My Restaurant in the Honkai

"As someone who runs a restaurant, I usually handle a lot of ingredients. Since I'm the only one at the Zhao family restaurant, it would be impossible to chop them one by one in time. So, in my long career of chopping vegetables, I mastered the technique of 'One Slash Three Thousand Cuts.' In the time it takes an ordinary person to swing once, I can swing three thousand times."

Zhao Bai explained with a look of utter self-evidence.

Kiana, finding the entire statement full of holes, almost spoke up several times, her face growing redder and redder, but she held back. After a moment, she took a deep breath and said, "Can we not talk about knife techniques anymore?"

Chapter 8: It's a disaster, it's a disaster

Zhao Bai couldn't agree more to not talk about knife techniques.

Within Senba Academy, there was a botanical garden, which was also the area with the highest concentration of Honkai energy. Kiana, sulking, walked ahead, while Zhao Bai followed behind her with a helpless expression. He knew that teasing a young lady would come with a price, and he estimated Kiana wouldn't speak to him for at least half an hour.

But it would only be half an hour; Kiana's anger could only last so long.

The closer they got, the denser the vines became. At first, they could still see daylight. The dark green vines were covered in extremely fine thorns. Eventually, it became completely black, so dense that not a sliver of light could penetrate.

Plants needed photosynthesis. For them to be this dense and still grow so vigorously, it could only mean they were no longer just plants.

Zhao Bai carved a path with his particle blade. The vines were sliced cleanly. Their surface was as tough as a whip, and when cut, they didn't ooze sap but rather a pale red blood. The severed vines writhed desperately like snakes, utterly disgusting.

"Be careful, the thorns might be poisonous."

Zhao Bai warned as he watched the young lady swing her long sword like a baseball bat. Kiana's movements were completely unorganized, relying solely on brute strength. It was said to be the inherited Knight's Power of the Kaslana family, though Zhao Bai couldn't quite understand it.

"Hah!"

"Kitchen knife technique... what did you call that move again?"

"Save it. You haven't learned anything. With your swordsmanship, you could cut a cutting board in half just trying to slice a sausage. The key to swordsmanship is control; you need to make the blade appear wherever you want it to be, not just swing wildly without purpose."

Zhao Bai explained earnestly, but Kiana seemed to grasp none of it and continued to swing wildly.

Strangely, despite her chaotic swordsmanship, Kiana didn't let any of the vines touch her, not even the blood that splattered. Perhaps this was the true inherited skill of the Kaslana family.

"Ah... I'm finally not angry anymore. Here's your sword back, I'm done swinging!"

Kiana's arms were sore. Panting, she returned the sword to Zhao Bai. It turned out she had just been venting her frustration on the vines.

Judging by her appearance, she seemed genuinely no longer angry.

Zhao Bai found this kind of personality quite rare for a girl. He took the sword back and was immediately embraced by her. She was fragrant and soft, with a faint scent of sweat, and his mood suddenly became somewhat complicated.

Just as Zhao Bai was contemplating whether to give Kiana a 10% discount on their next meal, an unexpected event interrupted his thoughts.

The dense vines parted automatically, revealing a path that wound its way through to the botanical garden. Its intention was unmistakable, like a malicious invitation. Zhao Bai and Kiana exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously.

With a thousand percent vigilance, they cautiously advanced towards the botanical garden.

The botanical garden was a glass greenhouse used to cultivate rare plants. Over the years, the greenhouse glass had long since shattered in the wind and rain. The few remaining pieces would let out whimpers in heavy storms, as if lamenting.

In the center of the botanical house, flowers bloomed.

A rose, two meters in diameter, writhed rhythmically like an animal, as if breathing. Dark green vines coiled around it like protective serpents. A single flower blooming amidst the ruins created an extremely strong contrast, making it appear even more delicate and beautiful.

Ultimate beauty born from ultimate filth.