Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Episode 12. Iron-Hoof Lord Mala Stir-Fry

[Would you like to dismantle it?]

[Your current skill levels are ‘Appraisal Lv.1,’ ‘Purification Lv.2,’ and ‘Dismantling Lv.2.’]

Jinho laughed helplessly as he lay on the floor.

‘I think I leveled up around this point when I fought the Minolac.’

His entire body ached so badly that he could not move.

‘Normally, aren’t you supposed to level up after killing a monster? And didn’t leveling up heal my injuries?’

[Combat kill experience will not be converted into job experience.]

[Experience will be calculated based on ingredient acquisition, cooking actions, and tasting actions.]

Come to think of it, he seemed to have leveled up only after dismantling the Minolac too. The problem was...

‘You want me to dismantle it in this condition?’

“Can’t you save my life first?”

Instead of answering, the system displayed another message.

[A higher-grade ingredient has been detected.]

[Today’s Menu will be updated.]

[Iron-Hoof Boar Mala Stir-Fry → Iron-Hoof Lord Mala Stir-Fry]

Jinho slowly turned his head.

‘A higher-grade ingredient?’

At a glance, the Iron-Hoof Lord’s enormous body and thick flesh did not look particularly edible, but... He thought it might be different once he cut it open.

Jinho staggered to his feet.

His hands trembled. His legs trembled too. But he moved.

After all, this was why he had entered the gate today.

He approached the Iron-Hoof Lord’s hind leg. The armor had split open around the area that had been damaged on the upper level. The flesh was dark red and looked tough, but its grain was consistent.

“Good.”

Jinho adjusted his grip on Doyoon’s auxiliary folding knife.

What followed was too pitiful to be called proper dismantling. The knife was short and dull, and Jinho’s wrist was slightly swollen. He had to stop and catch his breath several times just to remove a single chunk.

He was cutting along the guide lines as he had with the Minolac, but it still was not going properly.

“Fuck, what the hell am I putting myself through all this for?”

Jinho gripped the knife handle again. Then he cut the meat along the lines.

Both the hide and the flesh were so tough that cutting them was far from easy, but since his target was no longer moving, it was not completely impossible.

In that way, he finally managed to cut off a single chunk.

[You have successfully dismantled part of the Iron-Hoof Lord!]

[You have acquired 1 B-Rank Mana Stone.]

[You have gained experience!]

[Level up!]

[The ‘Dismantling’ skill has leveled up!]

[The ‘Purification’ skill has leveled up!]

[You have acquired ‘Iron-Hoof Lord Hind Leg Meat.’ Would you like to cook it?]

Once the dismantling was complete, he leveled up and his body recovered. It was the same as when he had dismantled the Minolac.

‘What kind of job gives experience for cooking and tasting instead of killing monsters?’

He shook his head and pushed the chunk of meat into his inventory. It was then that his gaze fell on the wall at the back of the cavern.

Unlike before, the wall was shimmering. Beyond the wavering haze, he could see scenery resembling the real world.

‘Is that the exit?’

Dim light was leaking through. Jinho felt relieved. He had no confidence that he could climb back up to the main entrance. He did not even know whether the passage on the upper level was still intact.

Jinho was about to head outside when it happened.

Clatter-

The yellow band around his wrist cracked and broke. Red words spread chaotically across its surface.

[Record Damaged]

[Reverification Required]

[Unregistered Status]

The broken section was scraping against the skin of his wrist.

Jinho placed Doyoon’s auxiliary folding knife against the band’s clasp.

‘Surely they won’t go looking for me just because this thing is missing.’

After thinking about it for a moment, he cut the band off.

Clatter-

The severed band rolled across the floor.

Jinho stared at it for a moment before heading outside.

He still had things to do.

____________

He emerged from the fissure beside an old drainage channel.

It was a concrete waterway leading to a stream on the outskirts of the city. It was quite far from the gate assembly point. In the distance, he could faintly hear ambulance sirens and announcements from the loudspeakers of Association vehicles.

Jinho held his breath and looked around.

“...Let’s just go home.”

He pulled his cap low over his head.

Then he left the drainage channel.

By the time he arrived home, the sun had almost set.

At that moment, words appeared before his eyes.

[Today’s Menu: Iron-Hoof Lord Mala Stir-Fry]

[Time Remaining: 5 hours 11 minutes]

“Right. After going through all that, I should at least try eating it.”

Jinho shoved his bloodstained, dust-covered clothes into the washing machine, washed himself, and changed.

Then he opened his inventory and took out the Iron-Hoof Lord meat.

[Iron-Hoof Lord Hind Leg Meat]

- Leg meat from an Iron-Hoof Boar lord species.

- The muscle fibers are strong, and an unpleasant mana odor remains.

- It has undergone purification and can be used as a food ingredient.

It was heavy.

From the moment it rested in his palm, it felt different from ordinary pork. Its elasticity was far too strong. When he pressed down firmly, it did not yield easily. Instead, he could feel a force pushing back from within.

Thin layers of blackish fat ran through the red flesh. There was not much fat, and the grain was coarse. However, its direction was consistent.

The smell was not as bad as he had expected.

Still, it did not smell like ordinary meat. A very faint scent of wet iron and wild animal remained.

Jinho recalled what the merchant in front of the gate had told him.

Monster meat was tough and gamey. And ordinary people could barely eat it.

“I guess that means this would be inedible without Purification.”

He placed the meat on the cutting board.

At that moment, a new message appeared.

[Initial Adaptation Assistance - Cooking Guide has been activated.]

[Iron-Hoof Lord Mala Stir-Fry]

[Key Preparation Steps: Cutting Across the Grain / Odor Suppression / Meat Tenderization / Strong Spice Stir-Frying]

Soon afterward, faint lines appeared on the surface of the meat resting on the cutting board. They showed the direction in which he needed to cut.

Jinho picked up his knife. There was hesitation in his movements. This was different from dismantling a monster inside the gate.

Back then, he had cut however he could because he would die if he did not stab it, but cooking was different. The taste of meat changed depending on how it was cut.

To be fair, he was only just beginning to understand that.

“Against the grain.”

He muttered quietly.

The lines shown by the system did not run completely perpendicular to the grain of the meat. They were slightly diagonal. It was an angle that severed the tough fibers while preserving some texture.

Jinho brought the knife down along those lines.

The first slice was thick. It looked tough just from looking at it.

“...I don’t think this is right.”

He pushed the sliced meat aside.

The second slice was too thin. It looked as though it would fall apart once it went into the pan.

“Not this either.”

From the third slice onward, things improved a little. His hands were not particularly skilled, but the system continued showing him the correct direction.

Jinho adjusted his grip on the knife and continued slicing the meat. The surface of the meat felt different depending on the angle at which he inserted the blade.

When he cut along the wrong direction, it felt as though the blade was being pushed away. When he cut at the correct angle, even the heavy meat split smoothly.

He could feel that difference through his fingertips.

Jinho stopped cutting for a moment.

“This is actually kind of fun.”

Even though he had nearly died not long ago, standing in front of a cutting board filled him with excitement that would not fade.

He wanted to learn more.

Why he had to cut in this direction. Why some meats needed to be sliced thickly and others thinly. When he should raise the heat and when he should lower it.

Simply following the answers the system provided was not enough.

‘I need to study.’

He felt that if he understood what he was doing, he could cook even better.

Jinho picked up the knife again. This time, his slices were a little more consistent.

After placing the sliced meat in a bowl, Jinho took out the Sichuan pepper powder and dried chilies he had bought for his home.

[Strong spice stir-frying is required.]

[However, excessive use of Sichuan pepper will produce bitterness.]

[It is recommended to infuse the oil with aromatics first and add the seasonings during the later stages.]

“Infuse the oil first, then add the seasonings later.”

Following those instructions, Jinho poured oil into a pan and turned on the heat.

“What kind of texture will this have once it’s cooked?”

The surface of the oil slowly rippled. He added scallions, garlic, dried chilies, and Sichuan pepper in that order.

Sizzle-

At first, the sound was faint, but soon the aromas began to rise.

The sweet fragrance of garlic, the heated aroma of scallions, and the spicy scent of oil infused with dried chilies. The tingling fragrance of Sichuan pepper layered over them.

“Now.”

He added the meat.

SSSSIZZLE!

A sharp sound erupted from the pan.

The surface of the meat rapidly contracted and changed color. Ordinary pork would have cooked quickly, but the Iron-Hoof Lord meat resisted the heat. The outside was cooking, yet the fibers inside remained firm.

Jinho unconsciously tried to lower the heat.

Then he stopped.

[Lowering the heat will increase the loss of meat juices.]

[It is recommended to replenish moisture after the surface has set.]

“Ah, so I shouldn’t lower it here.”

He shook the pan. As he did, the pieces of meat flipped over.

The meat rolled through the oil and spices, allowing its exterior to firm up. The mala aroma clung to the surface of the meat. The dark reddish-black fat layers melted slightly, adding a deep fragrance to the oil.

At first, he was too busy following the movements shown by the system. Indicators appeared before his eyes, showing him which direction to push the pan, when to pull it back, and when to separate the pieces with his chopsticks.

But after repeating the movements a few times, his hands gradually began moving ahead of the instructions.

‘Ah, this is when it starts sticking.’

‘If I leave it any longer here, it’ll burn.’

‘If I flip it now, the seasoning will coat it evenly.’

It was not perfect, but he felt as though he was beginning to understand.

Jinho smiled without realizing it.

“If I learn how to do this properly, cooking could be really fun.”

He took the Blackrock Salt out of his inventory.

[Blackrock Salt]

- An auxiliary ingredient that suppresses unpleasant odors and balances the depth of flavor.

- Excessive use will intensify bitterness and metallic flavors.

Jinho pinched a very small amount between his fingertips.

As the Blackrock Salt fell into the pan, the aromas became balanced.

The smell that could be described as either an unpleasant mana odor or the scent of wet iron receded. Instead, the rich aroma of the meat itself came forward.

Just before turning off the heat, Jinho gave the pan one more vigorous shake. The seasoning coated the surface of the meat in a thin layer, giving it a glossy sheen.

The stir-fry was a mixture of dark red meat, red oil, finely crushed chilies, and Sichuan pepper.

Finally, he sliced a little of the green part of a scallion and added it. The residual heat softened it, blending a lighter fragrance into the spicy aroma.

At that moment, a system message appeared.

[You have successfully made Iron-Hoof Lord Mala Stir-Fry!]

[Higher-Grade Ingredient Bonus has been applied.]

[A special effect has been granted.]

Jinho set down the pan. Soon afterward, an information window appeared.

[Iron-Hoof Lord Mala Stir-Fry (Grade D+)]

- A spicy stir-fried dish combining the coarse texture of Iron-Hoof Boar lord meat with a pungent, tingling aroma.

- Unpleasant mana odors have been suppressed through purification and auxiliary ingredient preparation.

- Although the cook’s proficiency is low, the quality of the ingredient and the chosen cooking method complement each other, enhancing the effect.

- Effect: Strength +17, Charge/Knockback Resistance +10

Jinho stared down at the plate for a while.

Strength +17 and Charge/Knockback Resistance +10.

The values were higher than those of the Minolac Yukhoe.

‘Let’s see...’

Jinho separated a small portion of the dish and picked up his chopsticks. Then he took a piece of meat and put it into his mouth.

At first, the tip of his tongue tingled.

The numbing sensation of Sichuan pepper awakened his palate. Then came the spicy heat of the dried chilies and chili oil. The initial sensation was intense, but not harsh.

Then came the flavor of the meat.

It was far richer than ordinary pork. When he chewed, the fibers resisted with a springy texture before breaking apart. Rather than tough, it was elastic. If he had sliced it against the wrong direction, it would certainly have been difficult to chew. But now, the more he chewed, the more the meat juices blended with the mala flavor.

There was no unpleasant odor.

Instead, a very faint metallic richness remained, giving the flavor greater depth.

[Your stats have increased.]

Name: Kang Jinho

Level: 4

Title: Novice Cook

Job: Dungeon Chef

Stats: Strength 22 Agility 7 Intelligence 8 Stamina 10

Special: Charge/Knockback Resistance 10

“Delicious.”

Jinho spoke while looking at his stats. The food was delicious, and the stat increases were even more satisfying.

Still, he felt that a little more acidity would reduce the greasiness. The meat might also be better sliced a little thinner. He thought it might be possible to add a little more Sichuan pepper at the end to bring out its fragrance.

His thoughts continued.

“I need to study more.”

This time, it was not merely talking to himself. It was closer to a resolution.

The system could show him the direction. But understanding flavor was his own responsibility.

If he did not understand why something tasted good, he would have to leave his next dish to chance. He did not want that. He did not want to become a chef who simply moved according to the system’s instructions.

Jinho looked down at the stir-fry remaining in the pan. Eating it all would not be a bad idea. But there was something he wanted to check.

The Exchange.

He transferred what remained in the frying pan into a suitable bowl.

At that moment, the window he had been waiting for appeared.

[Would you like to list this on the Exchange?]

“Oh, ooooh...!”

‘This is it!’

Jinho immediately pressed YES.

A window appeared where he could set the price and quantity.

And a moment later.

[The item has been listed on the Exchange.]

[Awaiting sale...]

Watching the notification, Jinho drank a glass of water. His excitement would not fade. He had finally found it. A way to list his cooking on the Exchange.

There were still plenty of problems to solve, but so what?

“Then tomorrow, I should start by finding a way to procure ingredients.”

After muttering that, Jinho turned toward his bed.

Just as he thought it was finally time to lie down.

Ding-

A notification sounded.

[An item has been sold on the Exchange.]