Chapter 307
When Zeke said to call Bigjo, the Beastkin exchanged glances.
As Zeke tried to slowly approach while holding the true demon sword, one of them quickly went inside.
Zeke sheathed his sword and turned towards Helen.
“Sister, are you okay?”
Helen smiled at Zeke with a gaunt face.
“I’m fine. But Zeke, did you come to this dangerous place alone?”
“Due to circumstances, the knights’ order is staying in the autonomous district.”
Zeke first explained the external situation, mentioning that the Imperial Army had sent assassins from the Nostra Family to attack him.
Helen was shocked by those words.
“Nostra Family? Has the Empire joined hands with them?”
“Yes, and moreover, these monsters were originally released by the Empire.”
Helen clenched her teeth after hearing Zeke’s words.
“Those Imperial bastards…”
“They can use a stimulant made from Soma and dark magic to brainwash not only monsters but also beastkin and humans.”
While Zeke and Helen were talking, members of the Bird tribe and beastkin appeared inside the fortress.
THUD!
At the front of the Black Wing tribe, crouching with a heavy iron club, was Song of Crouching Flames.
Next to him stood Beastkin with bulky muscles and broad shoulders, and in front of them was Bigjo, a rat beastkin dressed in a gentlemanly outfit.
Seeing him in person, it was surprising how Bigjo, small in stature and old in age, had gathered rough Beastkin gangsters to create a massive organization.
Bigjo slowly approached Zeke while leaning on his cane.
After glancing at the tiger beastman assault captain collapsed near the gate, he spoke to Zeke.
“KIKI, Sir Zeke Draker. I’ve heard much about you. If our child has caused offense, I will apologize.”
Bigjo took off his bowler hat and bowed his head to Zeke.
Seeing Bigjo’s demeanor, Zeke felt that he was by no means an easy opponent.
‘His tone is soft, but his voice has no tremor. Despite being quite exhausted, his eyes are still clear.’
An opponent like this would be disadvantageous if turned into an enemy.
Zeke spoke to Bigjo.
“I’ve brought a message from Kali Draker.”
Bigjo furrowed his eyebrows at those words.
“A message from Lady Kali Draker. Sir Zeke Draker, you’ve worked hard to come this far. However, I’m not sure what meaning Lady Kali’s message would have in the current situation.”
Zeke approached Bigjo.
The other Beastkin standing behind Bigjo blocked his way.
Bigjo waved his hand and said.
“KIKI, you guys, it’s okay. Sir Zeke is a gentleman. You all behave like gentlemen too.”
The Crosstel organization members stepped back, their eyes shining with the beast-like gaze unique to Beastkin.
Zeke looked at Bigjo and Song of Crouching Flames.
“If the Bird tribe and Crosstel want to form an alliance and officially declare the independence of the ghetto area, Lady Kali Draker is willing to support and help that declaration.”
Bigjo laughed and said.
“An interesting proposal. But… from this old man’s perspective, it’s not easy to accept positively.”
Song of Crouching Flames, standing next to him, spoke up.
“I can’t tell the difference between Kali’s army and the Empire’s peacekeeping forces.”
His tone was sharp, likely due to the prolonged isolated situation.
Zeke looked at Bigjo and Song of Crouching Flames.
“Those monsters outside were released by the Empire.”
Bigjo’s eyebrows twitched at his words, and Song of Crouching Flames gripped his club tightly.
Zeke continued.
“You must have already seen the Imperial Army’s experimental reports. The Empire is experimenting on and controlling not just Beastkin and humans, but now even monsters at will. In such a situation, are we going to continue confronting each other?”
Bigjo slowly spoke.
“Hmm, this is not an easy decision to make. Song of Crouching Flames, what are your thoughts?”
Bigjo naturally passed the decision-making right to Song of Crouching Flames.
He spoke with a sharp gaze.
“Humans cannot be trusted.”
The Bird tribe, having been oppressed for a long time in the ghetto area, couldn’t help but have a strong hatred towards humans.
Zeke looked at Song of Crouching Flames.
“How can I make you believe me?”
Song of Crouching Flames looked at Zeke and said.
“A trustworthy human is a dead human. If you prove it by stabbing yourself in the stomach with your own sword, I’ll believe you.”
At those words, Helen stepped forward angrily.
“Song of Crouching Flames. We have come to this harsh place for your sake. Watch your words.”
When Helen spoke threateningly, other Bird tribe members raised their clubs and spread their wings.
Looking at the Black Wing tribe warriors who seemed ready to scream at any moment, Zeke waved his hand and said,
“Please stop. If we fight here now, we’ll only help the Empire.”
Zeke opened his inventory and pulled out a box full of food.
“When you’re hungry, nerves become sharp. Let’s fill our stomachs first and then talk.”
* * *
Those in the fortress could finally fill their stomachs and satisfy their hunger with the food Zeke brought.
However, this alone was not enough to sustain the hundreds of people in the fortress. They needed another way to find food.
But the surroundings were filled only with monsters, so they couldn’t find other prey.
‘I can absorb monsters, but others can’t eat them..?.’
Monster meat was toxic and tough, making it impossible to use as food.
Then something flashed through Zeke’s mind.
‘Wait, if it’s just tough and toxic…’
After pondering, Zeke jumped over the fortress and went outside.
He then caught a Minotaur by striking it down with the giant hunter and dragged it back.
The Beastkin guarding the fortress were shocked seeing Zeke dragging the Minotaur by its horns.
They opened the fortress gate and let him in.
THUD!
When Zeke put down the Minotaur in the open space, some Beastkin gathered around.
They asked Zeke,
“Sir Knight, did you catch this to eat?”
“Yes.”
The Beastkin were horrified and shook their heads.
“Don’t talk nonsense. Although it looks like a cow, it’s pure muscle with strong toxins in its blood, making it completely inedible.”
Occasionally, they would process Minotaur horns or leather, but the meat was utterly unusable.
Only Barbarians could eat and digest monster meat.
Zeke nodded hearing their words.
“Well, in this situation, that’s understandable.”
He took out Anexi’s dagger and skillfully began dismembering the Minotaur.
He skinned it, butchered it, and cut it into pieces.
As Zeke dismembered the Minotaur, not just Beastkin but some Bird tribe members also came to watch.
The Bird tribe members were much more cynical.
“Look at this stupid human struggling.”
After completely dismembering the Minotaur, Zeke carefully took out Agamemnon’s mask from his inventory and used the purification skill on the massive meat chunks.
TSSS! TSSS! TSSS!
The meat, now purified of its toxins, changed from the previous dark color to a bright crimson.
The Beastkin were surprised.
“Oh? That… it looks delicious.”
“Right. Though low in fat, it looks firm. Seems it would be savory when grilled…”
“How did he do that?”
Since most Beastkin are carnivores, they always need sufficient meat.
Being trapped here, they were almost experiencing withdrawal from not eating fresh meat.
Zeke, ignoring the Beastkin’s murmurs, brought large stones from the fortress, cut and arranged them with Bahamut, then laid the purified Minotaur meat on the smooth stones.
Then he raised his hand and cast holy light on the meat.
WHOOOOSH!
A warm, pure white light rose and began seeping into the meat.
Simultaneously, the meat became tender and started sizzling in the holy light.
“What is he doing?”
“Isn’t he a knight? That looks like magic…”
“What on earth is that?”
Zeke ignored the surrounding whispers and created pure flames to heat the stone plate.
With holy light above and pure flames below, an incredibly intense flavor arose that couldn’t be achieved with ordinary fire.
When the meat seemed cooked, Zeke cut a piece with his dagger, tasted it, and nodded.
“Not bad.”
A wolf beastman standing nearby, drooling, couldn’t resist and stepped forward.
“S-Sir Knight. May I try a piece?”
The meat looked so delicious that he wanted to taste even Minotaur meat.
Zeke nodded.
The wolf beastman immediately rushed forward, stabbed a meat chunk with his sharp claws, and bit into it.
After chewing and swallowing, the wolf beastman’s eyes widened.
“Huh!”
He made a surprised expression, cautiously glanced at Zeke, and when Zeke nodded, he began devouring the meat.
The nearby Beastkin were shocked.
“Is he crazy? Hey! That’s Minotaur meat!”
“Damn, is he going to be the first one?”
The wolf beastman, who had eaten a meat chunk in an instant, patted his belly with a happy expression.
“Wow, Sir Knight! This is the most delicious meat I’ve ever eaten in my life! The juiciness, the tenderness… m-may I have another piece?”
Zeke smiled and said,
“Eat as much as you want. I’ll grill more if it’s not enough.”
At Zeke’s words, the wolf beastman wagged his tail happily and began tearing into the meat, bone and all.
Other Beastkin were confused.
‘What’s going on? Shouldn’t he be collapsing from the toxins?’
‘Wow, it looks incredibly delicious. Maybe I’ll try a little.’
Zeke spoke to the Beastkin who were just watching.
“The toxins are removed, so you can eat without worry.”
Hesitating at first, the Beastkin eventually grabbed meat chunks and cautiously began eating.
“Huh?”
“Oh!?”
“My goodness…”
The Beastkin who ate the meat were momentarily speechless. Then, as if on cue, they began devouring the meat chunks like crabs vanishing.
“Hey! You’ve already eaten two chunks!”
“You punk! That’s mine!”
Half a Minotaur’s worth of meat disappeared in an instant.
The Beastkin lay sprawled out, patting their rounded bellies with happy expressions.
“Ahhhh. So good.”
“I can die happy now.”
Helen and the knights of the Iron Knights standing nearby could only be bewildered. Happily eating monster meat?
Then Zeke approached them, holding something.
“Since you haven’t had a proper meal for a long time, it would be better to have a few meals as soup.”
Zeke distributed soup made with Minotaur meat to Helen and the knights. It looked quite appetizing, with large meat chunks and fresh vegetables.
The knights didn’t feel like eating, thinking Minotaur meat was inside. Although the Beastkin looked fine, weren’t they a different race?
As they hesitated, Helen took a soup bowl and picked up a spoon.
The other knights tried to stop her.
“C-Commander! It’s fine for Beastkin! If humans eat monster meat, it’ll be a disaster!”
Helen pushed away the restraining knights and scooped up a large meat chunk.
As she slowly chewed, her eyes widened.
“Delicious.”
Suddenly, she began gulping down the soup.
The knights were stunned.
“Commander? Are you… okay?”
Helen had already finished an entire bowl of soup.
The knights looked nervously between the soup in front of them and her, swallowing hard. Then they slowly took spoonfuls.
Their eyes widened at the incredible taste.
“How is this possible?”
“Wow, this is as good as high-end soup sold in Atlas!”
The knights, like Helen, quickly finished their bowls.
Zeke began grilling the remaining meat with a smile.
THUD!
Song of Crouching Flames approached Zeke, grilling meat with a sharp gaze.
He said to Zeke.
“What are you doing, human?”
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