Chapter 8: Stir-Fried Recognition

“Do you happen to have any more Korean green peppers?”

“Ah, if it’s peppers, I have plenty. It’s small, but I do tend a little garden.”

“Then could you pick some more Korean green peppers for me? And if possible, a few regular peppers and some green onions too.”

“Hoho, for someone making me a proper meal for the first time in a while, that’s a simple request. Wait a moment!”

Jackson smiled brightly and went outside.

Though he had refused at first, saying he was sorry to impose on a guest, it seemed he was looking forward to a proper meal after all.

“First, the meat.”

Slice!

The pork belly I had taken out of my inventory.

Since this wasn’t just plain grilled pork belly this time, I cut it into bite-sized pieces so it would blend well with the other ingredients.

After trimming all the pork belly I had to make a generous portion,

I put the meat on the pan first.

“Firewood… Ah, that’s a hassle. Summon Salamander.”

Whoosh!

There was firewood right next to me, but lighting it and maintaining it was too much trouble.

I already had such an excellent source of firewood—no, a spirit.

– Kkyuu!

“Haha, you’re going in on your own now.”

Salamander chirped cutely and immediately went under the frying pan, emitting flames.

Then it looked at me with an expression that seemed to say, ‘What kind of dish is it this time?’

“This time it’s stir-fried pork belly with Korean green peppers. It’ll be delicious, so you can look forward to it.”

– Kkyu!

Sizzle sizzle!

As it began emitting flames, the pan gradually heated up.

Naturally, the pork belly on top began to cook, emitting a savory aroma.

“Come to think of it, that’s three meals of meat in a row. Well, this one’s a little different anyway.”

After grilling meat three times in a row, it might have been getting a bit tiresome.

But this time was different.

This stir-fried pork belly with Korean green peppers was a clean dish that used the peppers to cut through the greasiness of the meat.

Clunk!

“You’re back?”

“Here it is! I washed everything, so it’s ready to use. Hoho.”

Jackson’s smile was much softer compared to when we first met.

The main ingredient was Korean green peppers, but for now, I took the green onions Jackson brought and began chopping them.

“Your knife skills are remarkable! To slice green onions so cleanly and consistently like that.”

Sizzle!

I added the evenly chopped green onions on top of the pork belly and shook the pan a few times.

Naturally, the pork fat and green onions combined to create a fragrant scallion oil.

Next, I added sugar and a little water to help the meat absorb the seasoning.

– Kkyuuu!

“Gasp! Wait, isn’t that a fire spirit?”

While the water heated up, I coarsely chopped the fresh Korean green peppers.

About two pieces per pepper.

Since they were the main ingredient, this was to preserve their texture.

Once the water began to boil, I added the Korean green peppers, finely chopped regular peppers, soy sauce, and minced garlic.

“A trainee summoning a spirit! Truly remarkable.”

I stirred well until the liquid reduced, waiting for the seasoning to soak in.

As the water gradually decreased and a subtle sheen appeared on the Korean green peppers,

“It’s done.”

– Kkyuuu!

I asked Salamander to turn off the heat, added a bit of sesame oil and some whole sesame seeds.

“Stir-fried pork belly with Korean green peppers! Finished!”

***

Chop chop chop chop!

‘Truly remarkable skill. To cut green onions that consistently with a one-handed sword, not even a kitchen knife.’

Jackson was watching Lee Chang cook from behind him.

He couldn’t help it—Lee Chang’s skill was simply astounding.

‘Just from this, his swordsmanship skill is already guaranteed.’

Proper force and control.

If either were even slightly off, such cutting would be impossible.

Despite using a one-handed sword, far more unwieldy than a kitchen knife, there wasn’t a single cut mark on the cutting board.

But what truly surprised Jackson came next.

– Kkyuu!

“Gasp! Wait, isn’t that a fire spirit?”

A fire spirit, Salamander.

Without the help of a manual, he thought it would be impossible for a trainee to summon one.

But from their brief conversation earlier,

Dustin didn’t seem like the type to have given away the [Spirit Mastery Manual].

If he had, he wouldn’t have sent this young man here in the first place.

That meant this young man had summoned a fire spirit by his own power.

‘Truly astonishing. Swordsmanship and spirits. And if he also acquired that meat himself, his talent for hunting must be great as well.’

Even before the test began,

Jackson felt he understood why Dustin had sent this young man to him.

With such talent, he certainly possessed the qualifications.

As Jackson was pondering this,

Lee Chang placed the finished dish on the table and called out.

“Stir-fried pork belly with Korean green peppers! Finished!”

“Hoho, I’ve never seen this dish before! The smell is wonderful.”

“It’s amazing with rice.”

“Oho. Let me try it by itself first. Thank you for the meal!”

“Don’t mention it. I’ll join you, if that’s alright? Haha!”

“Of course!”

Just as Jackson raised his chopsticks to pick up a piece of meat,

“Wait a moment!”

“Hm? What is it?”

Lee Chang stopped Jackson’s hand.

Among all the expressions he had shown since arriving here, this was the most serious.

And what followed was,

“You absolutely have to eat this with the Korean green peppers on the side. If you eat them separately, the depth of flavor changes!”

“Ah. Hoho, is that so. I suppose I was a little excited to have meat after so long.”

Feeling a bit sheepish, Jackson raised his chopsticks again.

He picked up a piece of meat and a Korean green pepper at the same time, dipped them in the sauce underneath, and brought them to his mouth.

Then,

Crunch!

“Oho! I thought it would be entirely soft, but the texture of the Korean green pepper is still alive!”

“I added them later than the meat on purpose to preserve the texture!”

The outside was tender, while the inside retained the unique crisp texture of Korean green peppers.

And with every chew of the meat, the fragrant scallion oil wafted out.

Add to that the spicy kick from the finely chopped peppers!

The trio of savory, spicy, and sweet blended together remarkably well.

“This is truly delicious! Let me get some rice right away!”

“Haha.”

It was tasty on its own, but the sauce felt perfect for eating with rice.

So Jackson scooped out two overflowing bowls of rice, placing one in front of himself and one in front of Lee Chang.

Then he immediately took a spoonful of rice, topped it with a Korean green pepper and a piece of pork belly.

Munch!

“Ah, it’s been a very long time since I’ve enjoyed a meal this much.”

Ever since he had been assigned to guard this place,

he had spent almost all his time alone.

His meals were always simple, sticking to natural foods.

Then,

eating a delicious meal like this, tasting someone else’s cooking, made him feel a forgotten ‘happiness’ rise up within him.

How long did he eat so ravenously?

The stir-fried pork belly with Korean green peppers, which seemed like easily over five servings, and the full bowl of rice disappeared in an instant.

Only then could Jackson collect his thoughts.

‘It reminds me of that hero’s legend.’

The Great Hero Gatros.

He wasn’t simply a hero who defeated a Demon King or achieved merit in war.

He was a hero who, during humanity’s darkest hour,

stood at the forefront for the weak and powerless.

Not merely helping the weak with ‘strength’, but bringing hope and happiness to humanity with his unique warmth.

That was the Great Hero Gatros.

As soon as he finished Lee Chang’s meal, Jackson was reminded of that legend.

“Alright, I’ve decided.”

“Yes?”

Jackson’s eyes were filled with determination.

The ruins of the Great Hero Gatros, which he had protected for many years.

He would guide this young man there.

“Perhaps, with you, you might even earn his recognition.”

“Then the test…”

Smile—.

A smile bloomed across Jackson’s face, hardened by years of solitary life.

An expression of happiness that even surprised himself.

“I have already recognized you. A test would be a meaningless gesture now.”

– Kkyuu…

In the midst of this, a pitiful cry came from Salamander, who, due to Jackson’s excitement, hadn’t gotten a single bite of Korean green pepper.

***

[Sub-quest ‘Jackson’s Recognition’ for ‘Manual of the Great Hero Gatros’ has been completed.]

Reward: Proceed to next quest stage.

The system window that appeared after finishing the meal with Jackson.

I hadn’t even taken a test, let alone heard what kind of test it was originally supposed to be.

I didn’t know what serving a meal had to do with the test to make this happen, but if this was the result, I welcomed it.

“Come this way. Hoho, after eating a proper meal for the first time in a while, I feel energized!”

Jackson walked through the forest, laughing brightly the whole time.

He was a completely different person from the one who had been wary of me when we first met.

‘Now that I think about it, this place is like a maze.’

The forest was so dense it was closer to a jungle.

After passing through all of it,

“This is it.”

“Huh? There’s nothing here…”

What lay beyond the forest wasn’t much different from the hunting ground in front of the training ground.

The same cliff awaited me.

“Hoho, I’m glad it looks that way. For a trace of a Great Hero, they put considerable effort into concealing its identity.”

Jackson walked confidently toward the cliff.

Then, placing his hand on the solid rock wall, he murmured something.

‘A type of barrier? Even if someone got past Jackson, they wouldn’t have been able to find this place.’

No matter how well Jackson guarded the boundary,

there were always users who would try any method to get past it.

And for the ten years before my regression, they had found nothing.

This was the moment the reason was revealed.

Grind—!

Like a door opening, the massive rock of the cliff slowly moved.

Revealing within a giant stone door carved with the image of a man.

“As you can see, this is the likeness of the Great Hero Gatros himself.”

As far as I knew, Gatros had been active about two hundred years ago in Unreal World’s timeline.

Yet the carving on the stone wall looked very well-preserved.

“He looks magnificent.”

“Hoho, doesn’t he? A hero who brought not only peace but ‘happiness’ to humanity.”

I had only heard his name before; this was the first time I’d seen a portrait.

It was a very fine carving, in no way inferior to those of other heroes.

“Place your hand here.”

“Yes, Mr. Jackson.”

“Many have tried until now, but it has never so much as stirred.”

I approached the stone door and placed my hand over the jewel-like spot carved just below the image.

“But with you, it will be different. My instincts are telling me so.”

Whoosh—!

The jewel embedded in the stone door emitted a brilliant light.

Unlike me, who was startled, Jackson nodded as if he had expected this.

“Just as I thought. It was you.”

[To one with talent. To one who shares happiness with many.]

“I hope you succeed.”

[Your qualifications are sufficient.]

“Carry on his will, and bring happiness to the world once more.”

[Come.]

Fwoosh!

The light emanating from the jewel enveloped me.

And along with it, my vision was dyed in pure white light.