The next day, as promised, Ren arrived at Jin Park's lab. The quiet first-year looked even more out of place in the pristine, metallic Kitchen than he did in the ancient, dusty library. He clutched his newly acquired data chip like a holy text, his eyes wide with a mixture of reverence and nervous excitement.
"Mr. Park," Ren began, bowing stiffly. "Thank you again for the data. The Archmage's commentary... it's already helped me understand the primary theorem of Mana Entropy."
"Please, call me Jin," Muyeong said, his "Jin Park" persona projecting a warm, welcoming smile. "I'm just a first-year, like you. And I'm the one who should be thanking you. I'm hoping your expertise can help me with a... culinary problem."
He gestured to a workstation where a single, ominous-looking ingredient sat under a low-level stasis field. It was the heart of a "Screaming Mandrake," a B-Rank magical plant known for its potent restorative properties, but also for the violent, chaotic psychic energy it emitted. Anyone who tried to consume it raw would be driven insane by the psychic screaming.
"The goal," Jin Park explained, "is to create a dish that preserves the Mandrake's restorative power while neutralizing its psionic backlash. I believe the backlash is a form of unstructured, hostile mana. Similar, perhaps, to how you disrupt hostile spells."
Ren's eyes lit up. This was a puzzle, a tangible application of his abstract theories. He stepped closer, his previous nervousness forgotten, replaced by intense academic focus. He extended a hand towards the heart, closing his eyes.
Muyeong watched him, his own new talent of Mana Disruptor giving him a unique view. He could see Ren's talent at work. He perceived faint, invisible tendrils of Ren's will extending from his body, not touching the heart, but interacting with the chaotic aura of psychic energy surrounding it. Ren wasn't overpowering it; he was gently nudging it, calming it, introducing a subtle dissonance that caused the psychic "screaming" to lose its coherence.
"Fascinating," Ren murmured. "Its energy isn't just chaotic; it's self-resonating. The scream feeds itself. But if you can introduce a counter-frequency..."
For the next hour, the two of them worked. It was a bizarre collaboration. Ren would describe the nature of a specific mana frequency, and Jin Park, using his past life's knowledge, would identify a corresponding herb or mineral that produced a similar "flavor frequency." Ren would suggest a method to disrupt a mana channel, and Jin Park would translate it into a new culinary technique, like flash-freezing one part of the ingredient while gently heating another to create a thermal conflict.
Throughout the process, Muyeong kept a professional but friendly distance. At one point, to demonstrate a point about energy transfer, he said, "Here, let me show you," and briefly placed his hand on Ren's shoulder to guide him towards the counter.
The contact was brief, academic. Ren barely registered it. But Muyeong felt the subtle, illicit spark of Mana Drain activating for a split second, siphoning a small trickle of Ren's mana into his own reserves, replenishing the energy he was expending. It was practice. A test of his ability to multitask—to manipulate, steal, and create all in the same moment. The skill worked flawlessly.
Finally, they had a breakthrough.
"The core of the psionic energy is tied to a specific enzyme in the heart's fluid," Ren explained. "If you could neutralize that enzyme without destroying the restorative compounds..."
"...Then the scream would have no medium to travel through," Jin Park finished, his eyes gleaming. He knew exactly what to do.
He began the final preparation. He didn't cook the heart. Instead, he used a custom-made infuser he'd created with Material Synthesis. He prepared a solution of crushed "Silent Moss" and pure water, then used his Ingredient Enhancement skill on the moss to temporarily boost its sound-dampening properties. He then slowly, carefully, infused the Mandrake heart with the solution.
The chaotic aura around the heart wavered, then dissipated completely.
[You have successfully created a 'Pacified Mandrake Heart' (A-Rank prepared ingredient). Quality: Perfect.]
[Your collaborative application of different disciplines has been recognized.]
[Skill: Cooking (Normal) has reached Lv. 10!]
Another level for his most important skill. He had now completely mastered the foundational techniques of this world's cooking.
Ren stared at the now-docile ingredient, his mind blown. "You... you did it. You used an alchemical principle without any alchemy. You cooked an idea."
"We did it," Jin Park corrected him with a smile. "Your insight was the key."
He then took the pacified heart and simply sliced it, serving it with a light, acidic sauce. The dish, when consumed, provided a massive, clean boost to health regeneration with zero side effects. The potential value was immense.
As Ren prepared to leave, his mind buzzing with new theories, he looked at Jin Park with genuine admiration. "Jin... you're not like the other students. They all see power as a weapon, something to be thrown at an enemy. You see it as a tool, something to build with."
"A kitchen knife can be used to prepare a feast or to kill a man," Jin Park replied cryptically. "It is the intent of the chef that matters."
Ren nodded, not fully understanding, and departed.
Jin Park watched him go, a cold satisfaction settling over him. The collaboration had been a stunning success. He had confirmed the viability of his new abilities, leveled up a key skill, and, most importantly, solidified Ren's trust. The quiet mana theorist was no longer just a target; he was now a valuable, and completely unwitting, asset.
Muyeong looked at the leftover piece of the pacified Mandrake heart, an ingredient that could save a grievously wounded hunter. He popped it into his mouth, savoring the clean, life-affirming taste. He felt no pride in what he had created. He only felt the cold, calculating pleasure of a craftsman admiring a well-made, and exceptionally useful, tool.