Three days passed.
For Vash, the days had become a routine.
Wake up.
Rehabilitation.
Study.
Help at Grandpa's Noodles.
Practice cooking.
And, most importantly—
complete his daily missions.
Every day, without fail.
Three days.
Three complete sets of missions.
Nine System Points.
But there was still one thing Vash wanted to finish.
The Golden Noodles.
---
On the morning of the third day, Vash stood in the kitchen.
The ingredients were arranged neatly in front of him.
Grandma stood nearby, watching.
"You remember everything?"
Vash nodded.
"Yes."
He didn't open his notebook.
He didn't ask for help.
He already knew the order.
He already knew the heat.
He already knew when to lower the flame.
He had made mistakes before.
But he had stopped making the same mistakes twice.
Vash turned on the stove.
The cooking began.
He moved carefully.
Not slowly.
Not nervously.
Just carefully.
The noodles went into the pan.
Then the sauce.
Then the spices.
He watched the texture.
Adjusted the flame.
Waited.
Then added the final ingredient.
Grandma watched silently.
Vash turned off the stove.
He placed the noodles into a bowl.
The color was golden.
The smell filled the kitchen.
Vash looked at Grandma.
She took a bite.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she smiled.
"This time, you got it."
Vash's eyes widened.
The system appeared.
---
[RECIPE EVALUATION COMPLETE]
Recipe: Golden Noodles
Practice Attempts: 11
Recipe Understanding: 100%
Cooking Accuracy: 100%
Basic Mastery: Achieved
Cooking Proficiency:
26.4 → 27.2
Reward:
+2 System Points
System Points: 61 → 63 / 100
---
Vash stared at the screen.
"Sixty-three."
He smiled.
"So that's it."
[Golden Noodles — Basic Mastery achieved.]
Vash looked at the bowl.
Eleven attempts.
Eleven chances to improve.
He remembered his first attempt.
The flame had been too high.
The sauce had become too thick.
He had made mistakes.
But every mistake had taught him something.
Grandma smiled.
"You finally understand the recipe."
Vash nodded.
"I think I do."
He picked up the bowl.
Then stopped.
"Grandma."
"Hmm?"
"Can I make it again tomorrow?"
Grandma laughed.
"Didn't you just finish it?"
"I know."
Vash smiled.
"But I want to get even better."
Grandma shook her head.
"You're becoming more like your grandfather every day."
Vash laughed.
---
After breakfast, Vash completed his rehabilitation.
His body was still recovering.
But the difference from a few weeks ago was obvious.
He could walk across the restaurant.
He could stand for longer.
He could move around without someone supporting him.
He opened the system.
---
[RECOVERY DATA]
Rehabilitation Progress: 1.4 → 1.6 / 10
Walking Stability: 1.1 → 1.3 / 10
Balance: 1.3 → 1.5 / 10
---
Vash stared at the numbers.
"Still only 1.6."
[Correct.]
"Ten is full recovery, right?"
[Confirmed.]
Vash nodded.
"So I'm not even halfway."
[Correct.]
He smiled.
"Then I'll keep going."
---
The next three days passed quickly.
Vash followed the same routine every day.
Rehabilitation.
Studying.
Helping at the restaurant.
Cooking.
And completing his daily missions.
Every evening, the system appeared.
---
[DAILY TASKS]
1. Walk 20 steps. ✓
2. Rehabilitation exercises. ✓
3. Drink 500 ml of water. ✓
4. Study for 30 minutes. ✓
5. Help at Grandpa's Noodles. ✓
Tasks Completed: 5 / 5
Reward: +3 System Points
---
Three days.
Three rewards.
+9 System Points.
Combined with the 52 points he had at the end of Chapter 18:
52 → 61
Then Golden Noodles mastery:
61 → 63
Vash looked at the number.
63 / 100.
He was getting closer.
But then another thought entered his mind.
School.
---
That afternoon, Vash sat outside Grandpa's Noodles.
Students were walking along the street.
Some carried backpacks.
Some were talking with their friends.
Vash watched them quietly.
Rohan noticed.
"What are you thinking about?"
"School."
Rohan looked at him.
"You want to go back?"
Vash nodded.
"I can walk now."
Rohan smiled.
"That's true."
"I've missed two years."
"Then you'll have to catch up."
Vash looked toward the students.
"I know."
He paused.
"But I want to try."
Rohan nodded.
"Then let's go ask."
---
The next morning, Vash went to his old school with his grandparents.
The moment he entered the school grounds, memories returned.
The classrooms.
The corridors.
The sound of students talking.
It all felt familiar.
And unfamiliar at the same time.
Two years had passed.
At the administration office, Vash explained his situation.
The administrator listened carefully.
"Because you've missed two academic years, returning directly to your previous class won't be possible."
Vash nodded.
"Then what can I do?"
The administrator looked through his records.
"You can take an assessment for Class 10."
Vash's eyes widened.
"Class 10?"
"Yes."
"If you pass the assessment, you can apply for admission."
Vash immediately asked,
"When is the assessment?"
The administrator checked the schedule.
"Two weeks from today."
Vash froze.
"Two weeks?"
"Yes."
The administrator handed him a syllabus.
Vash looked down.
Mathematics.
English.
Science.
Social Studies.
He turned the pages.
The material covered the previous two academic years.
Vash stared at the books.
Two years of missed education.
Four major subjects.
Fourteen days.
He swallowed.
"Do I have to study all of this?"
"You need to be prepared for the assessment."
Vash nodded.
"I understand."
---
On the way home, Vash was quiet.
Grandpa looked at him.
"Thinking about the test?"
"Yeah."
"Are you worried?"
Vash looked at the books in his hands.
"A little."
Grandpa smiled.
"You don't have to do it."
Vash shook his head.
"No."
He looked ahead.
"I want to."
---
That evening, Vash placed the textbooks on his desk.
He opened the mathematics book.
Then English.
Science.
Social Studies.
The amount of material was enormous.
Vash took a deep breath.
"Two years..."
He looked at the calendar.
"...fourteen days."
The system appeared.
---
[NEW OBJECTIVE DETECTED]
Objective: Class 10 Admission Assessment
Assessment Date: 14 Days
Target: Pass the Class 10 Admission Assessment
Subjects:
Mathematics
English
Science
Social Studies
Required Preparation:
Previous Two Years of Academic Material
---
Vash stared at the system.
Then smiled.
"System."
[Yes.]
"Track my study progress."
[Confirmed.]
Vash picked up his pen.
He opened the first chapter.
This time, his challenge wasn't walking.
It wasn't cooking.
It wasn't business.
It was catching up on two years of education.
And he had only fourteen days.
Vash smiled.
"Let's see how far I can go."