Culinary System: Transmigrated to Game World

Congratulations!

Level 3 Achieved!

New Reward Unlocked:

Axe of the Timberwolf – A sharp, durable axe designed for cutting through large trees with ease. Perfect for chopping and removing obstacles quickly.

Root Cutter Blade – A heavy-duty blade with a serrated edge, specially crafted to slice through tough, ancient roots. Ideal for clearing paths and digging through deep-rooted obstacles.

Progress: Land Cleared – 28%

The sun rose on Day 4, its golden rays spilling over the horizon, casting a warm glow across the land that Kai and Varaan had claimed as their own. The light was soft at first, gently filtering through the branches of nearby trees, but soon it was swallowed up by the growing warmth of the day. The golden sunlight seemed to promise a new beginning, yet it did little to ease the frustration that hung heavy in the air. The land, though beautiful, was not as easy to tame as they had hoped. Thick, tangled roots covered the soil, like an intricate web, stretching endlessly in every direction. These roots were stubborn, ancient, and gnarled, twisting and crisscrossing the earth like veins of some immense, spiteful beast determined to cling to the land.

Kai stood at the edge of their would-be farm, hands firmly planted on her hips, her eyes fixed on the mess of roots before her. The sight filled her with a mix of frustration and disbelief. It felt as though the earth itself was mocking her—her dreams of farming, of a simple life surrounded by crops, were now overshadowed by this sprawling, tangled mess of nature.

"You know," she said, breaking the stillness of the morning, her voice dramatically exaggerated, "I always thought farming would be peaceful. You know, like, frolicking through fields, planting seeds, maybe singing to the crops. But no. Instead, I get to play lumberjack with a rock. My life is a tragedy."

Progress: Tree Roots Cleared – 1%

Varaan, already kneeling on the ground beside a cluster of smaller roots, glanced up at Kai with a slight smirk. The sunlight caught the gleam of her dagger, making it look almost menacing in the early morning light. "You're not wrong," she said, her voice laced with dry humor. "But if you're done with your monologue, maybe you could actually help? Or are you waiting for the roots to uproot themselves out of pity?"

Kai sighed deeply, her body language exaggerated as she threw her head back, pretending the weight of the world was on her shoulders. "Fine, fine. But just so we're clear, I'm doing this under protest." She picked up the flat stone she had been using as a makeshift tool and walked over to the nearest root. The root was thick, stubborn, and covered in layers of dirt and rough bark. She swung the stone down with all the force she could muster, grunting as she did so. The root, however, did not budge.

"Oh, come on!" Kai exclaimed, stepping back to get a better angle. "What are you made of, titanium? Who even needs roots this big? What kind of tree were you, a sequoia on steroids?"

Progress: Tree Roots Loosened – 33%

Varaan, meanwhile, had already begun slicing through smaller roots with her dagger. Her movements were quick and precise, each slice of the blade cutting through the roots with ease. She paused for a moment, wiped the sweat from her brow, and said, "You know, complaining won't make the roots go away."

"Neither will this stupid rock," Kai muttered under her breath, swinging it down once more. This time, a small chunk of the root broke off. Kai held the broken piece triumphantly, as though it were a trophy. "Ha! Take that, you overgrown noodle!"

Varaan raised an eyebrow and gave her a sarcastic grin. "Wow! What an achievement, Nyx. So proud of you."

Progress: Tree Roots Cleared – 50%

The hours seemed to stretch on endlessly. By mid-morning, the sun was high in the sky, casting a relentless heat down on them. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and sweat, and the sound of rustling leaves seemed almost mocking in its calmness compared to the work they were doing. Kai's arms were beginning to feel like jelly, each swing of the stone growing heavier. Her hands were raw, covered in blisters and dirt, and yet the roots remained as stubborn as ever.

She paused for a moment, her back aching, and took a long look at their progress. The ground around them was starting to show signs of the work they had done—small, less stubborn roots had been cleared away, but the larger ones still loomed, deep and unyielding, like ancient guardians of the land.

Kai flopped onto the ground, her body sagging with exhaustion. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and let out a deep sigh. "You know," she panted between breaths, "I'm starting to think this whole farming thing was a mistake. Maybe we should've just become bandits. Steal food from other people. Way less manual labor."

Varaan snorted, rolling her shoulders as she worked. "And how long do you think we'd last as bandits? You can't even swing a root without nearly taking your own eye out."

"Hey, that was one time!" Kai protested, making a face as if she had been wronged. "And it was a very sneaky root. It moved when I wasn't looking."

"Sure it did," Varaan replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "The roots are clearly conspiring against you. It's a vast, underground network of tree spies."

Kai lifted the stone as if it were a weapon. "Don't mock me. I wouldn't put it past them. Trees are shady. Literally and figuratively."

They continued working, the air growing hotter with each passing hour. Sweat poured down their faces, stinging their eyes, but the roots didn't care. They remained firmly planted in the earth, as though mocking their struggles. The roots cared for nothing—no heat, no pain, only their deep connection to the soil, a constant reminder that nature was a force that would not be easily overcome.

Progress: Tree Roots Cleared – 65%

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of struggle, they reached the largest roots. These were the true monsters of the land—thick as Kai's arm and buried deep in the soil. These were not the kind of roots that could be easily dug around. These were roots that required effort, determination, and raw strength to remove.

Kai wiped the dirt from her forehead, her skin gritty and covered in dust. She took a deep breath and said, "You know, I used to think farming was just about planting seeds and waiting for stuff to grow. No one told me it involved wrestling with tree roots like some kind of underground octopus."

Varaan, who had been using a long stick to pry at one of the larger roots, grunted in agreement. "Farming is basically just fighting nature until it gives you food. It's not as glamorous as the bards make it sound."

"Right?" Kai laughed, even as she dug her hands deeper into the soil. "Bards. What do they know? They're too busy writing songs about knights and dragons to bother with the real heroes—like us, out here battling the true enemy: landscaping."

"We need a new plan to cut this one big root," Varaan said, her voice strained as she sat back on her heels, her legs trembling from exhaustion.

Kai, who had been watching the magical notifications from their quest, paused and pulled something from her inventory. "Well, we got one reward earlier. Maybe this is our solution."

She unwrapped a cloth from the gleaming Root Cutter Blade. The blade was unlike anything they had used before. It was heavy, sharp, and ominous, with a blackened sheen that seemed to absorb the light. The handle was wrapped in dark leather, providing a sturdy grip, and the jagged, serrated edge seemed designed specifically to cut through tough, ancient roots. The weight of the blade felt powerful in her hands, and Kai could already sense its strength.

"Here," Kai said, handing the Root Cutter Blade to Varaan. "I think it's time to try this out."

The moment Varaan laid eyes on the blade, her exhaustion seemed to lift slightly. She reached out and ran her fingers over the handle, feeling the power that seemed to hum in the air around it. The serrated edge gleamed in the sunlight, eager to be used. With a deep breath, Varaan raised the blade high and brought it down on the largest root they had encountered. The blade sliced through the root effortlessly, its jagged edge biting deep into the wood and tearing through it like a hot knife through butter. The root split apart with a satisfying snap, and the powerful blade had done its job with minimal effort.

"Now that's more like it," Kai said, a grin spreading across her face. "This thing is incredible."

Varaan nodded, wiping sweat from her brow. "Yeah, I think we'll get along just fine."

Progress: Tree Roots Cleared – 80%

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting warm shades of orange and pink across the land, Kai and Varaan took a moment to survey their progress. The soil was now exposed, rich and dark, promising a future harvest—if they could just plant the seeds.

Kai stretched her aching body, wincing slightly as she worked out the knots in her muscles. "We're almost there," she said, glancing at the cleared land with a sense of pride.

Varaan rubbed her shoulders, offering a tired smile. "Tomorrow's another day. We'll plant, and maybe we'll finally get to see something grow instead of just digging and chopping."

Kai lay back on the soft earth, gazing up at the sky. "Maybe tomorrow we'll get to fight off a swarm of angry bees or something. You know, just to keep things interesting."

Varaan groaned in mock despair. "Don't even joke about that."

Kai grinned. "Who's joking? At this point, I fully expect the universe to throw bees at us. It's just the kind of week we're having."

As the stars began to twinkle in the night sky, the two of them lay there, too tired to move, yet filled with a quiet sense of accomplishment. The roots were gone. The land was ready. And for the first time in days, they felt like they might actually be able to make this farming thing work.

Kai smiled softly. "You know, Varaan, if we survive this, we're going to have one hell of a story to tell."

Varaan chuckled. "Assuming anyone believes us. 'Yeah, we fought tree roots and rocks for days. No, really, it was a life-or-death struggle.'"

Kai laughed. "Hey, if they don't believe us, we'll just show them the blisters. Proof doesn't lie."

Soon, they both drifted off to sleep, content for the moment, knowing that tomorrow would bring new challenges—but at least now, they were armed with the right tools to face them.

For tonight, they had won. The trees might still be plotting their revenge, but for now, Kai and Varaan had claimed victory.

Progress: Tree Roots Cleared – 100%

Progress: Land Cleared – 45%

Progress: Day's Work Complete – Level Up: 4