Chapter 7 The signature dish

Seo Jun-Ho woke early the next morning inside the secured market warehouse. The night had passed with only minor disturbances, mostly distant screams and occasional monster roars. His body felt strong and rested after the previous meals, and the new passive skill from the boar meat made his skin noticeably tougher. Kage now stood nearly as tall as his chest and patrolled the camp perimeter with clear confidence. The four survivors had taken shifts through the night and looked more capable than they had the day before.

Jun-Ho decided it was time to prepare something more significant than simple grilled steaks. The Primordial Palate trait had been guiding him toward combining different monster ingredients for greater effects. He gathered the best cuts from the ogre, the armored boar, and the remaining crystal wolf meat. He also collected several venom glands from the lizards and some edible herbs and vegetables he found in the market storeroom that had survived the initial destruction.

“We will need a strong fire and uninterrupted time,” he told the group. “Guard the perimeter carefully. Do not let anyone or anything disturb me while I cook.”

The survivors nodded and took up defensive positions around the market. Jun-Ho cleared a large space inside the warehouse and built a proper cooking station using metal sheets, bricks, and a steady fire. He worked with focused precision, drawing on all his years as a chef. He first seared the ogre heart and boar meat together to lock in their rich flavors, then simmered the crystal wolf meat and lizard venom glands into a concentrated broth. He balanced the ingredients carefully, reducing the broth until it became a thick glaze.

The process took nearly two hours of constant attention. As the dish came together, the system responded more actively than before.

[Primordial Palate has detected a high-potential combination.] 

[You are creating your first Signature Dish. Quality depends on execution.

Just as Jun-Ho began plating the final dish, trouble arrived. A large group of twenty survivors, clearly organized and aggressive, approached the market with weapons ready. Their leader, a bulky man carrying a fire axe, shouted toward the camp.

“This is our territory now! Hand over all the cooked meat and that big wolf, and we will let most of you live!”

Jun-Ho set the finished dish aside carefully and stepped out of the warehouse with his reinforced pipe in hand. Kage stood beside him, growling with deep menace. The four survivors raised their weapons and stayed behind the barriers as instructed.

“We claimed this spot first,” Jun-Ho replied calmly. “Leave now and there will be no need for bloodshed.”

The attackers did not listen. They charged the market from two sides, trying to overwhelm the defenses. Jun-Ho moved to meet the main force. The first attacker swung a metal bat at his head. Jun-Ho blocked it cleanly and countered with a strike to the man’s ribs that sent him flying backward. Two more came at him together. He used his superior strength to grab one by the collar and throw him into the second, creating a pile of bodies.

Kage fought fiercely on his right flank, taking down one attacker after another with powerful bites and tackles. The wolf had become a formidable fighter after all the shared meals. Jun-Ho continued moving through the attackers with efficient, heavy strikes. His pipe broke arms, cracked ribs, and dropped men one by one. When the bulky leader reached him with the fire axe, the fight grew more intense. The axe swung in wide, powerful arcs that forced Jun-Ho to stay mobile. One swing grazed his arm and drew blood, but Jun-Ho responded by slamming his pipe into the man’s knee, then delivering an uppercut that knocked him unconscious.

The battle lasted less than ten minutes. The remaining attackers fled when they realized they could not win. Jun-Ho sustained several cuts and bruises but nothing that would slow him down for long. He returned to the warehouse immediately, ignoring the minor wounds.

The Signature Dish had remained safe and warm. He sat down and ate the first full portion with focused attention. The flavors were rich and perfectly balanced, carrying the essence of every ingredient he had used.

[You have created and consumed your first Signature Dish: Primordial Beast Medallion] 

[This is a permanent enhancement dish.] 

[Strength +35] 

[Agility +25] 

[Vitality +30] 

[Endurance +28] 

[You have gained the active skill: Beast Command (Level 1)] 

[You have gained the passive skill: Enhanced Palate Mastery (Level 1)]

The surge of power that entered his body was overwhelming. Jun-Ho closed his eyes as the energy coursed through every muscle and bone. The black tattoos spread further across his body, now covering most of his chest, shoulders, and both arms completely. When he opened his eyes again, everything around him felt clearer and sharper. Kage also benefited greatly from a share of the dish and grew even larger, his crystalline spikes becoming more pronounced and his eyes glowing with greater intelligence.

Jun-Ho checked his status window with satisfaction.

[Name: Seo Jun-Ho] 

[Class: Beast Sovereign (Mythic)] 

[Level: 17] 

[Strength: 145]

[Agility: 98] 

[Vitality: 118]

[Endurance: 105] 

The increases were massive compared to previous meals. The new Beast Command skill allowed him to issue simple mental orders to Kage across greater distances and with better coordination. The survivors who received smaller portions of the dish also showed clear improvements in their strength and confidence.

After the meal, Jun-Ho reinforced the camp further using the bodies of the attackers’ fallen and additional market materials. The market had now become a proper stronghold with clear defensive advantages. He assigned roles to each survivor based on their strengths — one handled watch duty, another organized supplies, and the others maintained the barriers.

As evening approached, Jun-Ho stood at the edge of the camp and looked toward the tower. The massive black spire continued to dominate the skyline, its entrance barrier still shimmering. Many groups had failed to enter throughout the day, but Jun-Ho now felt truly prepared. With his greatly increased stats and new skills, he believed they had a real chance on the first floor.

He turned back to his growing camp and spoke to the group. “We will enter the tower tomorrow morning. Rest well tonight. Eat the remaining meat and prepare your weapons. From this point forward, we move as one unit.”

Kage pressed against his leg, now a powerful and loyal companion that few would dare challenge. Jun-Ho felt a deep sense of progress. In just a few days since his transmigration, he had gone from a lone survivor to the leader of a small but capable group with a secure base and significant personal power. The Signature Dish had marked an important turning point in his journey.

The red sky slowly darkened above Seoul as night returned. Inside the fortified market, Jun-Ho and his people prepared for the next major step. The tower waited, and he was ready to face whatever waited inside.