Soul War: Journey To A New Life 9 Magical Ingredients

When the preparation was done, and Leon's beef stew was simmering on medium heat, he didn't have much to do other than wait, so he took some time to snoop around the kitchen. He found utensils from different cuisines, as well as famous recipe books from renown authors back on Earth but nothing too advanced. There were a lot of cooking instruction manuals present as well so Leon believed this to be just like a cooking school for beginners.

It was then that he found what he has been searching for all along. A book with a list of magical ingredients and spices. He instantly immersed himself into it.

'So, unlike usual vegetables, quality of magical ingredients is determined by their age, and the older one is, the better? Also the right order of adding magical ingredients to a meal is determined by how much Mana the ingredient possesses, because adding one with more Mana after, might cause detrimental effects such as explosions. I guess that without the costly ability to wield and feel Mana, it is impossible to determine which goes first, and how much of it. The balance of all the ingredients is really important, so recipes need to be followed to the exact detail, or else it won't work. I wonder how much harder the alchemists have it then?' Leon revised his reading up to this point, when he noticed a marked out paragraph:

*Magical ingredients have two types of opposite nature parameters - fire and water, as well as two opposite alignments - good and evil. Only ingredients with good alignment can be used for cooking, unless you are making a poison. Nature parameters need to be balanced out just like Mana does or one ingredient will prevail over the other, likely ruining the dish at best, or causing an explosion at worst. The nature parameters are determined according to where they are grown but the alignment is predetermined and can not be changed. While you can have the same ingredient with both fire and water natures, you can not have the same ingredient with both good and evil alignment*

Leon was amazed by the complexity of cooking in the Soul war plane. It was unlike anything he experienced on Earth, where the hardest thing was properly dissecting the Fugu fish.

He then raised his head and stared at his pot of beef stew that was about done, and s.h.i.+vered for a moment.

'Good thing I double checked everything I used' He relaxed and proceeded to remove the pot from the stove. After lifting the cover, in order to add final spices, the aromatic smell of an old fas.h.i.+oned beef stew quickly filled the room, and even slipped out into the hallway.

While Leon was occupied with his finis.h.i.+ng touches, Mackenzie returned to the fifth floor.

'I hope these idiots cleaned the kitchen properly this time' She thought, still p.i.s.sed off by the mess that was created earlier today.

'Wait, something actually smells nice for a change...FU*K!' she ran into the kitchen Leon was in yelling:

"How many times have I told you idiots not to cook without supervision! You can blow this whole ..." - catching Leon in pouring the beef stew into a bowl - "... building up". She gasped for a second not really sure of what was happening and after picking her self up continued:

"Just what the h.e.l.l do you think you are doing? If this is some sort of a prank I swear I'll break all of your necks! Just where the h.e.l.l are those idiots?" She questioned threateningly.

Unfortunately, Leon was just blankly staring at her. Well, not really her but something else entirely:

- *ping* System notification

You have created an *advanced* meal: *Beef stew*

Meal quality: B+

-You have been granted 2 points of proficiency

New value: Cooking (Advanced proficiency: 591/1000)
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-You have been granted 2 karmic points

New value: Karmic points: 84.360

- *ping*

'So this is how the system grants karmic points' Leon thought, but was soon abruptly interrupted by Mackenzie grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him silly.

"Speak to me d.a.m.n it, what the h.e.l.l is going on!?" She yelled!

"I apologize, the people that were here before me, probably quit this training program not long after you left. And as soon as I was done with cleaning the kitchen, I had nothing better to do so I cooked this Beef stew according to the recipe I found on your counter. I was just checking the system notification about proficiency when you came in, and that is pretty much everything" Leon naively told the truth, and immediately regretted it.

"As if you really expect me to believe that! That is a recipe of an advanced dis.h.!.+ In order to receive proficiency points you need a 'Meal quality' of at least B and even seasoned chefs get that score once in 6 or 7 tries. And you want me to think that a newbie straight out of cleansing created this? As if! Now tell me, who cooked the dish? Was it Jane? All right, fun's over, come out you idiots!" She looked around the kitchen, obviously searching for the 5 people.

Leon felt a little sorry for her so he tried to bring her the news carefully.

"I am sorry miss Mackenzie, but they really have left to look for other jobs. And I scored a Meal quality of B+ most likely because I already have advanced proficiency in cooking. Here, have a taste and you will understand" He whispered, poured a bowl, and handed it to her.

She glared at the bowl suspiciously, and then at Leon, but could not find any signs of deception, so against her usual character, took half spoon of it and gave it a taste frowning her eyebrows a little as if fully concentrating. Not long after she blurted out:

"This really is a B+ quality meal, and according to the system it even grants me bonus stamina regeneration for the next 3 hours! But how did you make this? How can you have Advanced proficiency when you are obviously just out of the cleansing? If you are playing a joke on me dressed like newcomer, then know that it is not funny at all!"

Leon wasn't sure how he should respond, but seeing her distressed like that, and as show of good will because she tried his dish against her better judgment, he decided not to hide anything.

"It is true that I have come into the Soul war plane just a few hours ago, but for some reason still not completely known to me I met directly with the a.s.sistant Overseer, and haven't undergone the cleansing. I don't know how much time actually pa.s.sed, but in my perception I was still talking to my grandchildren back on Earth only half a day ago. Now I am here, listening about military and magic, and reading about magical ingredients. Everything is still so overwhelming for me, and it is hard to grasp the situation I am in right now. I need to understand this world first, and because I was a chef before, coming here for training and learning seemed as an obvious choice.

Would you mind helping me?"

Leon divulged, still afraid that he revealed too much, but seeing how she approached cooking with care and special attention to safety of others, just like he used to back on Earth, he took a leap of faith.

"If what you are saying is true, and you really haven't gone through cleansing, then you are the first human ever that has come here despite the dangers! Just what made you do that!? What made you risk so much instead of going through the cycle of life and death?" Mackenzie asked, still shocked by the information she just heard.

"Well..", Leon chuckled "My wife is waiting for me in the higher plane"