The Nihility Chef

Four years later...

"Sami, wait for me! You're moving too fast!" a little girl whined.

The girl was undeniably cute, with blonde hair that shone like the sun and playful blue eyes that sparkled with mischief. She looked to be around four or five years old, dressed in a white shirt with gold lining and a purple plated skirt, giving her an aura of purity and nobility. She was running as fast as her little legs could carry her, trying to catch up to the boy ahead.

"Ugh, Alice, I told you not to call me that. My name is Samael," the boy pouted, his expression making him look even more adorable than usual.

The boy had glowing, olive-toned skin, long unruly black hair, sharp eyebrows, and the beginnings of a strong jawline. However, the baby fat on his face softened his features, turning what could have been a heroic appearance into something irresistibly cute. His most striking feature was his amethyst purple eyes, which seemed to pull you in with their depth and allure.

"Sami, Sami, Sami, Sami, Sami!" Alice sang as she finally caught up to him. "Where are we going?"

"Ughhhhhhh," Samael groaned, already regretting his decision to befriend this bubbly girl. "We're going to the Martial Courtyard. I got my inheritance."

As they walked, Samael's thoughts turned to the physique he had awakened—the Swallowing Nihility Body. It granted him 100% affinity with all elements and a staggering 300% affinity with the Aether element. His body could absorb anything to strengthen itself, and he had perfect control over most energies—except Aether, which was notoriously volatile.

In this world, energy known as "aura" flowed through all living beings. Through cultivation techniques, individuals could strengthen themselves, evolve, and even extend their lifespans to the point of achieving immortality. Samael's inheritance had provided him with a wealth of knowledge: cultivation realms, techniques, and even methods to identify treasures and understand the various races of the world. It was essentially an all-encompassing information pack.

The inheritance also mentioned a way to create a weapon that would grow alongside him, mirroring the abilities of his physique. He planned to craft it when he was older.

Upon reaching the courtyard, Samael sat in a meditative position and began cultivating using the Swallowing Heaven technique. As he absorbed aura, a massive whirlpool formed above his family's residence, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.

"What's going on?" Samael's father, William, thought as he sensed the disturbance. A shiver of fear ran down his spine, as if he were surrounded by an all-consuming darkness. He vanished from his quarters and reappeared above the courtyard. When he saw Samael and Alice, relief washed over him.

"Don't worry, everyone. It's Samael. He's begun cultivating, which means he has a physique," William explained through spiritual communication, a proud smile spreading across his face.

Aura poured into Samael's body, instantly refined and funneled into his dantian, elevating his cultivation to Tier 1. Alice watched from the sidelines, her excitement palpable.

"Hey, Sami! Maybe my dad will like you more now that he knows you're a cultivation genius too!" Alice squealed, thrilled at the prospect.

Alice was a princess of the Royal Family of Britannia, a human empire. She had awakened her physique, the Five Element God Body, two months prior—an extraordinary feat, as most geniuses didn't awaken until the age of five. Her physique granted her a 200% affinity with the elements of fire, wood, water, earth, and metal. Her early awakening had earned her the title of Royal Princess and elevated her mother, a former commoner, to the rank of Marquess, providing their family with some protection in the cutthroat world of royalty.

As Samael reached Tier 1, a nebula formed in his dantian—a manifestation of his Swallowing Nihility Body's true power. This physique allowed him to form a star within his body, which would eventually evolve into either a neutron star or a black hole. A neutron star would grant him infinite physical strength, while a black hole would provide him with infinite aura.

Defying the inheritance's guidance, Samael decided to split the nebula into two, cultivating both a neutron star and a black hole. This ambitious decision would require three times the resources of a normal genius, but Samael was confident in his ability to succeed.

Over the next three hours, the proto-stars within him condensed and grew, eventually forming two massive main-sequence stars. They glowed with an icy blue light, radiating both cold and immense heat. When Samael finally opened his eyes, he found Alice asleep beside him, exhausted from waiting.

Gently, he shook her awake. "Alice, wake up. I'm done cultivating."

Her eyes fluttered open, and she quickly realized how late it was. "Bye, Sami! See you tomorrow! And bye, Uncle Will and Aunt Elizabeth!" she called out as her protector appeared and teleported her home.

Samael turned to his parents, who stood in the doorway. "Mom, Dad, let's talk tomorrow. I want to relax."

The man was tall, standing at 1.87 meters, with jet-black hair, brown eyes, and a stoic yet handsome face. He was William Forte, the patriarch of the Forte family, known by the nickname "Archimagirus" (Latin for "chef"). Despite his imposing appearance, he was a carefree and kind man.

The woman beside him was breathtakingly beautiful, with ghostly silver hair, piercing purple eyes, and olive-toned skin. She stood at 1.7 meters tall and wore a gothic-style black dress that made her look like a princess. Her name was Victoria, nicknamed the "Goddess of Wealth" by the Britannia Empire. However, her past was far from pristine; she was also known as "Asura," a name that spoke of her bloody and destructive history.

"Okay, son," Victoria said, her tone playful. "I don't care about your physique. The real question is, did you have fun with Alice?"

"Mom!" Samael whined, his face turning red. "We're just friends! And I'm only four!"

Victoria chuckled, clearly enjoying her son's embarrassment. William, however, looked at his wife in disbelief.

"Victoria, isn't this a bit much? The boy's only four. Does he even know what a relationship is?" William asked.

"It's never too early," Victoria replied, still smiling. "Besides, only someone as talented as the princess is slightly worthy of my little light bulb. And she's going to be a beautiful woman. If Sami doesn't act fast, he'll have to fight off hundreds of suitors. I'm just looking out for his best interests."

William sighed. "I get it, but he's got plenty of time to find the right person. Right now, he's more interested in cooking. I think I should teach him everything I know before he starts worrying about wives. After all, I won you over with my cooking, didn't I?"

Victoria blushed, burying her face in her chest. "William, you know how much I hate that name. I wasn't that violent back then."

"Victoria, you were a she-hulk. The first time we met, you gave me a black eye for looking at you wrong," William said, laughing. "And then you tried to convince me there was a fly on my face!"

"William, if you don't run right now, I'll give you another black eye," Victoria growled, her anger simmering.

William didn't need to be told twice. He took off running, knowing he'd have to avoid his wife for a few days unless he wanted another beating. As he ran, he cursed himself. Why do I always run my mouth? This happened last month, and here I am again!

In the Royal Palace

Alice's protector stood before a figure seated on the throne. "Your Majesty, the Forte family heir has awakened his physique. It made me tremble—I felt weak."

The man on the throne leaned forward, his voice commanding. "What made you fear?"

The protector shivered as he recalled the sensation. "Your Majesty, it felt as though I was about to be devoured—body and soul. I saw nothingness."

"Interesting," the emperor mused. "I thought the boy was unworthy of my Alice, but it seems she will have to catch up to him. How very intriguing."

The protector was stunned. Alice was the most talented member of the royal family since the first emperor. Even without dedicated cultivation, she was destined to reach the Dao Realm and become a top-tier figure in the world.

Just how talented is that boy? the protector wondered. How strong will he become?