The anglers couldn't say for sure what they were feeling—terror or excitement?
But in short, they ultimately ate the monster dishes before them dizzily, as if possessed by ghosts. Because they couldn't refuse Ryu's words; those gentle words, carrying no threat whatsoever, felt like commands touching the depths of their souls, making them accept unconsciously.
From another angle, perhaps they were unwilling to think about the consequences of "resistance," just as lambs obey a shepherd's instructions.
This fish steak and chowder... the taste wasn't shockingly amazing, but one could feel the chef's dedication. Rough cooking methods and limited seasonings, under careful and meticulous control, turned into a deliciousness that warmed the body, replenished stamina, and soothed emotions.
Incredible... after eating, they calmed down.
Probably because the blood rushed to their stomachs, slowing down their thinking, making them unwilling to think about overly complex matters anymore.
Finally, until they left this place, they felt a psychedelic sensation as if falling into a dream...
"I seem to have scared them." Ryu glanced at the receding backs of the anglers, which were gradually shrinking into black dots in the distance, and shook his head.
Actually, he didn't have that much killing intent; adventurers engaging in petty theft is not a rare occurrence, and he just wanted to give these people a warning.
But, he underestimated the deterrent power of [Humanoid Slayer]!
This skill allowed Ryu to understand humanoid anatomy and weaknesses better than a doctor, including what methods to use for attacking and what effects they would cause. Whether it was to incapacitate them or kill them instantly, he could come up with a multitude of plans in an instant.
And adventurers who had experienced life and death, with their instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm, realized their fragility in Ryu's hands, so the head angler surrendered decisively after being subdued by Ryu.
Of course, what made them so dispirited shouldn't just be [Humanoid Slayer].
Ryu used [Demon Brain] to imitate the movements and tone of a certain psychiatrist, combined with his own strength, temperament, and charisma; all these factors combined achieved a wondrous suggestive effect.
Those anglers were essentially induced or even hypnotized—after all, they weren't people of firm will to begin with, and with their minds shaken by the monster cuisine, it was very simple to exploit their weakness.
Interestingly, the memories of "Hannibal" in Ryu's mind came from a certain movie; he hadn't met the real Hannibal.
Theoretically, movie performances contain fiction and exaggeration... but Ryu's [Demon Brain] was not limited by this. It even reinforced the image based on the movie, and the results were unexpectedly good.
This made Ryu quite proud:
Baki Hanma fantasized about a "Giant Mantis" and a "Chimera" that didn't exist in reality as his enemies, even constructing their entire combat styles.
And he now could depict a virtual character existing only in novels and movies. Although the movie provided him with a perfect reference sample, his [Demon Brain] was no longer inferior to the original!
"I'll clean up."
Senshi packed up the bowls and chopsticks and took them to the dock for cleaning, and Ryu went over to help.
"If you are exploring the Dungeon alone, you must be careful. It's not just the monsters that are dangerous here, but also your own kind."
Food scraps attracted small fish, and Senshi fed the fish while washing the bowls, finding time to offer Ryu some advice.
He didn't take the previous conflict to heart. After all, he had lived in the Dungeon for over fifty years before the Dungeon entrance surfaced, making him almost a native here. As for the adventurers, the most experienced ones had only been here for five or six years!
One could say Senshi watched how this Dungeon was discovered and then "prospered." He had seen the infighting and mutual slaughter among adventurers countless times~
He felt Ryu wasn't a bad person, having a noble elegance out of place in the Dungeon, so he kindly offered a reminder or two.
"Living here, it's not enough just to be skilled. You must remember not to lose your awe for the Dungeon, nor your vigilance against strangers... It's best to find a reliable team. Solo exploration has its limits."
Senshi got emotional as he spoke, perhaps relating it to himself.
The difficulty of the Dungeon is directly linked to the number of people inside. Senshi could have originally explored deeper layers, but as the number of adventurers increased, the quantity and strength of the monsters gradually rose. Now, he could no longer break through the underground 4th Floor.
"I want to as well, but no one is willing to team up with me."
Ryu said, looking very distressed: "Everyone thinks I have brain problems because I always think about eating monsters. Because of this hobby, I can only be a lone wolf."
Senshi fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then asked curiously: "Why research monster cuisine? I mean, normal people wouldn't have such thoughts; there must be a reason, right?"
"...Yes, it's a bit complex."
Ryu scratched his head embarrassedly: "Initially, it was a child's admiration... those heroes in fairy tales bathing in dragon blood and eating dragon meat, thereby gaining immense strength.
Because I really like various hero legends, I started researching monsters along with them, and gradually got addicted... I found that in most books introducing monsters, the 'taste' and 'toxicity' are just the author's speculation, and they haven't actually eaten them.
So, I became a gourmet, wanting to travel the world eating all kinds of monsters, to write a 'Monster Gourmet Guide' to fill the gaps in knowledge."
"Oh oh! A great idea!"
Senshi's eyes lit up: "I've also thought about recording my experiences, it's just that not many people are interested in monster cuisine, and I don't have anyone to teach, so for now, I just write casually in the form of a diary.
You're just a child, yet your ambition is far-reaching~ Amazing!"
"Oh, you flatter me... Mr. Senshi also researches monster cuisine?" Ryu seemed to suddenly realize something.
"Of course!"
Senshi nodded: "I've lived in the Dungeon for decades. I started seriously researching monster cuisine about twenty years ago, I guess."
"Incredible! I didn't expect to find a fellow enthusiast in this world!"
Ryu looked excited, like someone finding a soulmate amidst high mountains and flowing water. He paused, then had a flash of inspiration: "By the way, is Mr. Senshi also alone?"
"Mn!"
Senshi looked at the joyful Ryu. In his perspective as one of the dwarves, humans mostly looked young, and Ryu looked no different from a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, so he couldn't help but feel the protective urge of an elder toward a junior.
He always liked helping young people~
Right!
This child looks educated and full of enthusiasm; could I entrust my recipes to him to spread them?
Although I don't have children, I can still have a successor!
...Ding!
[Destiny Coins (Senshi) +1]
Just as planned!
In an instant, Ryu's smile was full of smugness, which was then forcibly suppressed.
[Noble's Arrogance]? Can't let a negative trait ruin things at a time like this~
—
Senshi wasn't just a simple cook; actually, as seen from the original work, he understood the habitats of monsters very well and was extremely calm in battle, almost never seen panicking.
His special experiences in his early years, plus half a century of solo travel, had long turned him into the adventurer among adventurers!
Even with the two major bonuses of [Monster Hunter] and [Humanoid Slayer], Ryu could still learn from him, fully proving the gold standard of this dwarf cook~
He suppressed the negative emotion of "pride" well, accepting Senshi's teachings humbly during hunting and cooking, and Senshi also felt a long-lost sense of security after teaming up with him.
This child was too skilled!
Leaving aside obvious stats like brainpower and explosive power, what surprised Senshi was that Ryu never looked strained and never proactively asked to rest.
He wasn't showing off; he was truly at ease!
Additionally, most of Ryu's weapons and equipment had "enchantment" effects, some possibly even being legacies of ancient elves—for instance, a short spear with paralysis magic, a crossbow attached with explosive flame spells, and a magic sword that could cut steel.
Taking just one of these things out could exchange for wealth that would let someone enjoy life for several years, right?
Yet such things were used casually by Ryu, completely indifferent to wear and tear; he was wealthy to a tongue-clicking degree!
Senshi didn't care much about wealth; he had long lost the various desires of the mundane world, otherwise he wouldn't have lived so long in the "Dungeon that devours desire" without being digested. But that didn't mean he didn't know the utility of money, so he became increasingly curious about Ryu's background.
This isn't something a common noble could have. Is he a prince of some country? That kind of big shot exploring the Dungeon, and even eating monsters?
Indeed, living long has its benefits; one encounters all sorts of strange things!
One experienced and familiar with the terrain, one with maxed stats and infinite stamina; the two working together had practically no rivals in these first four floors, easily returning from the water zone to the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st floors.
Senshi's plan was to return to the surface, properly restock daily necessities, and then go on an expedition with Ryu to see if they could reach the underground 5th or even 6th floors.
His operational motto was always slow and steady, and stamina must be replenished before battle; one cannot ignore health conditions just to save time, otherwise a small negligence could mean death in the Dungeon.
So even though they had the strength to clear it in a day, they still spent two whole days, and Ryu also ate five or six more "Delicious in Dungeon" meals.
Basilisks, fruits of Man-eating plants, Walking Mushrooms, Giant Bats... By the way, Ryu even filled his drinking water from the 4th floor these days; for safety reasons, under Senshi's guidance, he found antidote grass and treated it as flower tea.
One can only say hard work pays off; in just two short days, Ryu felt his strength clearly increase by thirty percent. The effects of these monster dishes were much stronger than wild game in reality!
Indeed, food rich in magic is more nutritious!
Now he couldn't help but start looking forward to large targets like Wyverns and Red Dragons...
"Reaching the 1st floor is enough. Now that the Dungeon is flooded with a large number of adventurers, the weak monsters on the 1st floor have mostly been cleared out, and the whole floor has turned into a market for adventurers to exchange supplies."
Arriving at an underground street where about a hundred people had gathered, Senshi found a place to sit down and laid out herbs and monster bones.
"Let's trade for some salt and vinegar, and see if anyone can offer cooking wine. Of course, flour, tea leaves, and rice are also essentials."
"If the goods aren't valuable enough, use this."
Ryu took a handful of fine gold particles from his pocket and poured them into Senshi's hand: "Do adventurers here accept gold transactions?"
"...Of course." Senshi looked up at Ryu.
The surrounding adventurers were like flies attracted to the scent of blood, subconsciously casting their gazes over, staring dead at the gold.
But Senshi wasn't suspicious; instead, he noticed a detail:
These gold pieces weren't fragments stripped from artifacts like what adventurers could get, but mass-produced items of uniform size and similar shape... Indeed, this child comes from a significant background!
Just then, a small commotion came from not far away; it seemed someone was arguing. Ryu's sharp gaze immediately swept over.
—The boy's pupils constricted slightly, and the corners of his mouth rose uncontrollably.
Found them!
"...I said no!"
"But there's no other way, we don't have money to buy normal food right now."
"Even so, even so..."
"Listen, Marcille, don't judge it by its looks; it might actually be very delicious... I heard scorpions are distant relatives of crabs."
"Liar!"
A pointy-eared Elf with blonde hair and a green robe stomped the floor angrily holding her staff.
"Yada! Yada! Yada yo! I will absolutely not eat this kind of thing!"
Her teammates: a human warrior wearing half-plate armor, and a short but well-proportioned halfling (Hobbit) explorer, all revealed troubled expressions to varying degrees.
They were currently holding a large scorpion and a Walking Mushroom, seemingly discussing whether to use this as a substitute for lunch.
It was just that the halfling was both hesitant and very disgusted, seemingly not wanting to eat monsters either.
The human man was the exact opposite; that look in his eyes asking "It clearly looks delicious, why are you unwilling" made his Elf teammate extremely furious.
"I'm telling you—"
"Can you two keep it down? No matter what you want to do, attracting too much attention definitely isn't good, right?"
A strange, gentle voice rang out. The two were startled, quickly shutting their mouths and looking at the newcomer in surprise.
"S-Sorry! U-Um, who are you? Do we know you?"
"No, I just saw you holding this... and seemed to be discussing whether to eat it, so I was a bit curious."
Ryu said embarrassedly: "If you are going to cook it, could you let me taste it too?"
"!"
"!"
Three pairs of eyes widened in unison.
Soon, the human warrior looked delighted, but the Elf mage was in disbelief: "Do you know what we are talking about? It's a Walking Mushroom, a monster!"
"Yes."
Ryu looked like it was a matter of course, and quickly added: "Of course, I won't take it for free... How about exchanging it for a Basilisk egg?"
The Elf mage instantly lost the light in her eyes: "How... are you serious? So calm... eating monsters, did it become a trend when I wasn't looking?"
"Do you have a Basilisk egg? Have you eaten it? What does it taste like?"
The human warrior immediately stepped forward to grasp Ryu's hand, asking like a firing machine gun: "Well? Do you have Basilisk meat? Does it taste the same as chicken? I've wanted to try it for a long time, but I've always..."
"Do you like monster cuisine?" Ryu asked in surprise.
"Yes! So, you must be..."
"Actually..."
The two looked at each other, unconsciously tightening their grip and shaking hands hard, wearing expressions of regretting not meeting sooner.
"I'm Laios!"
"Just call me Ryu."
"Ryu? That's nice, are you from the East? Actually, I also have a good friend from the East named Shuro... but he's not here now, I'll introduce you later.
Hey, listen to me, what kind of monster dishes have you eaten?"
"Let me think, probably fish-men, Slimes, Giant Bats..."
"Amazing! Those are all things I want to eat!"
"I'll cook for you if there's a chance hahaha... Strange, why does it feel..."
"Indeed, I also feel..."
""We will definitely become great friends!!!""
—"Guh! Just kill me!"
The Elf mage dug her ten fingers into her hair, kneeling on the ground in agony.
"With this flow, isn't there no way to refuse anymore?!"
________________________________________
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