Morning sunlight streamed through the windows of Kazuki's modest inn room. Birds chirped. Mana winds were calm. For once, everything seemed… peaceful.
Kazuki stretched and yawned. "Today, I'm going to make breakfast. A normal, ordinary, totally safe breakfast."
He rolled out of bed, hair still a mess, cloak tangled around his leg.
"I've got eggs, I've got bread, I've got—oh hey, is that a frying pan under the bed?"
He reached under and pulled out a blackened, rune-etched skillet with faint red markings that shimmered like embers.
"Neat. Probably enchanted to cook evenly."
Smile jiggled nervously.
Kazuki didn't notice.
✦
Downstairs, Tala and Getsuryu were already at the inn's long table, drinking morning tea.
"Should we stop him?" Tala asked, sipping slowly.
Getsuryu, the giant wolf, shook his head. "It is his destiny to awaken ancient terrors with household tools."
"Fair."
Just then, Kazuki burst in.
"Good news! I found a frying pan!"
Tala narrowed her eyes. "Where exactly?"
"It was glowing. And humming. So it's probably ultra non-stick."
She sighed. "You can't use everything that glows, Kazuki."
"Why not? Half the things I use glow."
"Exactly."
He was already scrambling eggs.
✦
The moment the pan hit the fire, the air rippled.
A deep, thunderous gong echoed through the walls. Runes along the pan flared to life.
Smoke spiraled upward—not gray, but violet—and shimmered into a swirling sigil above the pan.
Kazuki, oblivious, hummed while whisking.
Smile screamed silently, trying to push the pan away with its gooey body. Kazuki simply patted the slime like a helpful assistant.
"Thanks, buddy."
Suddenly, the pan roared.
A blast of heat erupted, shaking the inn. The air snapped. Light flashed. A mana fissure tore open above the stove—
And from within it…
A giant, spectral dragon skull emerged.
✦
"…You summoned a dragon," Tala said flatly, peeking into the kitchen.
"It's only the head so far!" Kazuki said defensively, waving a spatula like a weapon.
The skull's eyes burned with ethereal gold. It snarled, fangs the size of chairs.
Getsuryu growled lowly. "That is no ordinary dragon. That is Kaigon, the Flamebone Wyrm, sealed twelve centuries ago."
"Sealed in… cookware?" Kazuki blinked. "Why?"
"No one ever expects kitchenware," Tala muttered.
The dragon skull's mouth opened, and words thundered through the room.
"WHO DISTURBS MY REST?"
Kazuki sheepishly held up a plate of eggs. "Would you… like some breakfast?"
✦
A pause.
The skull hovered, the air rumbling with ancient power. Then, softly:
"…Sunny-side up?"
Kazuki beamed. "Sure!"
Tala and Getsuryu stared in disbelief as Kazuki served eggs to a spectral flame dragon.
Kaigon sniffed, then slurped them through magical vacuum-mouth energy.
"HMM. ACCEPTABLE. VERY WELL, MORTAL. I SHALL GRANT YOU A BOON."
"No, please don't—"
"YOU HAVE PROVEN YOURSELF WORTHY. MY ESSENCE NOW BINDS TO THE PAN. IT SHALL BE YOUR RELIC."
With a final roar, Kaigon's skull dissipated into glowing embers and reformed as etchings across the frying pan.
[You have acquired: Pan of Eternal Flame – Legendary Cooking Relic]
Effect: Cooks anything instantly. Doubles as a dragon-tier battle weapon.
Warning: Occasionally speaks in your sleep.
Kazuki blinked. "Cool."
Tala pinched her nose. "We're gonna get arrested for summoning forbidden firelords in the kitchen."
"Again," Getsuryu added.
Smile jiggled triumphantly and began frying mushrooms on the pan with a spark of its own slime-mana.
✦
Later That Day – At the Guild
Kazuki proudly placed the frying pan on the counter.
"Check it out! I made legendary breakfast!"
The receptionist glanced at it, recognized the ancient dragon markings, and fainted.
Aurelis, who had entered moments earlier holding a plate of dry toast, stared at Kazuki's divine omelette.
"…I hate you so much," he whispered.
✦
Meanwhile, Across the Ocean
A council of robed mages stared at a glowing world map.
"Another ancient seal has broken," one said gravely.
"It's him again, isn't it?" said another.
They all turned to the orb.
Kazuki was laughing while using his new frying pan to cook for villagers. Children clapped. Fire-magic mushrooms danced on plates.
An old wizard broke down weeping. "It was meant to be used in war. He's making pancakes with it."