67. Awakening
Early in the morning.
Irrena and Zion were moving busily.
“How is Yumina?”
“She seems unable to get up yet. Seems like she’s completely drained, just like Mwamu.”
At her words, Irrena burst into laughter.
“Well, they both put in a lot of effort.”
As she laughed, it seemed like her view was filled with a bright radiance.
Han quietly watched Irrena, whose skin sparkled in the sunlight.
She was endlessly dazzling.
“I hope she wakes up soon.”
The gaze of the doctor, who had been quietly watching her, soon shifted downwards.
They were processing the monster.
Battles with monsters often left behind many things.
In cases like theirs, the tangible product was indeed the real result and reward.
This was also a crucial reason why many hunters continued to explore dungeons despite the dangers.
Even though only a day had passed since the intense battle ended, they were unscathed.
They were known for their unusually vibrant health even on ordinary days.
They were different from Yuminana and Muamua, who used mana as their main means of attack.
“By the way, it’s the skin of the White Frost Bison.”
White Frost Bison.
In fact, these creatures were well-known even in their modern world.
Like goblins or orcs, they were a somewhat common type of monster.
Their popularity was mainly due to the materials they provided.
The fur of the White Frost Bison was light, highly elastic, and had excellent defensive capabilities.
It was an item with magical resistance, anti-demonic power.
From one to ten, there was no useless corner.
Materials from creatures like these fetched a considerable price.
However, in truth.
The main reason these materials fetched a high price was not just because of the thick fur of the creatures, but because of their internal organs.
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“Anyway, the most well-known thing about them is their meat.”
The meat of these creatures, grown in environments rich in mana, was renowned for its exquisite taste.
It was said that once you tasted it, you could never forget its flavor.
This was also a significant reason why their price was exceptionally high.
From gourmets to critics.
They were all unanimous in praising it as an exceptional ingredient.
Once put up for auction, they were sold at high prices without fail.
It was a delicacy.
***
Near the elves who were busy processing.
[Grrr!]
Young wolves growled at each other, trying to assert dominance over the piece of meat they had processed.
It was to claim the bigger piece.
Although they were young, a beast was a beast, or rather, a monster was a monster.
The one claiming the largest piece was Noah.
They devoured the meat voraciously.
“Come to think of it, these little ones have definitely grown.”
It was late to notice, always looking down on them from above.
Now, it was clear that they had grown significantly.
“At first, they were as small as my knee… now they have grown to reach the elves’ waist.”
The physique of Tae had also become quite robust.
It seemed like it wasn’t long ago when he was as small as a puppy, but now, he could easily look down on even the average large dog.
His growth rate was faster than expected.
“It’s probably not long before they become adults.”
The day the pups become adults.
From then on, Yumin would be able to raise them into evolved wolves, just like she did with the mice and tortoises before.
“Alright, kids.”
Thud!
At that moment, a piece of beef, prepared by the elves, dropped down.
Upon seeing this, the excited young wolves dashed over and engaged in a tug-of-war over the piece of meat.
“Hmm….”
Han silently observed their actions.
For a while, Han gazed at the steadily accumulating pile of meat on the snowy ground.
“Beef….”
Beef.
It was indeed beef.
*Swoosh.*
He wiped away the drool that had escaped.
Even those little wolves were staring at the meat.
The elves seemed so disinterested that they might as well have tossed it aside for them to pick up themselves.
“But do I really have to drool while just watching quietly….”
Han felt the same desire to taste those meats.
He was curious about the taste that everyone commonly referred to as exquisite.
In fact, the price of the White Ice Bison’s meat was quite high even by hunter standards.
It was considered so exceptional that it could even cause a stir among highly renowned Level 1 hunters.
“If Mua Mua wakes up, there won’t be any time to spare.”
He had to hurry now.
If that voracious eater woke up, there would be nothing left.
Before that happened, he had to secure his share.
***
“Yes?”
Swish.
Han raised his hand and pointed in a direction.
As if time had frozen, his hand gesture was firm and unwavering.
Irini, who blinked as if not understanding for a while, followed his hand gesture in the direction he pointed.
There, the meat was piled up like a small hill.
It was the meat of the herd of White Ice Bison.
“Oh….”
For the elf Irina, meat was nothing more than something she had to force herself to eat in order to survive.
As a result, it took quite some time for her to understand Han’s intention.
She cautiously alternated her gaze between the hill of stacked beef and Han’s hand before asking, “Could it be… that the gods desire these meats?”
“Indeed, Irina!”
That’s right!
Correct, Irina.
Nod. Nod.
Han nodded frantically.
Well, from the perspective of elves who always eat plants, it might not make sense.
But this was important to him.
“Ah, I see.”
She picked up the meat, approached Han’s statue, and offered a prayer.
Even as she prayed, a faint sense of unease lingered on her face.
But to Han, that wasn’t as important.
Han received the offering along with Irina’s prayer.
He raised the white, frozen beef from a snowy cow to the sky with a smile.
“hahahahaha! How much is this meat worth, exactly!”
It was said that even with money, it couldn’t be bought.
It was so famous that it could only be obtained through connections.
“Thank you so much, Irina!”
One well-raised elf was worth ten others!
***
Sizzle.
He started preheating the pan over medium heat.
As the steak sizzled on the pan, Han checked the time and flipped the meat.
“Next, garlic and herbs.”
It wasn’t just about adding a lot.
The key was to enhance the flavor without compromising the meat’s aroma and taste.
As it simmered, the scent began to tantalize his nose.
The aroma forcibly stimulated his salivary glands.
Before he knew it, his mouth was filling with saliva.
Swallowing repeatedly, Han looked down at the steak.
“It’s taking a while.”
This waiting felt long and drawn-out.
In his mind, he wanted to devour it right away.
But he had to endure.
Just like everything must have a beginning and an end.
Although this waiting seemed to go on forever, it would come to an end.
“Done!”
Finally, Han carefully placed the perfectly grilled steak on the plate.
The sizzling grease filled the plate to the brim.
However, Han didn’t immediately dive into the act of eating.
Instead, he waited.
“The important thing is five minutes.”
Simply placing it on the plate and eating it right away wouldn’t do.
To let the juices flow more distinctly, it needed time to cool down a bit.
It was a temporary retreat for even greater happiness.
This rare delicacy was so hard to come by that even hunters could only acquire it through connections, requiring months of reservation and waiting to take a bite.
While it might be considered a relatively common monster, it was a phenomenon due to its scarcity as everyone desired it.
With something so precious, could one not wait just five minutes?
The succulent juices of the meat flowed smoothly over the surface of the sleek plate like a small stream.
Even at a glance, it displayed a rich color.
It was a sign that the meat had time to rest properly.
Unknowingly, he swallowed the saliva that trickled out.
“It looks delicious.”
As the waiting time passed, the right moment arrived.
“At last!”
Han deftly cut a piece and brought it into his mouth.
The droplets of oil seemed about to fall.
His hand trembled.
It was a task he couldn’t afford to spill this precious thing.
Gulp.
As Han swallowed a bite, he involuntarily closed his eyes.
The rich flavor tantalized his mouth to the point of bliss.
His reaction was succinct.
“Wow…!!”
Simply put, an overwhelming taste!
No other expression came to mind.
It felt like a fiery spirit flowing down the throat, the vivid flavor coursing through his whole body was keenly felt.
It was a powerful sensation.
“It’s really delicious.”
Han, who had been in a daze for a while, barely noticed this change.
Pop!
He felt a sensation as if something burst.
“Huh?”
Instinctively, he glanced downwards.
Pop! Thud!
There was a series of bursting sounds coming from inside his body.
It was ‘sounds’.
It wasn’t a misunderstanding.
“Huh, what?”
Something was about to happen.
With a fiery sensation, something began to burst throughout the body.
As if tiny firecrackers going off in the mouth, something inside the body caused a change.
“What? What’s happening!”
Startled, they abruptly stood up.
Whoosh.
At that moment, a refreshing sensation enveloped the entire body.
As if something forcibly opening up, a strong sensation of cool streams piercing through the veins of the body.
It was an odd sensation as if a cool throat lozenge was flowing through the body’s veins.
[Congratulations.]
The voice of the system emerging was no big deal.
Without knowing why, they reflexively looked up at the empty space.
[You have successfully removed all impurities from your body. As the process of ‘Bolmose’ continues, your body’s energy flow has been perfectly unblocked.]
“B-Bolmose?”
No, why would Bolmose suddenly appear here? That question lingered briefly.
Their gaze reflexively shifted to the plate of beef in front of them.
“No way?”
If there was any suspicion right now, it was solely this.
…Bolmose.
Also known as ‘Hwangol-taltae.’
They were not unaware.
It signified the complete cleanliness of the body, akin to a physical rebirth approaching reincarnation.
Isn’t this the stage reached by a handful of mighty individuals, often called top-tier hunters, hailed as humanity’s saviors, when they attain a level of strength beyond this dimension?
However.
“S-So, this happened to me? Hwangol-taltae?”
[Indeed.]
“Uh….”
So shocking that the fork in their hand almost slipped.