HC: Handyman | Ch. 234 - Bushcraft Gourmand

Jack wiped his forehead and massaged his cheeks. The last ninety minutes had been intense.

But I did it. I’ve got it.

He hadn’t mastered the overtone technique—not perfectly—but he was close. He could trigger the calls about half the time, give or take. If things went according to plan, that level of mastery would be enough. The buffs should help too, tipping the odds in their favor for the fight ahead.

He jogged past the beehives, the low hum of bees trailing behind him, and rejoined the rest of the team.

The NPCs were seated in their usual circles—thinner, quieter groups now that their numbers had dwindled. Near the fire, Amari, Horace, and Rob were deep in conversation. Off to the side, Marie sat alone on a pink mat, surrounded by a maze of glass vials and tubing. Liquids of various colors flowed and bubbled through the setup.

Poison crafting, Jack guessed.

He lingered, watching. The way Marie stirred the mixtures, how she handled the pestle and mortar, how finely she tuned the valves in the glass maze—it was all careful, precise. But more than that, there was a kind of rhythm to it, like a dance. Her movements flowed from one to the next, almost musical in their pacing. The firelight flickered against the glass, casting tiny glints over her face and the back of her hands. There was a grace to it, something feminine and elegant, as if she were a maestra conducting an orchestra of chemicals.

Professor Masse had mentioned she was a talented sculptor. This was the first time Jack had a glimpse of her artistic side. Her hands moved with confidence and intent.

He smiled. He kept discovering new things about his teammates. First, it was Horace, who’d worked in a nursing home, of all places. And now it was Marie—the rowdy grenadier—revealing this delicate side.

I wonder if they see new things in me, too. If they’ve caught glimpses of things they didn’t notice at first.

“Hey, Jack!” Amari called.

Jack blinked, shaking off the daze.

“Hi, guys.”

As he joined them, he noticed Amari already had the Roach Mother’s claws equipped—nasty things that dealt extra acid damage. Horace’s shield had changed too, the gold replaced by a black layer of chitin.

I wonder what he did with the other three pieces of chitin, Jack mused.

“How’d the training go?” Amari asked.

“You’ll see in a moment,” Jack said, offering a sly smile. “But first—time to get cooking.”

They nodded, letting the conversation drift back to strategy.

Jack moved to the cooking area and grabbed two cauldrons. He poured oil into both and focused while waiting for them to heat.

“It has to be a flyer,” Amari said. “Has to be.”

“If it is,” Horace replied, “I picked up a trap from an expert trapper. It should buy us a few seconds. Cost me a pretty penny, though.”

“I just don’t know anymore,” Rob muttered. “The map keeps throwing us curveballs.”

The oil shimmered and spat in the pans.

Jack smiled. It was time to bring out the big guns.

He took out the cuts of meat he’d harvested from the last wave’s three bosses: [Flying Marmoset Prime Tail], [Shagrat Royal Cut], and [Ishychromys Sovereign Cut]. Each one, on its own, made for an incredible survival stew. What would happen if he used all three together?

He placed the meats gently into the oil, letting them sizzle. Aromas burst from the pot—rich, layered, and unmistakably delicious. Heads turned. A few NPCs wandered closer, drawn like moths to a flame.

“What is that?” someone whispered.

“Whatever it is, it smells amazing,” said another, stepping nearer.

Jack turned each piece with care, searing both sides to lock in the flavor. Once the browning was done, he poured in bone broth, tempered with salt and pepper, then placed the lid—leaving it slightly ajar to let the steam escape.

Next, he turned to the larger pot. He tossed in several less expensive cuts, adjusting portions based on the number of fallen NPCs.

“I’ll be right back,” he announced, jogging toward the well.

He climbed down carefully. Enough time had passed since Esther had brewed the mead. With each upgrade, more of it had spoiled—but five precious batches had reached Tier V.

Mead V (Rare)

A confident brew, aged to maturity, with developed depth and a well-rounded body. Crafted with intent, not haste.

Item effects: 

+25% attack;

+1 HP regeneration per second;

+10 evasion;

Buff lasts 20 minutes.

He stored them safely in his inventory and climbed back out.

By the time he returned, the lids were rattling. The stews were nearly done—the progress bar floating above them almost complete.

Jack grabbed his horn, eyes locked on the bubbling pots.

“Jack, what are you doing?” Horace asked.

“Hush,” Amari said. “Can’t you see he’s concentrating?”

“Oops. Sorry.”

Jack rolled his shoulders, drew a breath, and focused. He adjusted his lips and cheeks, shaping the embouchure just right.

He’d made hundreds of stews by now. He didn’t even need the progress bar anymore. The signs were all there—the lids clattering just so, the thick scent of broth hanging in the air. And then came the moment he’d learned to wait for: when the bubbles shifted from fast and sizzling to slow, thick, and viscous. 

He narrowed his focus, tuning out the camp, the noise, everything. Just him, the stew, and the horn.

Then he blew.

Fundamental. First overtone. Second overtone. First overtone. Second overtone.

The phrase was simple, but on his first try, the second overtone shrieked. He grimaced, reset, and tried again.

This time, the notes rang clear.

Ta-ta-TA-ta-Ta-ta-TAAA.

You’ve sounded the [Feast Call]. Your meal is empowered.

The cauldron shook, reverberating with the call. A wave of scent lifted from the pots—richer, deeper, sharper. Everyone froze, noses lifting slightly, drawn in by the sudden, savory bloom in the air.

Congratulations! You’ve crafted [Survival Stew].

+5000XP in [Bushcraft]

[Feast Call], [Camping], and [Mud Hut] empower the meal.

Crafting grade: S-

Ingredients: [Marmoset Prime Tail], [Shagrat Royal Cut], and [Ishychromys Sovereign Cut].

Item description: A nutritious, tasty meal made from ingredients gathered in the wild.

Item effects:

+1 stamina per second for ten minutes;

+1 HP per second for ten minutes;

+500 HP;

+300 stamina;

[Rodent Sovereignty] - Ranged attacks deal 5% more damage. Melee deal 10% more.

[Royal Rodency] - Attacks deal 1% of a creature’s health. 0.1% if it’s a boss.

[Prime Agility] - You recover stamina passively. +10% movement speed.

Lasts 90 minutes.

Jack froze. “S?”

The best grade he’d ever earned before was an A+. That had been in Pottery and Bard—minors he’d thought he had a knack for. And now, out of nowhere, he’d landed an S- on a survival stew.

He looked down at the horn in his hand, a smile creeping across his face. It had to be the [Feast Call]. The first time he’d played it and seen the message—no meal cooking nearby—he’d known it was meant to be used at just the right moment.

This moment.

Still... S-?

It had to be the ingredients, too. He had only used premium cuts from boss monsters. That had to count for something.

Then, after a beat, the system chimed again.

You’ve unlocked two new titles: [Pursuer of Perfection], [Bush Gourmand].

“Two titles?” Jack yelped. “Two?!”

“What happened? What happened?” Horace asked, bouncing slightly.

“Nothing, nothing,” Jack said quickly.

Horace snorted. “Yeah, right…” Turning to Rob, he added. “Your cousin has definitely gotten something good.”

“Agreed,” Rob said.

The second cauldron was nearly done. Jack lifted the horn again and played a second [Feast Call], empowering the backup meal. Then he turned toward two nearby NPCs.

“Esther, Riku—would you mind serving everyone? I… I need a moment.”

They nodded, and Jack stepped aside, heart still thumping.

He opened the first title.

Pursuer of Perfection (Epic)

You never stop looking for ways to improve on your craft, and because of it, you’ve brought it to whole new heights.

Title effects:

Slightly increases stats and durability of crafted items;

10% discount when buying from an XP store;

+1 fame.

Conditions to unlock [Pursuer of Perfection]:

Craft something with an S grade.

He grinned. It buffed his crafting, saved him XP, and even increased his reputation. Any one of those would’ve made his day.

But there was more.

Bush Gourmand (Legendary)

You’ve had to cook in subpar conditions, and still, through ingenuity and flawless technique, you’re able to serve food that could very well be made into a menu in a fancy restaurant.

Effects:

You can now buy certain recipes and skills at the Cook’s XP store;

Your food buffs last 10% longer;

You can see the essence of the ingredients you harvest.

Conditions to unlock [Bush Gourmand]:

Craft an S-grade meal with only the bushcraft minor.

Jack stared, wide-eyed.

Say what now?

He now had access to the Cook’s XP store. The Cook’s XP store. That was reserved for players with a cooking major—available only after they’d advanced through all four tiers of the profession. And somehow, he had found a shortcut. He could already access it. No grinding through forty levels.

What’s even in there? Recipes? Specialized skills?

Could it be… maybe now he could finally learn something other than survival stew? It was fine and all, but he’d been stuck making variations of the same meal for ages. He wanted variety. Something baked, something roasted. Maybe even something with a proper sauce. A real recipe. One that made his in-game meals feel like actual meals, not just edible buffs.

He grinned, already imagining the possibilities.

And that wasn’t all. His meal buffs would now last longer. That alone would give him an edge the next time he had to compete with other bushcrafters. But it was that last line that had him puzzled.

Seeing the essence of ingredients? What did that even mean? He would have to go forage to find out. Or could he see it already if he used the ingredients he had in his inventory?

“Here you have it, sir,” Esther said, offering him a bowl.

“Oh! Thank you,” Jack replied, taking it gently.

“What did you get?” Marie asked.

Jack shrugged, trying to play it off. “Just a legendary and an epic title. This stew scored an S-grade.”

All four teammates stared at him in stunned silence. Then they looked at each other, then down at their bowls.

They’d waited out of politeness—but now they dove in.

“Oh my goodness! It’s just like the food from those fancy booths at the market. No—better,” Marie said, eyes wide.

“I never thought survival stew could taste this good,” Horace muttered between bites.

"These buffs... They're incredible!" Amari said.

Rob gasped. "Oh my goodness. We deal 0.1% of the boss's health with each strike?! This is broken!"

Jack took a spoonful himself.

The stew was heavenly. The nuttiness of the Ishychromys Sovereign Cut melded with the delicate sweetness of the Shagrat Royal Cut—both melting on his tongue. While the first two meats had softened, the Prime Tail had held its shape, absorbing all the flavors. It gave the perfect bite—tender, but with substance.

It was good. Really good.

No wonder he’d earned those titles.

From the way the NPCs were devouring the stew from the second cauldron, that batch had turned out pretty well too.

For a peaceful moment, everyone simply ate together.

“Well, gentlemen,” Horace said, wiping his mouth, “with this, I’m confident we can make it through this last wave.”

“Absolutely!” Marie agreed.

“Thanks, Jack!” Horace said, clasping his shoulder.

“You’re the best, Jack!”

“Where would we be without you?”

Warmth bloomed in his chest. Seeing everyone happy, smiling, thanking him—it filled him with a quiet joy. Even more than the flavor of the stew.

Maybe he was being cheesy, but now he finally understood why his mom had spent so much time in the kitchen—working hard, but always with a smile. Being able to serve good food to friends and family… it was better than being served.

Bellies full and spirits high, the team rose from their seats.

The NPCs followed. Riku hugged Christoff, who patted the boy’s head while saying his farewells to Esther. The soldiers exchanged words of courage and comfort. The One-Eyes urged the goats toward the battlefield.

This wave would settle everything.

Jack glanced one last time at the fortress they’d been defending for days. He was going to give it his all—make sure nothing made it through.

Then, turning, for the last time, he followed the others toward the front lines.

Ch. 233 - Strength Through Unity

INDEX

Ch. 235 - Wave 50