Haraval couldn’t understand the situation.
The “berserker” had certainly surprised him—a formidable opponent among natives he’d considered mere insects. He could now see why the shamans had been so terrified. But, for all his strength, the berserker was still only a warrior who hadn’t fully reached his potential.
Maybe in the future, this warrior would be a problem.
But for now, he was manageable.
The attack he’d just suffered, however, was not.
"Was that... an attack? But... when?"
Just before the pain washed over him, he hadn’t even noticed anyone approaching.
"Even our tribe’s shadow warriors wouldn’t be able to achieve that..."
For a warrior of Haraval’s caliber, it was only natural to sense an incoming attack. But as he looked at his side, he saw the truth.
From his right shoulder to his waist, a broad section of his flesh had been neatly... “prepared.”
The cut was so precise that his white bones were visible.
Cold sweat ran down his face as he looked at the native standing before him.
"Tsk. I was aiming to carve down to the organs in one cut, but the ribs didn’t give. Should’ve used the cleaver," the native muttered, holding a medium-length blade in one hand, a short axe-like knife in the other.
This man wore similar attire to the previous native he’d fought, though he was much smaller and more slender—more suited to an assassin than a warrior.
"An assassin?" Haraval thought with a hint of relief.
"An assassin has limitations," he told himself.
While skilled at sneaking close to an enemy, an assassin was rarely a match for a warrior in direct combat. This is why they aimed to end fights in a single strike. Now that his life hadn’t been taken in that first blow, Haraval was confident he would not lose.
"You’ve surprised me in many ways. First that warrior, now you, a skilled assassin."
Haraval was sure he couldn’t be defeated by an assassin, not even when somewhat fatigued.
"But you’re not quite good enough. A true assassin would have taken my life with that first blow. Having failed, you are—"
"What are you babbling about?" the native interrupted.
But Haraval was making one critical mistake.
The human who had cut into his side was no mere assassin.
**[Awakened: Shin Youngjun]**
**[Mid-Level Chef Lv. 29]**
**[Active Cooking Effects - 4]**
- **"Blue Drop Jelly"** - Environmental Affinity
- **"Lizard Jerky"** - All Abilities Boosted, Defense Boosted, Steel Scales Trait
- **"Honmar Bone Broth"** - Greatly Increased Strength, Wild Senses Trait
- **"War Course Meal"** - Bonus to All Combat Actions
**[Special Trait: "Chef's Eye" Activated]**
**[Mid-Level Cooking Insight - "Greenmane Chieftain Preparation Method" Acquired]**
And this chef was anything but ordinary.
* * *
Corporal Jeon Gwang-il, the finest warrior in the Steel Battalion, deeply respected Sergeant Shin Youngjun. Youngjun had transformed him from a man burdened by weakness into one filled with courage.
‘Thanks to Sergeant Shin, I was reborn.’
Jeon’s admiration for him only grew over time. When he first awakened, he’d thought he surpassed Youngjun in combat. But as the months passed, Youngjun grew stronger, and now, even as a chef, he felt like a wall Jeon couldn’t surpass.
Lying on the ground, Jeon watched the scene before him.
“What is he even saying?” Youngjun muttered, annoyed by the chieftain’s muttering.
The green giant that had defeated him was now facing off against Shin Youngjun.
It was rare to see Youngjun take the front line in battle. Normally, he stayed in the back, supporting the squad with his cooking and buffs, often likened to the “mom” of the unit. Despite his rank, his closeness with every squad member contributed to this image.
But on the rare occasions when he wielded a knife in battle, those who witnessed it shared a common impression:
‘His fighting style is unreasonably brutal.’
Youngjun’s approach was simple. Using [Chef’s Eye], he analyzed his opponent’s “preparation method” and then set about processing them.
The issue was in the word “preparation.” It wasn’t a term one usually applied to living creatures.
‘Sergeant Shin quite literally... prepares his enemies.’
Cutting off their life, separating flesh from bone, dissecting organs—all aspects of “preparation” Youngjun applied in combat. As a result, his fighting style was more brutal and lethally efficient than anyone else’s.
"Tsk. Bones are tougher than expected, so I couldn’t finish in one cut."
"Grrk... grrk..."
"Alright, let’s try again!" Youngjun hefted his blade, driving it back into Haraval’s flesh.
"Guh... kuh...!"
The once-mighty [Greenmane Chieftain] who had overpowered Corporal Jeon was now reduced to agony.
Larger and stronger than any other [Greenmane Warrior], this was the true threat that had nearly ended Jeon’s life.
But now, this powerful enemy was reduced to whimpering, tears of pain in his eyes.
Jeon looked at Haraval’s injuries.
‘The flesh on his back... it’s been carved away.’
The muscles and skin on his back had been sliced cleanly, exposing his spine.
And it wasn’t just his back.
‘The first cut was on his side... then his right arm.’
Next, it was his left thigh, his chest, his ear, and finally, his back.
Shin Youngjun’s combat style, terrifying to many soldiers, was something he personally didn’t even think twice about, which somehow made it all the more unsettling.
"Let’s see... next, maybe the neck."
He treated his opponent as if they were nothing more than ingredients, reducing them to cuts of meat with a calm efficiency that unnerved even those close to him. It was this very aura, despite his amicable relationships, that left no soldier questioning his authority as the battalion’s commander.
*Slice.*
Finally, he carved away the last piece of flesh around Haraval’s neck.
"Grrrrk..."
No matter how strong a warrior, unless he were a legendary “berserker,” no one could remain standing after such injuries.
*Thud.*
The [Greenmane Chieftain] collapsed, powerless.
“That... that’s Sergeant Shin Youngjun.”
“Ugh...”
Even soldiers accustomed to the sight of monster corpses gulped nervously. The awakened from the city, less experienced in battle, struggled to hold back their nausea at the sight of the chieftain being “prepared” alive.
Oblivious to their reactions, Youngjun stepped away from the fallen creature and approached Jeon Gwang-il.
* * *
"Jeon."
"...Yes, Sergeant Shin."
“You did well.”
Jeon Gwang-il looked up at him without a word.
His respect for Youngjun would probably last until his dying breath.
But...
Seeing the creature that had defeated him reduced to a heap under Youngjun’s knife stirred something deep within him.
“...What did you do?”
"Huh?"
Jeon’s words burst out, unable to contain his emotions in the madness-induced haze.
"How could you interfere with a warrior’s battle?!"
"...?"
"Not only did you interrupt, but you attacked by surprise. You’ve dishonored the fight I had with him...!"
Youngjun gave him an incredulous look.
“So what, I should have just let you die?”
"He and I... one of us would have died honorably in that fight. Even in defeat, I’d have embraced an honorable death...”
"Jeon."
Youngjun’s tone grew stern, cutting him off.
"Corporal Jeon Gwang-il."
"...Yes, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il."
Youngjun rarely used ranks with his men, reserving it for formal situations or—when he was genuinely angry.
His icy gaze fell on Jeon.
"Let’s clear this up. You’re not a warrior."
"Are you... insulting me?"
“You’re a soldier.”
"..."
“You’re also my subordinate.”
Crouching down to meet Jeon’s eye level, Youngjun spoke.
“I don’t know what your ‘warrior code’ says, but to us soldiers, there’s no such thing as an honorable death.”
"Grrk...!"
“You know it as well as I do. In the army, death is just a waste.”
Jeon realized why Youngjun was angry.
Early in the apocalyptic era, Youngjun had always said one thing:
“To survive.”
Sergeant Shin Youngjun was a soldier who clung to survival more than anyone else. Naturally, he couldn’t stand ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ talk of noble deaths.
In his mind, Jeon understood.
‘He saved my life. I have no reason to blame him.’
But...
The feeling still didn’t subside.
It wasn’t truly about being interrupted or having an honorable death taken from him.
‘The best soldier in the battalion... and yet, am I really...?’
The emotion he felt wasn’t a warrior’s anger over a disturbed battle.
It was bitter defeat.
Losing to a monster? Understandable.
But seeing the creature that had bested him dismantled by Youngjun with ease...
‘I thought I had grown stronger.’
And yet, his power seemed meaningless in the face of a true threat.
And the one who defeated those threats had always been... Sergeant Shin Youngjun.
"Hey. Corporal Jeon Gwang-il."
"...Yes."
"Do you think you’ve survived all this time because you’re so great?"
Jeon thought about the question.
‘Because I’m great? No, that’s never been the case.’
He knew why he was still alive, weak as he was.
“It’s thanks to you, Sergeant Shin...”
"Not me. It’s thanks to your fellow soldiers."
"..."
Youngjun sighed and continued.
"Remember the Lizard Chieftain?"
"...Yes."
"We fought it together with two other soldiers. Those two nearly became corpses. Have you already forgotten?"
"No, sir."
The first powerful enemy that Jeon couldn’t face alone had almost killed two soldiers fighting alongside him. Medics and other support troops had to be awakened urgently.
"And what about the vampires? We lost good soldiers in that battle."
"..."
"The reason we’re alive now is because others risked their lives fighting by our sides. I still see the faces of those who didn’t make it. And you’re talking about an ‘honorable death’? Do you really mean that?”
Jeon understood Youngjun’s anger.
But at the same time, another thought lingered.
"Sergeant Shin... you’re the one who finished off the Lizard Chieftain, the Vampire Queen... wasn’t it?"
“What?”
It was true that Jeon and the other soldiers had fought with all their might.
But recently, Jeon couldn’t help but wonder.
"Does all our effort actually make a difference?"
"Jeon, what are you talking about...?"
If they had held back even a little, would the outcome of those battles have changed?
"Sergeant Shin, you end up handling everything yourself anyway."
Jeon imagined various scenarios, but every scenario ended with Youngjun coming in and solving everything.
It was reassuring that someone as capable as Youngjun was on their side. Most soldiers accepted this without question, taking it for granted that “Sergeant Shin will handle it.”
But...
Jeon didn’t want to settle for that.
He wanted to help rather than be helped.
He’d worked hard for a long time, pushing himself to his limits to grow stronger.
‘And this is where I end up.’
Defeated by a monster, his life saved pathetically by Sergeant Shin, only to watch the same monster be easily dismantled.
‘An unbreachable wall.’
Jeon had managed to keep his feelings in check until now, but the sense of defeat had been festering for a long time.
“You should have just let me die.”
"..."
"At least then, I could have died fighting with honor. Instead of being a defeated soldier saved by his superior...”
As Jeon’s rage finally began to subside, his sense of clarity returned.
When he fully regained his senses, he bowed his head.
“I spoke out of line. It was the [Madness] talking.”
“...I understand. That’s your trait. I get it.”
“I apologize, Sergeant.”
Youngjun let out a soft sigh and stood up.
“We’ll talk about this back at the camp. I called the medics, so rest up.”
"Yes, sir."
"You did well."
Those words—"You did well"—were the same ones Youngjun had once said to the frightened Jeon the first time he cooked for him privately.
But this time, they didn’t feel comforting.
‘Instead of repaying him, all I do is burden him.’
While the madness had worn off, the crushing sense of defeat lingered.
As he received treatment from the medics, Jeon Gwang-il curled up in silence.
...The pain in his heart hurt more than his wounds.
* * *
"...It doesn’t seem like it’s just the madness."
I told Gwang-il to rest, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease as I left.
‘He seems to be struggling with something, but knowing him, he’ll probably keep it bottled up.’
If I had time, I’d just give him some "honesty-inducing food"... or rather, a dish to bring out his "true feelings," and get him to talk.
But right now, there’s no time for that.
The battle in the fortress is still raging.
With multiple effects stacked on me, I’m currently under the effects of four active dishes.
Stacking this many effects is demanding, but it’s necessary in this fight.
‘I have to make the most of it.’
Truthfully, I hadn’t intended to stack so many effects. But with a monster powerful enough to defeat someone as strong as Gwang-il...
Just thinking about it gives me chills.
Gwang-il’s opponent wasn’t just any enemy. It took all his strength, plus my cooking buffs and Lieutenant Kim’s rallying cries, just to hold his own.
I thought the average enemy was strong, but not exceptionally so.
Yet this creature had managed to defeat Gwang-il, even when he was at his strongest.
"One or two dishes alone wouldn’t have been enough for this fight."
I chewed through my emergency rations, layering four buffs, including an "environmental blending" trait.
‘Honestly, when I failed to kill him with that sneak attack, I panicked.’
Fortunately, the monster had been worn down from fighting Gwang-il, and I’d managed to slice a chunk of flesh from his side with my surprise attack.
It was tough, but with the four buffs, I could just barely win.
If not for the buffs... and if Gwang-il hadn’t weakened him first...
‘That axe strike would’ve split me in two.’
Damn it.
This world allows no room for complacency.
Every time I feel like I’ve gotten a bit stronger, a monster appears to remind me of my limits.
Seeing Gwang-il’s reaction when I saved him was surprising, but...
In a way, it’s a good thing.
‘Though I’m not sure exactly why, it’s clear Gwang-il has been struggling with something.’
If I hadn’t noticed now, it might have caused bigger problems down the road.
Reflecting on it, I’ve been lax in caring for my soldiers’ mental states. Both Gwang-il and myself have been neglecting this.
‘I’ll have to hold a meeting with all my troops soon.’
But, of course, that’s only if we survive this battlefield.
With a renewed determination, I headed back toward the fray.
Even if some of the enemy were injured crossing the fortress’s defenses, they still outnumbered us.
These foes are relentless, their numbers overwhelming.
‘I won’t be caught off guard again.’
With that vow, I closed in on the next wave of enemies.
