Chapter 303: Town Chef He slashed the hunched monster across the neck, the blade carving clean through with a wet sound. Its head flew off entirely as Azel landed on one knee, dagger still dripping with blood. ’This speed boost is really nice,’ he thought, glancing at the ripple of wind still coiling around his boots. He hadn’t even used aura or magic to complement his movement... it was all just the raw agility of wind. If he had added either, he was sure his speed would’ve been ridiculous. The headless corpse slumped forward with a thud, kicking up dirt and dust. Azel stood, spun the dagger once in his hand, then flicked the blood off before sheathing it. He crouched briefly to check the monster’s body... there was nothing useful on it. Its hide was thick and it had a meaty body but that was all. He placed a hand over it. "To the ring you go." The corpse vanished in a shimmer of blue light, absorbed into his ring. ’Alright, I’m done here,’ he thought, turning to leave but before he could make it ten paces, something brushed against his leg. A rope. "...You’ve got to be kidding me." Before he could react, the rope tightened and yanked. Azel let out a long-suffering sigh as he was pulled into the air once again, spinning helplessly. ’Fucking monster...’ he groaned inwardly as trees blurred past him. Whoever or whatever was behind this rope nonsense had officially earned a one-way ticket to the afterlife. The pull suddenly stopped. His body hung mid-air, swinging slightly. When he looked down, realization hit. He was right above the venom pit. "Oh, that’s cute," he muttered dryly, voice echoing in the wind. "You’re trying to dip me like a chicken nugget." The bubbling black slime below hissed ominously, releasing fumes that stung his eyes. "Two can play this game, fucker." Azel twisted his leg back, channeling a burst of wind through his heel. The sudden propulsion shot his leg backward with explosive force... the rope snapped taut, dragging something toward him from the shadows. A shriek echoed through the trees as the prankster flew into view... a small creature, barely the size of a dwarf. Its entire body was made of pitch-black smoke, two white eyes glowing faintly in its head. "That’s you, huh?" Azel said, unimpressed. The shadow creature barely had time to hiss before Azel slammed his boot straight down on its face. The impact cracked the air. The monster shot downward like a missile, crashing directly into the venom pit below, letting go of it’s end of the rope. Steam exploded from the impact. The creature screeched, clawing desperately as its body melted away, dissolving in the bubbling liquid. The shrill sound hurt his ears until, mercifully, it stopped. Azel landed softly a few feet away from the edge, brushing dust from his pants. "Annoying little brat," he muttered, rubbing his temple. He exhaled, turning back toward the bloodstained clearing where the other monster, the one still gnawing on Vargan’s severed hand, hadn’t even flinched. The ogre’s massive form squatted lazily beside the venom pool, chewing loudly, its jaw crunching bones like dry twigs. Azel’s eyes narrowed. [Thickskin Ogre, Rank 4] ’Thickskin?’ he thought, raising a brow. The name probably came from the layer of stone-like plating covering its shoulders and arms. It was fitting and stupid. He sighed. "These naming conventions are killing me." The ogre looked up with blood dripping down its chin, and met his gaze. There was no fear nor was there guilt. It just stared at him like he was interrupting lunch. "You hurt one of my men," Azel said quietly, holding his dagger. "You’ll die now." The ogre blinked once. The dagger left his hand the next instant. It cut through the air faster than a blink and pierced the ogre’s head cleanly through the forehead. A wet pop followed. The monster’s skull burst open like an overripe fruit. It slumped sideways, twitching once before going still. Azel let out a quiet breath, lowering his hand. "That’s better." ... "So where are we going now?" He walked alongside Selene down one of the newly paved streets. Everywhere they passed, werewolves stopped to bow... some lowering their heads, others kneeling fully. "Lord of Lycas!" a few called out. "Lady of Lycas!" others added, wagging their tails or bowing deeply. Azel waved half-heartedly, though Selene looked flustered. Her ears twitched and her cheeks were pink, but she walked proudly beside him. "It’s to the town chef my lord." "There’s a town chef?" Azel asked, raising a brow. "You guys actually have that organized?" "Yes." Selene smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "It’s been a while since we got fresh meat that wasn’t from the surface. Most of what we had before was rationed or dried." "I see..." Azel said, rubbing his neck. "Then this should be a nice surprise." They stopped before a sturdy building at the edge of the market square... larger than most of the houses. Selene pushed the door open. "Oi, who’s there?" A deep voice called from inside. A tall, white-haired werewolf stepped into view wearing a stained apron and holding a kitchen knife the size of Azel’s forearm. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚 His fur was streaked with silver, and he had a scar running down one eye. When he saw who it was, his ears immediately perked. "My lord! My lady!" He bowed so fast Azel thought he’d snap his neck. "How may I serve you today?" Selene smiled gently. "My lord brought back meat from the forest. It might not be enough to feed the whole town, but it should be a nice meal for everyone." The chef blinked, clearly surprised. "Ah! My lord truly hunts for his people..." He placed a hand over his chest. "My name is Marty, my father wanted to name me after the guy that saved his life in the surface... It would be my honor to cook whatever you bring." Azel nodded. "Good. I was told you needed meat." "I was planning to, but..." Marty’s ears drooped. "The incident with Vargan and the hunters... They couldn’t bring back any monster meat." "Where should I drop them?" Azel interrupted, not wanting to hear more talk. "The corpses, my lord?" Marty asked, blinking in confusion. He pointed toward a large steel bowl in the corner of the room. "You can place them there." "Alright." Azel walked over and, with a flick of his wrist, released both the Marrowcruncher Bear and the Thickskin Ogre from his ring. The moment they materialized, their massive bodies slammed into the bowl. The steel shattered like glass under the weight. "Sorry," Azel said flatly. Marty didn’t even flinch. "My lord, please... there’s no need to apologize." He gave a small grin, baring sharp teeth. "It’s been far too long since I worked with proper ingredients." He reached behind the counter, pulling out three gleaming knives. Before Azel could ask where he planned to start, the chef’s arms twisted... claws extending as fur crept halfway up to his elbows. ’Partial transformation,’ Azel realized. In a blur, Marty leapt from behind the counter, spinning mid-air. Two knives flashed in his hands, and a third was clamped between his teeth. He landed beside the massive corpses, slashing in rapid motions. Azel winced and turned away. "Do you think he’ll be alright?" he asked, glancing at Selene. "He’ll be fine, my lord," she replied softly. "Thank you... for hunting." ’Did I have a choice?’