Kai stood in the small kitchen, holding a bowl of plain noodles. The steam curled upward, carrying the smell of soy, garlic, and ginger. Nothing special. Just a late dinner he had decided to make after a long day.
He twirled the chopsticks absentmindedly, thinking about how bland life had been recently. School, part-time jobs, odd hours in restaurants—it all felt the same. He wasn't sure if cooking was his future or just a temporary skill to survive.
Ding!
The sound came suddenly, clear and sharp, even though no phone or device was nearby. Kai froze.
A blue box appeared in front of him, floating in the air.
[Genesis Ascension System Activated]New Skill: Taste of Emotions unlocked.
His heart skipped. "What… the hell?" he whispered.
He rubbed his eyes, thinking maybe he was hallucinating from lack of sleep. But when he opened them again, the glowing words were still there.
[Instructions: Food you create will carry emotions. Eating it allows you to taste feelings hidden within.]
Kai blinked at the message. "Taste… feelings? What kind of nonsense is this?"
He shook his head and lifted the noodles. "Whatever. I'll just eat and sleep."
He took a bite.
The noodles slid across his tongue, and instantly his chest tightened. A wave of tiredness and doubt hit him. It wasn't the taste of soy or garlic—it was heavier, deeper. It was his own emotions bleeding into the food.
Kai staggered back, almost dropping the bowl. "What was that?!"
His mind raced. Could it really be true? The system… emotions inside food…
He forced himself to try again. Another bite.
This time, he tasted loneliness. A hollow ache, sharp and bitter, like sitting in an empty room for hours. The flavor clung to his tongue longer than the salt of the broth.
Kai set the chopsticks down, his hands trembling. "This… this isn't normal."
He glanced at the system window still glowing faintly.
[Skill Progression: Practice will strengthen emotional resonance.]
"Resonance," he muttered. "So… my food carries what I feel."
His thoughts spiraled. If others ate this, would they feel it too?
He didn't want to wait. He needed to know.
"Mom?" Kai called toward the other room.
A soft reply came. "Yes, Kai?"
"Come try this. Just… just a bite."
His mother entered the kitchen, her hair tied back, still wearing her apron from her own long day at work. She looked at the bowl and raised an eyebrow. "You're finally cooking for me? Should I be worried?"
Kai forced a smile. "Just tell me what it tastes like."
She took the chopsticks and slurped the noodles. For a moment she chewed in silence. Then her expression softened.
"…It's good," she said, but her voice carried a strange heaviness. She looked at Kai, almost sadly. "But… why does it feel so… empty? Like you're holding something inside."
Kai's breath caught. She felt it.
He leaned forward, eyes wide. "You… tasted something more, right? Not just flavor?"
His mother gave him a puzzled look. "I don't know. It's like… I could feel your tiredness in it. Are you okay?"
Kai's mind spun, but he forced a casual laugh. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just experimenting."
She shook her head with a smile. "Well, your experiment tastes decent at least. Don't stay up too late." She patted his shoulder and left.
As soon as the door closed, Kai slumped against the counter. His pulse raced. It's real. She felt it. My food carries emotions.
He could hear the soft sizzle of oil on the pan, the knife tapping steadily against the cutting board, and the faint smell of garlic warming the kitchen. Every sound and scent felt sharper somehow, almost alive.
The blue screen flickered again.
[Skill Update: Emotional Transmission confirmed.]New Quest Unlocked: Cook a dish that conveys joy.]
"Joy?" Kai muttered. "I barely have any of that right now."
Still, something lit inside him. For the first time in weeks, he felt alive. Cooking wasn't just cooking anymore. It was something bigger. Something magical.
He grabbed a notebook and scribbled ideas. What kind of dish carries joy? Maybe something sweet. Something bright. Pancakes? No… maybe fried rice, with color. Or a dessert…
His mind buzzed with possibilities.
He tried again the next day. A small stir-fry, this time forcing himself to think of happier moments—playing football with his friends, laughing at stupid jokes, the warmth of sunlight after rain. He poured those feelings into the pan, letting the sizzle carry them.
When he tasted it, a faint sweetness lingered beyond the soy. It wasn't perfect, but it was lighter than before. A hint of happiness.
Kai hesitated for a moment, staring at the glowing words of the system. Why me? Why now? What's the purpose of this Genesis system? The question hovered like smoke, unanswered.
The system chimed.
[Progress 12% – Keep going.]
Kai grinned for the first time in weeks.
That night, he cooked more. Dish after dish, each time pushing different emotions—hope, nervousness, even courage. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it failed. But he kept going, driven by curiosity.
Days turned into weeks. Slowly, he realized food wasn't just about flavor anymore. It was a language. A way to share feelings without words.
And then came the letter.
A formal envelope, marked with the seal of the Culinary Guild of Genesis.
Kai tore it open.
[Invitation: The Rising Chef's Challenge]An opportunity for young chefs to showcase their skill. Winners receive mentorship, resources, and a chance to rise in the culinary world.
His hands trembled. It wasn't just a coincidence. This system… this challenge… it was connected.
He stared at the noodles on his table—the same dish where it all began.
"Looks like my life just changed," he whispered.
The system flickered one last time that night.
[Quest Complete: Path to Ascension unlocked.]
And so, Kai stepped forward, unknowingly toward the stage that would decide everything.