Chapter 1045: 16.91 First Red Star - Second Trial: Cooking (I)

Main City's Open Area...

The majority of the warriors who had gone to hunt for the trial had returned, including Asher Light and his group. They returned with frozen Sinoceratops, which resemble a ma.s.sive mutated hippopotamus, as well as an Iguanodon. It's a dinosaur with a bile mouth and a spiked thumb. Only Esther Dawn and Mayonaka Yoru were not bringing any prey with them.

When Esther Dawn and his partner approached, a couple not far away looked especially nervous. They clearly have a guilty look on their faces after stealing something that isn't theirs. Mayonaka Yoru gave this couple a meaningful full smile, causing them to immediately avoid their gaze.

Conri Lycaon frowned as he noticed this exchange, "Are they the ones who stole your prey, brother?"

"Yeah. Don't worry they will have a problem when it comes to weighing prey. Preys covered in ice aren't allowed to enter the Weightings Scale." Mayonaka Yoru said.

Esther Dawn said, "You guys should also enter the line. We will enter right behind this pair of thieves."

"Don't they know it's common sense to not be able to lift someone's ability on something even if they have the same element?" Asher Light commented.

Leafy commented, "Most people don't know as it is rare for people with the same element to be on one team. It would be redundant doing so after all."

"Let's go, Leafy. We need to help with the weighting."

Bais.h.i.+ turned around and nodded to the couple of Esther Dawn and Mayonaka Yoru. They will notify those in charge of weighing the stealing problem. After all, this is against the rules. They separated from this group and joined the Great Elder and Keylan Light to a.s.sist with the task of weighing each prey. This is for Ranked to see who got the heaviest and largest prey to give to their future mates.

On the stone stage, Great Elder Tuya and Keylan Light once again took the attention of everyone in the area. They once again become the host after returning to the city as they were told to do so.

Great Elder Tuya said, "The time limit for hunting is finished! We would like for the couples to bring over their prey to be weighed. Of course! You cannot bring it covered in ice. It must be only the body of the dinosaurs and no other elements are to be added. It will be inspected by our volunteers here so be warned."

"We have also found rule breakers during the first trial. Some even tried to hunt a Savage Beast and almost lost their lives. It was only thanks to the kindness of the Visitor G.o.ds that they were able to survive. They were attacked by three savage beasts and some were even eaten from the spot. If not for the blessing of the Elemental Light G.o.d and Beats G.o.d that they wouldn't be able to survive such an ordeal." Keylan Light said.

A lot of the warriors noticed some couple who were kneeling on the ground dazed. Even though they survive and revive the trauma they got from that event would haunt their life for so long.

Great Elder Tuya announced, "Line up! We will begin weighing!"

Even Asher Light and Amber Dawn, Conri Lycaon, and Carnelian Dawn, as well as the other pairs, began to fall in line, as the other pairs could only drag their prey with them. Esther Dawn and Mayonaka Yoru, who were not pulling or carrying anything, made the others look at them puzzled. They both stood purposefully behind the couple who had stolen their prey. Even now, the couple was nearly in tears because the ice covering the Triceratops was not melting.

The couple who stole Esther Dawn and Mayonaka Yoru's prey are Elemental users of fire and ice, which is why the male warrior took the prey Esther Dawn and Mayonaka Yoru had left behind. He was confident that he or his chosen female could melt the ice surrounding the Triceratops. As a result, no one in the couple complained about their prey being stolen.

Who would have thought that this ice would be so thick that neither fire nor the same ice element could melt it? They had a bad feeling when they saw the original owner of the prey return to the city with no prey or anything on them, especially when Mayonaka Yoru gave them a scheming smile. The couple was aware that the owner of the frozen Triceratops was aware of what they had done. Nonetheless, they refused to give up.

The line moves forward, and it's finally time for the thief couple to weigh their prey. They were unable to melt the ice no matter what they tried. In the presence of Leafy and Bais.h.i.+...

The thief couple is terrified.

The white lion, Bais.h.i.+, "Please remove the ice in your prey. It cannot be weighted with it covered in Ice."

"C-Can we try... I mean it's just Ice?" The warrior beastmen between the couple said.

Leafy said, "Do you not understand the rules!? No other elements are to be included! Melt it. Or maybe that prey isn't even yours that's why you can't melt it. Did you steal it somewhere?"

Upon hearing the word steal, the couple panicked even more. Especially when almost everyone in the line was looking at them. They felt embarra.s.sed when people were shouting at them.

"Is that Triceratops not theirs?"

"No wonder. This dinosaur is quite big among the mid-size herbivorous dinosaurs. I remember that man, he is a Hyena in his beast form. There is no way he can defeat such a dinosaur alone."

"Moreover, his female beastman didn't even come with him to hunt. How could their prey be covered in Ice?"

"Does that mean they stole it or something?"

"But that's against the rules..."

"That's cheating. No wonder they couldn't even melt the ice."

"Then who caught that Triceratops?"

Esther Dawn and Mayonaka Yoru approached the thief couple. As soon as the other couple noticed them they knew they were busted. Especially with Mayonaka Yoru smiling at them.

The former walked towards them and grins, he touched the iced Triceratops and said, "Thank you for bringing our prey back to the city. I left it covered in ice on the mountain road as we heard that our brothers were being chased by a Savage Beast. You are so kind to bring it to the city for us."

"I... We... Did not..."

"What are you saying!? That Triceratops is ours!!! We caught it!!" The Female Beastman said.

Esther Dawn spoke, his voice was cold and apathetic, "Yours? If it is yours then... melt the Ice! Didn't you know that casted elemental techniques can only be undone by the one who cast it? You seem to be an Ice Element user. I will believe it's yours, if you melt the ice before our ice, if not we will a.s.sume that this is the prey we lost as someone stole it during the commotion."

The murmurs of the audience and other partic.i.p.ants grew louder as they caught a glimpse of the couple. They decided to leave because things were not going well for their side. But no one expected a man named Mayonaka Yoru to melt the ice around Triceratops before everyone else. He even appears to be amused by them.

Mayonaka Yoru said, "Oh my~ it melted~ it seems this was our prey whom we lost in the mountain?"

"This prey... It seems like they are the real owners. Did you steal it? That's against the rules of the trial and the laws of our city." Bais.h.i.+ said.

The couple was not like an insect in the pan, they wanted to escape but couldn't as they were being blocked by someone from all sides.

"We just... pick it up."

"We thought no one owns it!"

"We're sorry!!" The couple ran away after that. They choose to give up the trial after this event.

Everyone had a negative att.i.tude toward the couple. Stealing is against hunting laws, and it would not be surprising if they were severely punished for it. Everyone knew the couple had a guilty conscience after they fled, but they chose not to pursue them because they still returned the prey to Mayonaka Yoru and his partner.

"There are people like that in the city. yoru, we apologize for them."

"Come on, Chief. It wasn't even your fault. Don't apologize. Moreover, our prey returned to us after all. There is no need to pursue this problem further." Mayonaka Yoru said as he still treated these kind beastmen friendly as he knew they would be a rotten one among the good ones no matter where.

Some warriors from the hunting team approached this pair and discovered why they had to leave their prey unattended for so long. Their siblings are in jeopardy. How could they have brought their prey with them as they searched for their family? It was these types of beastmen who would take advantage of this opportunity to steal from others, especially a scavenger like a hyena.

Since this farce was completed, the flow of the line has become smoother than before, and the ranking was decided quickly. The adult Triceratops, as expected, lost the weight ranking. Esther Dawn and Mayonaka Yoru were given the opportunity to select their ingredients and tools for the second trial first.

The Great Elder Tuya said, "The First Trial has ended. The Second Trial shall begin. For the next trial, you guys need to cook the prey you have caught yourself. The extra Ingredients can be picked from this side. It will be according to the ranking of which Ingredients to use. If you have spare ingredients with you then you can also cook it."

"Give us a small plate or a few bowls to taste. It would be judged by how tasty the cooked food was and who would rank first for this trial. Those who can't cook an edible dish would be considered a failure. Let's begin." Keylan Light announced.

Those who did not achieve a high ranking were only given a lighter and some wood to start a fire. Each couple claimed a corner and started a bonfire. Esther Dawn wasn't a great cook, but his lover, who had been a bachelor before they met and is a natural foodie, is. Yoru did the majority of the cooking, with Esther a.s.sisting with the ingredients.

Yoru: Pudding, was.h.i.+ng the vegetables, and making a salad. Leave a bit of lettuce.

Esther moves without speaking a word.

Yoru: Pudding, do you know where did I put the pot?

Esther looked around and picked a pot to be given to his partner. They work together quite well even if one of them can only a.s.sist.

On Asher Light and Amber Dawn's side, the holy son is the type to wreak havoc in the kitchen, whether chopping vegetables or lighting the fire. Amber kicked him out of the kitchen after he wasted an entire plate of vegetables and cut the chopping board into pieces, and he was told to remove the fruits and peel the skin.

Thud! Bang! The chopping board and vegetables are no more.

"Ash, get the h.e.l.l out of the kitchen!" Amber Dawn yelled.

Asher: Wuwuwu~ (QAQ)/ [I didn't do it on purpose.]

Something unexpected happened on Conri Lycaon and Carnelian Dawn's side. Carnelian Dawn, who the audience thought was silly and careless, appears to be a culinary expert. He directed Conri Lycaon to cut the meat into strips, cubes, or mince it. He even moves around the kitchen with far more ease than Mayonaka Yoru. Everyone was surprised because no one expected this clumsy child to be such a talented chef.

Carnelian Dawn said, "Conri, I want a striped slice of meat, cube-shaped ones, and a minced one. I also want to make some sausages but time is running out. Well, let's make some beggar chicken since I failed to catch a Pterodactyl. Dig a hole for me!"

"Just tell me anything. I will help with whatever you need, A'Lian." Conri Lycaon said.