Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 295: Splendid Return

Park Taehoon hurriedly gave an order as he continued to watch the monitor with his widened eyes, “Bring up the information about the artifact.”

“Yes, President,” Lee Minhwa said, as she quickly pulled out the information about the ‘Oven of Disaster’, the new second Absolute Demigod artifact.

(Oven of Disaster)

Rank: Authority

Requirements: DEX 1,500 above

Durability:?∞ / ∞

Special Abilities:

?All special abilities and skills can be used just by having the artifact in possession.

?HP and MP volume will increase by 50%

?Active Skill: Skill Destruction

?Passive Skill: Fantastic Oven

?Active Skill: Oven of Disaster

Description: A powerful Authority Artifact that has now become the second among the Absolute Demigod Artifacts. Since the player has created the artifact based on his desires, the desired ability will be added to the artifact.

“The skills too,” Kang Taehoon urged. Hearing the urgency in his voice, Lee Minhwa hurriedly opened the skill windows on the monitor.

(Skill Destruction)

Active Skill

Level: None

Mana Required: 1,000

Cooldown: 72 hours

Effects:

?Seals the enemy’s highest ranked skill for five minutes.

?Targets one of the enemy’s skills and seal it for five minutes.

(Fantastic Oven)

Passive Skill

Level: None

Mana Required: None

Effects:

?Create the best food that you want efficiently with the oven.

?Add ingredients to the oven to create various flavors. Example: When charcoal is applied to the oven, the taste of charcoal and smoke will permeate the food.

(Oven of Disaster)

Active Skill

Level: None

Mana Required: 3,000

Cooldown: 96 hours

Effects: The oven will recognize all hostile parties within a radius of twelve meters. It will cause an explosion that has 450% additional attack power.

“Wow…”

“It’s really awesome…”

The people in the room were looking at the skills in awe.

Meanwhile, Production Team Leader Lee Seokhoon said, “Isn’t this more like the first Absolute Demigod Artifact???”

The Oven of Disaster was so powerful, to the point that it could be compared to the first Absolute Demigod artifact.

Then, Lee Minhwa said, “Player Minhyuk can use all special abilities and skills just by having the item. The artifact can ignore the limits of the skills that one can use. Yes, it’s excellent. But when you look at the other Absolute Demigod artifacts, most of them are weapons. And this oven is not a weapon.”

President Kang Taehoon shook his head and said, “Skill Destruction is an amazing skill that can restrict the strongest power of your enemy for five minutes. If he does that, he can easily tie up the core players or mob bosses.”

Players had yet to encounter high-leveled monsters on the same level as those from the Demon Tower. However, the most taxing and demanding aspect of fighting against such monsters was dealing with their abilities. If one could seal just one of the monster’s strongest abilities, they would probably be at an advantage during their raid.

Then, Team Leader Park piped up too. He said, “There’s a skill that Player Minhyuk would really like.”

And just as Team Leader Park Minggyu had said, Minhyuk was really jumping around with joy in the screen.

[Yeah!!! I can apply the flavor of charcoal in the oven?! Does that mean that I can add the flavor of Cheongyang chili peppers as long as I add it in the oven? Kgghk! As expected of the second Absolute Demigod artifact!!!]

Indeed, Minhyuk was gushing over the ‘Fantastic Oven’ skill, and not the other two skills. Then, Minhyuk continued to speak to himself.

[Shall we go back now?]

***

The name Sun Guild Alliance was given after several guilds had combined together. Lee Hosung, the guild master of ‘Absolute Best Zone’, one of the Sun Guilds, was flustered and in a mess.

“Im…Impossible…!”

After the Legend Guild had first stepped into Lapur, the capital of the Elven Kingdom, the Sun Guild Alliance began to move quickly and follow their momentum.

More than 40 rankers stepped forward to pave the road and break the Demon God’s Rock. If they were able to destroy the Demon God’s Rock, they would be able to clear this event.

However, Barach suddenly appeared. With his appearance, Legend Guild decided to take a step back, while their Sun Guild Alliance stepped forward and prepared for an all-out attack. But right now…

[Aaaaaaaahhh!!! Most of the players that stepped forward were wiped out by Barach’s summoned beasts!!!]

[This is an unexpected gruesome spectacle!!!]

[The Demon God’s Knight Barach… is he really someone that can be hunted?!]

Lee Hosung looked around. All of the outstanding rankers of the Sun Guild that fought alongside him were forced to log out. The biggest problem that they had encountered was the sweltering heat that Barach’s body emitted, as well as the ‘Lava Corrosion’ skill.

The sweltering heat reduced their magical defense by 40%, while the Lava Corrosion skill was like a passive skill that would spout lava whenever Barach swung his weapon. The skill rapidly reduced the durability of their weapons and armor.

“This is our chance!”

“Attack!!!” Valdar, the Golden Shield, who surprisingly survived the attack earlier, shouted. He squeezed the last of his strength as he moved forward with the remaining players that were still alive.

“Golden Shield’s Brilliance!”

A golden light appeared in front of Valdar’s golden shield. When it was fully formed, it fired directly at Barach. The tankers stood in front and did their best to trigger their best skills.

“Beast’s Dash!!!”

“Fire Dragon’s Circle!!!”

“Galloping Sword!!!”

Then, Barach suddenly swung a flaming whip.

Shwaaaaaaaa―

The whip easily smashed apart the tankers’ best one-shot kill skills, before continuing on and devouring the players behind them.

Shwaaa―

“Ugh, Uaaaaaaack!!”

“Keuaaaaaack!”

“Keoheok!”

By the end of it all, Valdar was the only one left. However, he was also forced to log out after another attack. The number of players on the frontline that survived Barach’s attacks decreased sharply.

Unfortunately, this was a fight that desperately needed rankers. There was no way that players with lower levels could hunt a being that could not be taken down even by rankers.

“This is the end…!” Lee Hosung could not help but mumble to himself. Then, Barach turned to look at him as he reached out his colossal hand. Then, when he clenched his fist…

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

…Huge explosions bloomed on the ground until they reached where Lee Hosung was. At that moment…

“Gather.”

Shwaaaaaaaa―

All of the surviving players were sucked and concentrated in one place, Lee Hosung being among them.

“Gather…?”

‘Gather’ was a tremendously high-leveled magic skill. There was a player that knew this magic?

‘Was it Black Mage Ali?’

No, Black Mage Ali was a man. The voice that Lee Hosung had just heard belonged to a woman. Just as that thought flashed through Lee Hosung’s head, he saw the figure of the person that gathered them together.

[Aaaaaaaah! Just before the explosion happened, Alicia arrived!!!]

[The Witch of Agony, Alicia!!! The guild master of one of the Four Great Guilds, Artheon!!! She has made a spectacular appearance!!!]

[The rankers who almost got attacked were saved thanks to the Gather skill!!!]

But then, the huge force that bloomed from Barach stretched out and spread out in the surrounding area.

Kuhaaaaaak!

Kuhaaaaaaaaaaak!

Kuhaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!

However, the space in front of Alicia was torn apart as a black shaft with lightning patterns appeared.

[Wh…what’s that…?!]

[The, the Witch of Agony, Alicia!!!! She’s grabbing the hilt of a sword!!!]

Alicia was smiling deeply. She thought, ‘I really found my way thanks to Minhyuk.’

Alicia was the top-ranked player in the game Versal, a game that was created before Athenae. Back then, she was a knight. A class that used swords. However, when Alicia came to Athenae, she changed into the mage class.

Even though she became a powerful mage, Alicia still came across her limits. That was when she met a player. His name was Minhyuk and he told her, ‘I don’t need to join a guild to chase and seek high-level players. I think that’s not necessary for me to have fun.’

At that time, Alicia realized something.

‘That’s right. Games are meant to be enjoyed.’

Alicia looked back at her position as the best mage.

‘I did not play games because I wanted to be famous. I also did not play games because I wanted to be strong. I came to play games so I can have fun.’

She finally returned to the basics. Alicia realized that she had fun when she was swinging swords. So, she began to use swords again. And one day, she heard a notification.

‘You can now challenge the Royal Class Knight of Agony.’?

Alicia awakened new skills and became a candidate for the Royal Class. She became even more powerful than before.

And right now, Alicia slashed her sword mid-air. Then…

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

…dozens of lightning strikes fell down from the sky and neutralized Barach’s lava explosions.

The commentators shouted in excitement.

[Th…the Witch of Agony, Alicia!!! She’s showing us a lot more power than what we thought she had!!!]

[It’s incredible!!! The rankers had been struggling to deal with Barach’s skill, but she easily neutralized it!!!]

Then, Alicia jumped up and ran into the sky.

Dash, dash, dash!

She also sent a whisper.

[Alicia: Genie.]

[Genie: Got it.]

At that moment, the guild members of Legend Guild that had been holding their breaths and watching the situation appeared from all sides.

“If we die, this episode ends in our defeat!!!” Genie shouted as the members of Legend Guild nodded in agreement.

For episode events, the direction of Athenae’s future depended on whether the players could make it or not. They must recapture the Elven Forest and drive out the demons for their future.

The members of Legend Guild started to put pressure on Barach.

[Jefreet’s Dash!]

[The crazy priest takes over Jefreet’s power as he dashes forward!]

Locke rushed forward towards Barach as a huge power surged in his body. Khan also jumped and aimed at Barach’s face as he used the skill ‘Giant’s Back Attack’.

Baaaaaang!

Khan’s body spun and twisted before landing a punch on Barach’s face. As soon as Barach stumbled, Locke rushed forward and slammed his stomach using Jefreet’s Dash.

Baaaaaang―

Barach stumbled once again, suffering from one attack after another. Then, a man suddenly appeared in the air. It was none other than Abel the informant.

[Sudden Death]

[There’s a 50% chance that the opponent will be destroyed if you succeed in attacking the top of your opponent’s head.]

“Heeeeeeeup!”

The Legend Guild’s members held hope. Abel’s Sudden Death was a skill that gave him a 50% chance of destroying his enemy upon a successful attack.

Khan, Locke, Ascar and Genie rushed to Barach to restrict his movements.

“Let’s goooooo!”

“Let’s end this!!!”

Alicia, the Witch of Agony, also threw a whip to wrap around Barach.

Crack, crack, crack―

Just when Abel’s dagger was about to hit Barach’s head…

Baaaaaang―

[Knight’s Revolt]

[A strong flame erupts around his body and kills the enemies around him.]

“Keuhack!”

“Keoheok!”

“Ugh!”

The members of Legend Guild that clung to Barach flew away after being pushed back by Barach. The hot lava that his body emitted corroded their artifacts and dwindled their HP at a rapid pace.

[Strong burns put you in a state that is unable to fight.]

[You will die if you don’t get treated.]

Even Abel, who was trying to stab him in the head, was sent flying away from the sudden explosion of flames on Barach’s body.

“Goddamnit!”

Abel hurriedly checked the surroundings when he fell to the ground. Most of the members of Legend Guild were seriously injured after getting hit by the explosion head-on. Then, Barach took a step forward to finish them off.

‘Damn it. There are so many mobs around me that I can’t go to them to help.’

Alicia was surrounded by the demonic beasts that protected Barach. There was nothing she could do except to watch Barach step forward, preparing to cut off the Legend Guild’s final breath.

[Lightning Sword’s Tempest]

[A huge lightning and thunderbolt follows the movement of your sword as it strikes the enemies.]

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

Dozens of lightning bolts fell and struck down the demonic beasts that surrounded her. It even made Barach falter in his steps for a moment.

Alicia tried to take a step forward as she shouted at the members of Artheon who protected her from behind.

“Attack the monsters with magic while I try to rescue them to safety!”

Then, she quickly dropped to where Genie was. But, just as she was about to use Mass Teleport with Genie at the center, Barach suddenly appeared in front of her.

“Quick…!”

Alicia was speechless when he looked back at her guild members.

“…!”

She did not know when it happened, but Barach had already forced her guild members to log out. She could not help but tremble as she watched Barach approach her slowly.

“...Thank you for coming to save me,” Genie said, slowly raising her body.

“What?”

“Unfortunately, this recapture will end in failure.”

Genie and Alicia smiled bitterly. This event was already over.

The comments started to run.

[In the end, it seems like they’re going to fail…]

[Still, Alicia and the Legend Guild did their best…!]

[That Barach is too strong! Isn’t this a balance breaker?]

Alicia watched as Barach swung his whip violently.

‘Is it a level down?’

Then, at that moment…

“Diablo’s Scythe.’

―Creaaaaaak!

A huge black scythe appeared in the air. The scythe was connected to an equally large chain. This mysterious scythe immediately rushed towards Barach’s chest. Then…

Spuuuuurt!

Barach’s defense was so tremendous that no one could break through his thick skin. However, the black scythe was cleanly lodged in his chest.

“Keuaaaaaaaaack!”

The bastard’s grating and horrendous shriek rang loudly in the entire area. Then, the commentator shouted…

[Our, Our Lord, Food God… Pl…Player Minhyuk has appeared!!!]

Then, the man holding the end of the chain pulled his arm back amidst the gaze of all the people present.

Puhaaaaaak!

Creaaaaaaak―

Blood spurted out of Barach’s chest as Minhyuk pulled out the scythe by tugging on the chains.

This was the splendid return of Minhyuk after his trip to the Demon World’s Tower.