Solo Leveling: Monarch of Knowledge

Chapter 8 - 8: Space affinity

(May 15, 2026 – 4:12 PM)

Adam placed his chopsticks down, letting out a quiet breath as he finished his meal. The warmth of the green tea lingered in his chest, and the satisfying weight of a full stomach settled in.

He grabbed a napkin to wipe his hands, then pushed his chair back, standing up to head toward the counter.

Just as he turned, he bumped into someone.

A startled gasp escaped the person as a stack of small sushi plates slipped from her hands, crashing onto the tiled floor. Porcelain shattered, and sushi pieces scattered across the ground. The restaurant fell silent, all eyes turning toward the mess.

The girl who had bumped into him immediately crouched down, her hands hovering over the broken shards, panic clear in her voice.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to.." She hesitated before looking up at him, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I wasn't looking where I was going…"

Adam remained calm, offering her his hand instead of responding immediately. She looked at it hesitantly before taking it, and he helped her back to her feet.

The restaurant manager, a middle-aged man with graying hair and a sturdy build, walked over, frowning in concern. His gaze swept across the broken plates, then landed on Adam and the girl.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked, crouching slightly as his eyes

Machine Learning & Neural Networks – Concepts of artificial intelligence and how AI models are trained.

Operating System Development – How OS kernels function, memory management, and low-level system design.

Blockchain & Cryptography – Secure data handling and distributed computing.

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As Adam absorbed the knowledge, a new idea took root in his mind.

'Why limit myself to existing programming languages?'

The more he learned, the more flaws he noticed. Every language had limitations, whether it was execution speed, security vulnerabilities, or inefficient syntax.

'What if I created my own? Something truly optimized, with no unnecessary overhead.'

The thought lingered, but he pushed it aside for now. It was too big of a project to tackle immediately.

First, he needed to establish himself.

The bus slowed as it approached his stop. Adam turned off his phone, the wealth of new knowledge settling in his mind like second nature.

Stepping off the bus, he took a deep breath, mentally organizing his next steps.

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End of the chapter, but since it's a bit shorter than the usual, I decided to add a small filler episode for you!

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How to Make Onigiri – Explained by Adam & Awà

Adam stood in his kitchen, rolling up his sleeves as he prepared the ingredients. As he worked, he spoke calmly, going through the process step by step.

"Making onigiri is pretty simple, but there are a few things you need to get right. First, you need the right rice. Short-grain Japanese rice works best because it's naturally sticky and holds its shape."

[Correct, Host.] Awà's voice chimed in. [Long-grain rice lacks sufficient amylopectin, which is necessary for proper binding.]

Adam nodded, rinsing the rice under cool water. "Next, you wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and prevents the grains from getting too gummy."

[Washing also improves texture and allows for better moisture absorption during cooking.]

After cooking the rice in a rice cooker, Adam let it cool slightly. "Now comes shaping. Wet your hands with water to keep the rice from sticking, then rub a little salt on your palms. This helps with flavor and preservation."

He scooped a handful of warm rice and pressed it gently into a triangular shape.

[Excessive pressure will crush the grains and ruin the texture. The correct technique is to press firmly but gently, rotating the onigiri in your hands.]

Adam smirked slightly. "Right. And if you want to add a filling, like tuna mayo, grilled salmon, or umeboshi, you press a small dent in the rice, add the filling, and then seal it by covering it with more rice."

[For best results, fillings should have minimal moisture to prevent the rice from falling apart.]

Finally, he wrapped a strip of nori (seaweed) around the base. "And that's it. A classic onigiri."

[This method has been used in Japan for centuries, originally as a portable meal for samurai.]

Adam set the completed onigiri on a plate, admiring his work. "Simple, but effective."

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Patreon: Mr_Graythorn