Hunting with an Elf

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Midsummer 10th, Marcellia, Marc-Inn', 10:19 AM.

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"How's your injury?" I said, staring at Airi in the bed.

"Well, what do you think?" Airi replied.

"Seems fine," I said.

"I'm not fine, idiot. There are like a lot of bruises across my arms and legs," Airi said.

"Well, now I can stare at you all day long," I said.

"Hah?!" Airi replied, blushing.

"Alright, I'm gonna hunt for some food now. I'll be right back," I said.

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Midsummer 10th, Marcellia, Marcellia Forest, 11:34 AM.

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"Finally, I caught some rabbits," I said, inspecting my prey with satisfaction.

"I should sell half of them to the local butcher for some money."

As I considered my options, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye.

"Hmm, there's another one," I said, picking up a rock to throw at the unsuspecting rabbit.

But as I released the rock, I heard the unmistakable sound of an arrow whizzing through the air.

The rock collided with the arrow, shattering it to pieces and sending the rabbit scurrying away to safety.

Turning to the source of the arrow, I saw an elf emerge from behind a nearby tree.

She wore a playful smirk on her face as she approached me, her movements graceful and confident.

"My, my, it seems you're not the only one out here hunting rabbits," she said, her voice teasing but good-natured.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue at the elf's boldness.

"Well, it looks like we're both after the same thing," I said, returning her smirk with one of my own.

The elf's eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Perhaps we should team up and catch even more rabbits, hmm?" she suggested.

I considered the elf's offer for a moment, weighing the potential risks and rewards.

But ultimately, the thrill of the hunt was too enticing to resist.

"Alright, sure," I said, extending my hand to seal the deal.

The elf took my hand, and her grip was surprisingly strong.

"I'm Lyrisa," she said, her tone still teasing.

"And you are?"

"Mika," I replied, feeling a sense of excitement at the prospect of working with this elf.

"Well then, Mika," Lyrisa said, her smirk growing wider. "Let's go catch some rabbits together."

As we set off into the forest together, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for the adventure that lay ahead.

With an elf by my side, I had a feeling that this was going to be a hunt to remember.

As Lyrisa looked back at me with that familiar seductive gaze, I knew that I was in for a wild ride.

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Midsummer 10th, Marcellia, Marcellia Forest, 1:48 PM.

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"We've managed to catch around a dozen rabbits," I said, feeling a bit uneasy.

"I'm worried this might upset the equilibrium of their population."

"Oh my?" She turned to me, her expression pensive.

"Perhaps we should head back to the city then."

"Yes, that's probably for the best," I agreed.

"Shall we split them evenly, 50-50?" she proposed.

I nodded, "That sounds fair to me."

I handed her four of the rabbits we had caught and we resumed our journey back to the city.

Lyrisa took a deep breath and looked up at the trees.

"You know, Mika," she said with a playful grin,

"I've always wondered why the trees in this forest are so well-endowed."

I raised an eyebrow, not quite sure I had heard her correctly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling a bit confused.

"Well, they're always so big... tall... and thick..."

"It's like nature's way of compensating for something, you know?"

"Pardon?" I replied

As I looked up at her face, I met her distinctively evil gaze. We continued to walk toward the city in silence, the tension between us are palpable.

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Midsummer 10th, Marcellia, Marc-Inn', 2:57 PM.

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"I'm back, Airi," I said as I entered the room.

"I smell the odor of another woman. I thought you were just hunting for food?" Airi asked with a hint of suspicion.

"I brought food," I replied, trying to divert her attention.

"What is it?" she inquired.

"Rabbits, but I need to skin and cook them first," I explained.

"Hwaahhh," she sighed, sounding bored by my answer.

While in the forest, I stumbled upon a peculiar square-shaped rock that was the perfect size to hold my firewood for cooking.

After selling six rabbits for 8 gold coins, I bargained for an iron pan and knife for just 2 gold coins.

Armed with my new tools and the remaining two rabbits, I'm ready to prepare dinner.

I carefully skin and clean the rabbits, taking care not to damage the meat.

Next, I gather some wood and use the square-shaped rock I found as a base to build a fire.

With a few rocks, I create a spark and start the fire.

As I place the iron pan on the fire, I add a little water to prevent the meat from sticking to the surface.

Once the pan is hot, I lay the rabbit meat inside, being careful not to overcrowd it.

I let the meat sear for a few minutes on one side before flipping it over to cook the other side.

As the rabbits cook, their aroma fills the air.

"Is it ready yet?" Airi asks.

"It's still a while," I answer. I look at her pouting face and continue to cook.

After about 20 minutes, I use the iron knife to check if the meat is fully cooked.

The meat is tender and succulent, with a crispy golden brown skin.

Without plates or rice, we have no choice but to eat the meat straight from the pan with our hands.

"Let's eat!" we exclaimed in unison, the scent of succulent meat making our mouths water.

"Mmm~" Airi moaned as she took a bite, relishing the flavors.

"The meat is hot, tender, and juicy, it looks like it's ready to explode!"

I couldn't help but chuckle at her excitement. "Hey, what's with that grin?" Airi asked, catching me off guard.

"Oh, nothing," I replied with a smirk, trying to hide my amusement.

As she continued to eat, Airi suddenly brought up the combat training we had just completed.

"Say, when Wolfsbane struck you, how did you come out unscathed?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Taking a deep breath, I remembered the excruciating pain.

"Well, it's not that I was completely uninjured," I began.

"I felt a tremendous amount of pain, but I managed to dislocate my heart just in time to avoid getting unconscious."

Airi's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Dislocated your heart? How is that even possible?" she asked.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I was just born with the ability. I moved my heart to the bottom half of my body to avoid the impact."

Airi stared at me, still not comprehending.

"But... how?" she asked.

I grinned. "I wish I could explain it, but it's just something that comes naturally to me."

She shook her head, amazed. "That's incredible. But how did you manage to escape without a scratch?"

I paused for a moment, trying to remember the details.

"It's called Xiaoli or the art of disappearance," I explained, "and I just relaxed my whole body and let the force pass through me. It's like a baby falling out of a tree and being unharmed, while an elephant would be crushed."

Airi looked intrigued. "How about the slow punch you do? How did you crack the ground when your punch is slower than a walking worm?"

"Well, I'll explain both forms of Xiaoli," I said.

"Defensive Xiaoli produces hyposthenia, which makes the user appear to lose body mass but also relaxes the body. It's like the user absorbs the attacker's whole body weight. The ultimate form of hyposthenia can unleash a punch that comes from extreme relaxation. On the other hand, Offensive Xiaoli allows a person to put their entire body weight into their blows. With this technique, even a weak person's punch can become incredibly powerful."

"I've never heard of Xiaoli before. It sounds like a very powerful technique," Airi said thoughtfully.

"It is," I replied.

"But it takes decades of practice to master. You have to learn to control your body and mind, relax, and focus your energy. It's not easy, but once you've mastered it, you can do things that other people can't even imagine."

"Do you think anyone can learn Xiaoli, or is it something that only a select few can do?" Airi asked.

"I think anyone can learn it," I said.

"But it takes a lot of dedication and hard work. You have to be willing to put in the time and effort, practice every day, and never give up. Unless, of course, you're the strongest creature on earth."

Airi raised an eyebrow. "You've been mentioning this 'earth' thing lately. What's that?"

"Oh, it's just what I call my world," I explained. "You brought me to this world to fight the demon king, but you don't even know its name."

"Right..." Airi replied, looking slightly embarrassed.