Chapter 5: Five Yeats!
Sigh.
Gon stared at the vibrating phone, his cold eyes saying exactly what he felt: he didn't want to answer.
Bzzzz.
Bzzzz...
"Ugh... fine. Let's get this over with."
He picked up and slowly brought the phone to his ear.
"Hey, Mom—" he started, but got cut off immediately.
"Pack your bags for tomorrow. The jet's coming at 7. You leave for Japan at 8:30."
"..."
"I also spoke to a friend. Owns a solid company, over two thousand employees. He's willing to take you in, train you a bit, then give you a management position."
"And that's that."
"I'm not going," Gon muttered, almost to himself.
"What did you just say?" his mother asked, voice calm and sharp.
"I'm not going to Japan."
"Hmph... You little brat."
"..."
"I've been more than patient with you. Haven't I?"
"Y-yeah."
"Then why act out like this? You're not a teenager anymore."
Her voice was cold. Unbothered. Like none of it really mattered.
"I just want to—"
"Idiot. I gave you a chance, and what did you do with it? You really think I don't know you couldn't even make one dish you're supposed to have mastered?"
Her voice rose, but only slightly.
"Do you have any idea how embarrassed I was when I found out?"
"Is that what you want? To drag the family's name through the mud?"
"Mom..." Gon said, hands trembling, fist clenched.
"Enough. Stop whining and come home. You're not cut out for cooking. That's just how it is."
Even from across the line, Gon could feel the pressure she was putting on him.
She was right. Not everyone's meant to be a chef.
He had no talent.
And if he kept pushing, she'd really lose it.
...
...
...
A slow, wide grin spread across Gon's face.
"So what?"
"What?" his mother said, caught completely off guard.
"Why the hell should I care about that? Cooking's not for everyone — so what?"
"Gon!"
"Sorry, Mom, but we're talking about my future here. What I want to do with my life. That's not your decision to make."
"That's enough! You're going to listen to me now!"
"No! You're the one who's going to listen!"
"I don't care if I crash and burn. I don't care if a lifetime of training still doesn't make me good enough to go pro. Cooking is what I want. Period. Nothing's going to change that!"
"So no. I'm not quitting. I'm going to keep cooking."
...
...
A heavy silence fell after Gon's outburst.
...
...
"Sigh... This is our fault. We spoiled you too much. Who would've thought that sweet little Gon would turn out this arrogant... even jealous of his younger sister."
"That's not—"
"I've reached my limit, Ko Gon. So here's the deal. Either you do as I say and let go of this ridiculous dream... or..."
...
"Or you keep chasing this so-called cooking career... but not under the Ko name."
What?
Gon's eyes widened, frozen in shock.
"Mom... you..."
Gulp.
He swallowed hard without even realizing it.
"You're disowning me?"
"That depends on what you do next."
I can't believe this.
She actually said that...
She went so far as to threaten me.
Even though I know she can't officially disown me without Dad's agreement…
Still. She actually said it.
To her own son.
Just because he wants to follow his passion.
"I understand," he said quietly.
"Good. At least you're still thinking straight."
"Mom… are you entering the Culinary Throne?"
"Why the sudden question? …I'm at the peak of the culinary world, a master of meat. Wouldn't it be strange if I didn't compete? Your father will be there too. And I have no doubt your sister will qualify as well."
There was a certain pride in her voice.
A smile tugged at Gon's lips.
"Then… Five years from now, we'll all meet again. At that competition."
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't worry. I won't use your name until then. So... I'll see you there. As rivals."
"Hey, you litt—"
Click.
Gon hung up.
Then powered off his phone.
[ Quest: Don't Abandon Cooking! (Completed) ]
[ Reward: +50 CP ]
---
A few minutes later
Lying on his single bed, arms draped over his face, Gon stared up at the ceiling.
"Aaah... I screwed up."
He let out a deep sigh.
"Totally forgot I need pocket money…"
He cringed slightly, remembering how confidently he'd just declared:
"Five years from now, we'll all meet again at that competition…"
He rolled side to side on his bed, groaning:
"So embarrassing…"
Well, no turning back now.
I've got to figure something out… somehow.
I bet everything on this cooking system.
So there's no time for regrets.
"I've got about 1,000,000 CFA left…"
(Roughly 1,600 dollars.)
With rent, utilities, and food… if I'm careful, I can stretch that for three months. Tops.
"I'll figure something out by then. I have to."
All right, no use worrying now.
"Cooking System."
[ Yes, Host. ]
"Show me what I can upgrade in the Chef's Body."
[ Chef's Body ]
Intelligence (1 XP) = 100 CP
Stress Resistance (1 XP) = 10 CP
Strength & Stamina (1 XP) = 5 CP
Precision (1 XP) = 15 CP
Dexterity (1 XP) = 2 CP
Posture (100 XP) = 50 CP
Cardiovascular Health (100 XP) = 150 CP
Five Senses – Locked
Whoa… this stuff's expensive.
"Wait… does '1 XP' mean one point, or is that the max level?"
[ 100 XP is the max level for each category in the Chef's Body. ]
"Hmmm… But why are the Five Senses locked?"
[ You do not meet the required level to upgrade the Five Senses. ]
"Ah... This feels just like an MMORPG, hahaha!" Gon laughed.
"Alright… time to see if I was right to believe in this system."
"How many CP do I have left?"
[ 114 CP ]
Hmm...
I get it now — these points need to be used wisely.
Blowing everything on impulse is clearly not the move…
But... I can afford a small investment.
Let's start with Precision. See how that goes.
It costs 15 points per unit...
I just need to spend 1 CP first to bring it down to a clean 100. Perfect.
"System, out of the special quests available… is there one that gives just 1 CP?"
[ There are three. ]
"Show me the easiest one."
[ Run non-stop for 10 minutes. ]
"Aaah… I'm exhausted just hearing the name."
Gon had never been the athletic type.
Outside of cooking, he was a die-hard couch potato — a fan of binge-watching shows and doing the absolute minimum when it came to physical activity.
"But right now... my whole future's on the line."
He jumped up, quickly slipped on a pair of shorts and an old white jersey from his favorite Spanish team, then stepped out of the house.
Old Kouassi, lying in his hammock with the radio humming in the background, raised an eyebrow as the boy passed by.
"Where you headed, boy?"
"Out for a run, Uncle."
A heavy silence fell.
The two men stared at each other for a long moment.
"You hit your head or something?"
In two years, everyone around knew Gon hated exerting himself. Even lifting a bottle of water sometimes seemed like a major effort for him.
"Hahaha... I'm off then, see you later!"
Even I'm shocked, Grandpa...
He started the stopwatch on his watch and took off running.
"The sooner I start, the sooner it's over..."
...
...
"Ah, youth," sighed old Kouassi, settling back into his hammock.
---
12 minutes later
Gon burst into his small house, drenched in sweat. He grabbed a bottle of water and gulped it down in one go before collapsing heavily on the floor.
"Fucking… hell…"
I… am going to die… ~~~
All this... for damn cooking.
You better not disappoint me, you stupid cooking system.
He remembered the message that had popped up a few minutes earlier:
[ Quest: 10-minute run – Completed (Success) ]
[ Reward: +1 CP ]
"Alright… I'm investing 15 CP in Precision."
[ Precision: +1 XP ]
[ Precision (XP) = 1 / 100 ]
...
...
...
?
I don't feel anything at all.
"Hey man, I'm not feeling any difference!"
[...]
"Cooking system?!"
[...]
"This…"
Still panting, Gon struggled to get back up and headed to the kitchen. He grabbed a tomato and placed it on the cutting board.
"I'm already a disaster at chopping… I've never managed to cut a tomato without squashing it. What I was doing was more like making tomato juice than cooking…"
He grabbed a knife.
"Alright... let's see if this is real."
...
...
...
...
Fuck... what the hell is this?!