbage shone, and transformed into a fresh, green one.
Aruna took the cabbage, then looked at it. "Thank you, Takeru."
"No, Aruna. I should be thanking you," Takeru said. "You have shown me that true power is not about destruction, but about creation. You are the greatest chef I have ever met."
With that, Takeru disappeared, leaving Aruna and Zael alone in the grocery store. The Boundary Seeker's Bowl in Aruna's hand shone again, and in an instant, they were back in their ramen shop.
That morning, Aruna cooked ramen with her new recipe. She mixed the white cabbage from the Garden of Eden into the soup recipe. The aroma that came out was extraordinary. When Aruna gave a bowl of the ramen to Zael, Zael ate it and his eyes widened.
"This... is... the best ramen I have ever tasted!" Zael exclaimed, with an exaggerated tone of surprise. "I... am speechless! This is food worthy of a prince of darkness!"
Aruna smiled. She looked at her bowl, then at Zael. Their adventure was not over. But for now, she just wanted to savor this moment. The moment where she, an ordinary chef, found the perfect recipe, with the help of a lazy demon.
And outside the shop, someone was watching them. Someone with sharp eyes, and a mysterious smile. Their adventure had just begun.