MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 907: Heavenly

”When last did you cook for anyone?” Vega asked with a calm, composed smile, her question directed toward Broth-ben as her eyes rested on him with quiet curiosity.

Broth-ben fell into his thoughts for a moment, his gaze drifting as though he were searching through an immeasurable stretch of memory, before he finally replied, ”I don’t really remember... eons ago?” He spoke as though unsure, his tone carrying a distant nostalgia rather than certainty.

”I’m sure by now you know we are different; if not, you wouldn’t have revealed yourself to us,” Vega began to speak. They would have to be naive, or outright foolish, to believe that Broth-ben told this story to every tourist he guided. Besides, everyone present possessed their own means of seeing through falsehoods, each in their own way, and they all knew that Broth-ben’s words were nothing but the truth.

”Actually, the real reason we are here is to have a taste of the Ramen within the Ramen Singularity Timeline,” Vega continued calmly, her voice steady yet filled with expectation. ”And since you are the best, someone who reached the absolute peak of this Timeline, how would you like to face the bowls and pots once more and show us the skill and ability that brought you to where you stand right now?” she asked as she stared directly at the Brothkin, her gaze urging.

At Vega’s words, everyone nodded in agreement. They had all come here together on what could only be described as a group date, intending to taste the countless varieties of Ramen the Ramen Singularity Timeline had to offer. Now that they were standing before a being who might as well have sampled every form of Ramen in existence, someone who even possessed innumerable techniques related to it, who could possibly be more fitting to cook for them than him?

Broth-ben fell silent once more, the pause stretching just long enough to build anticipation. Then, a smile appeared at the edge of his lips, slowly curving upward. ”I would be delighted,” he replied warmly. ”Even though I haven’t cooked for ages, my skills have remained perfect and have never diminished... one of the many perks of reaching my level,” he added, his smile bright and sincere.

Under normal circumstances, he would never have agreed to something like this. Yet today was different. This group of tourists was anything but ordinary, and Broth-ben could feel it clearly.

”Let’s head to my own place, then,” Broth-ben said, his tone filled with a level of excitement he hadn’t felt in ages. Raising a hand, he allowed Savor energy to pour forth freely. A portal tore open as the fabric of reality across the Ramen Singularity Timeline rippled and warped in response. Without pausing, he stepped through. Lucian, Kingsley, Anthony, Aura Nova, Aaaninja, and the rest followed immediately. Unknown to them, however, a hidden presence trailed behind, slipping through just before the portal snapped shut completely.

Arriving before the residence of someone like Broth-ben, a being who had reached the absolute peak, one would expect overwhelming grandeur, a palace befitting a legend. Yet the reality was the opposite. His dwelling was exceedingly simple, so simple that there was almost no furniture at all within the single chamber he brought them into.

Noticing their subtle reactions, Broth-ben merely waved a hand. Reality bent once again as various pieces of furniture manifested instantly. Futons appeared, surrounding a small yet wide table positioned at the center of the room. Without wasting any time, the group took their seats around it.

”Thank you for this opportunity,” Broth-ben’s voice came once more. This time, however, he had already changed. He was now dressed in proper chef attire, his presence carrying a different kind of authority.

”I will begin now,” he continued, his voice eager and filled with anticipation. ”I hope you can withstand the power within it.” Before anyone could respond, he had already started the process, moving fluidly as he began to cook the ramen before them.

The air grew heavy almost instantly as Savor energy pressed down upon the entire cottage. The pressure was so intense that Altheria and Veronica were nearly killed on the spot, their bodies trembling under the weight of it. Fortunately, Aaaninja and Lucian reacted quickly, covering them with their mana and stabilizing them just in time.

The method Broth-ben used during his cooking was nothing like the technique the chef they had encountered earlier had employed. Reality bent far too many times to count, twisting and reshaping itself as though it were nothing more than soft clay. A liquid descended from what seemed to be the heavens themselves, drawn from a place so profound that even the Endless Broth Sea paled in comparison. The air writhed and danced like serpents as the noodles appeared, each strand shimmering with various colors, as though woven from rainbows themselves.

Everyone could only watch in stunned silence. The air and pressure within the room continued to escalate with cataclysmic intensity, as though the very Laws of the Ramen Singularity Timeline were declaring that to consume a Ramen of this caliber, one must first survive the act of its creation.

In the next moment, the entire cottage began to quake violently, as though it might collapse at any second. Heat and distorted reality slammed into them endlessly, causing the air itself to buckle. Yet none of them activated defensive techniques. They remained seated, resolute, choosing to withstand the pressure with their own bodies.

Aaaninja’s Eyes of Genesis began to bleed, as though they were gazing upon something forbidden. He was not the only one. Everyone present started bleeding from their eyes as they witnessed what could only be described as the greatest secret of the Ramen Singularity Timeline. Only Anthony remained perfectly fine as he observed calmly, and of course, Romulus remained entirely unbothered.

No one made a move to wipe the blood from their eyes. They simply allowed it to trickle down their faces as they continued watching Broth-ben cook. When the aroma finally burst into the air, it struck them like the beating of a war drum, crashing into their nostrils with overwhelming force. Their noses began to bleed next, blood flowing gently, yet still none of them moved an inch.

Soon, Broth-ben finished. The oppressive heaviness vanished instantly, as though the Laws of the Ramen Singularity Timeline had acknowledged them as worthy. He wasted no time in serving the dish. He said nothing as he placed each bowl before them, then sat quietly to the side without another word.

The team didn’t hesitate. By this point, their bodies had stopped bleeding, their innate regeneration restoring them completely. They wiped away the remaining blood using mana. Each of them picked up a pair of chopsticks. Though not all were accustomed to using them, it came naturally on the first try. After all, they possessed absurd control over their bodies and muscles.

The moment the noodles touched their tongues, it felt... heavenly. It was as though reality itself had been condensed into a bowl, as though they were tasting existence on their tongues. When they swallowed, the true impact came. The sheer amount of Savor energy within the ramen surged violently through their bodies, threatening to tear them apart from the inside.

They felt the Savor energy race through them, attempting to rejuvenate every possible aspect of their beings, even though most of them had nothing in need of repair. Tears fell from everyone’s eyes as they continued eating.

”Such a dish should be labeled as a crime to taste,” Anthony murmured softly to himself.

For a brief moment, the world became clearer to Veronica. Her thoughts sharpened, her body reinforced. Altheria felt it too. It was as though their bodies were changing in real time, their innate talent for cultivation and growth increasing as they ate.

Minutes passed in absolute silence as they finished their bowls. Soon, the dishes were cleared, each of them having eaten their fill. They sat quietly for a moment longer before all speaking in unison, ”Thank you.”

Broth-ben smiled. It had been eons since he last did something like this, and he was genuinely happy that they had been able to both endure and appreciate the pressure that came with his cooking.

They exchanged small talk for a while, but eventually, their time within the Ramen Singularity Timeline came to an end. They rose to their feet.

”It was nice meeting you, Broth-ben. I might come here more often to try every ramen technique you have,” Anthony said with a smile.

”I will happily make it anytime,” Broth-ben replied. The dull boredom that had plagued him for eons faded momentarily. He knew it would return, but for now, this was enough.

Aaaninja was about to call upon the River of Time once more, but Anthony simply waved a hand, creating a portal that linked the Ramen Singularity Timeline directly to the Acarnis Galaxy. Without hesitation, they stepped through, vanishing from the Timeline as their group date came to a smooth and satisfying end.