With the core materials already properly extracted, these "scraps" had turned from essential resources into a surplus he could dispose of at his leisure.
It was only because Matthew possessed these two trump cards, Feathering and Energy Missile, that he dared to venture into the outer areas of the forest every day.
No other Class holder would dare to enter the Shadow Forest alone on a frequent basis.
After all, with the presence of Shadow Wolves, Green Bead Pythons, and other monsters, who could guarantee they would return safely every time?
Just as he was lost in thought, Aidan arrived at the clearing in front of Matthew's cabin in a hurry.
He happened to see Matthew neatly stacking the last piece of processed snake meat.
He first scanned the astonishing mountain of meat piled on the ground, and then his gaze fell upon the fully spread-out python hide nearby, which shimmered with a dark green luster. His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, and in the end, he couldn't help but gasp in admiration:
“This... This is just too...”
He then quickly ran over to help Matthew.
Matthew was already accustomed to Aidan's reactions.
Once everything was properly sorted out, Matthew turned his head to look at Aidan beside him and asked, “Has the meat for Uncle John this week been delivered on time?”
Hearing this, Aidan nodded vigorously and said it had been delivered first thing in the morning.
Matthew patted Aidan on the shoulder. Although Aidan was a few years older than him, in the eyes of someone who had lived two lives, Aidan was still a junior who needed guidance.
“Thanks for your hard work,” Matthew said in a calm tone. There wasn't much emotion in his voice, yet it carried its own weight. “Now that your strength is steadily improving, you can take on more responsibilities for the village. You don't need to always spend your time helping me out here.”
Initially, he had trained Aidan with the intention of bringing him into the forest to act as an assistant for hunting and exploration.
But after hearing about the threat posed by unique magical beasts like the Shadow Wolf King, who could command entire packs, Matthew's vigilance had reached its peak—he could not guarantee he could always protect Aidan in a forest fraught with danger.
As a result, he gradually set aside his original plan.
Fortunately, Aidan had always been loyal and diligent to the village, which also allowed Matthew to achieve another important goal: cultivating a reliable native guardian for Stone Mill Village.
Aidan hurriedly waved his hands, his expression somewhat embarrassed.
He knew very well that his current status and strength in the village were entirely due to Brother Matthew's support and guidance along the way.
Moreover, the closer he got to the Black Iron Rank, the more he could feel how powerful Brother Matthew truly was.
Matthew then asked about Aidan's recent situation before turning back to fetch a bulging coarse cloth bag from the cabin—it was filled with well-dried, dark brown meat jerky.
He handed the bag to Aidan and, without waiting for the other to refuse, explained in his usual calm tone:
“You are still some distance away from the Black Iron Rank. If you eat prime magical beast meat directly now, you won't be able to fully absorb its efficacy, which would be a waste. But the life energy contained in these ordinary meat jerkies is just right to support your current daily training.”
Aidan took the heavy cloth bag with both hands and nodded vigorously, the respect in his eyes deepening even further as he looked at Matthew.
The two chatted for a bit longer.
As he was about to leave, Aidan had only taken a couple of steps when he suddenly slapped his forehead. He quickly turned around, his expression apologetic:
“Oh, right, Brother Matthew! Look at my memory! I was so shocked by that python hide when I arrived that I almost forgot the main reason I came. Instructor Calm asked me to pass on a message. He wants you to drop by his house when you have some free time.”
...
Matthew watched Aidan's figure disappear down the end of the village's dirt road.
He had already faintly guessed Instructor Calm's intention, and a sliver of anticipation welled up in his heart. Perhaps there was finally some news about the long-awaited Blue-quality weapon.
He just didn't know which specific one it would be, or if it would be both.
“But judging by what Instructor Calm said, there doesn't seem to be a rush...”
Matthew muttered to himself as he walked back. Recalling Aidan's words, the instructor seemed to be just giving a casual heads-up rather than an urgent summons to head over immediately.
Since that was the case, perfect!
He turned on his heel and headed toward his cabin, his steps slightly lighter than before. Since there was no rush to see the instructor, there was a more pressing and enjoyable matter at hand.
“So, time to enjoy some prime snake magical beast meat!”
As soon as the thought arose, a smile crept onto his face.
After all, though he had lived in this world for a long time now, the magical beast meat he had obtained previously was either heavy and overbearing like the giant bear's, or possessed mild energy like the Shadow Wolf's.
A species like the Green Bead Python, with firm meat and life energy that fell right in between the two, was something he was encountering for the very first time.
Returning to his cabin, he took out a piece of processed Green Bead Python prime meat from his cloth bag and placed it on a wooden board.
The dark green meat shimmered with a peculiar luster under the sunlight. It felt cool to the touch, and he could faintly feel the life energy contained within.
Instead of stewing it for a long time like he did with the giant bear meat, he decided to cook it in a more delicate way that would better preserve its unique qualities.
He sliced the meat into thin pieces, placed them in a clay pot, added only a splash of clean water and a tiny pinch of salt, and let it simmer slowly over a low fire.
Before long, a unique aroma began to spread.
It wasn't gamey and strong like bear meat, nor did it carry a metallic, rusty smell like wolf meat.
Once heated, the Green Bead Python meat emitted a scent that was a mixture of wood, earth, and savory meat.
It wasn't unpleasant at all; instead, it piqued his curiosity.
“Why does it smell like this?” Matthew thought to himself as he gently stirred the meat slices in the pot with his wooden chopsticks.
“Could it be because it wraps itself around ancient trees year-round, its scales repeatedly rubbing against the rough bark, causing its flesh to be infused with the scent of wood? Or perhaps as it slithers and hides in the forest soil, the earthy scent and the vitality of the flora have quietly seeped into its muscles?”
He recalled Instructor Calm mentioning that the traits of magical beasts were often closely related to their living environments and hunting methods.
This Green Bead Python lurked among the trees, specializing in mimetic ambushes. It made perfect sense for its meat to carry this scent of forest wood and earth.
Matthew waited patiently.
Soon, the meat was cooked.
Using his wooden chopsticks, he picked up a slice of snake meat that had been simmered to perfection. The meat was translucent, its edges slightly curled.
Upon putting it in his mouth, the texture was indeed exceptionally tender and smooth, just as he had anticipated, with a satisfyingly springy chew.
Following that was a gentle wave of life energy, rapidly nourishing every meridian in his body. It was an excellent restorative, especially for his tired body after the high-intensity exhaustion of his Feathering state.
“Really not bad!”
Matthew's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but praise it in a low voice.
The quality of this Green Bead Python prime meat was indeed a step above that of the Shadow Wolf, though it fell slightly short of the giant bear prime meat.
He savored this rare "otherworldly delicacy" while feeling the life energy inside his body rapidly replenish.
...
Rate on N.U.
