Bloodmoon Soufflé

Kai's heart raced with excitement at the Darklord's words. This was it—his moment. His time in the Culinary System, in this Game, was coming to a head. But despite how much he thrived on the challenges, something had changed. The Darklord didn't scare him as much anymore. 

His in-game character bowed low to the table, a mechanical gesture of respect. "Thank you, my Lord," Kai typed, keeping his voice steady and controlled, even as his pulse quickened. He wasn't about to risk pushing his luck too far.

The Darklord's gaze narrowed, and Kai felt the weight of it. He knew the final battle wouldn't be easy. He'd learned to maintain eye contact in these moments, even with the most fearsome enemies. The in-game character might not show fear, but Kai did. He knew the Darklord would bring everything he had to the challenge. His mind raced, calculating every possible move. This was it—the chance to win, to come out on top. Not here. Not now.

"So, Nyx," the Darklord continued, "what is the last dish?"

Kai's in-game character Nyx, began with confidence, saying, "finally, we have Greed's Soufflé—rich and indulgent, it's a dessert so delicious that one bite makes you want more. Covered in shiny gold leaf, the soufflé is filled with a tempting mix of melted dark chocolate and rare blood orange. The flavor is so rich, it almost feels like too much. Every bite is a guilty pleasure, with a perfect balance of sweet and bitter, leaving you wanting more, like you're stuck in a never-ending craving."

But deep down, he was scared because the Bloodmoon Soufflé was his nemesis. It was his weakness, the one thing that could ruin his game. He knew the recipe inside out by now, having mastered it in his past lost games. He could probably recreate it from memory if he had enough time, but no matter how hard he tried, he always messed it up. No matter how much practice he did, he just couldn't seem to get the recipe right. 

The dish required precision, timing, and a delicate balance of ingredients that seemed impossible to get right. The recipe itself was cryptic, filled with vague instructions and mysterious symbols that left even experienced players scratching their heads:

"Under the light of a blood moon, whip the essence of despair with the whispers of forgotten souls. Fold in the tears of a mourning vampire, and bake until the soufflé rises with the wail of the damned."

It sounded more like a gothic poem than a cooking guide.

The game mechanics didn't make things easier. The Bloodmoon Soufflé was well-known among players for being very hard. Even the smallest mistake—a little too much time whisking the essence, or not enough tears—would make the soufflé fall apart into a mess.

Kai's virtual kitchen looked like a war zone of failed tries. There were bowls of spilled essence everywhere, broken glass from when he angrily threw away failed dishes, and the timer always seemed to run out just when he was close to finishing. His failure rate was high, but he was determined to succeed, knowing the rewards he could reap from making a successful soufflé. 

He cursed under his breath, glaring at the game interface. "Who designed this nightmare? Did Voidworks just wake up and decide, 'Hey, let's make everyone's life miserable'?"

The Darklord's mocking laughter echoed in his mind every time he failed, his taunts dripping with malice.

"You call this a feast, Nyx? This is an insult to my hunger! Come back when you understand what true despair tastes like."

"Would you like to retry the dish?"

Kai's heart raced when he saw the black words flicker on the screen. Each one seemed to pulse with weight, as if the game itself was holding its breath.

'Yes– Restart only the last dish, keeping everything they had done right so far.'

'No– Start from the very beginning, redoing the entire game.'

Kai sat hunched over his screen, eyes narrowed in concentration. His fingers hovered over the keyboard as he focused on the game. It had been hours, and now he was at the final stretch—Greed's Soufflé, the dish he'd been eager to perfect. The clock on the game interface ticked down, each second adding to the pressure. His fingers trembled ever so slightly as he carefully prepared each ingredient, the tension in the air thick as he moved through the steps. 

The dish glowed with an otherworldly energy on the screen, unlike anything Kai had seen before. The ingredients were unique and strange. As he moved his mouse over them, descriptions of their magical properties popped up:

Crystallized Obsidian Sugar: A shimmering, black sugar infused with the essence of greed itself. Effect: Enhances the flavor but adds a bitter note, representing the endless desire for more.

Burnished Gold Butter: A rich, golden butter, symbolizing wealth and luxury. Effect: Creates a smooth, indulgent texture and deepens the soufflé's richness.

Infernal Ruby Extract: A rare spice from the fiery depths of the underworld. Effect: Adds a subtle heat, embodying the fiery ambition of greed.

Kai took a deep breath, his mind set. He began selecting the ingredients one by one. The dish had to be perfect—anything less would end in disaster, just like the two failed attempts before. His hands were steady as he added the ingredients into the mixing bowl, carefully following the recipe. But when it came time to add the Crystallized Obsidian Sugar, his nervousness got the best of him, and he miscalculated.

Warning: "The sugar may cause an imbalance if not carefully measured. Proceed with caution."

In his haste, Kai dumped the sugar too quickly, and the screen was immediately flooded with a red alert.

Game Alert: 

"Error: Sugar measurement exceeds limits. The flavor may turn too bitter. Retry the step to avoid ruining the dish."

Frustrated, Kai hit Retry and restarted the process. The clock ticked—66 minutes left to perfect the soufflé.

This time, he carefully measured the sugar and added it with a steady hand. But when it came to the Burnished Gold Butter, another mistake happened. He hadn't noticed the game's subtle hint about its temperature.

Hint:

"Ensure the butter is at room temperature for optimal texture. Too cold or too hot may ruin the soufflé's delicate consistency."

Ignoring the hint, Kai added the butter, but the batter didn't mix smoothly. It remained clumpy.

Game Alert:

"Warning: The butter was not the ideal temperature. This will affect the soufflé's rise and texture. Retry the step."

His heart sank. This was his third chance, and the pressure was building. Kai hit Retry once again. The stakes were high. Kai focused on every detail, moving through the steps like it was his last shot. Finally, he reached the Infernal Ruby Extract. As he poured it in, something felt off. The extract was potent, maybe too much so, and the game warned him.

Warning:

"The Infernal Ruby Extract is volatile. A small misstep may cause the soufflé to collapse under its own heat. Proceed carefully."

Kai hesitated, reading the warning twice. One wrong move could ruin everything. He took a deep breath and carefully added the extract, watching as the batter shimmered with heat. Kai slid the soufflé into the ethereal oven, holding his breath as the game mechanics simulated the baking process. The room filled with the haunting melody of the damned, a chilling soundscape that signaled the dish's progress. 

Now, the final stretch. He had to monitor the soufflé's rise. The game displayed the last moments, with the timer for the blood moon's light hitting the 10-minute mark. Every second counted. This was it—the moment that would decide everything.

The timer counted down mercilessly. Five seconds. Four. Three.

Game Alert:

"Final step: Monitor the soufflé's rise. The soufflé will collapse if you wait too long or open the oven too soon."

Kai's heart raced. This was his last chance. The soufflé began to rise, golden and proud. He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he had finally succeeded. But then, something about the color seemed off.

He brushed it aside, thinking the golden hue was exactly what the dish needed. With a triumphant smile, he opened the oven door. The soufflé was intact, its edges perfectly crisped. He carefully plated it.

Game Alert:

"Congratulations, Kai! You have perfected Greed's Soufflé. The dish has been infused with the essence of desire, with flavors that rival the riches of kingdoms. Proceed to the next dish to continue your journey!"

Kai exhaled in relief. He had done it—Greed's Soufflé, flawless. Or so he thought.

As he clicked to move on, a small, almost hidden message appeared in the corner of the screen.

Game Hint:

"The soufflé's golden hue should have a slightly deeper red undertone to indicate the correct balance of heat and ambition. A slight imbalance could affect the final flavor."

Kai frowned. Could it really be such a small difference? The game had seemed to praise his soufflé, and he hadn't noticed anything wrong. Surely, it was perfect. But that nagging thought stayed with him—the tiny shift in hue. What did it mean?