The speed of his descent was fast and efficient as he used gravity to his advantage.
After about an hour, he was back at the base, his face calm as the remaining snow drifted away from his back.
Aengus suddenly felt hungry, which was strange considering he had eaten just last night with Sofia and the others.
He should easily have been able to go a few days without eating, given his capabilities and body control.
Feeling puzzled, Aengus looked for prey to satisfy his hunger.
Amidst the dense canopy and foggy environment that crystallized into water droplets, he spotted a large leopard-like monster, eagerly waiting for its prey to appear.
Swoosh!
Slash!
With extreme agility and silent steps, he flashed forward and slashed the leopard’s neck cleanly.
Aengus wasted no time after killing the leopard-like monster, dragging its limp body to a nearby clear area.
The dense canopy above let only slivers of light filter through, casting shadows that danced around him as he walked.
Thud!
Placing the body down, Aengus quickly began preparing the creature, his hands moving with practiced agility. With his blade, he crudely skinned the monster, cutting away the tender meat. Blood spilled onto the snow, steam rising as the warmth of the kill contrasted against the frigid ground.
Aengus’ face remained impassive, though a flicker of curiosity crossed his mind.
“What could be the reason for this sudden hunger?”
“Was this place somehow affecting my body?”
“What kind of power is behind all these?”
The questions remained unanswered, but his cautiousness heightened. He was suddenly reminded of Aria, hoping she was safe. Considering Aria’s C-Rank power, it shouldn’t be too difficult for her unless she faced something beyond his understanding.
With a flick of his wrist, Aengus summoned a small flame using Hellfire, its intense heat instantly igniting the wood he had gathered. The fire crackled to life, radiating warmth into the cold environment. He skewered the meat on long branches and set it over the fire. The aroma soon filled the air as the meat sizzled and cooked.
The sound of the searing meat made his hunger even more apparent, his stomach growling despite the oddity of the situation.
As the meat cooked, Aengus glanced around, his sharp senses on high alert. The fog clung low to the ground, and the dense trees provided plenty of cover. Still, he didn’t like being out in the open for too long. His hand rested on the hilt of his Judgement Blade, ready for anything.
When the meat was thoroughly cooked, he ate quickly and efficiently, each bite restoring his lost stamina and sharpening his focus.
“Huh? The smell of meat?”
Suddenly, Aengus heard a surprised voice from a distance.
He saw a girl approaching with a sharp sword in her hand. She had slight tan skin and a valiant aura, much like Alisha. But while Alisha exuded mischief and boldness, this girl was calm and collected.
Aengus continued eating without concern. It had been a while since he had seen any other participants, reassuring him that others might be nearby.
The girl approached and saw Aengus eating, paying her no mind. It made her doubt whether he had any vigilance at all.
“Hey, what’s your name? Can you give me some meat to eat? I’m extremely hungry,” she asked.
Aengus, already full, replied, “My name isn’t important. You want food, right? Give me something equivalent in exchange. Some treasures you might have. Nothing comes free, right?”
“Treasures?” The girl immediately became wary, her grip tightening on the sword, suspecting his intentions. But seeing him remain nonchalant and noticing the meat nearby, she swallowed her saliva as her stomach growled, her face reddening with embarrassment.
Reluctantly, she took out a glowing red orb.
“Here, take this. It can help you level up faster. I’ve tried it myself,” she said confidently.
[ Appraisal ]
[ Essence Core ]
[ Grade: D ]
[ Description: Slightly increases user’s experience for leveling up. Works best for users of the same rank (D = D). ]
Seeing the appraisal, Aengus realized it wouldn’t be much use to him due to its low grade. However, noticing the girl’s hungry look, he decided not to be too demanding.
“Give me three, and you can eat,” he said, raising the number, not appearing soft or easy to negotiate with.
“What! Three?” The girl widened her eyes as if he’d demanded something outrageous.
“Do you know how hard I worked to gather these? It took me forever just to collect a few!”
“I can give you two at most. If not, I’d rather die than give you the third. I need them to raise my rank to C-Rank.” The girl stood her ground, defiant.
“Fine.” Aengus shrugged and accepted the two Essence Cores from her, appearing before her like a ghost, causing her to jump back in surprise.
“You—You’re a C-Rank?” she asked, eyes scanning him more thoroughly now, trying to gauge his strength.
“You can think so,” Aengus replied, remaining seated, his curiosity piqued about the Essence Cores.
“Where did you find these?”
The girl, now stuffing her mouth with food, answered in a muffled voice, “I found them in a monster lair. At first, I distracted the monsters, then when I saw the chance, I took them. Smart, right?”
“So, there’s none left there?” he asked.
“No. I haven’t seen any more,” she replied, shaking her head.
“Okay, then that’s that,” Aengus said as he suddenly stood up, surprising the girl.
“Wait, where are you going? Let’s team up. I know I’m weaker than you, but two is better than one, right?” she quickly said, shoving more food into her mouth and choking on it in her hurry. She fumbled for a water bag from her spatial ring and drank from it.
She looked over to where Aengus had been standing, but he was gone, vanished like a ghost. Only a faint, lingering sentence echoed in the air.
“You’d only be a burden.”
The girl clenched her fists in anger. “What a heartless fellow!”
