Chapter 214: Rotten To The Core

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As the kids watched the television with growing interest, the young and unusually smart Carlos pointed at the screen with a thoughtful expression. "I doubt there’s anybody else that can take over a dungeon and make it completely disappear... So that was really you then?"

"Yeah," Riven confirmed with a casual nod, flipping the chicken with a practiced flick of the wrist that sent a soft sizzle through the kitchen air. He carefully plated the teriyaki half first, the glossy sauce catching the warm light, then started a second batch with the honey-mustard version. The sharp, tangy notes mixed with the bright sweetness in a way that filled the entire room with a rich, mouthwatering aroma. Elisa finished the fried rice at the same time, folding in the last of the fresh herbs and a handful of toasted nuts for extra crunch. She wheeled herself closer to the stove and tasted a spoonful, her eyes lighting up with clear approval.

"Perfect. The honey makes the rice a little sweeter than usual, but it works really well. It’s completely different from the industrial honey you would buy in a supermarket. It has a nice aromatic scent and a good kick of umami! Kinda... spicy-sweet? It’s interesting! What are these bees even called?" she wondered curiously, still savoring the unique flavor.

"They aren’t a monster but literally just a species of insects," Riven explained while adjusting the heat on the pan. "Spirit Bees or something like that... There’s a clear difference even among creatures that carry mana and spirit energy. Monsters tend to be way more massive and aggressive. Little things like those bees are just animals, but they come from another world."

"Ohh... Interesting," Elisa nodded, looking genuinely fascinated by the small details of the otherworldly life that had started mixing with their everyday world.

Noir sat at perfect attention near the doorway, his large tail thumping steadily against the floor while his bright eyes stayed locked on the cooking meat. Every few seconds he let out a soft, hopeful "woof," as if gently reminding them of the earlier contribution he had made by bringing the honey in the first place.

"Haha, we know, we know," Riven said with a warm laugh. "I don’t know if you can eat this, but we’ll give you a plate... Nah, I think he can? He’s a demigod after all, technically."

"Yeah," Elisa shrugged with a small smile. "Plus he has a black hole for a stomach..."

"Woof!" Noir seemed to almost nod in pure happiness as he wagged his big tail even harder, the soft thumps growing louder with excitement.

On the television, a Hunter Association spokeswoman finally appeared on screen, flanked by several agents dressed in formal black suits. Her voice was calm but carefully measured as she spoke. "We urge the public not to speculate at this time. Gate Closure Events are indeed very new. This is only the second recorded case, so it is technically not unprecedented. All affected hunters will receive full refunds and priority access to alternative sites... courtesy of Frostbane Holdings, the current owners of the entire Gate Site. Investigations are ongoing. Anyone with additional footage is encouraged to submit it through official channels."

"Looks like they’re giving refunds this time? That’s new," Riven noted while continuing to plate the last pieces of chicken.

"Yeah, I didn’t expect that either," Elisa sighed, a hint of irritation creeping into her voice. "Still, the whole place was privatized. It shouldn’t even be giving refunds because they shouldn’t be making people pay to enter something that is a basic right of humanity... Grr..." She had learned a great deal from Riven’s earlier words and now held those ideas close to her heart.

The reporter on screen pressed further with a more direct question. "There are claims online that a new threat is rising—a Hunter who awakened some kind of Authority, Talent, or Skill that allows him to systematically conquer and claim Gates. Any comment?"

The spokeswoman’s professional smile remained tight and controlled. "No comment on unverified rumors at this time."

Vladimir’s earlier laughter echoed faintly in Riven’s memory as he finished plating the last of the chicken. The werewolf had called him insane. Rotten to the core. Looking at the news now, at the growing panic and the questions already spreading across every channel, Riven found that he did not disagree with that assessment.

There were a lot of ordinary people being affected by these sudden closures. The fewer dungeons that remained open, the less supply of everyday materials there would be for everyone’s daily life. But with only three years left before the world was predicted to end, he truly had no other way of handling things right now.

He had to do some things that looked bad in order to achieve a greater good. Maybe some people would never be willing to make that kind of sacrifice, but Riven was.

Elisa wheeled up beside him and rested her hand lightly on his arm, her touch warm and steady. "They’re already talking about you without even knowing your name. Feels strange, doesn’t it? I guess this is going to keep happening. We’ll have to get used to it..."

"A little," he admitted quietly, setting the two large platters on the table. One was honey-teriyaki and the other honey-mustard, both gleaming under the kitchen lights. The fried rice followed right after, still steaming and fragrant with herbs and toasted nuts. "But it’s a necessary sacrifice that must be done. For the sake of the planet’s future and... well, for humanity."

Elisa nodded slowly and let out a soft sigh. She knew she would have to get used to all of this in the days ahead. "I guess you’re not wrong... Hmm, this smells delicious! Kids! It’s done! Come sit down!"

"Nice!"

"Finally!"

Carlos and Daniela scrambled to the table the moment the plates touched the wooden surface, their chairs scraping lightly against the floor in their eagerness. Noir padded over with polite steps and sat neatly beside the table, waiting for the scraps he knew would usually come. Instead, a huge plate of teriyaki chicken was placed in front of him, shocking the large wolf into complete stillness for a second.

"Woof?!" he asked in a half-bark of pure surprise.

"Haha, eat up," Riven said with a grin.

"Woof! Woof!" Noir wagged his tail so hard that his whole body swayed. He dove into the freshly cooked meal with pure joy, the rich scent of honey and soy filling the air around him as the entire family settled in for a rare moment of peace.

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