Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 281 - 280: Life in Cooking

Chapter 281: Chapter 280: Life in Cooking

Tap, tap, tap...

The spacious and distant sound of footsteps echoed on the mountain platform.

A Flame Devotee dressed in a heavy ritual robe, with a stern face, stepped to the edge of the platform, his gaze suddenly extending far into the distance, overlooking the winding pilgrimage path from the foot to the summit of the mountain.

This path was littered with skeletons; crows and vultures perched on the barren trees of the abyss, emitting shrill cooing sounds.

Mars had transformed into a secluded devotee on the mountain again.

He was not a "person", for he had lost all emotions and desires, save for when he glanced back at the towering god statues between the mountains—only then would a sudden flicker of firelight appear in his dull eyes.

Repression!

"Is this really food?"

His heart felt as if it were being clutched by a hand, his emotions quietly influenced, Mars returned to reality, grasping his throat, struggling to breathe, with cold sweat running down his forehead.

No!

His inner self screamed, even if all emotions were cast aside, he could not lose the desire to eat!

Just like the dishes on the tea table, confronting each other like spear against shield, Mars did not intend to retreat, muttering to himself, "Let’s see what else you can do..."

He scooped up the fourth spoonful!

This time, a cold flavor dominated his taste buds.

Cold!

Mars stood in the chilly temple, before him was a shrine with no god statues, only a Crystal Ball. Notably, within the Crystal Ball, a flame was flickering!

Slowly, he stretched out his hand, a palm covered in wrinkles, aged and withered.

The moment his palms cradled the Crystal Ball, it was not warmth, but cold!

Mars shivered violently, finding his hands firmly attached, his stomach, spirit, and soul all churned. The Crystal Ball seemed to create a black hole vortex, pulling at everything he was.

The fifth spoonful!

Rice grains danced on his tongue, ice and fire in balance, soaring through the sky, delivering the thrill of freedom!

"Roar—"

Unable to contain his excitement, he roared, but Mars discovered that his bellow echoed unceasingly among the mountains. Looking down at the ground, he saw a terrified stampede of wild animals—cows, horses, lions, tigers, and various magical creatures he couldn’t name—a spectacular sight of beasts fleeing.

He flew over the peninsula, reaching the sea.

His enormous body cast a vast, endless shadow on the sea surface. With a flap of his wings, massive cyclones formed, swallowing fishing boats and sailboats on the sea instantly. Sailors trying to escape floated on the water, fearfully looking up at him.

"Red Dragon, lord of the earth, please quell your anger!"

A captain, trembling, pulled out a string of fiery talismans and raised them high, reciting the doctrine of fire.

"Too thrilling!"

The earlier oppressiveness turned into a feeling of domination.

Mars did not hesitate and ate the sixth spoonful of seafood rice!

Ice and fire were equally balanced, but the spice structure had subtly changed. The bitterness had gone, leaving the fragrances of sage, bay leaves, and rosemary to raise wave after wave of aromatic storms on the tip of his tongue!

"Ugh!"

Suddenly, his heart strings tightened. The inherent sweetness of the ’black rice’ was a divine touch, instantly bringing the spice structure to life.

In that moment, Mars became the Flame Pope seated upon a golden throne, wielding a scepter, his authority boundless.

Boom.

The dome of the highest palace cast a vast shadow, with the Red Dragon Tyrant, feared by all, retracting its wings of misdeed and coming to rest on the dome, its dragon eyes filled with submissive respect, without a hint of ferocity or defiance.

Beneath the throne, a rank of neatly standing, veiled Candidacy Saintesses with graceful figures.

The Pope controlled the dragon, the entire church’s power of life and death. In this moment, Mars felt as if he was truly the spokesperson for fire, bearing the will of flame, and he ought to make the world realize that only fire is eternal!

"Pray to the fire, and you will never be disappointed..."

He murmured softly upon the throne.

Mars was confused, coveting the freedom of the Red Dragon Tyrant soaring through the skies, while also aspiring to obtain the authority of a spiritual leader, to become the divine envoy to the secular world.

He struggled with this for a long time until a voice interrupted him:

"The seventh spoonful, do you want it?"

He absentmindedly lifted his gaze, and a delicate face came into view.

The young man casually said, "Principal Mars, the seventh spoonful is the one that transforms everything!"

His lips were already chapped, his tongue licked the corner of his mouth, but Mars couldn’t utter a word. His previously stirring stomach seemed to have entered hibernation, no longer giving him the intense sensation of hunger.

"Eat!"

His response resounded decisively.

His hands trembling, he scooped up the grains of the seventh bag of seafood rice and brought them to his mouth.

With a gentle bite, Mars couldn’t control himself and let out a moan of pleasure. In this moment, his clothes burst into tatters, leaving him naked, returning to the heart of the earth, back to the Fire Element Realm.

In the beginning, as chaos first subsided, all things started to grow. Deep within the earth, a mass of elements slowly gained consciousness. He gained his first territory, and over the next hundreds of years, conquered lands to the east and west, expanding his domain throughout the entire Element Realm. Countless creatures of the Element Realm bowed to him in fealty. Formidable adversaries from the past knelt and pleaded for his seal of authority.

With a grand wave of Mars’ hand, foes became Divine Generals under his command. Yes, he had ascended to godhood and arrived at the Pantheon above the planes of existence, becoming the second Ancient Giant God to push open the doors of the temple. Even the Creator God was wary of the divine authority and Divine Realm Mars now possessed.

However, Mars was not satisfied. He sent down avatars, seeking spokespersons in numerous secular worlds to establish the Flame Church in his name, spreading his influence across every corner of the multiverse.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha..."

Finally, on a particular day, he imprisoned the Creator God and declared himself Divine King, his triumphant laughter echoing through the void.

Turning back, he was merely a diner in a restaurant, tasting exquisite food.

The stark contrast was overwhelming.

"Why!" Mars slammed his fist onto the table, reached for the eighth spoonful of seafood rice, carefully chewed it, his expression growing increasingly angry. "Why is it gone! Where is it! Come out!"

Outside the private room, Ichise Hui and Kobayakawa Ryodan were frightened by his twisted expression.

"Clang!"

A tadachi partially unsheathed, Xia Yu timely grasped Liangzi Lina’s wrist, meeting her eyes, he shook his head.

"It’s all right," he said with a light chuckle.

"Sure?"

"Absolutely sure!"

Thus, Liangzi Lina nodded, took a seat beside him, still with a cautious demeanor.

He laughed inwardly; she did have a mission, after all. Understanding this, Xia Yu said no more but turned to watch Mars, who was pacing in shame and vexation inside the room, his lips gradually curling into a smile.

After a while, a long sigh.

Mars returned to the tea table, knelt down, and bowed deeply to Xia Yu.

"My apologies."

Xia Yu just waved his hand, curious, "What did you see?"

"Poet, pilgrim."

"Flame Sect member, Flame Devotee, Red Dragon Tyrant!"

"Pope... and God!"

He said these titles all in one breath; such words, if heard by passersby on the street, would certainly get him labeled as a lunatic.

"Seven bags of seafood rice, seven lives!" Mars’ eyes still held an intense sense of awe. He examined Xia Yu from head to toe as if looking at a strange creature before he finally said in a deep voice:

"One recipe, yet it yields different flavors."

"Not a hint of repetition or weariness!"

After speaking, Mars even gave a thumbs up.

"You’re impressive!"