MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 898: Existential Crisis

’Such arrangement and accuracy,’ Anthony thought to himself. As someone who had begun the path of a chef because of Vega, he knew a great deal about ramen. It was precisely because of this knowledge that every explanation Broth-ben gave left him increasingly astonished. From the structure of the clouds, to the color of the sky itself, to the presence of three suns and nine moons, every detail complemented what ramen truly represented.

Everything felt deliberate, harmonious, and intentional, as though the world itself had been crafted with culinary philosophy in mind. And this was merely the sky, they had not even begun to explore the planet or its civilizations.

’Creation, Reality, and Existence... they are truly a marvel,’ Anthony mused inwardly. If he were a god capable of creating an entire Timeline, he doubted even he could design something so perfect and unique. Here, the sky alone already embodied the theme of the world, capturing the essence of balance, satisfaction, and artistry in a way that transcended ordinary logic.

After allowing a brief pause for his words to settle, Broth-ben immediately continued his explanation.

”Within the Nodara Planet, every race member here possesses an innate ability called Expanded Chromatic Perception. This means that, in addition to normal colors, we perceive a range of specialized hues. For example, there is Savory-Gold, which represents satisfaction and completion. There is Heat-Red, a color that changes its shade based on spice intensity. Then we have Umbral-Brown, a color visible only when something possesses depth of soul. Finally, there is Aroma-White, a color perceived only by high-level Chefs, said to appear as drifting lines in the air, like gentle steam carried by invisible currents.”

Everyone nodded in understanding. None among this group of friends were ordinary individuals. The Expanded Chromatic Perception Broth-ben spoke of with such pride was something they all possessed, well, all except Veronica. Even Kingsley possessed it. Although he had no mana or any form of conventional energy, his body had evolved to an absurd degree, and his eyes had evolved along with it, capable of perceiving truths others could not.

”Now,” Broth-ben stated with a smile, ”I will show you around the Nodara Planet.” Though he maintained a professional demeanor, there was an underlying pride in his tone. It was clear he took great joy in introducing his culture, traditions, and way of life to outsiders.

With a simple snap of his fingers, an unfamiliar energy, neither mana, aura, nor intent, flowed outward from his body. The energy twisted and folded in on itself, taking form as an open flying ship suspended in the air. Anthony, Aaaninja, Lucian, Aura Nova, and the rest of the group stared at the vessel in awe, surprised by both its construction and the unfamiliar energy sustaining it. Each of them instinctively analyzed it through their own unique methods, attempting to understand its nature.

”Within the Ramen Singularity Timeline,” Broth-ben explained, ”we do not use mana or any other conventional source of power. Instead, we are governed by our own energy known as Savor. This is the energy that governs us. I would love to go into further detail, but I fear I might bore you if I delve too deeply.”

He smiled knowingly as he spoke. As a guide, he understood when to elaborate and when restraint was wiser.

With that, the group boarded the ship. Together, they shot forward, tearing through the sky in a blur. Anthony and the others surrendered themselves to the rushing wind. They had flown across skies countless times before, yet this felt different, refreshing, unfamiliar, as though they were no longer breathing the same air or feeling the same wind they had known all their lives.

However, despite Broth-ben’s attempt to avoid excessive explanation, Aura Nova could not restrain her curiosity. ”How does one awaken Savor energy?” she asked. She truly wanted to know; she could not simply encounter such a power and be left without understanding it.

Broth-ben smiled, clearly pleased by the question. ”Within the Ramen Singularity Timeline, Savor energy is awakened when one cooks ramen and genuinely satisfies someone, anyone, for the first time.”

Hearing this, Aura Nova nodded in understanding. Though she wished to explore deeper questions, whether there existed something akin to a Savor core, or whether continued cooking and satisfying others increased mastery and control, she knew there was a time and place for everything. For now, she was touring this world. And even if she could not ask every question she wanted, she could always find the answers herself through study, observation, or a future visit.

As for returning here, that posed no difficulty. She could simply modify the Tear in Reality she had already copied and fully understood, then travel back to this Timeline at will. Her Omniedit ability was that overwhelmingly powerful.

Anthony, meanwhile, casually raised a hand. Golden-white steam coiled around his palm with effortless grace, it was unmistakably Savor energy. Cook to satisfy someone? To him, such a requirement was almost laughable. He possessed the ability to use every form of energy.

The ship came to an abrupt halt midair.

Broth-ben’s eyes snapped toward Anthony’s hand, widening in absolute shock. As someone who had lived on the Nodara Planet his entire life, he could never mistake another energy for Savor. His understanding of everything he knew seemed to crumble in an instant. Then, a sudden realization struck him, dispelling part of his disbelief.

”Ha... have you been here before?” he asked carefully. ”It’s the only way you could already be using Savor energy.”

Anthony simply smiled and shook his head. ”It’s my first time here.”

Broth-ben stared at the human before him, utterly speechless. He wasn’t surprised that Anthony could use Savor, foreigners could awaken it if they met the proper conditions. But Anthony had not cooked anything at all, yet he was already wielding the energy naturally.

Lucian, Vega, Aura Nova, and the rest of the group merely sighed. They were not shocked in the slightest. After all, they had already witnessed Anthony perform the same feat with Faith energy.

”The sooner you get used to it, the better,” Aaaninja said calmly from the side. He wasn’t addressing Broth-ben, but Altheria, who wore the same stunned expression. She paused, then nodded. She had heard stories about Anthony from Aaaninja, but hearing and witnessing were two very different things.

Broth-ben exhaled deeply. After a brief moment of existential crisis, he resumed the tour, silently accepting that his understanding of the universe would never again be the same.