Leveling Up Through Eating

Chapter 354: The Food God’s Territory

Minhyuk hurriedly took out his milk container and collected the goat’s milk.

“Thank you. I’ll drink it well.”

“Meeeeeeeeeeh~?”

“I know, everyday was hard for you, right? People came to grab your sore teats for your milk. You’re delicate and sensitive, but they grabbed them roughly, right? I won’t hurt you.”

“Meeeeeeeeh~”

In fact, it was only Minhyuk that treated this ferocious Delicate Mountain Goat like this. He treated it better than anybody else that tried to get its milk. He was so gentle to the point that hearts appeared in the eyes of the Delicate Mountain Goat. What the Delicate Mountain Goat exactly felt was…

‘Th… thrilling…!’

The mountain goat felt a pleasure that it had never experienced in its entire life the moment Minhyuk’s hands touched its teats. This was because Minhyuk’s DEX of more than 3,000 had far surpassed the previous Food God, the current Food God Anton, and even Lucaro.

Minhyuk quickly filled his milk containers. He filled as many as five 2L bottles of milk. Balza trembled at the sight. Then, the Delicate Mountain Goat leaned down in front of Minhyuk.

“You want me to ride on your back?”

“Meeeeeeeeeh~”

Minhyuk looked at the Delicate Mountain Goat’s back. It seemed like it wanted to take him down the cliffs safely.

“How…how can this be…?”

“That… that ferocious mountain goat actually let a man ride on its back?!”

“This is ridiculous!”

While Balza’s disciples and the knights below were in shock, Balza said, “How, how… how can a beggar like you do that?! How can you milk the mountain goat!!!”

Hearing his words, Minhyuk, who was about to ride the Delicate Mountain Goat, turned to look back at him coldly and said, “People like you...”

Minhyuk’s cold voice pierced through Balza as if it was a cold and ruthless dagger.

“…will never understand it your entire lives.”

“…!”

Balza’s face turned red from shame. This was his first time experiencing humiliation in his life. However, he was frozen in place. At that very moment, he could feel an unparalleled power emanating deep within the man’s body.

‘J…just who in the world is that beggar?’

Then, the Delicate Mountain Goat jumped down the cliff to go down the mountain. Seeing Minhyuk getting farther away from him, Balza came back to his senses. He shouted, “K…Kill that man!!! I will give you plenty of rewards if you kill that bastard!!!”

Balza was one of the most powerful and influential people in Albero Territory. He had plenty of power to wield. The knights quickly drew their swords and tried to approach Minhyuk. However, the Delicate Mountain Goat glared at them with its ferocious eyes.

“…Ugh, urk…”

Delicate Mountain Goats might be goats, but they wielded a tremendous amount of force. In fact, they could rival monsters at Level 500 and were like the guardian deities of Albero Territory. This very same Delicate Mountain Goat was protecting Minhyuk.

Minhyuk made eye contact with Balza as the knights stepped away from him, allowing him to climb on the back of the Delicate Mountain Goat.

Grin—

The corner of Minhyuk’s lips curled up slightly. At that moment, Balza felt his heart sink. The man looked at the sky above them and chuckled. Balza believed that this was an obvious mockery. Then, the Delicate Mountain Goat disappeared into the distance with the man on its back.

“Aaaaaaack! You bastard! I’m going to kill you!!!”

The man did not cause any harm to Balza, instead, he spoke to him, smiled and chuckled. However, Balza was agitated. It was because the man’s existence was proof that Balza had been beaten.

***

The notifications rang after Minhyuk extracted the milk from the Delicate Mountain Goat.

[You have completed the Quest: Extract the Delicate Mountain Goat’s Milk.]

[Lucaro’s favor has reached the highest level.]

[You can drink 2L of the Delicate Mountain Goat’s Milk.]

Minhyuk was able to extract 10L of milk from the Delicate Mountain Goat, and was now even allowed to drink 2L out of it. However, the notifications did not end there. There was even an additional quest window that popped up in front of him.

[Linked Quest: The Legendary Sun’s Wheat.]

Rank: SSS

Requirements: The one that successfully extracted milk from the Delicate Mountain Goat.

Rewards: ???

Penalty for Failure: You will no longer be able to continue challenging the 15th Trial.

Description: You have successfully extracted the Delicate Mountain Goat’s milk. Go to Lucaro to find out about the location of the Legendary Sun’s Wheat.

‘Legendary Sun’s Wheat…?’

Sun’s Wheat was the reward that he had received when he joined the Goblin Subjugation Forces in the past. It was an ingredient that was far more delicious than regular wheat. To think there was an ingredient called Legendary Sun’s Wheat? Minhyuk quickly clicked on the detailed information.

[Legendary Sun’s Wheat was literally the Sun’s Wheat that became legendary. This was because it had disappeared at the same time that the Albero Territory had disappeared. In fact, the Sun’s Wheat is a lower quality variety of the Legendary Sun’s Wheat. The Legendary Sun’s Wheat has an amazing power. You can confirm this once you have obtained the Legendary Sun’s Wheat.]

Minhyuk was surprised. He recalled that the food that he made using the ordinary Sun’s Wheat already tasted good. However, according to this information, it was actually considered the lowest quality.

‘It’s definitely because of the amazing power that it carries,’ Minhyuk thought as he decided to ask Lucaro about it.

Then, Minhyuk looked down at the Delicate Mountain Goat that carried him on its back and asked, “…Why aren’t you going home?”

“Meeeeeeeeh~” The Delicate Mountain Goat cried as it smiled abashedly at Minhyuk, with its eyes filled with love.

Minhyuk instinctively felt something. He said, “Y…you… Don’t tell me…”

“Meeeeeeeeh~”

That was when Minhyuk knew that the Delicate Mountain Goat wanted to stay with him. For a moment, Minhyuk was in despair. There was another mouth to feed! However, he immediately calmed down at the thought of being able to extract milk continuously from the Delicate Mountain Goat. And…

‘Emergency food ration. Fufufufufufu!!!’

The Delicate Mountain Goat had become Minhyuk’s emergency food!

***

Lucaro desperately prayed that Minhyuk would return safely. While he was praying desperately, he felt a vibration behind him.

Turn!

Lucaro turned his head, and saw a red-haired man with impressive and handsome features.

“Mister Kardeon.”

The man was called Kardeon and his real identity was extremely shocking. That was because he was the Gourmet Dragon, an existence that had lived for more than 5,000 years. He was considered as the greatest dragon of all time, with power that far surpassed the chief of the Dragon Lords. Black Dragon Vormon, who appeared at a much later time than him, was actually no more than a trifling speck of dust in front of him. And, he was also the highest judge in the Gourmet Dragon Banquet.

“Why aren’t you leaving, Food God’s descendant?”

Unlike Lucaro’s warm and gentle welcome, Kardeon’s expression was frosty and as hard as stone. No, he looked like he did not understand Lucaro.

“I have to protect the Food God’s territory.”

“Do you think that it’s still possible for you to protect this territory?!!”

“…”

The people believed that the Gourmet Dragon, Kardeon’s fury would calm down as long as he ate the Food God’s dish. In other words, the Food God was just a weak and feeble existence in front of him. However, this was not the truth. The Gourmet Dragon Kardeon was the Food God’s close friend. Before the Food God succumbed to eternal rest, he told him, ‘There will be a lot of people who will disgrace, destroy and defile the things that I have cultivated. This is only natural. But, if things go out of control, can you please guide them in the right path? Do me this favor, huh?’

Kardeon accepted the Food God’s request. However, he interpreted his words differently and thought that he was referring to a violent approach. What the Food God wanted him to do was for him to tell them off and guide them towards the correct path. But, after watching these greedy humans, Kardeon had a completely different idea.

They were the ones that had laughed, mocked and sullied his friend, after being blinded by greed. They did not know and cared to know what true cooking was. If that was the case, then he should just punish them.

The Gourmet Dragon Banquet was just a pretext. Gourmet Dragon Kardeon was sure that none of these greedy humans’ dishes would be able to satisfy him. Once that day arrived, the fallen land, Albero Territory that was once hailed as the Food God’s territory, would disappear from the currents of history.

Kardeon had informed Lucaro, the only person that continued to respect and love the Food God. He told him to leave, but Lucaro never did.

“I will save this territory with my own hands. I will show them what true cooking is, and what the previous Food God truly was like. I will proudly show them that I am his successor.”

“…”

Kardeon saw something in Lucaro’s bright and determined eyes. He said, “You won’t have any regrets, even if you die fighting for him?”

Gourmet Dragon Kardeon was hell bent on destroying everything. The only one that he wanted to keep alive was Lucaro. However, he saw in Lucaro’s eyes that he did not want mercy. Kardeon wanted to tell this to the Food God over and over again, ‘For you to have such a loyal follower, you must be a very happy person.’

Even after his death, someone still loved and cared for him deeply. On the other hand, Kardeon also felt grief. Lucaro only had his right hand left, but the dishes that he needed to prepare for the Gourmet Dragon Banquet should be a lot. After all, he had to prepare a meal for a dragon.

The chefs from other restaurants would compete, with the aid of their disciples, but Lucaro was alone. No matter how good his cooking was, he would not be able to get over this hurdle by himself.

However, Kardeon was reluctant. He did not want to wound his purity and pride anymore than this. So, all he did was smile.

“May you have boundless glory, honorable and noble Dragon Kardeon.”

With his words, Kardeon disappeared in a flash of light.

Seeing him disappear, a bitter smile crept on Lucaro’s face. He already knew that this territory would disappear. However, he wanted to protect it until the very end. The thought alone brought joy to Lucaro. He thought, ‘I might die, but I’m sure that another successor of yours will take over and continue your pride and legacy.’

Lucaro smiled as he looked at the sky. Then, a voice suddenly broke him out of his reverie.

“Mister Lucaro~ Please come outside!”

“Huh?”

Minhyuk, the person that Lucaro was waiting for a long time for, was finally back. Lucaro quickly went outside only to see the boy smiling broadly at him while shaking a container filled with milk. Right next to him was a Delicate Mountain Goat bleating, ‘Meeeeeeeh~’, coquettishly.

‘What, what is happening…?’

Lucaro was shocked. However, Minhyuk just smiled as he gulped down a cup of milk in one shot! He even said, “Kyaaaa~! The Delicate Mountain Goat’s milk is very delicious! Please have a drink, Mister Lucaro!”

Minhyuk smiled and Lucaro chuckled too. He said, “Boy, I told you to milk the goat, not bring the goat to me! It seems like you’re a tamer, huh!”

Lucaro thought that Minhyuk’s class was a legendary tamer. Otherwise, there was no explanation as to how Minhyuk could make the Delicate Mountain Goat follow him, right?

Then, Lucaro said, “I believe I will be able to pass the preliminaries and it’s all thanks to you. Well then, let’s go. I will show you how to make bread.”

“Yeeees~!” Minhyuk answered happily.

The two of them entered the shabby bakery with bright smiles on their faces. However, Lucaro remained unaware of the fact that the true successor of the Food God was right here beside him.

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