Gurgle~ Gurgle~
The sound of boiling water echoed through the forest.
Centered around the location of the iron pot, the four-person group of the Loki Familia stood on the left side.
The four girls huddled together, observing the two figures directly in front of them.
And at the end of their line of sight, Ottar and Hedin stood expressionless, their gazes constantly lingering between the iron pot and the black-haired youth not far away.
"The atmosphere between you two is too stiff."
Cain put away his weapon and walked to the iron pot carrying several newly made wooden bowls.
"Although I know your two Familias don't have a good relationship, right now we are just having a meal, there's no need to be so vigilant."
"I am not vigilant."
Ottar was the first to reply.
He stood there with his arms crossed, his tone flat, as if stating a fact.
Hedin's voice followed closely behind: "I recall you are the captain of the Hestia Familia, right?"
Pushing up the glasses on his face, Hedin inquired: "Why are you moving with a First Class Adventurer from the Loki Familia?"
Cain answered truthfully: "It's a kind of cooperation. I made a deal with Finn, and then he lent Ais and the others to me to use."
Hedin mused: "Cooperation? Can you elaborate on the specifics?"
"Of course, but before that, please taste my mushroom soup first."
Cain grabbed the pot lid and lifted it.
The next second, a dazzling golden light rose from the iron pot, capturing Hedin's gaze.
What the heck is this?
"What the heck is this?!"
As if hearing Hedin's unspoken thought, Tiona on the other side couldn't help but exclaim.
This was the first time she had seen Cain cook, where did this golden light come from?
"Same as always."
Lefiya shifted her gaze away from Cain.
There were no signs of magic being cast, nor any magic items.
The moment Cain grabbed the pot lid, the golden light naturally arose.
On the other side, as the focus of the scene, Cain held the wooden ladle as if nothing had happened.
"Mushroom soup is here!"
He ladled the mushroom soup from the pot into the bowls and handed them out one by one to Lefiya and the others: "Come on, taste what it's like."
A rich fragrance wafted from the wooden bowls. Lefiya subconsciously swallowed.
However, seeing Cain holding a wooden bowl in his hand and not moving, a trace of doubt appeared on her face: "Cain, aren't you going to drink?"
Cain smiled: "When I upgraded to LV2, I chose Swordsmanship; I didn't choose Abnormal Status Resistance."
Lefiya: "..."
Understood, he was using himself to test the poison.
With a subtle expression, Lefiya glanced at Cain, grabbed her wooden bowl, blew on it twice, and then brought it close to her lips to take a small sip.
The next second, a rich fragrance that defied verbal description bloomed on her lips. Lefiya's body instantly relaxed, and a feeling of floating rose up.
In a daze, Ais in front of her split into two, and those two split into four, instantly transforming into an endless army of Ais that trampled her underfoot.
Bang!
"So many... so many Miss Aiss..."
"Huh?"
A look of surprise appeared on Cain's face.
That shouldn't be right.
Didn't Lefiya have Abnormal Status Resistance?
Could it be that mixing different kinds of poisonous mushrooms together caused a chemical reaction?
"Ais, you guys wait a moment."
Cain called out and looked towards Hedin and Ottar, who were standing by with their wooden bowls but hadn't moved yet.
"You two try it. What level of toxin is in this bowl of soup?"
Hedin: "..."
So, after boiling for so long, adding seasoning, and producing golden light, you just made this thing?
Glancing at Lefiya, who was still grinning foolishly not far away, Hedin thought for a moment and looked toward the side.
"You first."
Ottar's Abnormal Status Resistance was Grade E, one level higher than his own.
If they were testing the poison, it was better for the other person to go first.
After hearing Hedin's words, Ottar also showed no hesitation, grabbing his wooden bowl and downing it in one gulp.
"...Tastes good."
After savoring the taste for a moment, Ottar handed the wooden bowl to Cain: "Can I have another bowl?"
"Of course."
Cain readily agreed.
After refilling Ottar's bowl, he looked at Hedin.
This time, Hedin didn't stall any longer and drank all the mushroom soup in his wooden bowl.
Feeling the mellow deliciousness coming from the soup, Hedin gained an understanding of Cain's culinary skills.
"The toxin has upgraded."
Setting down the wooden bowl, Hedin gave his answer.
"Although I don't know how you did it, the toxin level of these mushrooms has increased by one grade after being cooked."
"If one doesn't have Grade H Abnormal Status Resistance, drinking this bowl of mushroom soup will lead to hallucinations."
"Grade H? Then I have no problem!"
"I have no problem either."
Tiona and Tione, standing not far away, heard Hedin's analysis and began to enjoy the mushroom soup.
Next to the two of them, Ais, who was still walking on stilts, also raised her mushroom soup and took a small sip.
"Hmm? You're going to drink too?"
Seeing Cain also raise his bowl to his lips, Hedin showed a rare look of doubt on his face.
Didn't this guy just say he didn't have Abnormal Status Resistance? Was he lying?
"I really don't have Abnormal Status Resistance."
As if guessing Hedin's thoughts, Cain took a sip of the mushroom soup and then took out an antidote.
"But I have this."
After taking one bottle of the antidote, the world gradually twisting before Cain's eyes slowly returned to normal.
After that, he walked over to Lefiya, who was still drooling, and fed her an antidote.
"Miss Ais... Huh? Cain?"
Snapping out of the illusion, Lefiya looked at the black-haired youth in front of her and froze.
But quickly, she realized what had just happened: "I was poisoned?"
"Yeah, the research failed."
A look of regret appeared on Cain's face.
Although he didn't know which step went wrong, the toxicity of this pot of soup was a bit excessive.
It could knock out even Lefiya, who was LV3, let alone low-level adventurers and ordinary people.
"It seems I need to create a new recipe specifically for high-level adventurers to choose from."
Lefiya's eye twitched: "Forgive my bluntness, but shouldn't the proper procedure be to seal this problematic soup and never touch it again?"
"That would be such a waste. Maybe some adventurers really enjoy this flavor." Cain took back the wooden bowl and ladled another bowl of mushroom soup for Ottar.
"I like it very much."
Ottar, the captain of the Freya Familia, known as the Strongest, nodded.
This soup was not only delicious but could also train Abnormal Status Resistance while filling his stomach.
The only slight regret was that the toxin level of this soup was moderate, limiting its training effect on him.
Swallowing the mushroom soup in the wooden bowl once more, Ottar looked at the black-haired youth in front of him.
"While ensuring the flavor effect, is there a way to further enhance the hallucinogenic effect?"
"Of course, that's not difficult for me."
Perceiving Ottar's true intentions, Cain took out a list and handed it over.
"If you can help me collect everything on this list, I can offer you a free tasting."
"I understand."
Ottar took the list and accepted it.
Since he couldn't return to the surface anyway, he might as well help Cain collect ingredients in the Dungeon.
"Oh, right. And this."
Cain took out several boxes of compressed biscuits from his backpack and threw them to Hedin: "Didn't you ask me before what kind of cooperation Finn and I had? This is the answer."
"Compressed biscuits that can quickly fill your stomach while maintaining flavor are useful for both expeditions and daily Dungeon exploration."
"I see, it's a good thing."
Hedin took out a compressed biscuit and tasted it.
Compared to the inexplicable mushroom soup just now, the effect of these compressed biscuits was much better.
However, such a level of cooperation shouldn't warrant lending out three First Class Adventurers.
His gaze swept across the faces of Ais and the other three, and Hedin's face showed a thoughtful expression.
Could that shameless Finn have seen Cain's potential and was trying to win him over?
Ais tilted her head: "?"
For some reason, she felt Hedin's gaze suddenly filled with malice.
Cain extinguished the campfire: "Speaking of which, I haven't asked you two why you're here."
"One LV7 and one LV6, you can't possibly be here on the Eighteenth Floor for a vacation because you have nothing better to do, right?"
"You're overthinking it, I'm not that idle."
Hedin pushed up his glasses expressionlessly.
Thinking about it carefully, he had been working overtime recently, all because of this kid.
Perhaps this was a good opportunity.
Glancing at Ottar, who was spacing out after eating and doing nothing useful, Hedin made a decision.
"We are searching for Dark Faction Remnants."
"Dark Faction Remnants?"
Ais suddenly looked over.
As someone who experienced that dark period, she knew very well what Dark Faction Remnants represented.
"Are there Dark Faction Remnants hiding on the Eighteenth Floor?"
"The current investigation shows that, but there's no further information."
Hedin glanced at Ais: "Have you found anything strange on your side? At least when it comes to dealing with the Dark Faction Remnants, our positions are consistent."
Ais thought back and shook her head: "I haven't encountered anyone suspicious recently."
"I haven't found anything either."
"Me neither~"
"That... me too."
Tione and Tiona replied in turn, and Lefiya also softly echoed.
Seeing this, Hedin looked at the black-haired young man standing nearby: "What about you? Have you found anything?"
"What are you thinking? If we don't know, it's even more impossible for Cain to know."
Tiona squinted her eyes and complained: "He's been busy opening a restaurant lately, he hasn't even been to the Dungeon, let alone the Dark Faction hiding on the Eighteenth Floor..."
"I know."
Tiona's words were interrupted.
Amidst the surprised gazes of Ais and the others, Cain smiled: "I know information about the Dark Faction Remnants, but I can't tell you for free."
Hedin asked: "What do you want?"
Cain pondered for a moment, then held up a finger: "After I break through to LV3, I need your Freya Familia to assist me in training for a month."
"Note, I mean all members of the Freya Familia, and if necessary, even the First Class Adventurers of the Freya Familia must assist me in training."
Hedin: "..."
What kind of strange request was this?
Hedin, who had already prepared to pay or agree to some of Cain's requests, was stunned.
Subconsciously, his gaze turned to Ottar who had stood up at some point.
"Ottar, can you do it?"
Ottar: "..."
Ottar didn't reply immediately, and a terrifying aura quietly emerged from him, pressing towards Cain.
Seeing that Cain was unaffected by his aura, he then responded.
"No problem, I agree."
...
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