The morning after Don Carlo's visit, Evan woke up to the sound of Sophia banging on the restaurant's door. Groggily, he stumbled out of bed, still wearing his flour-stained apron, and unlocked the door.
Sophia stormed in, waving her phone like it was a sword. "Have you seen the news?"
Evan rubbed his eyes. "News? What news?"
Sophia thrust the phone in his face. The headline read: "Local Chef Defies Mafia with Dishes Too Good to Refuse!" Beneath it was a photo of Don Carlo sitting at Evan's restaurant, the white-suited mob boss looking oddly serene as he dug into his meal.
Evan groaned. "Seriously? Who even took this photo?"
Sophia shrugged. "Probably one of the customers. The point is, the whole city knows about you now. And if the mafia wasn't paying attention before, they definitely are now."
Evan leaned against the counter, the weight of the situation sinking in. "Great. Just what I needed—more attention from dangerous people."
Despite his worries, the unexpected publicity brought a flood of new customers to the restaurant. By midday, the line stretched down the street. Evan had never seen the place so packed.
"Two Inferno Diablo Pastas, one Mediterranean Symphony, and three tiramisus!" Sophia called out, weaving through the bustling dining room.
"I'm on it!" Evan shouted, sweat dripping down his forehead. He spun around to grab a pot and nearly collided with the system's holographic screen that popped up in his face.
"New Quest: Serve 50 customers in one day. Reward: +150 System Points and Skill: 'Efficient Multitasking.'"
"Fifty customers?!" Evan muttered, flipping a pan of sizzling vegetables. "I'm not a machine, you know!"
The system chirped:
"Correction: You are now equipped with enhanced reflexes and knife skills, reducing task completion time by 32%. User should embrace challenges to maximize growth potential."
Evan rolled his eyes but couldn't help smirking. "Alright, let's see what I can do."
The kitchen became a whirlwind of activity. Pots clanged, flames roared, and the savory aroma of fresh pasta filled the air. Evan moved with precision, his enhanced skills making him faster than ever. He could chop vegetables, stir sauces, and plate dishes almost simultaneously.
But just as things seemed under control, disaster struck.
"Evan!" Sophia shouted from the dining room. "We're out of flour!"
Evan froze. "What? How?!"
"I don't know! But you've got twenty orders of pizza waiting, and we've got nothing to work with!"
Evan's heart raced. He darted to the storeroom, where the shelves were indeed bare.
"New Emergency Quest: Find a solution to the flour shortage. Reward: +50 System Points."
"Great," Evan muttered. "What am I supposed to do, summon flour out of thin air?"
The system chirped:
"Suggestion: Improvise with alternative ingredients. Creativity is a key culinary skill."
Evan glanced around the kitchen, his mind racing. His eyes landed on a sack of potatoes in the corner. "Potatoes… potato crust pizza? That's insane."
"Correction: Insanity often leads to innovation."
Evan quickly peeled and grated the potatoes, pressing the mixture into thin crusts. He seasoned them with olive oil and herbs before baking them to a crispy golden brown. When the crusts were ready, he topped them with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil.
Sophia peeked into the kitchen. "What's that smell?"
"Potato crust pizza," Evan said, sliding the first batch into the oven.
Sophia blinked. "You're kidding, right?"
"Do I look like I'm kidding?"
Minutes later, the first pizzas were served. The customers' reactions were immediate and unanimous: they loved it. One woman called it "a revelation," while a food blogger in the corner typed furiously into his phone.
The system chimed:
"Emergency Quest Complete! Reward: +50 System Points."
By the end of the day, Evan was utterly exhausted, but the quest was complete. The final tally: 52 customers served.
The system chimed again:
"Daily Quest Complete! Reward: +150 System Points and Skill: 'Efficient Multitasking' Unlocked."
Evan slumped into a chair, wiping sweat from his brow. "Efficient multitasking, huh? Does that mean I'll stop feeling like I'm going to collapse every night?"
"Fatigue is unavoidable without proper rest. User is advised to maintain a balanced work schedule."
Evan laughed. "I'll take that under advisement, boss."
As the restaurant closed for the night, Sophia sat across from Evan, her head resting on her hands. "You're a madman, you know that?"
"Mad genius," Evan corrected, grinning.
Sophia shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "I'll give you the genius part. But seriously, Evan… what's next? The mafia isn't just going to let this slide. They've got to be planning something."
Evan's expression turned serious. "Let them come. I've got my cooking skills, my system, and a whole neighborhood behind me. Whatever they throw at me, I'll handle it."
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit room across town, Don Carlo sat at a long table surrounded by his top lieutenants. He placed a single slice of potato crust pizza on the table and stared at it.
"This," Carlo said, his voice low and dangerous, "is the work of a chef who refuses to be intimidated." He leaned back, his piercing gaze sweeping over his men. "If we're going to deal with Evan Saito, we'll need to do more than threaten him. It's time we got creative."