Using the ribs of the Angoroo Magic Rhinoceros as the main ingredient, Charlie combined them with Fireburst Fruit Juice, which complemented the ribs well, while the Swallow Grass powder balanced the spice. With a variety of supplementary ingredients, Charlie roasted over ten kilograms of ribs in the apprentice kitchen, filling the air with a tantalizing aroma.
The eggs of the bipedal dragon were simply cooked with low heat; when he cracked open the thick shell, the egg's original flavor was incredibly appetizing.
The key to culinary skills lies in attention to detail and patience. By following the instructions from the chip step by step, he was able to create delicious food. While it might not compare to the skills of a royal chef, it was enough to impress ordinary people.
Eileen sniffed the air, slightly intoxicated by the smell. She asked, "Charlie, you've made so much; isn't it a waste?"
Charlie seemed to read her thoughts and replied, "I've accounted for you in this."
Eileen's cheeks flushed as she protested, "But I can't eat that much! Besides, why should I get any? You spent a lot of points on this!"
"Look at you; you're not short, but you're as skinny as a twig. Your bones are sticking out where they should be filled out. Girls should have a little more meat for beauty. Look at Qianxue; isn't she pretty?"
"Mm-hmm." Eileen's neck turned as red as a tomato.
"So you need to eat a bit more," Charlie said as he swung his knife, cutting off a hefty piece of rib along the grain, which clanged loudly against the huge plate, probably weighing three or four kilograms. "Here! This is for you; you must finish it today!"
"Ah! That's too much!" Eileen exclaimed, quickly declining, "I can't eat that much!"
"Less talk! If you can't finish it, I'll help you get it down!" Charlie imagined a small sapling being thoroughly watered, a slight smile forming on his lips.
Eileen hugged the plate, a mix of pleasure and worry on her face.
"Wow! What is that? It smells so good! Has Master Anthony turned into a culinary master now?" A familiar voice came from outside.
It was Qianjue's voice. What was he doing here?
Charlie opened the door to welcome him in.
Seeing the scene in the room, Qianjue couldn't help but laugh, "Charlie, you're doing barbecue? You've turned the apprentice lab into a kitchen! Aren't you afraid Master Anthony will explode with rage?"
"He's too busy to care about us right now!" Charlie chuckled, placing the large pieces of ribs on the table. "You came at the right time; try my cooking! This is a new recipe from my hometown's medicinal cuisine, which can enhance strength and physique. The first taste will especially surprise you."
"Is that true?!" Qianjue sat down, clearly tempted by the aroma, neglecting any formalities, grabbing a piece of golden, oily rib with both hands and taking a big bite.
Roar!
The next second, Qianjue jumped up, nearly spitting the meat out. "Oh my god, what did you put in this? It's so spicy?! Sizzle~!"
Charlie laughed heartily, "Fireburst Fruit Juice! It's spicy, but it stimulates blood circulation and enhances your explosive power. Combined with the Angoroo ribs, the effect is even better."
"This… this is Angoroo Magic Rhinoceros ribs?!" Qianjue exclaimed in surprise, envisioning a massive creature standing three meters tall. He instinctively said, "Those things aren't cheap! If you eat them every day, you'll probably go broke in less than a month!"
Eileen couldn't help but chime in, "He's already broke. He spent 1900 points yesterday and got scolded by the teacher!"
"You bought these ribs with points?" Qianjue was taken aback again, his expression resembling that of Master Anthony, filled with disappointment.
Charlie casually explained, "Yeah! My physique is weak; I need to supplement it!"
"Sigh! You!" Qianjue sighed, too tired to lecture his friend. Instead, he buried his head in the plate of ribs, as if wanting to vent his frustration on them.
However, it seemed different from the usual food he ate. With each bite of meat and a few bites of the bipedal dragon's egg, paired with red wine, he felt a powerful sensation coursing through his body like flames, as if amazing energy was continuously being absorbed into his circulatory system, transforming every part of him. The feeling of that power filled him with a satisfying sense of fulfillment.
Charlie roasted another ten kilograms of ribs, and the three of them focused on eating at the table.
"Qianjue, did you come to see me for something?"
"Oh! Right! I almost forgot why I came!?" Qianjue gradually recalled his original intention, rubbing his head in frustration. "I've eaten so much it feels like I swallowed a fire dragon; my whole body is on fire and I feel so heavy.
I mean, Charlie, where did you get this recipe? It's impressive! I feel like I could take on a savage bear with just my physical strength! Can you understand what I mean?"
This guy was slightly incoherent.
Charlie laughed, "Qianjue, you're drunk."
Just as Charlie finished speaking, Eileen, feeling drowsy, rested her head on the table and fell asleep, having thoroughly finished the rib.
Seeing this, Qianjue sighed, "Charlie, you didn't… slip something into the meat, did you?"
As he spoke, he too began to nod off, his head bobbing.
Charlie continued to eat, consuming nearly half the portions himself. His body felt like a roaring furnace, sweat constantly oozing from him, dampening his clothes. He also experienced a drowsy sensation as the chip continuously updated his personal data in his mind:
Strength +0.023/minPhysique +0.018/minAgility +0.005/minFixed attributes were increasing at a noticeable speed.…
He didn't know how long had passed when Qianjue stirred, slowly sitting up. Unlike the feeling of a hangover, his head didn't hurt; instead, he felt incredibly relaxed, filled with a sense of power.
Seeing the mess on the table, Qianjue recalled that Charlie had treated him to an Angoroo feast, and he had actually passed out. Then he looked at Charlie and Eileen still asleep on the table and couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.
"What is this kid up to?"
As Qianjue stood up, he noticed several white objects fall from his fingertips. Looking down, he was shocked to find they were several pieces of fingernails.
Qianjue was taken aback and quickly inspected his hands. His long, fair fingers still looked elegant, but half of his fingernails had fallen off, and the remaining ones were barely hanging on. The areas where the nails had been revealed translucent layers that felt somewhat soft and had a delicate texture.
The effect of this medicinal cuisine was unexpectedly remarkable!
Qianjue hurried to wake up Charlie, asking, "Charlie, what kind of medicinal cuisine is this? The effects are incredible, and it seems there are no side effects! I wonder how significant the body transformation is? I feel so full of strength. If this recipe spreads to the Combat Apprentice Academy, I can't even imagine what kind of commotion it would cause!"
Charlie didn't respond immediately, instead focusing on his own state. He instructed the chip, "Display personal data."
"Host Charlie, the statistics of the forest coefficient are as follows:Strength 4.7Agility 2.5Spirit 407Stamina 2.7Physique 3.3Perception 20Personal mana pool 160.5Flame affinity 1Flame resistance 1Shadow affinity 3Shadow resistance 6Nature affinity 5Nature resistance 15Water element affinity 4Water element resistance 18."
Indeed, strength, agility, and physique had all significantly increased, expanding his stamina reserves, far surpassing the physical attributes of an average mage, and he also gained some flame resistance and affinity.
A strength of 4.7 equated to Charlie's muscle power reaching 300 kilograms, with a punching force between 500 to 750 kilograms, nearing the average level of an apprentice knight.
If his agility and physique could exceed 5, Charlie would qualify as a competent apprentice knight and could attempt the knight enlightenment ritual to awaken his bloodline.
Charlie replied, "Strength, agility, and physique have all improved to a certain extent, nearly doubling!"
"Really? That obvious?" Qianjue couldn't believe it.
"It might be due to my weak foundation, so the increase is significant, and this is my first time tasting this recipe; later attempts might not show the same effect."
"Even so, it's amazing!"
"Qianjue, let's get serious. Why did you come to see me?"
"Oh!" Qianjue thought for a moment, then said slowly, "About your duel with Peter, many forces might try to exploit that. You may not realize it being in the middle of it, but let me analyze it for you and prepare you mentally.
Peter is a staunch ally of Prince Weining, as you should know. Of course, he can't represent Duke Wellington's stance. Among Duke Wellington's many children, those ranked higher have differing positions.
This is Duke Wellington's cleverness; regardless of how the throne changes, the duke remains steadfast, and the difference lies in which of his sons aligns with the right position.
Thus, Peter has many allies and many enemies.
You should be aware that secular forces have been trying to infiltrate the Arcane Circle for hundreds of years, which has made the internal relationships within the Circle very complex.
Therefore, your duel is not so simple; some people want to use you to eliminate Peter, while others might attempt to eliminate you. There are also those who may try to use you to force your father to choose a side. The upcoming year may be quite dangerous for you.
Of course, it's safer within the academy; no one dares to break the rules established by the most powerful legislative organization in the world."
"Thank you for the reminder, Qianjue; I understand."
"Regarding your honorable duel with Peter, given such a complex background, it may ultimately result in a compromise where neither of you is allowed to enter the duel with any equipment. Your mana pool is a shortcoming, and you need to find ways to compensate for that."
Charlie frowned, realizing he had not anticipated facing such a complicated situation.
"That's why I thought it would be beneficial for you to see how combat mages operate in real battle scenarios. Familiarizing yourself with the true battlefield will help you think about your future efforts.
My team has taken on a dangerous mission that requires participants to be at least at the Star Mage level. However, the location is less than 10 kilometers from the academy, perfectly within the teleportation range of the badge. I know you've recently been promoted to a golden apprentice.
So I'm here to ask if you'd like to come with us and give it a try?"
"How long will it take to complete the task?"
"Not more than two days. If we can't resolve it in two days, it means the task is beyond what we can handle."
"When do we start?"
"The tentative assembly time is tomorrow morning; the sooner, the better."
"Okay, I'll join."
Qianjue stood up and said, "Alright, I'll send you the assembly information to your badge later. Make sure to arrive on time."
"No problem."