There was plenty more to eat and not enough time to do it. Not before some of them started going bad. Fortunately for Chef, an industrial sized kiln came with an industrial sized chimney.

In his experience, there was little difference between that and a smoker.

He carved up and began cooking the high priority corpses, the invaders, while smoking whatever wasn’t actively being baked. His efficiency left little to be desired as dough was made, bones were boiled down, and meat was cooked all at the same time.

Night came and went quickly as time blurred between stuffing his face with pies and meditating during the down time. He’d cooked in order of the danger they posed to him, meaning the spear person was eaten first and the other two robed men right after. Originally, he planned on making elaborate meals that incorporated the bone broth meaningfully, but one taste was enough to tell him not to waste his time.

It was good, there was no denying it. On a deep level, Chef could even acknowledge that this was one of the best meals he’d ever had. And yet, it still left a sour taste in his mouth.

Instead, he embraced the machine-like efficiency that allowed him to ignore so much of what was bothering him. Make a pie, eat the pie, drink their broth, meditate, repeat. A full day went by like this before all of the remains were disposed of. Chef quietly took his things with him before leaving the town. He knew he’d return but needed to put this place out of his mind for a while.

The morning came and presented him more meat to eat and a beautiful sunrise. Just like every other day.

He was already feeling a lot better.

Sleep helped, there was no doubt about that, but Chef was in good spirits for a more fundamental reason.

“Come on, Therace. We have to figure out this butter thing.”

He’d had designs for his future with the cook, though it was more accurate to call them idle fantasies. Dreams of them working together to crack culinary mysteries and push palettes. And now they’d be able to do that. Together.

Perhaps in a more literal sense than he’d originally imagined it, but Chef was never one to let details bother him.

Under ordinary circumstances, this would be when he started working blindly towards making butter. Again. But recent experience had taught the goblin that his skill progression was leading him to his greatest desires. By advancing in level and skill, the abilities he’d earn and learn would, by default, show him what he needed to do in order to make the perfect pastry.

And so, rather than enter a fit of experimentation and creative thinking, Chef looked over his recent acquisitions instead.

Congratulations! You have digested an entire Divine Soldier/Spearman[145]! You have gained some of its stats and abilities.

Congratulations! You have gained health, stamina, mana, power, alacrity, gusto, sense, ability, inexplicability, hutzpah, and intestine!

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

Congratulations! You have learned Spears!

Congratulations! Your Spears has evolved into Spear Mastery!

Congratulations! Your Spear Mastery has combined with Knife and Sword Mastery!

Congratulations! Your Sword Mastery has evolved into Blade Mastery!

Congratulations! Your Butchering has increased!

Congratulations! You have learned Magic Sense!

Congratulations! You have learned Enhanced Physique!

Congratulations! You have learned Reinforce!

Congratulations! You have learned Enhanced Movement!

Congratulations! You have learned Empowered Strike!

Congratulations! You have learned Acute Senses!

Congratulations! Your Armor Proficiency has increased!

Congratulations! You have assimilated a Boon and/or Bane!

Congratulations! You have assimilated a trait!

Congratulations! You have learned Divine Magic!

Warning! Divine Magic conflicts with existing trait Heathen. Divine Magic has priority. Overwriting.

!Error! Could not parse variable accursed_fiend.

!Error!

Overwriting data…

…

Congratulations! Your Heathen has evolved into Demon!

Congratulations! You have gained access to additional Class Evolutions!

Chef decided to stop looking at his notifications. In fact, he suddenly found himself losing interest in reading much of anything. Mentally, he decided to pretend like he never read any of that and to just continue on with his life. Yep. That’s what he would do.

Sadly, the first step on his journey was picking his next class which meant more reading. With a sigh, he accepted his fate.

Demon/Taunter

Demon/Maneater

Abomination/Summoner

...

Chef decided once again to mentally close the window. This was starting to be a problem.

*Ping*

Level requirements achieved. Reincarnator, all classes equal to or below your current one will no longer show themselves in your evolution pool. Please do your best to experience new things and find new classes! Push the boundary or die trying!

For some reason he could feel a headache coming on.

Wait, are there no more Chef classes available?

Frantically, he pulled up the window and quickly skimmed through his options. This list definitely should have been cause for concern, even for a goblin. Lots of words like abomination, demon, and monster showed up repeatedly, but at least there were fewer options overall. That had to count for something, right?

A more observant person may have begun to wonder if the changes he was undergoing had been more fundamental than usual. It was certainly the kind of thing that anyone approximating a normal person should be worrying about. But for Chef, only one thing mattered right now.

A single tear rolled down his cheek.

“It’s still here! Don’t worry, everybody. It’s alright, we can keep cooking.”

There was no one else in the cave, obviously, but that didn’t stop him from smiling happily while trying to show something only he could see to people that weren’t there.

Head Chef/Pastry

For Goblin Chef, none of the other choices ever mattered.