Chef in the Apocalypse

Chapter 59: Meeting Rubick again

In the midst of the enigmatic scene, the room suddenly plunged into darkness, shrouding the auditorium in obscurity. Amid the inky blackness, a single spotlight burst forth, illuminating the center of a stage that seemed to materialize out of thin air. A voice, rich and resonant, echoed through the emptiness, introducing Rubick and asking everyone to welcome him to the stage.

From the shadows emerged a figure, his form wrapped in a billowing cloak that swayed with an ethereal grace, as if it was moved by winds unseen. Jayce’s gaze honed in on the figure that had emerged, his heart pounding within his chest. It was Rubick, dressed exactly as Jayce had seen before, including the eerie mask that concealed his features, yet couldn’t hide the deep red glint in his eyes.

As Rubick made his appearance, a wave of applause cascaded through the air, the sound resonating around the auditorium. Jayce’s eyes darted around, trying to locate the source of the applause, only to find that the seats were occupied by figures that remained as still as stone. It became evident that Rubick was orchestrating the applause himself, employing some artful trick to replicate the sound of a clapping audience.

Rubick, standing at the center of attention, raised a gloved hand to his heart, acknowledging the phantom applause. He gracefully removed his tophat, offering a theatrical bow to the unseen audience. The atmosphere was imbued with an air of anticipation, as Rubick’s voice, laced with mystery and intrigue, reverberated through the void.

“Welcome again, my wonderful supporters,” Rubick’s voice carried, its timbre smooth and mellifluous, despite the unsettling undertones. His words seemed to echo not just in the space but also within Jayce’s very thoughts. “I trust you have been well since we last met?”

Without awaiting an answer, he continued “You may be wondering why I have gathered you again so soon?” He paused, looking around the room dramatically. “Well! That is because there is one amongst you who has completed the World Quest already.”

Jayce felt the space around him tremble as the audience members beside him made shock gestures. If it weren’t for the fact that none of them could talk, he was sure that there would be an outcry of sorts.

Rubick seemed to be enjoying the reactions of the fellow’s in the audience, he strutted around the stage with a swagger that didn’t seem to match his visage. “Now, I originally had created prizes for the first 3 to finish the World Quest…” He then paused, “However…” he lifted a hand to his chin as if deep in thought.

“You’re all too slow…” He tilted his head back and laughed mirthfully, as if it was the funniest thing in the world. “I mean, how come none of you have even killed 50 goblins yet? You would think that with the amazing classes we’ve given you, you would at least have done this much.”

His laughter turned into seriousness as he stared into the crowd, fixing his mask back in place. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed…” Suddenly, his cloak billowed wildly, releasing a freezing cold energy outwards from the stage and into the audience.

The shrouded figures began to writhe and convulse in place, unable to let out a scream as they endured the torture that was being directed at them. Jayce watched on in horror as those around him were subjected to what he could only imagine was tremendous pain.

Jayce of course did not experience anything, as he was not the target of Rubick’s wrath. After what felt like an eternity, the shrouded figures disappeared one after another, leaving him and Rubick as the only ones left in this mysterious place.

All of a sudden, he felt like he could move once again, his voice also returning. Yet he dared not talk unless spoken to, after all the last time someone did that they were destroyed with the ban hammer.

Rubick turned his attention to Jayce, walking to the edge of the stage and gracefully sitting on its edge with his legs hanging over. “You keep impressing me, Jayce.” he said with a calm tone, with none of the rage or frustration remaining in his voice.

“Uh… Thanks.” Jayce replied simply, not knowing what to say. Not to mention that he was quite frightened considering what had just happened. Being alone with this psychopath was not doing wonders for his mental health.

“It’s odd really. I’ve often talked with my colleagues as we’ve watched you these past few weeks, and we’re all curious…” He paused, removing his tophat and scratching his head in thought. “Just how does a deadbeat orphan turn into an experienced fighter overnight? And without a combat class to boot?”

Jayce’s jaw almost dropped at the question. There were a few bombshells within those sentences that would take him some time to dissect, however now was not the time to do so. With Rubick’s crimson eyes watching him expectantly, he felt he had to answer as quickly as possible.

“I was just lucky I guess.” Jayce responded after a moment. The eyes that were staring at him from behind the mask seemed like they could see into his soul, sending shivers up his spine.

Rubick pondered the answer for a moment before leaning back and letting out a laugh, this time it was filled with pure enjoyment, filling the empty room with echoing hysterics. After finally calming down, he responded, “See this is why I like you Jayce, you always do things unexpectedly. No one has cleared their first world quest in under a month since…”

Rubick lagged for a moment, stopping himself. “Oops, I almost revealed too much.” He put a hand on forehead as if to wipe away the non-existent sweat. “Well, I had better get going before I say anything that could get me in trouble.” He got to his feet once more before returning to the center of the stage.

“Oh, I almost forgot. While I can’t give you the top 3 prizes for the World Quest, I will answer one question for you. As long as it is within my power.”

Jayce was startled for a moment, before letting out a sigh of relief, he knew exactly what he was going to ask. The thing that had been bothering him for the past few weeks while he and his party grew stronger, the anxiety and almost crushing pressure would be alleviated with the answer to this question.

“What is the prerequisite for my Class Upgrade Quest?” He asked without hesitation.

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