Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 504 The Best Chef
While The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary was completely silent, its owner, Hector, was busy in his kitchen, wearing an apron with the words "Kiss the Cook" printed on it.

While humming some strange tune, He precisely mixed various elemental ingredients with His tentacles.

"Contradictions are simmering in a pot, logic is boiling and bubbling~"

Truth takes time to develop, and wisdom cannot be rushed.

Like the "Upside-Down Cafe," the kitchen's layout is full of paradoxical artistic beauty.

The stove was burning both upwards and downwards at the same time, with the color of the flames constantly switching between ice blue and fiery red.

The soup in the pot was both boiling vigorously and remaining as calm as a mirror.

The steam rises and sinks simultaneously, forming a perfect cycle.

"Earth elements need to be steady and not impatient..."

As the King of Absurdity muttered to himself, he carefully sliced ​​the stone radish that exuded the scent of the earth.

With each cut, the radish slice would float in the air for a moment, as if sensing the directionality of gravity.

"The wind element should be fluid, but not elusive..."

He gently lifted the mint leaves with his tentacles, letting them slowly rotate in the air.

Each rotation of the blades creates subtle changes in the surrounding airflow.

The most interesting part is the process of processing deep-sea kelp.

The King of Absurdity temporarily created a small ocean in the void, allowing seaweed to swim freely within it until it voluntarily swam toward His tentacles.

"The element of water must be inclusive and learn to embrace change..."

Not far away, around a huge round table, all the employees of Absurd Treasury were sitting neatly, eagerly waiting for lunch.

The absurdity of this scene is enough to make any bystander burst into laughter.

The penguin that always wears a top hat is now tapping the table lightly with its ivory cane, maintaining a proper waiting posture.

But its eyes had completely betrayed its inner hunger, and it would occasionally peek into the direction of the kitchen with its monocle.

The carrot display stand swayed its leaves, making a soft rustling sound.

If you listen carefully, you'll hear it whispering, "Hurry, hurry, radish soup, radish soup..."

Clearly, it was extremely excited to be able to taste its "kind" this time.

The flying desk spun anxiously in mid-air, its pages turning rapidly.

Occasionally, words would float out from the pages, forming words like "hungry," "fragrant," and "can't wait."

The most outrageous thing was the three-headed rabbit responsible for transportation.

Its three heads are engaged in a heated discussion:

The "left brain" says:

"Based on my analysis, the master's cooking skills have reached the level of art. This soup must be incredibly delicious!"

The "right brain" retorted:

"Don't just think about the taste; what's important is the philosophical thinking behind it! Every bite is a crystallization of wisdom!"

The "middle head" then summarizes it pragmatically:

"Forget about philosophy, all I know is that I'm starving to death!"

Even the usually serious surveillance cameras were blinking and looking towards the kitchen, their eyes full of anticipation.

The mirror of truth, which lies, even honestly reveals everyone's true inner thoughts—all of them a desire for delicious food.

"Wait a little longer, just a little longer..."

While continuing to prepare the soup, the King of Absurdity calmed down the restless employees.

He added the four elements to the pot in the order of mutual restraint and mutual generation, and each addition caused a subtle resonance in the entire space.

First came the earth-element radish slices, and immediately a thick, golden light, like the earth itself, appeared in the pot.

Then comes the wind element: mint leaves, with a refreshing green vein flowing through the golden hue.

Next is the seaweed, representing the water element, where green and blue blend together to create a deep, ocean-like color.

Finally, the fiery mushrooms, infused with a touch of blazing red, caused the entire soup to radiate a dazzling, nebulous glow.

"Perfect elemental balance..."

The King of Absurdity nodded in satisfaction, but just then, a silver spatial rift appeared at the edge of the restaurant.

The figure of the King of Illusions stepped out from within.

She wore a long dress with starry skies, and every step she took left a shimmering trail of light beneath her feet.

"Hehe, I came as soon as I sensed you opening the kitchen."

The King of Illusions surveyed the cozy dining scene and chuckled softly:
"Finally, I get to see you cook again, Hector. Is there something amazing happening?"

His tone was teasing, but more than that, it was genuine curiosity.

As a long-time friend, He knew the King of Absurdity's personality all too well.

This being, whose core philosophy is "absurdity," possesses the most exquisite culinary skills, but rarely displays them.

The last time I cooked myself was in the late Third Age, to celebrate a special reward from the "Evening Bell King".

"Haha, Pandora-senpai! You've come at the perfect time!"

The King of Absurdity excitedly waved his tentacles, and the words on his apron changed to:

"Today's Special: Wisdom Soup".

"You'd never guess what a precious gift I received today!"

As he spoke, he took out a sparkling crystal ball.

Inside the sphere, the entire episode of "The Metamorphosis" is playing.

"This is an absurd philosophical case from another world!"

The King of Absurdity's voice was filled with undisguised excitement:

"Look at the brilliance of this idea—using 'existential alienation' to explore the relationship between individual value and social identity!"

"Moreover, the focus of the story is not on the transformation itself, but on the meaning of existence after the transformation!"
This purely philosophical perspective has almost been lost in our pragmatic era!

The King of Illusions took the crystal ball and carefully felt the essence of thought contained within it.

A few minutes later, a look of admiration appeared in His eyes:
"It is indeed extremely valuable material for critical thinking. This kind of cross-world philosophical resonance is of immeasurable value."

"The important thing is the little guy who provided this story!"

The tentacles of the King of Absurdity danced excitedly in the air:
"I am very satisfied with Ron's intelligent performance!"
Compared to the other geniuses I gave him the dungeon to, his performance was truly exceptional!

At this point, His tone suddenly became somewhat somber, and His tentacles outlined several figures:
"Sigh... In fact, I have seen too many children who were originally very talented, but ultimately missed out on true wisdom."

The first figure began to emerge; it was a young man with a full head of silver hair.
"Remember that 'Son of Logic' Isaac?"
At seventeen, he could independently derive the formula for folding in three-dimensional space, and his test results for mental strength aptitude astonished all his mentors…

The Isaac of memory confidently faces "The Complete Explanation of the Extraordinary," but when confronted with philosophical paradoxes, his performance makes the King of Absurdity sigh:
There are no standard answers to these questions!
What I've learned is knowledge that can be quantified and analyzed, not these vague philosophical concepts! Knowledge should be precise and verifiable!

The King of Absurdity's voice was full of regret:

"What a pity... Such sharp logical thinking, yet limited by the obsession with 'certainty'."

He couldn't understand that the deepest truths often reside within ambiguity and contradiction.

"If he could let go of his obsession with absolute rationality, perhaps he would become a true master..."

The second figure appeared; it was a girl with eyes filled with fear.

"And then there's this Voice of Chloe... a natural talent for prophecy, capable of seeing countless branches of the future simultaneously."

This ability should have made Him the wisest guide…

The girl in my memory, trembling, sought help from the copy of "The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary" that Astraea possessed:
"I've seen too many possible futures, each one fraught with uncertainty..."

Please tell me, which path is absolutely safe? I don't want to suffer the pain of making the wrong choice anymore…

"What a heartbreaking child..."

The King of Absurdity's tone softened, like a kind elder reminiscing about a lost descendant:

"He possessed eyes that could see through fate, yet he was cursed by those very eyes."

She forgot that true wisdom lies not in finding the perfect answer, but in learning to dance with uncertainty.

The third figure was a burly man with red hair:

"The 'genius alchemist' Flamel, before he was even a hundred years old, recreated the prototype of the legendary 'Philosopher's Stone,' his creativity is simply breathtaking..."

In my memory, Flamel is excitedly displaying his invention, but when *The Complete Explanation* presents the price:

"What? You want me to give up my ability to appreciate delicious food? That's so unfair!"

Why should gain power come at the cost of sacrificing the pleasures of life? There must be a way that doesn't require paying a price!

"A common ailment among young people..." The King of Absurdity sighed softly.
"They always think that geniuses should enjoy privileges, without understanding that the price is the nature of power, not punishment."

If Flamel had understood the principle of 'balance of gains and losses' sooner...

But at this point, the King of Absurdity's expression became even more complex, even showing deep disappointment. A fourth figure slowly appeared—a familiar black-haired witch—Cassandra.

"And... my bloodline descendant, Cassandra."

"She succeeded, yet she also failed." The King of Absurdity's voice was filled with regret:

"She gained the power to conquer the world, but lost the heart to understand it."

"As His bloodline ancestor, this is my greatest failure..."

The King of Illusions listened quietly without offering his own evaluation; he couldn't be bothered to say a word at a time like this.

"but!"

The King of Absurdity's tone suddenly became invigorated again, and all his tentacles pointed in a certain direction:
“Ron is different! He has qualities I haven’t seen in anyone else!”

"Isaac relies too much on logic, Cassandra craves power excessively, Flamel is too greedy, and Chloe is dominated by fear..."

"But Ron... he has enough rationality to analyze and enough sensibility to understand;

They crave power, yet understand the cost.
It maintains human warmth without being enslaved by emotions.

The King of Illusions nodded in agreement:

"It sounds like you have high expectations for this young man now."

“In that case…” His words carried a clear hint of probing:
"It seems our 'century-long restart plan' will have to be abandoned? You are in power this term, and this is something you need to decide in the final decision."

These words immediately created a somber atmosphere in the entire space.

All the employees of the Treasury stopped their whispering and listened attentively to the conversation between the two great men.

"Haha...maybe, maybe we need to observe further..."

The King of Absurdity's tone became somewhat evasive, clearly indicating he didn't want to delve deeper into the topic.

But the King of Illusions' eyes sharpened:
"Speaking of observation... Hector, I have a question for you."

He snapped his fingers and pointed his slender finger at the octopus-like humanoid figure before him:

"Was a trace of your consciousness incorporated into that instance of 'The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary'?"

This question caused the King of Absurdity to pause noticeably.

His tentacles, which were tasting the saltiness of the soup, froze in mid-air.

"I knew it! You could tell from the reaction patterns in that book..."

The King of Illusions continued his analysis, his tone tinged with obvious helplessness:
"Ordinary knowledge carriers cannot have such a strong 'personality' expression."

Especially those prank responses, that's totally your style!

"Not to mention that little lamb, an existence capable of such precise philosophical guidance could never be a simple alchemical creation."

The King of Illusions stood up and walked towards the King of Absurdity, who was "concentrating" on cooking:

"So, you were actually the one providing guidance from beginning to end, right?"

The king of absurdity, somewhat embarrassed after being exposed, cleared his throat:

"Ahem, this...that..."

Hector.

The King of Illusions' tone turned serious:
"Who was it that told me not to interfere too much in the growth of young people and to let them develop naturally? Now you yourself are taking the initiative to guide and inspire them?"

"That doesn't align with your principle of 'the most unruly is the most rule-abiding.'"

Faced with the veteran's questioning, the King of Absurdity could only spread out his tentacles and make an innocent expression:

"I...I just couldn't help it!"

His voice became somewhat aggrieved:

"You saw it yourself, that kid's intelligence was truly outstanding!"

It's like seeing a beautiful piece of raw jade; can you resist the urge to carve it?

"Especially after the disappointment with Cassandra..."

His tentacles contracted slightly:
“I haven’t met anyone in a long time who truly understands the essence of the philosophy of absurdity. Ron may be my only chance to prove that I am not the only one who can practice my ideas.”

"Besides, I didn't directly tell him any important secrets! I just... gave him a little guidance..."

At this point, the King of Absurdity's tone became even more self-righteous:

"Besides, what I call 'teaching according to aptitude'! Faced with such a rare genius, appropriate guidance is a necessary educational investment!"

The King of Illusions was amused by this sophistry:
"Alright, alright, I'll let it slide since you're willing to cook today, which is rare for you."

He sat back in his original position:
"Anyway, I came here today just to freeload a meal, not to discuss educational philosophies with you."

“After all…” Pandora’s eyes revealed obvious anticipation:

"The great Saint Hector is the best cook among wizards, and the best wizard among cooks."

Missing out on your craft would be an epoch-making regret.

Upon hearing this assessment, the King of Absurdity immediately rallied:
"Hahaha! I like this evaluation!" He waved his tentacles triumphantly.

The slogan on the apron then changed to "Master Chef of Realism":
"Since that's the case, then let me show you what 'conceptual deliciousness' really means!"

Upon hearing the signal to start lunch, the employees of Baoku immediately erupted in cheers.

The penguin gentleman gracefully removed his top hat, the three rabbits jumped excitedly, and the carrot display shook so hard that leaves danced in the air.

But amidst this joyful atmosphere, there was a deeper understanding between the two great men.

As the King of Absurdity was serving the soup, he whispered:

“Pandora, sometimes I think about... us so-called ‘great ones’.”

If we lost these vibrant little hobbies, would we still be considered 'us'?

The King of Illusions took the bowl of elemental soup that radiated four-colored light, habitually blew on it lightly, and replied calmly:
"That's why even when you reach our level, you need to maintain certain 'anchor points'."

"Whether it's your culinary art or my Dream Band, aren't they both ways we remember 'who we are'?"

"After all, what's the difference between a completely rational being and a machine?"

Their eyes met in mid-air, and they both saw a certain understanding in each other's eyes.

In this universe that pursues absolute power, maintaining humanity is perhaps the most difficult, yet also the most precious, choice.

Just then, the King of Absurdity suddenly stopped what he was doing.

"What's wrong?" The King of Illusions glanced at Him.

"Nothing, I just saw some really fun things..."

The King of Absurdity burst into laughter:

"Our little ones really can't stay still for a moment..."

………………

Inside the testing room of the abyss observation station, soft blue light shines from the sophisticated testing instruments.

Professor Yutel stood in front of the data display screen, his silver eyes carefully examining Ron's various physiological indicators.

Although the Void was slowly decaying, his observational skills remained as sharp as ever.

"The fluctuations in mental energy are abnormally intense, there are slight cracks at the edge of consciousness, and the magic circuits also show signs of overload..."

The old professor shook his head as he read the data:
"What exactly did you come into contact with last night? This mental exertion pattern is like you've been absorbing knowledge at a high intensity."

Ron explained somewhat embarrassedly:
"It's just that... I studied some rather profound knowledge, and I may have overdone it."

“Ancient texts?” Yutel frowned even more deeply:
"What level of knowledge have you been exposed to to cause this level of mental exhaustion?"

"Some...control theories about bloodline coordination and magic compression."

Ron tries to choose relatively safe topics:
"It might be difficult to understand, so it consumes a lot of energy."

Yutel stared at him, a knowing look in his silver eyes.

"Never mind what you've been exposed to, the most important thing now is to recover."

The professor turned off the testing equipment:
"Given your current mental state, continuing high-intensity training will only backfire."

"I'm giving you a day off today. Take a good rest, and we'll continue practicing strength control tomorrow."

Ron's eyes lit up with excitement at the prospect of a holiday:
"Thank you for your understanding, Professor. I'll go back and rest now."

"Remember, rest is not about continuing to study other things."

Yutel's voice carried a warning:

"Do something relaxing and completely clear your mind."

For example, taking a walk, chatting, or... doing some simple crafts.

Ron nodded repeatedly, but in his mind he was already planning other things.

(End of this chapter)