Chapter 136 - 135: Cystic Poison Frog
Chapter 136: Chapter 135: Cystic Poison Frog
Zelir wasn’t actually surprised by Yanni’s preferences.
No matter the world, there were always people with... unique tastes.
He just never thought he’d find himself mixed up in it.
After Yanni had stormed off, Zelir cheerfully turned back to the stream and resumed his grand fishing enterprise.
Finally, in a small cove downstream from the waterfall, Zelir spotted several plump Silver-Scaled Fish.
It was a natural pool formed by an outcropping from the riverbed, surrounded on three sides by slick stone walls, with only a single narrow exit.
Faced with this situation, an ordinary person would probably have to cut a branch to make a Wooden Spear or something similar, trying to catch the fish by throwing it.
But a Mage wouldn’t resort to such a crude and inefficient method.
A light tap from Night Peace, and a blue light flickered.
Frost Technique!
A wave of frigid Magic Power spread out in an instant!
Zelir had frozen the entire little cove solid.
The Silver-Scaled Fish underwater were flash-frozen before they could even react, still preserved in their swimming poses.
Then, Zelir swung his sturdy Night Peace Magic Wand, broke through the ice, and easily snatched up four fish.
Every single one was plump and large.
After tossing them into his cloth sack, Zelir began searching for his next target. After repeating the process a few times, he had caught a total of ten fish.
’This should be enough...’ Zelir thought, weighing the sack in his hand.
Meanwhile, Bev had successfully collected the stones she wanted.
They were all colorful pebbles, worn smooth and round by the stream.
She excitedly showed them to Zelir, even giving one to him as a gift.
’Girls really do like these strange little trinkets...’
Zelir pocketed the stone.
When he returned to the campsite, he was stunned by the sight before him.
Several tents were leaning askew, not a single one properly assembled.
The members of the Third Squad were flailing about, wrestling with a pile of metal frames.
One Mage even had his entire upper body trapped under a waterproof canvas, with only his legs sticking out. He was scrambling around like a zombie, his muffled cries for "help" barely audible.
"What are you guys even doing..."
Zelir sighed in resignation.
"Sorry, we’re not very good at this..." Leiden said, looking a bit embarrassed.
Zelir had no choice but to go over and lend a hand, helping them get the tents set up.
Marcus, who had returned with a haul of fresh, edible wild vegetables, saw the scene and decided to help out as well.
Back at camp, Instructor Lena and Instructor Manlin were nowhere to be found, nor were Hank and Yisi.
By the time Zelir had hammered the last tent stake for the wind ropes into the ground, Valles, Gray, and Lante had returned from their hunt.
"Good fortune! We caught a deer," Gray said, his face alight with excitement.
They had dragged back a young adult horned deer, its body covered in beautiful brown fur, the antlers on its head just beginning to branch.
Valles’s Archery was outstanding; a single arrow had pierced its lungs, killing it instantly.
"This should be enough for everyone," Valles said.
Lante looked excited as well.
Gray took charge of butchering the deer. Just as he had done with the wolf back in Gray Wood Forest, he started by hanging the deer upside down to bleed it out.
Then, he deftly skinned it, broke it down, and sectioned the meat.
Piece after piece of bright red venison with beautiful marbling was carved off, while excess fat and sinew were cleanly removed.
As the sky gradually darkened, two bonfires were lit and began to blaze.
The orange-red light illuminated the stone walls, driving away the chill of the forest.
The processed venison was skewered on sharpened branches and roasted over the fire, sizzling as the fat rendered. A rich, meaty aroma began to fill the campsite.
The guild had provided plenty of spices and seasonings in their supplies. Gray, acting like a master chef, constantly rotated the venison to ensure it cooked evenly.
Then he sprinkled on salt and black pepper, making the aroma even more enticing.
Over the other fire, the fish soup Zelir was in charge of was bubbling away.
The fresh fish, simmered with the wild vegetables Marcus had brought back, had turned the broth an enticing, milky white, its savory fragrance filling the air.
When the last piece of venison was roasted to a crispy, golden-brown and the savory fish soup was releasing its rich aroma, the atmosphere in the camp reached its peak.
Dinner was finally ready. Everyone gathered around the two warm, bright bonfires and began to enjoy the lavish meal.
A typical Adventurer Squad camping in the wild wouldn’t dare make their camp so conspicuous.
In the forest at night, the scent of food was like a beacon, luring in Demons.
However, with this team’s stacked roster, even if some clueless Demon or beast dared to show itself, it would just be serving itself up as a free kill and a post-dinner snack.
Everyone let go of the day’s tension and fatigue, munching on venison while savoring the delicious fish soup.
Bev blew on a piece of roasted deer loin to cool it down before taking small bites.
The inside of the meat was still steaming, and Bev accidentally burned herself.
She stuck out her tongue, blowing on it—"HOO, HOO"—before continuing to eat in small bites, her rosy lips glistening with oil.
Zelir, meanwhile, stared at the dancing flames before him. In a daze, he felt as if he had returned to his first day in this world.
A bonfire just like this one, a few teammates by his side, and a world full of unknowns.
’Only now, I’m no longer that lost and clueless newcomer.’
"Ah, what a pity. No wine,"
Gray’s lament came from the side. He tore off a large piece of leg meat and shook his head with some regret.
"If we had a big barrel of it, I could sleep until noon tomorrow."
"That smells delicious."
Instructor Lena’s voice drifted in from the woods, with Instructor Manlin following behind her.
The two of them looked as if they had just returned from a leisurely stroll.
"Instructor Lena, Instructor Manlin."
Zelir proactively picked up two skewers of venison and handed them over.
"Not bad."
Instructor Lena took a big bite, nodding as she chewed. "It looks like you can all take good care of yourselves in the wild."
Manlin tried a piece and also showed a look of admiration.
As someone who was used to a vegetarian diet, this was the first time she had tasted such delicious grilled meat.
"Mm, it’s very fragrant."
After enjoying the sumptuous feast, everyone was fully satisfied.
The members of the Third Squad began to clean up the dishes and the campsite, gathering all the trash to be incinerated, leaving not a single trace behind.
By the time everything was settled, the moon had climbed high into the sky, and the faint chirping of insects echoed through the woods.
"Alright, everyone, go get some rest. We have to keep moving tomorrow," said Instructor Lena.
"Yes."
Everyone filed into their assigned tents.
For the night watch, the Assassin Rivaya would take the first half, and Gray would take the second.
Zelir shared a tent with Gray and Lante.
He lay with his arms pillowed behind his head, staring up at the dark roof of the tent. With a slight turn of his thoughts...
...the analysis queue for Technique Celestial Calculation appeared before him.
Flame Control Skill, Analysis Progress—12%
Aromatherapy, Analysis Progress—18%
Calm Mind Skill, Analysis Progress—18%
Thorn Technique, Analysis Progress—18%
Vitality Granting, Analysis Progress—18%
’Hmm... adding five new types of Magic to the queue in a single day isn’t too bad.’
’Based on this analysis progress, Flame Control Skill should be a Level Three Magic, while the other four are all Level Two Magic.’
’I wonder when I’ll be able to analyze higher-level Magic...’
’Thinking about it, it would have been great if Instructor Manlin had cast that Guardian Magic she locked onto me with during the battle with the Giant Rock Golem.’
’It had to be at least Level Four, right?’
Zelir also recalled the Giant Rock Golem summoning the Earth Monsters, which hadn’t been added to his analysis queue either.
’It was probably some kind of innate ability, then?’
SMACK.
Next to him, Lante, exhausted from the day’s activities, had long since fallen into a deep sleep. He rolled onto his side, throwing one of his legs over Zelir.
Zelir sighed softly, moved Lante’s leg back, and then shifted his own body into a more comfortable position.
’Tomorrow’s first battle will be spearheaded by the Third Squad... which means I’ll be up for the second one.’
’I wonder if I can level up again...’
’I hope so.’
...
「Early morning.」
The first faint rays of dawn broke through the darkness, and a light mist hung in the forest.
Members of the various squads began to get up one after another.
After a quick wash-up, they packed up the camp’s supplies and prepared to set out again.
Before they departed, Manlin cast a group Calm Mind Skill.
A gentle green light washed over everyone, dispelling the last vestiges of sleepiness. Even Gray, who had been on watch for the second half of the night, seemed much more alert.
According to the route planned on the map, the next Demons to be exterminated were a colony of Cystic Poison Frogs.
Thus, the team formation rotated, with the Third Squad now mixed in with the Combat Escort Team.
Zelir, leading the Fourth Squad, fell back to the observation area in the rear.
Leiden, commanding as a captain for the first time, was clearly a little nervous.
He mimicked Zelir from the day before, clearing his throat and trying to make his voice sound steady and strong.
"Move out!"
The squad began to advance.
Having been relegated to the back line, Zelir was much more relaxed. He hardly needed to be on guard against his surroundings during the journey.
After all, with Rivaya scouting ahead for everyone and reliable teammates like Marcus holding the front, he felt completely secure.
"Zelir, I’ve been meaning to ask you something."
Instructor Lena walked up beside him.
"What was that Defense Magic you used yesterday? None of the Defensive Magic I know of has that kind of property, being able to nullify an attack to such an exaggerated degree."
"I got it during an adventure," Zelir said, having already prepared his story.
"An adventure?" Instructor Lena asked, a little surprised.
"Yes. I was on a mission once, happened to find a cave, and went inside to explore. That’s where I found a Magic Scroll."
"This is the Magic I learned from it," Zelir said.