The tournament buzz hadn't died down, but the forest's afterglow was already shifting into something more practical: profit. Word spreads fast when gods and beasts start queuing for your food. Faster, apparently, than invoices arrive.
> [Quest Updated: Establish Trade Routes & Reputation — Optional Reward: Merchant Access]
"Okay," I said, rubbing my sore wrist from flipping pans so much it felt like a new kind of exercise, "so apparently when gods like your cooking, merchants come knocking. Great."
Lumina trotted beside me, tail glowing like a tiny lantern. "Master… many merchant caravans are nearby. They offer ingredients, supplies, and… opportunities."
I blinked. Opportunities? Translation: people with bags of cash and zero shame about asking for samples. I put on my best smile—that's to say, the one I reserve for customers who ask for extra sauce—and headed toward the lake's shore where trading tents had sprung up like mushrooms.
---
⚡ The Merchants' Pavilion
The pavilion was a circus of colors and smells: alien fruits, preserved phoenix eggs, and jars labeled "Eternal Salt." A burly trader with a scarred jaw waved me over.
"You're the chef everyone's talking about, right?" he said, eyeing Umbra and Fenris like they were part of my inventory. "I can get you rare bone cuts and preserved phoenix yolk. Name your price."
> [System Notification: Merchant Interaction Available — Bargaining Mini-Quest Unlocked]
I cleared my throat. "I'm more of a cook than a negotiator, but I'll trade a tasting plate for a crate of preserved phoenix yolks and the preservation method."
His eyebrows rose. He liked my terms. "Deal. But we'll need samples. Impress the caravan and the coin flows."
I set up a portable stove and conjured a small pan. Word spreads fast; free samples are marketing. I went with a flashy demo: Smoked Dragon Rib Bites seasoned with a dusting of Eternal Salt and a drizzle of Celestial Essence reduction.
> [System Message: Public Cooking Demo — Reputation +200]
Merchants tasted, eyes widened, groans of approval. The scarred trader slapped a bag of coins on the table and laughed. "You're a walking goldmine, chef. I'll supply you if you promise exclusivity in this region."
I nearly choked on the applause. "Exclusivity? That's—" I looked at Umbra, who gave a small approving snort. "Okay, let's negotiate details. One condition: you supply ingredients and help set up proper preservation. I need a steady supply."
He agreed, and soon I had a small, clumsy but honest contract. Basic trade route established.
---
🌟 Hidden Skill Unlocked: Online Grocery & Item Box
As I celebrated my first successful merchant deal, the glowing system interface popped up unexpectedly:
> [Hidden Skill Unlocked: Online Grocery & Item Box]
Access to a magical online marketplace of ingredients and items across all realms. Automatically restocks with rare, ultra-rare, and legendary materials. Weightless, dimensionally stored.
I blinked. "So… I basically have my own 24/7 divine supermarket? That's… absurd."
> [System Message: Skill Bonus — Cooking & Trading Efficiency +50%]
I opened the item box. Inside were pre-packaged ultra-rare ingredients, preserved phoenix yolks, dragon bones, and a few experimental spices I hadn't seen before. This would save me days of hunting, scavenging, and begging merchants.
Lumina fluttered excitedly. "Master… this will change your cooking entirely. You can prepare feasts anywhere, anytime."
I rubbed my hands together. "Yeah… survive, cook, bond, expand, impress gods, dominate rivals, feed beasts, now run my own divine grocery… totally casual life."
---
⚔️ Legendary Creature Arrives
While I arranged logistics, a hush fell over the pavilion. The tents' flaps parted and a tall, cloaked figure stepped forward—no merchant mark, no flashy trinkets. Just a quiet presence that somehow made the wind pause.
Kaelthar's name wasn't needed; his reputation carried. The crowd parted to reveal another legendary beast: a Fenrir-like wolf the size of a cart, silver strands in its fur. He fixed his gaze on my display table.
> [System Alert: Legendary Creature Approaching — Potential Contract Opportunity]
My stomach did a flip. "Uh. Hey." I held up a hand, half-offering, half-appeasement. "Free samples?"
The wolf circled once, slow and deliberate. Then his voice rolled out, deep and amused. "You trade and you cook. Both craft loyalty. I smell arrangement and honesty."
I blinked. "You… talk too?" Apparently today was the day beasts pretended to be guild auditors.
He sat, massive head level with the table. "Bring me a banquet in three days. Not a tasting— a feast. If your food moves me, I shall grant safe passage and protection for your caravans. Fail, and I will… reclaim what I am owed."
> [New Quest: Prepare a Banquet for the Fenris Warden — Time Limit: 72 hours]
Seventy-two hours to feed a being that could crush boulders with a paw. I glanced at my companions — Umbra's wings twitching, Fenris's eyes glittering, Lumina practically vibrating with excitement.
> [System Update: Online Grocery & Item Box Available — Instant Ingredient Access]
I set to work. Smoky meat platters, Celestial Herb mousse, and a midnight bao infused with phoenix yolk and Starfire Pepper. My life was officially chaotic, but at least now, I had a shopping assistant in my pocket.
I tightened my apron. "Alright Riku. You don't just cook for fun anymore. You make allies, routes, and rules. Let's make this banquet unforgettable."
> "Let's make the gods—and wolves—drool."