THE APOCALYPSE CHEF AWAKENED THE PREDATOR'S KITCHEN SYSTEM

5 - SEAR

"It smells like a sewer exploded inside a toxic chemical plant," Marcus agrees while wiping sweat from his forehead with a dirty sleeve.

"Just mind your own business and keep working on that barricade before something else finds us," Bastian snaps as he focuses his attention back on the raw cut of boar.

He reaches into his spice rack and grabs some basic sea salt and cracked black pepper, hoping the familiar ingredients will help mask the awful taste of the monster.

He turns the dial on the portable stove until a small ring of normal orange flames springs to life under the iron burner.

He closes his eyes and focuses on the strange warmth resting inside his palms, hoping the magical system interface did not lie to him about the new fire skill.

[PURIFICATION FIRE ACTIVATED,] the blue text announces in his mind as a sudden rush of energy travels from his chest down to his fingertips.

He holds his hands over the portable stove, and the normal orange flames instantly shift into a bright and mystical shade of blue.

The magical fire dances across the burner without producing any smoke, and the radiant heat feels comforting rather than dangerous or destructive.

"Did you just turn the fire blue with your bare hands?" Leo asks in a hushed whisper as he stops pushing the flour sacks to stare across the room.

"I told you to focus on the door and ignore what I am doing," Bastian warns him without breaking his concentration from the delicate cooking process.

He grabs the heavy skillet he used to kill the monster earlier, and he quickly rinses the blood off in the sink before setting it down over the mystical blue flames.

He waits a few seconds for the pan to heat up, and then he carefully places the thick slab of mutant boar meat directly onto the hot iron surface.

The meat sizzles loudly the moment it touches the pan, and the blue fire immediately flares upward to wrap around the rough edges of the pork.

The heat from the blue flames does not singe his apron or burn his skin, acting more like a focused cooking tool than a wild fire.

Thick pockets of toxic black sludge begin to bubble out from the center of the meat, and the dark ooze sizzles away into nothingness as the magic fire burns it clean.

Every drop of the dangerous black sludge evaporates into the air without leaving any residue on the heavy iron skillet.

The foul chemical odor vanishes from the air almost instantly, and a rich, savory aroma replaces the terrible smell to fill the entire room.

The smell is absolutely divine, carrying deep notes of roasted garlic and rich earth that make Bastian's mouth water intensely.

"Oh my god, I am so hungry right now," Leo groans from the back of the room while taking a tentative step toward the front counter to get a better look.

"Stay back there and do your job," Marcus scolds the younger man, though Bastian notices the older survivor licking his own dry lips in obvious hunger.

Bastian watches in quiet fascination as the blue flames continue to sear the meat, turning the outer crust a perfect golden brown while the inside remains juicy and tender.

He watches the fat render perfectly along the edges of the steak, bubbling with a clear and appetizing shine that rivals the finest luxury beef.

He sprinkles the sea salt and cracked pepper over the searing meat, and the simple spices mix perfectly with the magical aroma to create a mouthwatering masterpiece.

He uses a pair of long tongs to flip the steak over, and the satisfying sizzle confirms that the magical purification process is working flawlessly on both sides.

"I have never smelled anything that good in my life," Marcus admits quietly while leaning against the stack of flour sacks to watch the chef work.

"I used to run a five-star kitchen before I bought this dump, so I know what I am doing," Bastian replies with a small hint of pride in his voice.

The truth is that he has never cooked anything quite like this before, but he refuses to let the strangers know how confused he actually feels about his new powers.

The magical flames continue to draw out the black impurities from the boar meat, and the sizzling sounds create a peaceful rhythm that briefly masks the apocalypse raging outside.

[STAMINA BOAR STEAK PREPARATION SUCCESSFUL,] the system chimes brightly in his vision as the magical blue flames slowly fade back into a normal orange color.

He reaches over and clicks the stove off, allowing the hot pan to rest for a moment while the delicious juices settle inside the cooked meat.

He slides the perfectly cooked steak onto a clean white plate, and he notices a very faint, warm glow radiating from the center of the food.

The rich aroma is almost intoxicating, and his stomach rumbles violently as he picks up a clean fork from the drying rack to finally feed himself.

He cuts a small piece off the edge of the steak, and the meat yields effortlessly under the pressure of his knife like warm butter.

He raises the fork toward his mouth, fully prepared to take his very first bite of the mystical food to see if the system actually works the way it claims.

Right before the warm meat touches his lips, a bloodied and soot-covered hand reaches directly over the stainless steel counter and grabs his wrist in a vice-like grip.