The bright moon hung high, the stars twinkled, and the peaceful lake reflected the starry sky, also illuminating a campfire on the shore.
The firewood burned in the flames, occasionally making a "crackle" and "pop" sound. Sparks flew and landed on the river fish skewered on nearby wooden sticks, singeing them with small black marks.
The scene shifts. A naked young man, covered only from the waist down by a strip of Bullfango hide, sat cross-legged by the fire. He was drawing heat from the flames to ward off the damp night chill while turning the wooden stick in his hands to ensure the fish was cooked evenly.
"Hoo, hoo."
Feeling that the fish was ready, Ethan leaned in and blew on it. He cautiously tore off a bite of fish meat. The inherent tenderness of the Sushiphish, combined with the smoky aroma of the grilling, brought a strong warmth along with the delicious taste. It was incredibly satisfying as the cool night wind blew past.
In three or two mouthfuls, he swallowed the grilled fish. Ethan wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and carefully assessed his own condition, secretly sighing with relief. "Ah."
After soaking in the water for so long and then being naked in the cool night air, in his previous life, he would have certainly caught a high fever.
Fortunately, this was the miraculous world of Monster Hunter. After chewing a few Herbs and eating a grilled fish that was crispy outside, tender inside, and incredibly fatty, he wasn't exactly jumping for joy, but at least the initial faint dizziness and light-headedness vanished instantly.
"Slap!"
Another large fish landed in front of Ethan. This time it was a Glutton Tuna, nearly forty centimeters long.
Ethan shook his head helplessly. He pierced it with a sharp tree branch, not bothering to scale or gut it, and simply set it over the fire to roast.
After all, this fish wasn't for him.
He looked up. On the other side of the fire, the Arzuros was sitting on its haunches, its black, beady eyes staring fixedly at the rotating fish in his hands, drool constantly dripping from its mouth.
Looking at the Arzuros, and recalling a moment earlier, the corners of Ethan's mouth twitched twice.
A wild Arzuros had never seen human cooking methods. In its simple understanding, fish could be immediately gnawed on as soon as they were pulled from the water. Therefore, when it saw Ethan not immediately accepting its gift but instead collecting dry branches to light a bonfire, its curiosity was piqued intensely.
It even tentatively tried to paw at the bonfire and nearly set the fur on its paw alight, scaring it into rushing into the river to cool down.
Then, when Ethan finished preparing the Sushiphish and began to roast it over the fire, the aroma lured the creature again. It eagerly approached Ethan, its black, wet nose constantly twitching, and saliva dripping onto the roasting fish, forcing Ethan to reluctantly shove the first cooked fish into the Arzuros's mouth.
After carefully savoring the delicacy, the Arzuros offered this critique: "Roar! Roar!"
The gist was, "Delicious! Amazing! It only lacks the fish liver and stomach, which are the soul of the dish," or something similar.
Ethan rolled his eyes. He pulled his thoughts back, saw that the Tuna in his hand was already fragrant, lifted it, and tossed it to the Arzuros. Then, he quietly watched it devour the fish.
If there were a 'favorability' system, perhaps he'd see the Arzuros's favorability towards him skyrocketing right now. "Hmm."
Ah, under normal circumstances, high-danger monsters shouldn't appear in the Stream area. With such a good "Bear Bro" around, safety should be guaranteed, as long as he doesn't run into a Flying Wyvern like a Rathian. He could explore the surroundings in the future without so much fear.
Sigh. When can I find Yukumo Village? I really want to soak in a hot spring and have a feast!
Speaking of which, if I really find Yukumo Village, I should be able to eat meat, right? It won't be just drinks, will it?
The tranquil night, interwoven with the chirping of insects and the bip-bop of the burning campfire. Fatigue rose from his whirling mind, gradually drowning out the chaotic thoughts. Before he knew it, Ethan had laid down on the ground, emitting a light snore.
At this moment, the Arzuros had already wolfed down the entire Glutton Tuna, constantly licking its paws, savoring every last bit of fragrant oil clinging to them.
It was about to get up and catch a few more river fish, so that the human could help use the magical fire to make the fish more delicious, only to find the human already lying on the ground, sound asleep.
'So sleepy…'
Thinking this, and noticing the person's curled-up posture and faint trembling, the Arzuros rose. It walked slowly over to Ethan, lay down on its side, and half-cuddled him. Its large body blocked the cold wind, and its thick, dense fur locked in the surrounding heat. Ethan's slightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed in his sleep.
'Humans, these animals without solid fur, are truly fragile…'
Thinking this, the Arzuros also closed its eyes and drifted off to sleep to re-savor the taste of the delicious grilled fish.
…
Time flew by. About another week had passed since Ethan was attacked by the Great Jagras pack and fell off the cliff.
During this time, thanks to Ethan's decent grilling skills and some spices he had collected nearby, the Arzuros had become completely infatuated with his grilled fish. Their relationship rapidly grew closer. Sleeping soundly wrapped in the Arzuros's thick, dense fur had become Ethan's daily routine.
One day, Ethan had a sudden thought: since the Arzuros's two favorite foods were honey and fish, wouldn't glazing the grilled fish with honey be double the pleasure?
Out of gratitude to the Arzuros and with the goal of further cementing their relationship, Ethan left their current lakeside habitat and ventured into the forest further upstream, hoping to find some honey.
While Ethan was lighting a torch and using the smoke to drive the bees out of a hive, on the other side of the woods, a Hunter clad in red and blue armor, carrying a heavy Sword and Shield on his back, also stepped into the jungle.
The Hunter, named Kayne, strode confidently into the deep forest, completely unconcerned about the possibility of monster attacks.
In truth, Kayne indeed had no need to worry. If monsters could recognize the materials his equipment was crafted from, they would know their attack would be utterly futile.
His helmet, chestplate, and waist armor came from the King of the Skies, Rathalos; his Vambraces were from the "Deadly Flash" Shogun Ceanataur; his Greaves were from a lesser source, the Flyen, but that was a necessary choice to activate his armor's protection skill. As for the weapon on his back, it was the Tyrant's Shield, forged from the materials of the Desert Tyrant, Diablos.
A Hunter's equipment often speaks to their strength, and Kayne's gear attested to his power.
He lifted a hand to adjust his Rathalos Helm, then pulled a parchment from his waist and unfolded it. After repeatedly comparing the map to his surroundings, a contemplative look crossed his face.
"What's the deal with this map? The marked gathering point has absolutely nothing. Where is my honey?"
Yes, the powerful Hunter Kayne had come here because the target of the quest he accepted was precisely: gathering honey!