Himouto Umaru: "Your world doesn't have strawberries?"
Ordinary Group Owner: "Strawberries are a fruit with a sweet and sour taste. But putting them in Mapo Tofu—that's an incredible leap of imagination."
Ordinary Group Owner: "I know different places have different tastes, but you could torture me to death and I'd never have thought someone would combine Mapo Tofu with strawberries."
Ordinary Group Owner: "Wait, Little Chef's world doesn't have strawberries?"
Child of Nature: "It's not that they don't exist in his world—they just hadn't been introduced to China yet at that time."
Child of Nature: "Strawberries were brought over during the Republican era, which is a long time after Little Chef's era."
Cooking Master Boy: "An ingredient that hasn't been introduced to China yet? I really want to try it."
Himouto Umaru: "I happen to have some right here."
Ding. Group member Himouto Umaru has sent a red packet.
Himouto Umaru: "Give it a taste."
Umaru asked with some anticipation.
Ding. Group member Cooking Master Boy has claimed the red packet.
Cooking Master Boy: "So this is a strawberry. Sweet with a hint of sourness. I feel like it would suit dishes with a sweet-and-sour flavor profile."
Cooking Master Boy: "But combining it with Mapo Tofu... I'd need to research this. I can't think of a good way to harmonize both flavors at the moment."
Little Chef savored the strawberry in his mouth and spoke thoughtfully.
Afterward, he asked the others what dishes they wanted to eat, but most requests were similar to what Roxie had originally mentioned—Mapo Tofu and Golden Fried Rice.
They weren't familiar with Little Chef's culinary skills. Moreover, everyone here stood at the pinnacle of their respective worlds. What cuisine hadn't they tasted? How delicious could anything really be?
If this had been before, Brandon White would have thought the same. His imagination for culinary deliciousness was quite limited—he couldn't fathom how delicious a dish could possibly be.
But after eating dishes made from mutant beast meat and the culinary creations that had evolved in Roxie's world, he had gained a new understanding of how delicious food could be. This made him all the more curious about how good Little Chef's cooking would taste.
Since everyone ordered the same dishes, and only Whitebeard, Uchiha Madara, the Holy Lord, and Marquis Voban requested maximum spiciness for their Mapo Tofu, while everyone else had no special requirements, those four received their dishes first.
And then—
Ordinary Group Owner: "Mmph... this taste... I'm so moved."
Ordinary Group Owner: "It's like I'm inside a volcano. Lava is flowing through my body. Sweat won't stop pouring from everywhere. My tongue has gone completely numb. So spicy! It's really so spicy!"
Ordinary Group Owner: "But I can't stop eating. Unimaginably delicious."
Ordinary Group Owner: "Glowing cuisine—terrifying indeed!"
Richest Man: "Hssss... haaah..."
Richest Man: "Isn't this spiciness kind of terrifying? But why does something this spicy taste so good?!"
Richest Man: "And what was that illusion just now? Why did I see so many people who seemed both familiar and unfamiliar wearing swim... ahem, I almost said something wrong. No wonder the Group Owner was so eager to eat this. This isn't a flavor that normal cooking can achieve!"
Glory of the Northern God: "This feeling... this taste... I'm so moved. Wuuuuu."
Glory of the Northern God: "ShibaCrying.jpg"
Glory of the Northern God: "Even the Devil Fruit I ate before wasn't this delicious!"
Child of Nature: "I know you're trying to give a compliment, but using Devil Fruit as a comparison... only you could do that."
Child of Nature: "But it really is hard to imagine that such ordinary ingredients could produce this flavor."
Brandon savored the food in his mouth and couldn't help but marvel.
Such ordinary ingredients had produced a taste even more delicious than the high-tier ferocious beast and spirit-infused dishes he'd eaten from Roxie's world.
Whether in terms of flavor or the satisfaction of the soul, it was incomparable.
If such culinary skill were combined with high-quality ingredients, it was impossible to imagine how delicious the result would be.
This could make for a good trade.
Brandon's eyes gleamed as he looked at the vegetables and fruits in his pocket dimension—produce that had been nourished by spiritual energy until they could practically be considered natural treasures. He could control time within his pocket dimension, so he didn't need to worry about supply.
Very few things in this world could stir his emotions anymore. But when it came to delicious food, no one could possibly refuse.
While Brandon and the others savored Little Chef's cooking, the skies over the Imperial Capital were undergoing dramatic changes, the heavens awash in crimson light.
Unlike Chris Frost, who had already digested the dragon blood, or Firewing, who was waiting for the Flame Beast to hatch, Skyler Quinn was still processing the immense energy within the Dragon Pearl.
Perhaps it really was because his ability was dragon-related—he possessed an extraordinarily high compatibility with both the dragon blood and the Dragon Pearl.
Throughout the absorption process, his entire being was undergoing metamorphosis.
RUMBLE—
RUMBLE—
RUMBLE—
High in the sky, crimson clouds gathered above the Imperial Capital's Spirit Energy Bureau, forming an enormous vortex.
Deep within the vortex, thunder and firelight spiraled and collided. Faintly, one could make out an elongated silhouette coiling within.
As for this spectacle, after the initial shock and the Bureau's explanation that Dragon Emperor Skyler Quinn was cultivating, the populace calmed down. Some even treated it as entertainment.
Dragon Emperor Skyler Quinn was the guardian of the Imperial Capital. He was also its pride.
Because of his existence, the Imperial Capital could remain this safe.
Those who hid in the shadows only dared to stay hidden. They didn't dare show themselves.
Even though Skyler had been cultivating for quite some time and certain people had begun entertaining ideas, none of them dared to act.
Because they knew they were no match for Skyler. And it wasn't just Skyler.
Abilities and cultivation talent didn't discriminate based on whether you were good or evil. They favored only the gifted.
No one knew whether there were more good people or bad people in the world. But ordinary people were the majority.
They might not be considered saints, but they certainly weren't evil.
And when ordinary people awakened powerful talents and abilities, their choices were influenced by their experiences—by their families.
Not everyone's life was filled with setbacks and hardships, as if all the world's suffering had been heaped upon them. Most people had lived their previous years in peace and stability. Their choices were obvious.
Under such circumstances, what could those hiding in the shadows really do?
This wasn't just the age of technology anymore—it was also the age of spiritual energy. Just because technology couldn't find you didn't mean abilities couldn't.
Where could you possibly hide?
Those who chose darkness were destined to hide in the shadows forever. Otherwise, all that awaited them was death.
Regarding the phenomenon caused by Skyler, everyone shared a single thought:
Let it grow even more intense!
— End of Chapter —