"I can even see the tiniest details clearly—don't you think I'd be able to tell your gender at a glance?"
Kei spoke up. "Right, do you want to come down the mountain with me for a big meal?"
He was planning to head straight to Granny Setsuno's restaurant after descending, and try preparing the Bubble Grapes again.
Melk looked tempted for a moment but shook her head.
"Sorry, I really want to go with you, but I need to stay here and wait for my master to return. I can't leave the mountain."
"Melk the First, huh? Still hiding?"
"My master went out to gather materials... and hasn't returned for six years."
When she said this, a look of sorrow crossed Melk's face. Six years without any news—she didn't want to admit it, but something might really have happened...
"Oh yeah..."
Kei suddenly recalled that Melk the First had been commissioned by Ichiryuu, the president of the Gourmet Association, to forge a special kitchen knife.
He had poured immense time and effort into the task, and before leaving, had passed on the title "Melk" to the second generation.
But because his voice was so quiet, she hadn't clearly heard his instructions.
Thus, a huge misunderstanding arose between the two!
"Don't worry. Melk the First is definitely fine. With his strength, there's nothing in the Human World that could kill him, even if he just stood still and let them try."
"I believe in Master too. He's so powerful—he'll definitely be okay. He should be okay..."
Melk knew her master was strong, but not exactly how strong. Right now, she just thought Kei was being kind and trying to comfort her.
"Forget it."
Kei looked at her and decided not to explain, "Just tell me roughly where he went to gather materials. I'll go find him for you."
"It's about thirty kilometers north of Melk Mountain... deep underground, tens of thousands of meters below the surface."
"The place is called Serpent's Lair. Because of a strange local wind phenomenon, the pressure there is incredibly intense."
"It's the deepest cave in the Human World. Most people get crushed into meat paste by the gravity as soon as they enter!"
"You may be strong, but please don't take that kind of risk!"
Melk wanted to find her master badly, but she didn't want Kei to endanger himself.
"Relax, it's just a few dozen times Earth's gravity—it's really nothing."
Kei glanced at the sun and estimated the time. "I should be back around dusk. Then we can go eat, alright?"
Before Melk could react, Kei had already dashed off. She stood there watching his back, both anxious and hopeful.
"He's amazing... I know he'll come back safely!"
After a long trek, Kei arrived at the top of Serpent's Lair. He peered down into a seemingly bottomless abyss.
Around the pit were layers of jagged rock. Most gourmet hunters or adventurers would cautiously hop between these ledges.
But Kei found that method far too slow.
He simply leapt into the abyss, even stirring up a storm behind him to accelerate his fall!
At 5,000 meters below, the pressure on Kei's body had already reached several tons—but he didn't stop.
At 10,000 meters, the pressure had reached over a dozen tons. He was finally starting to feel it—just a little.
At tens of thousands of meters deep—the lowest point of the Human World!
As he neared the ground, Kei flipped mid-air like a feather and landed gently.
Despite falling under tens of tons of pressure, he only left a deep footprint in the ground. His control over power was astonishing.
"This place is a great training ground."
Kei moved his body a bit. Each of his cells was enduring gravity tenfold or more—this place was both a physical and mental test.
"I'll come back to train here someday. But for now, I need to find him."
Kei began sensing the surrounding life energies, homing in on the strongest one nearby—surely that would lead him to Melk.
Soon, he detected a fairly powerful lifeform—a bull-headed creature with scorpion pincers.
"Roaaar!"
Scorpio Minotaur, Capture Level 53—considered strong in the Human World. But in Kei's eyes, it was still small fry.
"This guy... if I remember right, he's Melk the First's pet. That means I'm close!"
Kei released a bit of pressure, and the Scorpio Minotaur immediately cowered.
With its high intelligence, it recognized Kei's terrifying aura and stood stiffly at attention.
"Uuuu... why do I always get bullied? First a giant man, now a terrifying human!"
If it could speak, it would definitely be kneeling and begging Kei not to torment it further.
Kei ignored the weakling and continued scanning for strong life signatures. Soon, he found one blazing like the sun.
Melk the First was busy sharpening a massive kitchen knife when he sensed someone watching.
Turning his senses outward, he noticed Kei—and the terrifying sharp aura that surrounded him. Curious, he went to investigate.
"Eh?"
"You talking?"
Kei stared in shock as Melk the First moved his lips—but there was almost no sound.
It wasn't just a matter of speaking softly—his words barely caused any vibrations!
No wonder Melk the Second, with her sharp hearing, couldn't understand him.
Kei finally understood why everyone had trouble hearing him. It wasn't about volume—it was that no sound came out at all!
The Scorpio Minotaur handed a small stone to Melk the First, who brought it to his mouth.
"Ahem, like this."
"What did you say earlier? I didn't catch a word!" Kei exclaimed.
"Use that stone when you speak!"
Melk the First scratched his head and placed the stone near his mouth.
"If there's nothing else, I need to get back to sharpening this blade."
"I came here at Melk the Second's request to find you."
Kei grabbed the stone and tied it around Melk's neck.
"This thing amplifies vibration, not just volume—pretty neat."
"It's a vocal stone from the vocal cords of a Rock Vulture. It can magnify surrounding sounds dozens of times. Pretty amazing, huh?"
"Anyway, you said Melk the Second asked you to find me? Is she alright?"
"She's fine. Ever since you left, she's been carrying on your work—serving clients from around the world."
"But after you left for six years without a word, she's been very worried. I just happened to pass by, so I offered to help."
"Haha, she still misses me even after a little time apart, huh? She's really just a kid."
"She's got excellent technique already, but still acts like a child."
Melk the First scratched his head, proud of his daughter.
But Kei shook his head.
"Are you sure you actually told her anything before you left?"
"She thought you disappeared to collect materials and possibly died!"
"Huh?! I did explain! I said I was going to work on a long-term project, and once I finished, I'd retire and pass the Melk name to her."
"How is her skill these days?"
"She's amazing! Six years ago, she was still just a child, but even back then, her sharpening techniques were already identical to mine."
"At just fifteen—what a genius!"
It was obvious Melk the First was a full-blown doting father.
Kei couldn't help but chuckle—Melk had doubted herself so much.
He wondered what kind of face she'd make when she heard all this.
"By the way, were you using this stone before?"
"Nope. I just discovered it recently. I noticed the Scorpio Minotaur listens better when I use it."
"He's pretty smart, one of the strongest beasts down here. I made him my guard to keep people away while I worked."
Kei glanced at the bull still standing at attention.
"I think it's more because you're strong, not the stone."
"But he couldn't understand me before I used it."
"Maybe because he couldn't hear you at all. Same with Melk the Second—she probably didn't hear a word when you left."
Melk the First was stunned.
He'd always thought people avoided him because he looked scary—never because he couldn't be heard.
"So my daughter stayed so close back then... not to cuddle, but just to hear me speak?!"
His world crumbled.
"Alright, now that I know you're okay, I'll be going. Just finish your work and go home for dinner soon."
Kei turned to leave, but then stopped.
"Right, you asked about your daughter's skills. Let me show you something she made."
Kei swung his blade.
A slash carved a mark from top to bottom along the cliff face, stretching all the way to the ground.
Tens of thousands of meters long. Any beast that approached the scar was torn apart by the lingering sword energy.
"Incredible... so sharp!"
Melk the First could see the craftsmanship in a single glance. He first praised Kei's power, then the sword's edge.
"Give her a message from me—she's a brilliant sharpener. And the daughter I'm most proud of!"
"I will. And remember to go home for dinner."
Kei left, Melk returned to his forge with a smile, and only the Scorpio Minotaur remained standing.
After the two disappeared into the distance, it slowly approached the sword mark.
The moment it reached out, a deep cut appeared on its pincer, and it scurried away in fear!
"It's almost dusk... why isn't he back yet?"
Melk paced anxiously outside, watching the sun descend.
"No, it'll be fine! He's strong, the most determined person I've met!"
"He'll definitely come back!"
She stared north, and just before sunset, the silhouette she'd waited for finally appeared.
She covered her mouth, trying not to cry.
"I found Melk the First. He's perfectly fine."
Kei stepped forward.
"Then... why didn't he come back all this time?"
"It was just a misunderstanding. He thought he'd explained everything to you—that he was going to complete a job and retire."
"He said the title of Melk and the workshop were yours now. You just didn't hear him."
"I knew he was mumbling something when he left!"
"What a hopeless old man!"
Tears burst from her eyes. She wiped them away, trying to regain composure.
"By the way, Melk had a message for you. First, he said... you're not his disciple."
"What?!"
Melk froze, heart sinking. Was she truly unworthy?
"Maybe someone like me shouldn't carry the name Melk..."
"He said—you are his daughter! The one he's most proud of! And the finest sharpener!"
Melk's head snapped up, blushing in anger and embarrassment. She pounded Kei's chest.
"You jerk! Don't joke about things like that!"
"He said you're incredible. A genius. You had the same skills as him by fifteen."
"Stop! Don't say it!"
Flustered, she covered his mouth, only to realize how awkward it was and pulled away.
"I-I didn't mean to!"
"You should be more confident. You're very beautiful."
Kei gently patted her head.
Hearing that, Melk's heart fluttered.
"...Don't keep patting my head like I'm a kid."
"Sorry, I'm just used to it."
Kei always patted Binchotan's head, and she loved it—he'd gotten into the habit.
"Anyway, everything's resolved. Let's go eat that big meal!"
"Right now?"
"Of course! Time waits for no one! Let's go now while we've got the chance!"
And with that, he took Melk down the mountain, rushing to Granny Setsuno's restaurant.
At that moment, in Setsuno's restaurant…
"It's been three days, Jirou. You lost. Time to make a request."
"Hold on, Setsuno. The day's not over yet—give it a bit more time..."
Jirou already knew he'd lost. If he'd just said five days instead of three...
What if Setsuno asked him to quit drinking?
He better drink a bit more now, just in case!
As the day neared its end—
"Anyone home? I'm here again for some plain white rice!"
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]