The Sub-Zero Larder was not located in the Spire of Ascension. It was housed deep underground, in the most secure section of the academy's massive support complex. Access was granted via a dedicated transport platform that required the biometric signature and clearance code of a Dean-level faculty member—a code Elara had temporarily granted to Jin Park.
The journey downward was a descent into silence and cold. The platform doors opened into a vast, circular chamber. The air was frigid, misting with every breath, and the walls were lined with enormous, shimmering cryo-pods, each containing a perfectly preserved monster carcass.
A stout, dwarf-like man with a magnificent, frost-covered beard and a thick NHA-branded thermal coat approached him. This was Master Borin, the Larder's keeper and the academy's foremost expert on monster butchery.
"So you're the one," Borin grunted, his voice a low rumble. He looked Jin Park up and down, his expression skeptical. "The Chef that got the Dean's attention. I was told to expect you. Your target is in Cryo-Bay 7."
He led Jin Park past pods containing fantastical beasts—a multi-headed Hydra, a Basilisk coiled in frozen slumber, a massive Griffin with its wings folded. The sheer value of the ingredients stored here was astronomical.
"The Dean was specific," Borin said, stopping before a massive, frosted-over pod. "You are to work alone. No assistance from me or my staff. You have access to the attached processing room. All the tools you should need are there. You have one week." He tapped a control panel, and the frosted door hissed open, releasing a wave of intense, supernatural cold.
Inside lay the Yeti.
It was a colossal beast, easily three meters tall even lying down, covered in thick, snow-white fur. Its claws were made of jagged, blue ice, and its face was frozen in a bestial snarl. The chilling aura it emanated was not normal cold; it was a hostile, mana-infused frost.
Jin Park's System Weaver talent immediately gave him insight. The creature's mana circulates through its fur and skin, acting as a coolant. The source of the energy is a 'Frost Core' near its heart. Standard knives will become brittle and shatter. The meat itself is imbued with this chilling energy.
"The processing room is through there," Borin said, pointing to a heavy metal door. "Don't die of frostbite, kid. The paperwork is a nightmare."
Jin Park gave a respectful nod and entered the processing room. He ignored the standard-issue saws and knives. They were useless for this task. He went straight to a small forge in the corner. Using his credentials, he requisitioned raw materials from the vault: one ingot of low-grade copper and a handful of "Salamander Scales," a Rare-grade material known for its heat-retaining properties.
He fired up the forge and began his work. He melted the copper, then activated Material Synthesis, feeding the scales into the molten metal. Guided by System Weaver, he created a stable alloy, forging two simple, thick discs of metal that glowed with a faint, inner warmth.
[You have successfully created 'Thermal Regulators' (Rare-grade item).]
> Description: An item that passively absorbs ambient heat and releases it slowly, maintaining a constant, warm temperature.
[Skill: Material Synthesis (Unique) has reached Lv. 4.]
Next, he created his tools, synthesizing his Gnasher cleaver and a boning knife with "Volcanic Rock" shards for extreme temperature resistance. Finally, he strapped his new Thermal Regulators to his chest and back, a gentle warmth spreading through his body.
Prepared, he re-entered the cryo-bay. He was alone with the beast. He placed a hand on its white fur; the intense cold was still there, but it was no longer a piercing threat. He took his new, heat-resistant cleaver. Guided by his insight, he found a nearly invisible seam along the creature's flank where the energy flow was weakest and drew the blade across it. The cut was clean and deep.
For the next ten hours, he worked in a state of absolute focus. He was Muyeong, the master of his craft. He moved around the colossal carcass with an eerie grace, his custom knives flashing. He separated muscle from bone, sinew from flesh, his every cut perfect. It was a masterpiece of butchery, a disassembly so precise it bordered on art. He harvested the prime cuts of meat, the valuable fur, and finally, the pulsating Frost Core from its chest.
When he was done, the once-mighty beast was now a collection of perfectly prepared, neatly stacked ingredients.
A cascade of notifications appeared in his mind.
[Your flawless deconstruction of a Unique-grade monster has been recognized as a 'Proof of Profession' of the highest order.]
[Your Innate Skill, Chop (Normal), has gained a massive amount of experience from this master-level task.]
[Skill: Chop (Normal) has reached Lv. 10!]
[You have gained a massive amount of experience!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You are now Lv. 7.]
[You are now Lv. 8!]
Two levels from a single act of butchery. His methodical, genius-level approach was paying off in ways the academy could never anticipate. Reaching Level 10 with his innate Chop skill was a significant milestone, but there was no evolution yet. That was a summit he still had to climb, 90 levels away.
He knew that once he reached character Level 10, just two levels away, he would naturally awaken a new skill related to his Chef job. This new knowledge only fueled his drive.
He looked at the pristine cuts of Yeti meat, then checked his most important internal clock.
[Divine Copy Cooldown Remaining: 15 days, 2 hours, 6 minutes.]
Halfway there. His power was growing, and soon, he would add another piece to the puzzle.