When I first succeeded in restoring Ariella’s physical condition.

Ariella suggested a retreat.

Return to the Legion first, bring troops, and then head out for a subjugation. That was the right call, she said.

But that opinion had a lot of problems.

‘Even with just the monsters I delivered, that thing got this strong.’

Even if we retreated right now.

It wouldn’t be easy to build up enough force to subjugate that bastard.

We’d have to infiltrate Seoul with a large-scale force.

And for that to be possible, the only answer was basically to get vimana airborne.

But there was still quite a bit of time left before vimana could be restarted.

‘In the meantime, I have no idea how much stronger that thing can get.’

It was at the point where it didn’t even need to commission monster hunting from someone like me anymore.

It would roam around Seoul on its own.

Hunt the powerful monsters scattered throughout the city, and strengthen itself through them.

If so, the best option was......

“We have to finish it now, Benefactor.”

The time when that thing was weakest—

was right now.

“We’ll buy time. Benefactor, carry out the operation.”

It wasn’t like we had no plan.

But that plan had problems, too.

“That method will work, but......”

Unlike the vampire forces, who not only had strong vitality

but were assumed from the outset to be expendable combat power.

“You’ll be in danger.”

Awakened didn’t have vitality to that extent,

and you couldn’t easily restore them if you lost them.

“This world is so unfair... that if you don’t take risks, you can’t survive. You said that yourself, Legion Commander.”

That was why.

Whenever something dangerous came up, I tried to choose the option that minimized casualties among the unit as much as possible.

But.

“Don’t try to shoulder that risk alone, Legion Commander.”

“......”

“We’re... ready to take risks, too.”

When the escort team’s soldiers said that, I couldn’t come up with anything to argue back.

In the end, that was how it went.

While the unit threw themselves into it and drew that monster’s attention.

I could hide myself and move with [Environmental Assimilation].

SKRRRRAAAAAK!!!

The hole that enormous monster had drilled up through.

The moment I threw myself into that hole.

My body started dropping into an endlessly deep shaft where I couldn’t even see the bottom.

And not long after I threw myself in.

{LEGION COMMANDEEEER!!!}

From up above.

I saw an absurdly huge shape rushing down at an unbelievable speed.

***

THUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUD!!!

Unlike me, free-falling underground.

That grotesque-shaped monster was kicking off the collapsed underground walls and dropping at tremendous speed.

“......I figured you wouldn’t just let me go!”

This hole is the hole that bastard drilled.

Since it was only as wide as its own body.

It was a little too narrow for it to just free-fall like me.

But.

‘You crazy monster bastard......!’

That thing shoved off the walls with dozens of hands and feet as it closed in on me.

It was so fast it was actually a little faster than me, even while I was free-falling.

At that speed, it wouldn’t take long for it to catch me.

‘This was the fastest hole leading underground.’

And.

I also knew that if I went into this hole, I had no choice but to get noticed.

And I already knew it would chase me.

‘That’s why... the unit lured it as far away as they could, too.’

Yeah.

This is what matters.

‘If you know, you can deal with it!’

As I fell underground, I reached up toward the sky......

toward that monster that was closing in on me, and stretched out my hand.

{Hah! I don’t know what you’re trying to do...... but this body is my masterpiece that I created....... Whatever you do, it won’t work on me, Legion Commander!!!}

“Yeah, probably.”

Just like it said.

Most tricks wouldn’t work on that thing.

‘It’s a monster with absurd speed. Most attacks I try will be dodged ridiculously easily.’

And on top of that.

Even if I managed to create an environment where it couldn’t dodge.

‘If it uses that wandering clown’s power to move away from that spot, it can dodge even an attack it “can’t” dodge.’

That was why.

I didn’t even join the fight against it on the surface.

Or rather, it’d be more accurate to say I couldn’t.

But.......

“Right now, it might be different.”

{What?}

In the hand I had stretched out toward it.

Was a pistol.

‘It’s fast, sure...... but it has a weakness.’

Unlike the surface.

This underground space I was falling through was extremely cramped.

‘That size.’

The place that enormous monster drilled up through itself.

The size of this hole was exactly the size of its body.

‘If I attack here, there’s nowhere it can dodge to.’

Of course.

If this were a fight on the surface, that would be meaningless.

It would just dodge with the wandering clown’s power.

But.......

‘The wandering clown’s power is to create a hole that crosses space, and hide inside it.’

The holes it can move through right now.

Are only the ones up on the surface.

If it wants to dodge my attack, it has to return to the surface.

I grinned.

“I’m going to attack you now.”

And.......

I could be sure.

“If you’re going to run to the surface, go ahead—run wherever you want.”

{......!}

That thing.

Wouldn’t be able to choose the option of going back to the surface just to dodge this attack.

BAAANG!!!

The one situation where the bullet I fired could actually hit its body.

Had formed—right now.

***

I watched that enormous monster closing in on me, and I thought.

‘Absurdly strong, insane movement speed...... and it can even cross space.’

Seriously.

What kind of ridiculous creature is that?

It was ridiculous enough that I’d played a pretty big role in making it.

‘Before coming down here... I made food for Mountain and the vampires who were fighting up on the surface, and I also spread the [Ingredient Management] buff I got through Howard.’

But no matter how much chaos I caused like that.

It wouldn’t be enough to stop that monster.

‘Then.’

Well.......

There’s only one thing I can do.

‘To beat a monster that strong...... buffs aren’t enough.’

So what I need is......

‘A debuff.’

BAAANG!

CRACK.

The bullet fired toward it.

It flew out with great momentum, but...... the bullet, absurdly enough, hit the carapace that had grown over its body.

[Mortalshell carapace]

And without even piercing through, it shattered into powder.

Only the fragments and the contents of the broken bullet clung to that carapace, unable to break through.

{Hah, a laughable struggle......!}

Maybe it found that bullet—one that couldn’t even pierce its body—ridiculous.

It sent a mocking thought at me.

“A laughable struggle, huh.......”

But.

I looked at it, now close enough that it could attack me.

And I said with a light laugh.

“Seems a little early to decide whether it’s laughable or not.”

{......?}

And just as I said.

That relaxed look it had didn’t last long.

{......No, this is.}

From the voice ringing in my head.

I could feel real confusion.

{Legion Commander...... no, you bastard......!}

No wonder.

Its body, which had been closing in at a speed where it could attack me any second now,

{What the hell did you do to my body......!}

started slowing down rapidly.

“What did I do?”

And.

I looked at it as it steadily fell farther away from me, and said.

[Hero-grade Chef’s Pangpollo of All-Out Helplessness, Bewilderment, and Confusion.]

“It’s cooking.”

[This is a dish made from the finest ingredients! The dish’s effect increases greatly.]

[This is a dish made by a top-level chef in the best condition, with maximum effort poured into it! The dish’s effect increases extremely greatly.]

In front of my eyes.

A flood of explanations about what was inside the bullet it got hit by was spreading out.

***

What was inside that bullet was pangpollo, something I’d used in the past while rapidly waking up the warriors of [Cheonsan Mugwan].

[This is a dish made from the finest ingredients! The dish’s effect increases greatly.]

[This is a dish made by a top-level chef in the best condition, with maximum effort poured into it! The dish’s effect increases extremely greatly.]

It’s not actually junk food.

But in my case, it’s a dish I forced into being junk with everything I had.

[Upon consumption, all stats decrease drastically.]

[Upon consumption, you temporarily gain abnormal status - ‘Food Poisoning’.]

[Upon consumption, you temporarily gain abnormal status - ‘Esophagitis’.]

[Upon consumption.......]

[The title, Chef of Hope effect activates!]

[One line of effect is added at random.]

[Mana Disorder]

[A severe abnormality occurs in the target’s mana operation.]

Debuff lines that filled my vision in an instant.

The sheer volume of debuffs was so overwhelming that even I couldn’t help clicking my tongue.

{......This is impossible. Esophageal abnormalities I didn’t create...... toxicity from a dish I didn’t even eat. And... ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) what is this mana disorder supposed to be.}

Even when I was much weaker than I am now, it was a dish that worked on the warriors of [Cheonsan Mugwan].

And it seemed like it worked on this bastard, too.

The thing’s movements—which had been tearing down the walls like it was insane—jerked and stopped.

That gigantic body oddly flushed with a bluish heat, and you could tell at a glance it wasn’t normal.

{Toxicity and symptoms are.......}

But.

That bastard is a doctor.

{My specialty.}

Its body heaved a few times.

And with each heave, the blue blood color that had taken over its body gradually faded away.

[The target’s abnormal status - Food Poisoning has been removed!]

[The target’s abnormal status - Esophagitis.......]

‘Insane.’

Like a doctor would.

It instantly identified the illness and toxicity my cooking had inflicted on its body.

And instantly treated them itself.

‘So I should assume most debuffs won’t work on it.’

It was definitely impressive, but.

That was all it was.

{......Then why!}

Its body seemed to have returned to something like normal, but even so.

It couldn’t suppress its panic as it shouted.

{What did you do that.......}

No wonder.

No matter how normal its body became.

{The emotions controlling this body can’t be treated......!}

It was still.

Descending slowly, twisting and staggering.

“You said your specialty was medicine, right?”

And.

I looked at it as it fell farther away, and said.

“My specialty is...... cooking.”

I’m a chef.

Not a poisoner or an assassin.

A chef.

{Cooking......?}

Other abnormal statuses caused by cooking.

In the end, those are just an extension of food poisoning.

It would recognize them as illnesses it could treat.

But.

‘[Special Sauce] is the power to move the target’s emotions through taste.’

This isn’t [Special Sauce].

The overwhelming helplessness, bewilderment, and confusion dominating its mind—

those are emotions that arise after eating a dish.

Shock at the taste, being moved by it, and then the emotions that follow.

‘No matter how brilliant a doctor is...... a wave of emotions born from eating something delicious isn’t the kind of thing you can “treat” in the first place.’

If medicine is its domain.

Then cooking is mine.

No matter how overwhelming that monster looks right now.

As long as I can make it eat my cooking!

‘No matter how powerful a monster it is.’

With my cooking.

I was confident I could shake those emotions to the core.

“I did everything I could!”

And.

As I fell underground, I shouted up toward the surface.

“Hold it down somehow!”

Then.

There were ones who answered that call.

“As my master’s master commands!!!”

{......!}

Mountain and the vampires, now mostly recovered.

I could see them throwing themselves into battle against the beast that had slowed down in confusion......

And around then.

CRUNCH!

“KUH-HUH......!”

My body.

Reached the floor at the bottom of this shaft that had seemed infinitely deep.

***

“Ghk.......”

A fall that had to be at least a thousand meters.

The impact from a fall like that was absolutely massive.

Enough that an ordinary human wouldn’t even leave a recognizable shape behind.

And.......

To be honest.

“I didn’t... expect this either.......”

Jumping in with the intent to get underground was one thing.

But the underground scenery I’d seen was through that spirit’s senses.

With senses I’d barely had any experience with, there was no way for me to know how deep this place really was.

I figured it was maybe five hundred meters at most.

I never imagined it would be deep enough that, during the fall, I could still trade blows with that thing chasing me down like that.

SLIDE......

If there was any silver lining, it was that my body had gotten sturdier after the recent treatment.

As a result, I somehow didn’t die instantly.

I could feel vampire blood restoring my body.

But.......

‘At this speed...... it’s not enough.’

No matter how strong the regenerative power is.

My regeneration is only half-baked, and it’s slower than other vampires’.

Up above, the vampires and Mountain would be blocking the monster’s pursuit.

But the gap in force was still far too big.

Even if they “block” it, they won’t be able to do it for long.

I don’t just need to run toward the goal as fast as I can.

I don’t have the luxury of sitting here recovering.

“Damn it...... I should’ve made it in advance.”

One method I hadn’t been able to attempt because my condition was too bad flickered through my head.

But right now, I had no way to recover quickly.

While I was thinking about what to do.

What solved that dilemma for me was......

SLIDE......

“......Huh?”

Not my unit. Not my retainers.

“This mana.”

Warm mana.

Rising up from the ground.