Chapter 150: The Fire Bear
BOOM!
A giant body was sent flying backward like a meatball bowling ball, crashing through countless towering trees with devastating force. A cloud of dust and debris filled the area.
ROAR!
A deafening roar transformed into an invisible sonic wave, dispersing the dust and revealing the body of the behemoth. It was a massive, crimson bear, its entire body engulfed in scorching flames that distorted the air.
The Fire Bear, Capture Level 3600, a beast that inhabited the Forest of Appetite. Not only did it possess searing hot flames, but its brute strength was also astonishing. And this wasn't even the highest-level Fire Bear. However, at this moment, it looked a bit pathetic. Its mouth, which should have been full of sharp teeth, was now missing half of them.
It had clearly just been thrashed by Kenji. Never in its bear life had it suffered such a grievance. Fueled by anger, the flames on its body burned even more fiercely.
"Fighting is awesome!"
"Let's keep this brawl going!"
Kenji ripped off his tattered T-shirt, revealing a lean and powerful physique. His muscle lines were sharp and distinct, his body perfectly proportioned, without the overly exaggerated bulk of a bodybuilder.
Fighting the Fire Bear head-on without any buffs—this kind of wild combat was the best form of training.
POW!
Lushan Rising Dragon Fist!
Crossing the distance in a few steps, he came in close and landed a heavy uppercut on the Fire Bear's chin. A spray of blood erupted from its mouth, and its massive body was lifted right off the ground. A few more bloody teeth fell out.
So tough.
Kenji frowned slightly. A beast nearing Level 4000... its durability was truly impressive. Only the strongest species that survived the process of elimination could live in the Forest of Appetite.
The battle continued. The Fire Bear shook its head and launched a ferocious attack.
SWIPE!
Its sharp claws, like knives, left shallow bloody marks on Kenji's chest. They didn't even reach the bone, a testament to how monstrous Kenji's physical body was.
The Fire Bear looked at its own claws. What's going on? I just barely broke his defense?
Man—!
Kenji delivered a Black Flash elbow strike, ramming it into the Fire Bear's thick, fatty stomach and sending the massive body flying.
Atashino watched the one-on-one brawl between man and bear and shook her head helplessly. He could have finished it in an instant, yet he chose this kind of primal battle.
Twenty minutes later, Kenji had had enough fun.
"Meteorite Crash!"
BOOM!
Kenji clasped his hands together and brought them down heavily on the top of the Fire Bear's head. The impact, like a falling meteor, caused several streams of blood to spurt from the small wound. Countless fine cracks appeared on its skull, and its brain was instantly turned to mush.
Thud!
The Fire Bear's giant body fell stiffly to the ground, its life force completely extinguished. It still couldn't out-brawl this human.
Crack, crackle!
Kenji stretched lazily, the movement of his joints making a sound like popping beans. The bloody marks on his chest had already vanished. A wound like that was just a scratch to him. After a good workout, he felt great.
"Atashino, I want to eat the bear paws and the bear heart," Kenji said, pointing at the Fire Bear.
"Yes, yes. Leave it to me," Atashino said with a smile. Whatever you want to eat, I'll satisfy you.
Spicy and Numbing Bear Paw, made with Scarlet Peppers from Hell. Just a tiny amount could bring an impactfully spicy flavor. One bite and you could feel a volcano erupting in your mouth.
Cold-Tossed Bear Heart, made with ingredients foraged on the spot, a gift from nature, sprinkled with Meteor Spice to create a delicious dish.
"Hoo, hoo—"
Intense!
After taking one bite of the soft, numbing, and spicy Fire Bear paw, Kenji's face instantly turned bright red. The level of spice was just right; it didn't mask the original flavor of the paw. It was full of collagen, and the aroma was intoxicating. If a normal person ate this level of spice, their rear end would suffer dearly. In his previous life, eating something like bear paw would have landed you in jail for a long time.
The texture of the bear heart was incredibly springy and chewy. Paired with the sour and spicy flavor, it was impossible to stop eating. Given the Fire Bear's size, its heart and paws were super-sized. There was no need to worry about not having enough.
"This is the fourth beast over Level 3000," Atashino said.
"They all taste great, and they're full of energy. Perfect for Food Immersion and getting stronger," Kenji nodded. In the forest on the Deer King's back, it was easy to encounter beasts of several thousand levels. It was a treasure trove of ingredients. The forest was huge, with plenty of space to explore.
[Star Forger]: @God's Tongue Erina, this is Flavor Spirit Stew Soup. After drinking a mouthful, you can freely control your sense of taste.
Kenji had come across a spring, but what gushed out was this peculiar clear soup. Its Capture Level was around 1000. Because it was an endless supply, many creatures used it as their daily water source.
[God's Tongue]: Thank you. If you need me to cook something, just ask.
Her powers weren't suited for that kind of special ingredient preparation, but if it came to "drugging" something, she could give it a try. Erina took a sip, an expression of enjoyment on her face. The savory flavor was perfect; even the God's Tongue couldn't find any flaws. She then began to try it with ordinary dishes.
[Star Forger]: Mm, there will be a time when you'll be needed.
[Stank]: It's too cold! Someone get me a coat! That bald mage... threw... me... on top of Mount Everest!
Tony, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, stood on the icy summit of Mount Everest. If his constitution hadn't been strengthened by the ingredients, this genius would have become an icicle.
[Gudako]: Mr. Tony is a beautiful frozen man today.
[The Destroyer]: Aren't you supposed to be learning magic? What are you doing on Mount Everest?
[Star Forger]: The Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, probably wants to fast-track Tony's training. After all, potential is more easily unleashed in a life-or-death situation.
[The Champion]: If Tony can't succeed, will he really freeze to death?
[Star Forger]: His body might freeze to death, but what does that have to do with his soul? The Ancient One can just find a puppet and stuff Tony's soul into it.
Just scaring Tony a little.
[Galactic Baseballer]: Dear Mr. Tony Stank, do you have a will? I can inherit it on your behalf.
Getting my foster father to drop his gold coins isn't that easy.
[Stank]: Fck that! I don't want to become a machine!*
Tony rubbed his hands together and began to draw a circle with his Sling Ring. Pepper was still waiting for him. He wouldn't die here.
"Kenji, Lia is home all by herself. Won't she get hungry?" Atashino asked.
"She won't. There are plenty of ingredients near our house. With her strength, it's no problem. And it's not like we're not going back," Kenji replied. Although Saber Alter's strength wasn't top-tier on this planet, the beasts near his house were all within a Capture Level she could handle.
"Besides, I left a lot of junk food. Saber Alter is very easy to raise." As long as she had junk food, Saber Alter could lie on the sofa all day without even rolling over.
"I don't get it. Why does Lia like high-calorie food so much?" Atashino couldn't help but smile.
"It's a personal preference, I guess." Perhaps because of her Alter-ego, she had completely let herself go and had an unrestrained love for junk food.
Kenji remembered there was a Fast Food Basin in the Human World, with all sorts of junk food—hamburgers, fried chicken, pizza, you name it.
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