Leveling Up through Eating

Joy Co. Ltd.’s cafeteria was famous for its delicious dishes. Special Players Management Team’s Lee Minhwa, who had been working overtime several days in a row, could be seen sitting at one of the cafeteria’s tables.

Members from other teams watched her in awe as she tied her hair up tightly before eating the huge pile of side dishes and rice.

‘That’s four times the amount of rice I eat…?’

‘Why doesn’t she gain weight?’

Lee Minhwa was the subject of countless rumors going around in the company. Since she did not gain weight even though she ate huge amounts of food daily, rumors saying, ‘Story about how Special Players Management Team’s Lee Minhwa is an Athenae Character.’ began circulating. Of course, it was just for fun. This was mainly because Athenae characters did not gain weight no matter how many times they ate.

Everyone watched Lee Minhwa’s mukbang as she ate every dish before her with relish and delight.

“You must be having a hard time in the Special Players Management Team, right? How many days have you been working overtime?”

“This is my third day.”

“Heok! Ms. Lee Minhwa, how can you survive the high-powered Special Players Management Team?”

The Special Players Management Team was notorious for having high-intensity work.

Lee Minhwa, with a firm and strong voice, responded, “Because the food at the cafeteria is delicious.”

“Ah…”

“Oh… uhm…”

Perhaps this was a true fan? Everyone was aware that Lee Minhwa was Minhyuk’s die-hard fan. Even her logic and reasoning were reaching Minhyuk’s level.

Immediately after that, the topic of their conversation changed.

“More importantly, when will Player Minhyuk reach Level 700?”

“According to the experts, he will be able to reach Level 700 after a hundred days, right?”

“After looking at the screenshot on SNS of the total EXP that Minhyuk needs to level up, I must admit that that’s also what I think.”

Everyone focused on Lee Minhwa, who was still happily eating her food. She was one of the few who could see and watch Minhyuk personally.

Lee Minhwa, with her mouth filled with rice and Vienna sausage, looked up after feeling their searing gazes. She said, “Secret.”

“Ah. So stingy.”

“Ms. Minhwa, you also think he would take around a hundred days, right?”

But no matter how much they pried, Lee Minhwa did not answer. The Special Players Management Team members never talked about an individual player’s situation. In the end, the other teams gave up.

Lee Minhwa looked at them, who gave up on the topic, and thought, ‘Maybe he’ll be able to reach it within today.’

There was a reason Lee Minhwa worked overtime yesterday as well. Minhyuk was approaching the Growth Devourer, slumbering in the Tower of Growth.

‘The Growth Devourer’s Egg has grown by devouring the growth they had taken from the players as a penalty.’

These penalties remained inside the egg, acting as nourishment for its growth. What did that mean?

‘The egg is literally a huge chunk of EXP.’

A glint appeared in Lee Minhwa’s eyes as she continued to eat the Vienna sausage in front of her.

Then, a story team member said, “That’s mine…”

Lee Minhwa had another nickname. It was Chopstick Killer. Why? Because she would steal food from other people’s plates without them noticing—an action befitting of Minhyuk’s true fan.

***

Just as Minhyuk was about to move to the last floor after clearing the tenth floor, these notifications rang in his ears.

[The Sudden Quest: Unqualified One has been created.]

[The Sudden Quest: Master’s Honor has been created.]

“...?!”

Minhyuk had never seen notifications of this kind ring at the same time. He hurriedly checked the notification details.

[Sudden Quest: Unqualified One]

Rank: SSS

Requirements: The one who cleared the Tower of Growth’s Tenth Floor.

Rewards: You can directly receive the rewards from Chaos. ???

Penalty for Failure: -1 level.

Description: Varoghan is nothing but a fake imitating “The Teacher” Beradon, the Eight Pillar Candidate of the past. He is trying to hatch the Growth Devourer’s Egg and bring it into the world.

Chaos, the one in charge of selecting and appointing the candidates for the Eight Pillars, knew about him faking his way and tarnishing the name of the Eight Pillars. There is no distinction between good and evil when becoming a Pillar. However, Varoghan, the fake who imitated the Pillar candidates, deserves to be punished.

Chaos, who learnt that Varoghan was trying to turn this “lie” into the “truth,” realized that this matter was urgent. The evaluators are rushing to this place to bring justice to light, but it would be too late if the egg hatched.

Destroy the egg and punish Varoghan.

[You have temporarily been promoted to the position of Pillar Evaluator.]

The advantage of this sudden quest was that he could get an unexpected reward. However, the disadvantage was that he was forced to accept something that might be impossible to achieve.

Minhyuk frowned as he checked the following notification.

[Sudden Quest: Master’s Honor.]

Rank: SSS

Requirements: Beradon’s Disciple.

Rewards: You can keep the Growth Cultivator until Level 750.

Penalty for Failure: Growth Cultivator will be deleted from your skills.

Description: Your master, Beradon, was such a great man and candidate that he received the unanimous agreement of Chaos and the Pillar Evaluators to become the next Pillar. However, Varoghan is tarnishing the name of your late master, Beradon. Rip off the mask of the fake and restore your master’s honor.

Minhyuk was shocked. ‘I can keep the Growth Cultivator until Level 750?’

This was a great reward. Besides, even if this quest did not appear, Minhyuk had already planned to do something to protect the honor of Master Beradon.

‘I can discuss my rewards with Chaos?’

The reward for the first sudden quest was surprisingly from Chaos himself.

Thanks to the descriptions of these quests, Minhyuk was able to get a glimpse of the current situation.

‘Right now, Varoghan is trying to hatch that Growth Devourer egg, huh?’

Minhyuk realized that the situation was dire. He knew that he had to stop him as quickly as he could. However, “that,” a huge problem that existed everywhere, helped Minhyuk.

“If I take them hostage, I’ll probably be able to last five minutes.”

He could hear Varoghan’s voice from above.

“Wow. Look at the racket upstairs…”

For a moment, Minhyuk wondered how the tower had been designed. But there was something that Minhyuk was certain that he would not be able to challenge the last floor. This meant that he could break the ceiling by force.

Thud, thud, thud–!

Hearing the loud footsteps from above, Minhyuk immediately cast Supreme Overlord’s Technique.

Baaaaaang–!

The soaring flames forced the tenth floor’s ceiling to fall and collapse. Even the eleventh floor’s ceiling collapsed, too. As for Varoghan? He fell directly into the rubble left by the collapsed ceilings.

But Minhyuk frowned after grabbing Varoghan by the neck.

[As you proceed with the Sudden Quest: Master’s Honor, you will be able to learn about some of the atrocious and heinous acts that he had done.]

Several scenes flashed in front of Minhyuk’s eyes.

He saw Varoghan in his youth. He had always been envious of Beradon and bragged about the achievements that Beradon, silently playing his role as The Teacher, had made to the world.

–You said that Beradon was the one who taught the members of the Eight Pillars? No. I’m the one who raised the Eight Pillars’ Athenea, Helenia, and Obren.

–It’s because he’s jealous of me. That’s why he lied about teaching and raising the Eight Pillars.

–He’s nothing but a liar. If he genuinely taught and raised the Eight Pillars, why does he not show himself to the world?

The disgusting scene of Varoghan trying so hard to become Beradon flashed in Minhyuk’s eyes.

But a few people appeared in between these scenes who seemed to have made contact with Beradon. They seemed to be those who had received some of Beradon's lessons and teachings. These people knew that Beradon was fair and partial to everyone. So, they went to Varoghan, who abused their master’s position, and argued with him.

–You bastard? You’re the one who taught the Eight Pillars? Master has kept quiet about this fact because he is not greedy. But I have no intention of keeping my mouth shut! Tell the truth to the people right here and now!

Back then, Varoghan was slowly gaining fame.

–No. I am the true Teacher.

Varoghan killed Beradon’s disciple. And it was not only them. He killed every single one of the people who knew of his lies. He committed countless murders just to become the real Teacher.

Beradon finally noticed that Varoghan lived as The Teacher in that era and tried to go after him. But it was all too late. The vicious Helenia had already shown her true colors and began to slaughter mankind. Because of her, the name “The Teacher” was condemned.

Realizing that the situation was unfavorable to him, Varoghan hid while drinking the water from the Spring of Eternal Life. Then, all the blame fell on the real Teacher, Beradon. The condemnation and criticism intensified, making Beradon blame himself even further.

After a long time had passed, Varoghan appeared once again. This time, he had the Growth Devourer with him.

–The tower master of this tower once taught the Pillars Athenae, Helenia, and Obren.

–I am the one called The Teacher.

–I will also become one of the Eight Pillars and stand for those who want to teach and learn.

The scene in front of Minhyuk disappeared, and his consciousness finally returned to the current situation. When he caught sight of Varoghan’s shocked and startled gaze, he gritted his teeth.

With a sneer, he said, “Hello, fake?”

Varoghan felt a chill run down his spine when he heard Minhyuk’s greeting.

Then, Minhyuk added. “You bastard wearing a f*cking mask!”

Baaaaang–!

Minhyuk slammed Varoghan on the ground. But then, something very shocking happened. Although mistreated, he did not seem to have sustained any damage.

“Fufufufufu. A mask? A mask? Huh?!” Varoghan cackled.

Minhyuk felt that something ominous was about to happen. At the same time, a series of notifications rang in his ears.

[The Growth Devourer will hatch in 4 minutes 43 seconds.]

[Upon hatching, the Growth Devourer will devour many people to compensate for its shortcomings and deficiencies.]

[If a player is eaten, everything that the player possesses will fall by 1%.]

[The predicted level of the Growth Devourer will now be displayed.]

[Growth Devourer. Level 1109.]

[Growth Devourer’s Egg. Durability: 613,003. Defensive Power: 44,300]

[Upon the Growth Devourer’s birth, a huge explosion will erupt. This explosion will allow the Growth Devourer to devour the growth of everyone within an area of a twenty-kilometer radius.]

[Only one person can damage the Growth Devourer’s Egg.]

“...?”

Minhyuk’s face grew ugly when he saw the egg's shocking durability and defensive power. The situation was like this, but could only one person inflict damage on the egg?

“I am one with the Growth Devourer,” Varoghan said.

The meaning of his words was simple. He was linked with the Growth Devourer. The egg’s durability was equivalent to Varoghan’s HP, and the same went for their defensive power.

“I will become the Growth Devourer and devour everything in this area.”

Everyone here would die and help the Growth Devourer grow bigger.

“Then, I will use it to give growth to those who want to grow. In return, I will earn their respect, and they will worship me. With this, I! I will become the genuine Teacher… Ack!”

Minhyuk slapped the yapping Varoghan. Even if his durability and defensive power were high, he was bound to feel the shock and the pain if he was hit in the face. The slap made Varoghan’s nose bleed.

Minhyuk, with his hand still on Varoghan’s neck, jumped to the eleventh floor. When he saw the nearly one thousand malnourished men bound tightly on the floor, he said, “You’re more trashy than I expected.”

And just as Varoghan said, he and the egg were connected. This meant that the egg’s durability had also decreased when Minhyuk attacked Varoghan.

“I should confirm it, right?”

Thwack–!

“Heok!”

Minhyuk slapped Varoghan on the back of his head. Then, he checked the egg once again. A slight reduction could be seen in the egg’s durability.

Thwack, thwack, thwack–!

Minhyuk slapped Varoghan’s head non-stop.

“Ack! Heok! Urk! Uwaack! Keok! Why-why are you attacking me…? You bastard! You don’t even know how to respect your elders…?”

“You want to know why I’m attacking you, an old man? Didn’t you say that you are linked with the egg?”

It did not matter whether Minhyuk attacked Varoghan or the egg. Their durability, or HP in Varoghan’s case, was the same.

“Th-this bastard! Do you think you have time for this?!” Varoghan shouted after being slapped and beaten for quite some time.

And it was just as he said. There truly was no more time left to spare. Minhyuk only had three minutes left. However, after seeing that the egg and Varoghan were indeed linked, a flash of interest appeared on his face.

“You have to deal with the egg quickly and…” Varoghan’s voice trailed off.

This was because Minhyuk dragged him by the collar and tied him to the egg.

“...?”

Varoghan looked at Minhyuk in confusion.

“Wh-why did you tie me up here?! Why don’t you just go ahead and focus on breaking the egg?! The moment this egg hatches—!”

“Now, now. If I attack you with an AOE attack skill, you will suffer huge damage, right?”

Nod–

“Do you think my AOE attack skill can affect you, who’s behind the egg?”

Nod–

“Then, I can hit both targets simultaneously, right?”

Flinch–

Nod?

“Now, now. This means I can break the egg at least 1.5 times faster, right?”

“...”

At this moment, Varoghan realized that tattling about how he was linked to the egg was the biggest mistake of his entire life.

“Well then, what do you think this is called?” Minhyuk asked, his voice gentle and kind.

Varoghan, with cold sweat dripping down his forehead, said, “Killing two birds with one stone?”

“Wrong.”

Rumble–!

Every time Minhyuk cleared a floor, his skill cooldowns would be reset, and his HP and MP would return to 100%. This meant that Minhyuk had recovered when he jumped to the eleventh floor.

With a vicious smile, Minhyuk said, “This is One Strike, Two Kills!!!” and unleashed the Supreme Overlord Technique's blazing flames.