The alley fell silent.
Kai's hand tightened around the iron skillet still warm from his last dish. The man before him was no ordinary thug. His presence alone made the flames in the kitchen shiver.
The faintly glowing blue tattoo across his collarbone marked him unmistakably:Cold Flame Syndicate.
Rogue chefs. Culinary heretics. Masters of forbidden flavor and volatile ingredients.
"Didn't think I'd find you so easy," the man said, stepping closer. "You the lad turning slop into whispers?"
Kai didn't respond.
He glanced at his fire—still lit. His cutting board—clean. His ingredients—few but ready.
"You cook for the hungry, don't you?" the man said. "But tell me… can you cook under pressure?"
He snapped his fingers.
The air changed. A magical chill swept through the alley, mixing frost and smoke. From his coat, he pulled a glistening jar—inside, a slithering Frostback Eel, half-frozen and very much alive.
[Underground Cooking Duel Initiated!]
Opponent: Jorren Blighttongue – Rank: Rogue Sous-B
Style: Cryo-Infusion Combat Cuisine
Wager: Reputation + Exclusive Ingredient
Kai stood, system flickering.
[System Advisory]
Side Quest Triggered: "Face the Flame: Duel with a Syndicate Chef"
Victory Reward: +40 XP, +1 Rare Ingredient, +5 Reputation
Failure Penalty: -2 Reputation, Cold Flame Marked (Temporarily)
Kai nodded. "You want a duel? Fine. Just don't cry when it burns."
Three Ingredients Each. One Dish. Five Minutes.
Jorren's ice blade clattered against a steel bowl. Kai grabbed cabbage leaves, marrow oil, and the last of his pork.
[Ingredient Recognition I] lit up.Frostback Eel: Frost-Aligned. Bitter Blood. Slippery texture. Cooks best with aggressive heat.
Kai's counter flames erupted.
[Heat Control I] surged with force.
He sliced the pork thin—ribbons of fat curling like petals—then roasted it directly on a hot stone, layering it between charred cabbage pockets like dumplings.
Jorren shattered his eel into fillets, freezing one side while slow-searing the other with ice crystal shards. A complex dish… but cold at its heart.
Kai's dish sizzled. He infused marrow oil through cabbage veins, creating crisp outer shells with a juicy pork heart.Finished it with dusted salt and a hidden trick: a final pass of hot breath, timed with a flare burst.
Kai plated. Done.
[System Triggered: Culinary Clash—Judging Phase]
The judge? An unexpected figure—the Wandering Spoon's owner, drawn out by the ruckus. He tasted both dishes slowly.
Then paused.
"…The eel was clever, Jorren. But too cold. Lacks soul."
He turned to Kai's.
"One bite and… I remember my grandmother's hearth. You've cooked more than flavor—you cooked feeling."
[Victory – Kai Elgren]+40 XP+1 Rare Ingredient: Embernut (Retains internal heat for hours)+5 Reputation
[Level Up! → Level 3 Reached]
+3 Stat Points Gained
📜 Status Update – Kai Elgren
Level: 3
XP: 23 / 200
Reputation: 16 (Name begins to circulate in side streets and market stalls)
Stat Points Available: 3(Apply Now?)
Kai didn't hesitate.
+2 Mana (total 5)
+1 Culinary Sense (total 7)
He felt the difference immediately—Heat Control became more fluid, flavor detection more precise.
[System Notice]🔥 Heat Control I upgraded → Heat Control II
Now costs 12 MP, effects last longer, and can modulate multiple flame sources.
Jorren spat to the side, defeated but amused.
"Not bad, street boy. You've got fire. But don't think the Syndicate's done with you."He vanished into mist, scenting the alley with ash and frozen brine.
Kai turned, breath steady.
That was his first real duel.
But it wouldn't be the last.
The streets of Braisenhold were starting to talk.
And the Guild Hall was finally beginning to notice.