Vol. 9 - Ch. 458 - Scoring the <Gold Chest> with Nico's power!

Whoever said you never know when time passed while having fun truly couldn't have said it better. It was like we had arrived at <Food-Dun> just the other day, yet we were now in our last day of camp.For the last two days, we non-stop hunted down the regular boss and gathered ingredients to the best of our ability. It was such an intense grinding I really feared we would prematurely use up all the MP potion that we had saved just for this day.

However the results were just as great; I would say the breath of <Arc-Arcadia> members had clearly sorted in a certain rhythm. If anything, seeing them showing their growth was just great.

Unfortunately, that fun time was going to end today as well. Even our most awaited Rare Boss hunting festival was at its final act. 

"Moooooooooo!!"

"Oiiiiiiiinkkkkk!!"

"Cuckoooooooo!!"

"Here comes unique attack! Wind up everyone! Make sure to stay away from Boss Minotaur!"

" "Roger." "

A spirited reply respond to my advice. It was Sachi and Emi.

Just a fleeting moment after my warning, the rare boss of <Food & Livestock Dungeon>---<Boss Minotaur>, <Boss Orc>, <Boss Cockatrice>---overflowed with red aura. It was the cue they're going to use their unique skill <Overwhelming is the First place, you're struggling for 2nd and 3rd place>.

Uh-huh, the struggle for meat...is real, isn't it?

The hostile gaze of pork and chicken that had been focusing us suddenly turned to beef.

It was the rise of the curtain over the legendary battle for meat---will the junior pork and chicken be able to dominate their senior spectacular beef!?

First move was made by junior pork-kun and chicken-kun, lunging straight at the beef as if to chop it into cubes. Alas, they thought they were the cleaver, but it turned out the meat on the chopping board was none other than them.

Just as they say, tools make up for one part of craftsmanship, Beef-senpai was holding not one but two butchering swords!

A red glow enveloped the right hand sword <Meat Chopper> and life hand sword <Meat Butcherer> as Beef-senpai swung them into flurries of slashes. almost like the blades of a grinder!

"Oiiiiiiinnnnnkk!!"

"Coccccccooooo!!"

The gulf in strength sent both pork-kun and chicken-kin flying. But, wait what, their damage was zero?! A meatlicious mystery!

We hurriedly dodged the large chunks of pork coming our direction while clad in red effect. Pork-kun really had an indomitable spirit, eh? It was chopped into chunks but didn't forget the objective.

But the fight over dominion was far from over. Junior started another round of charge attack but senior meat swiftly slipped sideways and ran its blade all over once again.

Chunks of Pork-kun rained all over the center of the boss room while squealing 'Oinkkk.'

The flying meat chunks actually deal high damage so it was recommended to keep your distance from the source of scuffle.

Junior Chicken-kun tried to do a meat layer press over in that duration. However Beef-senpai instead dropped its equipment and grabbed the feet of chicken before giving it a spin of its life.

All the Chicken Jr. was capable of was shouting 'Cooocco'.

The Beef-senpai showed no mercy as it then tossed dried chicken-kun our way---or more precisely, toward the direction where Rika, our counter specialist, was holding her ground.

Rika's blade glows just as the Chicken Jr. loomed over her like a red spinning bullet.

"Heh, it sure can't wait to fall into the frying pan huh. Very well, Unique Skill <Twin Swallow Flip>."

"Coccoooo!?"

Rika's glowing blade drew an arc in the air with phenomenal speed which once again sent Chicken Jr. flying. Chicken Jr. spinned in the air as it fell down creating a parabola. But what lied on the other side was---

------The spectacular Beef-senpai.

"Mooooo!!"

Beef-senpai released its roar as if saying 'gosh, do you like the chopping board so much'' and again showcased its butchering skill by swinging the two blades. Unexpectedly, the stance of Beef-senpai was resembling a baseball batter.

What in the world does it want to achieve? Watch out Chicken Jr!

Beef-senpai didn't leave us hanging for long in the sizzling mystery as it soon took a swing with its butchering sword.

------A Home Run!

"Coccooooo!!"

Much to the horror of Chicken Jr., it was sent toward Rika once again. What a twist of spice, it was like a game of ping-pong.

The chicken Jr., which had transformed into cannonball, traced an arc in air as it blitz toward Rika. But Rika showed her rational judgment and instead avoided it than attacking it.

Booooom!

The sound of something heavy crashing into the wall echoed inside the boss room. I couldn't properly take a look since my eyes were focusing in different directions unfortunately.

Immediately after playing with Chicken Jr like a meatball, the red effect vanished from Bosses. They were out of their unique skill phase.

"Alright, it's time for payback. Time to grill that chicken completely."

Nico left a merciless mark as she fired a few bullets.

Pew-Pew-Pew

The sound of a muffled gunshot resounded, mixed in with the intermittent 'Cocco---Coco...oooo....' cries.

......Amen.

"Woahhh, this is the first time I defeated a rare boss."

I turned to glance at the representative of the chicken hearing Nico's beaming tone. <Boss Cockatrice> had started vanishing amidst the particles of light.

The counter attack from Rika had already shaved down its HP earlier, leaving it hanging on thread, and if that wasn't enough, it was also turned into ping-pong ball, meatball ver., and crashed into the wall.

"Buff please, Emi-chan!"

"Incoming. <Magic Book - Power Boost>! <Magic Book - Speed Boost>! Go get them, Sachhhi!"

"Just you watch! <Magic Sword - Ripple Slash>! <Magic Sword - Fifth Strike>!"

"Oiii...nn...kkkk......."

On the other hand, Sachin and Emi of Harmonic Trio slashed down the representative of pork, <Boss Orc>.

Now the only standing boss was the beef representative <Boss Minotaur>. So there's no beating the beef huh. But it's fine, we will make sure it reunites with fellow henchmen!

"<Element Shift - Fire>! Rika, take care of its aggro. I will attack."

"Leave it to me."

It might be beef but meat is meat after getting grilled! (Don't ask what it means)

Rejoice, you will surely become the supreme offering for our guild! (Just blabbering)

"Moooooo!?!"

"Take it! <Brave Slasssssshhh---!"

And finally, even the last standing <Boss Minotaur>, the winner of the meat on chopping board contest, met its demise after taking a direct hit from me.

It also disappeared into the sea of effect, leaving behind a gold---wait, there were three gold chests!

Hurray! It must be the effect of Nico's unique skill <Rare Drop Collection>.

"Oh my god! Am-amazingggu! I have never seen this many <Gold Chest> at once!"

Nico gasped in dumbfoundment as she jumped towards them.

I guess not surprising considering how rare it was for <Gold Chest> to make their appearance, eh. The low probability means a typical person wouldn't be able to research gold chests properly. Well, <Eden> was anything but a typical guild though.

This was also the prime reason behind Nico getting <Collector> job.

Though before she could do anything, Rika swiftly put on the 'hold up' sign for Nico.

"Nico-kun, we wait for everyone to gather before opening them. So hold on until then."

"No way!? Even though it's just right before my eyes, even though I'd been waiting for so long. No moreeee!"

"Ahaha, relax. It wouldn't take even a minute since everyone here is a huge fan of <Gold Chest>!"

Rika words had just dropped when the gate to boss room was opened with a wham.

"They have dropped <Gold Chest>! As much as three actually!"

"Aren't your ears too sharp for your own cause, Hannah!?"

Don't tell me she bugged us with an alchemised camera? It didn't take even a second for Hannah to grasp the situation as she stride towards us.

"I reported the situation!"

"Everyone that wants to open the gold chest will be here in a moment!"

Sachi and Emi said while holding <Smartphone> in their hand. Ah, so they're the information broker huh.

Well, that's why they're the mood maker of <Arc-Arcadia>. Their way of doing things was slightly different from Misato but the result was the same. Still, it didn't diminish my surprise at how fast they informed them. Damn, they're too good at their job!

Everyone had gathered in a minute. I knew no one could resist the allure of sparkling <Gold Chest>.

"This is our first <Gold Chest> from a rare boss today. Nico, you're up for first."

"I was waiting for that!"

Click.

It was almost an instant later I said that Nico opened the <Gold Chest> without any prior sign, prayer or preparation to <Sachineko-sama>. It was like <Gold Chest> was all that was there in her eyes. Speak of devotion!

" his is...butcher's knife. Oh, the equipment piece that <Boss Minotaur> was carrying---<Meat Chopper> huh. It's strange that it's two handed equipment even though it's just a knife. Can it even be used practically? Attack value is 63, and skills are <Food Item Drop Rate UP LV5>, <Meat Grinder LV10> and <Bane of Bird LV5>. I guess there's no problem using it in actual fights, but why in the world is it shaped after a kitchen knife? It's almost like it was made to be used more in cooking than battle. And------mumble-mumble ."

Nico was holding <Let Me Understand-Kun> as she started appraising the drop with sparkling eyes. I really wondered if she was actually possessed or something. I had mostly seen her listless side so that was a new thing to me. And it seems like she even forgot us in all this huh. Talk about the focus.

Anyway, we wouldn't be able to see that drop ourselves for now so we proceeded further.

The remaining two <Gold Chest> were handed to Sachi and Emi since it was their first rare boss <Gold Chest>. Although there was one person, the last of Harmonic Trio, Yuuka, who looked at them with a forlorn gaze so I made sure she at least got in the front row to look at it.

The three matched their movement and prayed.

" " "We love you, <Sachineko-sama>!" " "

"---What? Hey, that's not allowed!?"

What in tarnation! Darn it, I guess I had taken the three mood makers too lightly. I truly didn't expect them to utter such a rule-breaking line!

Was it the so-called highschool girl power? Now I feel like they're going to get good drops!

Sachi got a five piece pot set that specialized in boiling and shimmering. Dishes cooked in those pots get a huge correction, which even increase the effect of food buff, making it a much sought item. It was a jackpot, but alas <Eden> had no <Chef>. It's a pickle on how to use it so I gave it to Hannah for now. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ɴøᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Emi apparently got a recipe. Oh wait, she was even holding the <Let Me Understand-kun> that Nico was holding to decipher recipe. When did she get it?!

Anyway, the drop was <Comprehensive Curry Recipes>.

Now I would call it another mega jackpot. It was one of the strongest recipes which when combined with <Curry Pot> that we got last time could make any type of curry. Well, the only limiting factor was the availability of required ingredients. Either way, it was a success!

"Oh boy, There's one bombshell drop after another."

"Rumble~."

Karua's stomach growled, seemingly showing its affirmation at my words.

"Curry ingredients! I will do my best!"

"That's the spirit, Karua. The path is long but let's conquer all the ingredients <Food-Dun> has to offer!"

"Hn! Let's gooo!"

"Hold on your high horse, you two. Have you looked at the time? Sheesh, you really should look at the situation more."

Karua and I were about to depart for our curry journey when Sierra put a blockade on our plan.

"Pity."

"It's fine. Let's do it another time, I'm sure there are many unknown curries waiting for us to feast on."

"Hnn, yeah."

I muttered to Karua as we both envisioned our curry journey awaiting us in the future.