The bluish flame of the portable stove roared softly when Zarkrion turned the knob. The sound of the fire igniting filled the air like a small domesticated roar, spreading a pleasant warmth in front of the improvised table in the middle of the Black Forest ruins.
Fariella watched every movement of the dragon with big, bright, attentive eyes; she looked like a child seeing magic for the first time, even though in reality she had seen magic her entire life. But Zarkrion's cooking… that was another kind of sorcery.
Zarkrion took the frying pan with one hand and quickly poured in oil. The golden liquid fell, forming a small shining mirror that heated up at an impressive speed.
The dragon chef moved the pan with ease, as if he had been born with it in his hand. The familiar aroma of hot oil began to rise in waves, mixing with the dampness of the mist of the Black Forest and the ruins.
Without wasting time, he opened one of the metal canisters and took out a large mass of yellowish dough. Fariella tilted her head slightly: it was a strange dough, more alive and softer than any dough she had ever seen before.
Zarkrion flattened it again and again with a rolling pin, spreading it into thin layers. The skill with which he did it was so fluid it looked like a dance. Then he shaped several tortillas with a rustic mold, lining them up like small, golden, perfect moons.
Then he covered them and let them rest to the side.
Fariella, fascinated, murmured in a soft thread of voice:
"If he really is very good… where did he learn to cook like that?"
Zarkrion did not respond immediately. He had taken a leek and some onions, and in a movement as fast as it was elegant, he began cutting them together into slices. The tapping of the knife against the board echoed like sharp, precise music.
"Let's say… I was born with that talent," he finally replied, while sweeping the chopped vegetables toward the hot pan.
A sharp "shhh!" came out when the vegetables touched the oil, releasing a sweet, toasted aroma. Fariella smelled the air and almost melted. The combined scents created a delicious symphony that made her stomach growl like a hungry wolf.
Zarkrion then took the Explosive Sugar Berries. Fariella instinctively took a step back; those berries were famous for their aggressive spiciness. The dragon crushed them inside a jar where the purple, shining juice fell like an almost magical liquid. His hands seemed to know every step perfectly.
Then he took the jar and let it rest in icy water inside an improvised bucket.
"Sir… why do you leave it there?" Fariella asked with curiosity.
"Well," Zarkrion said without looking away, "with low temperatures, these berries give the food a softer texture. If you use them without cooling them, it's like putting dynamite into a stew… and believe me, it's not a good idea."
"Ah…" Fariella smiled, surprised. "And here I thought it was to attract wild animals."
Zarkrion let out a soft laugh as he opened another canister. Inside were pieces of boar meat, well cut and skinless. Fresh, reddish meat, perfect for cooking.
Zarkrion rubbed his hands, took a meat cleaver, and exclaimed in an animated voice:
"Time to chop the piiiig…!"
The sound that followed was impressive. Firm, constant blows. Zarkrion pounded the meat so fast it seemed like he had four arms instead of two. His movements were energetic, almost savage, yet full of precision and mastery.
Fariella stood with her mouth open as she watched the large chunks quickly turn into a perfect mince.
When he finished, he took the jar with the cooled berries and poured it over the pan of vegetables. The purple liquid fell with a viscous sound… and then…
FOOOOOSH!
A giant flame rose from the pan.
The fire rose like a dragon of light, illuminating the dark ruins with a reddish, vibrant glow. Fariella covered her mouth, impressed as if she had witnessed a divine spectacle.
"SIR, THAT WAS WONDERFUL!" she shouted while making small jumps and clapping, unable to contain her excitement.
Zarkrion simply smiled.
"I'm just warming up."
["Don't let it go to your head, show-off"]
As he finished the quick cooking, he took a couple of avocados. With millimetric precision, he opened them, scooped out their insides with a spoon creating small green, creamy balls, placed them in a bowl, and then gently chopped them. He added some berries from the basket and mashed them until they blended into a homogeneous mixture.
Then he pulled out his wooden ladle from the infinite inventory. Fariella saw it as if he had taken an extension from another dimension.
Zarkrion sprinkled dried herbs, deep-scented spices, and a bit of crushed dried vegetables.
"We add some small vegetables and spices," he explained like a professional chef in front of an audience, "to give more flavor to our guacamole."
Fariella listened with absolute devotion.
Zarkrion took the already prepared tortillas, added the ground boar meat, and then topped everything with small spoonfuls of the bright green guacamole. The presentation was impeccable. The golden color of the tortillas contrasted with the intense green of the guacamole and the slightly reddish hue of the berry juice.
When he finished, he lifted the plate with style and announced proudly:
"I've finished another masterpiece."
The system appeared immediately.
[Dish completed – You have cooked Tortillas filled with pork and guacamole] .... ....
Zarkrion raised an eyebrow.
"Wow… how convenient. Even the system knows the name of the food."
He handed a plate to Fariella. She took it with both hands as if carrying a treasure.
"I don't know this food," she said, licking her lips, "but knowing Sir Zarkrion, I know it will taste good…"
Without waiting another second, she took a big bite.
And then, her eyes widened. Her entire body trembled. The color, the aroma, the texture, the crunch… and that flavor that traveled across her tongue like a devilish spell of deliciousness.
"D… DELICIOUSSSSSSSSSSS!" she shouted with a voice that echoed among the trees.
Zarkrion bit into his own tortilla and let out a happy laugh.
"How good it feels to know how to cook… especially tortillas my style with guacamole."
And suddenly, with a burst of euphoria:
"I FEEL ABSOLUTELY MEXICAN, AL CHILEEEEE!!"
Fariella, who didn't understand anything but wanted to play along, raised her fist:
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU SAID, BUT… AL CHILEEEEE SO GOOD!!"
At that moment, new system windows appeared.
....
....
[Mission completed – You have used your Chef Mage class]
[Congratulations – You have acquired the Unique Skill: Abundant Cook]
[Congratulations – You have received +100 AP]
[Congratulations – You have obtained +150 EXP]
[You have received +50 AP from Fariella]
[Congratulations – You have acquired the Talent Grade: SSS+]
....
....
Zarkrion almost dropped his tortilla.
"What? … There's an SSS+ here?"
He rubbed his eyes with both hands, then slapped his cheeks a couple of times.
"Mmm… this is too real, right? Something must be wrong with the system… I've already seen the anime One Punch Man, and Saitama thought he'd be Class S and ended up being C…"
The system responded instantly.
["No, not at all. This is as real as you and me."]
["Check your statistics to confirm"]
Fariella glanced sideways at him, watching how Zarkrion talked to himself, touched the air, made strange gestures… and murmured:
"I don't understand it… but all geniuses are always crazy…"
Zarkrion sighed and opened the statistics screen.
.... ....
[STATUS WINDOW]
Host: Zarkrion Volcanius IV
Level: 75
Rank: A++
Race: Dragon
Age: 500 years
Strength: BB++
Speed: BB++
Endurance/Durability: AA+
Attack: BB++
Magic: Fire/cooking
Unique Skill: Abundant Cook
Class: Chef Mage
Appreciation Points: +2250
....
....
Zarkrion shouted with all his soul:
"I'M TALENT GRADE SSS+!! I CAN'T BELIEEEEEVE IT!!!"
The shout traveled like a monstrous echo through the forest ruins.
Fariella startled with pieces of tortilla in her mouth.
"Sir Zarkrion? What's wrong? Why are you shouting?"
But Zarkrion swallowed, calmed down immediately, and said in a serious voice:
"Nothing… I'm just impressed by my food. That's all."
Then he quickly stored everything in his infinite inventory. He cleaned the table, gathered the utensils, and repacked the canisters and stove as if nothing had happened.
"Fariella, what do you think if we take another short walk? I'm thinking of making something else."
The girl's eyes shone like diamonds.
"Of course, Sir Zarkrion! I'll accompany you in anything as long as it involves eating."
Both walked through the mist, leaving the ruins behind.
They passed through bushes, crossed dense areas of the forest, until the environment changed. The air became colder, and icy vapor rose from the ground. In front of them stretched a wide area full of blue Slimes with frozen chunks embedded in their bodies, releasing a kind of cold mist every time they moved.
Zarkrion pointed with his finger, excited.
"How about we cool off by making a sweet and cold dessert?"
Fariella blinked several times.
"A dessert… sweet and cold? Is that possible?"
Zarkrion nodded.
"Of course it is. Where I come from, that dessert has a name and brings many flavors."
Fariella crossed her legs and sat down like a professional food critic.
"Don't worry, Sir Zarkrion. I'll be in charge of tasting that dessert… and I'll give it the best rating."
Zarkrion smiled mischievously.
"If I really have an SSS+ grade talent… then let's see what I can do with an ice cream, made from ice Slimes."
"I'm already dying to try that Talent grade."