"Ull, you're back!" Muria's mother, Hida, greeted him warmly as he stepped into the treehouse. She was busy preparing dinner.
"Mm," Muria nodded.
"Come, get ready to eat! Your father hunted a patterned tree python today! You can eat to your heart's content tonight."
"Dad, did you get hurt?" Muria glanced at the male Ikkon sitting nearby, tending to his longbow. This was his father, Batu, a typical adult Ikkon—cheerful, fond of hunting, but not bloodthirsty.
"It was just a small tree python. With my companion's help, how could it possibly hurt me?" Batu waved dismissively at his son's concern.
"Good," Muria replied, turning his attention to his mother. Hida was skillfully butchering the large snake with a bone knife. The creature was nearly ten meters long, but its vital point had been torn apart, likely by Batu's Blue Creek Beast, his hunting companion.
"Come eat! There's plenty of meat tonight," Hida called as she placed slices of the snake on a stone table that emitted a faint golden light—Muria's personal dining table.
Freshly cut pieces of snake meat were laid on the stone, and the sound of sizzling filled the air, releasing the enticing aroma of roasting meat.
"Sunstone," Muria thought as he watched. This magical stone acted much like a small electric grill, storing solar energy during the day and releasing it as heat when needed. "Fire isn't even necessary anymore."
The stone was quite remarkable, storing solar heat and releasing it through specific methods. It was used to cook food, among other applications. However, this convenience was one of the reasons why Ikkon civilization had stagnated. The sunstone was so convenient that it had essentially replaced fire.
In the earliest stages of civilization, fire had been crucial for two main reasons: driving away wild animals and cooking food to reduce disease. But for the Ikkon, fire's utility had become redundant.
There were no dangerous creatures that invaded the Ikkon villages, and most beasts wouldn't even come near their settlements. As for cooking, the sunstone's safe and controllable heat made it a far superior option to fire.
"This world spoils the Ikkon too much," Muria thought, perhaps for the hundredth time. This magical stone, which required little effort to find, was available in abundance. Even a child like him could easily pick one up during a casual stroll outside.
The only real challenge was shaping the irregular stones into a usable form. But considering their usefulness, this wasn't much of a drawback.
The problems with Ikkon civilization were numerous and significant, though that was Muria's assessment from a neutral perspective. To the Ikkon themselves, their civilization seemed perfectly fine. They didn't need to worry about material hardships, and simply maintaining the status quo was enough.
"Well, there's nothing I can do about it for now. First, I need to fill my stomach." Muria's thoughts about leading the Ikkon civilization out of its comfort zone were interrupted by the gnawing hunger in his belly.
For now, grand ambitions would have to wait. He needed food to fuel his body and future endeavors. Muria wasn't one for empty dreams; he was a man of action.
With that, he picked up the chopsticks he had made himself and grabbed a piece of golden-brown snake meat from the sunstone grill, popping it into his mouth. After a few chews, he swallowed.
How did it taste? Muria's verdict: edible. That was all. Given the current state of Ikkon cuisine, they couldn't do much beyond seasoning their food with a few herbs before grilling it.
Batu, watching his son devour the meat, couldn't help but twitch slightly. Unlike other Ikkon, Batu went hunting almost every other day—far more frequently than his peers.
The reason? His son had an enormous appetite and loved eating meat. So much so that Batu had to give up half of his leisure time to go hunting.
Still, Batu didn't mind too much. A hearty appetite was a sign of good health, and his son was special. Ull had been born exceptionally strong, and his development far outpaced that of other Ikkon children.
Batu was thrilled by this. Every father wanted his children to surpass him, and for Batu, that was the essence of legacy—each generation stronger than the last.
"Slow down, this snake's big enough to fill you up," Hida said with a smile as she skillfully sliced more snake meat with her bone knife.
"Mm!" Muria nodded at his mother's words, slowing down his pace a bit. He could have eaten faster, but thanks to the unique breathing technique he had devised before his rebirth, his body had a solid foundation.
That technique wasn't the reason for his immense appetite, though. The real cause was that Muria had created a special body-tempering breathing method based on the rules of this world. It helped him strengthen his body, but for now, the only way for him to nourish his body was through food. That's why his appetite was far beyond that of a normal adult Ikkon.
By the time the sun had fully set, the tree supporting Muria's family's home was glowing softly, its bioluminescence lighting up the night. Muria sat contentedly at the table, letting out a satisfied belch.
Upon hearing the belch, both of Muria's parents, Batu and Hida, discreetly breathed a sigh of relief. Batu was relieved because it meant he had brought home enough food this time. If Muria wasn't full, Batu would have to hunt even larger beasts next time. Hida was relieved because she was simply exhausted from the meal preparation.
"Did you eat enough, Ull?" Batu asked.
"I'm full," Muria replied with a smile, rubbing his stomach. Thanks to the breathing technique he had tailored for this body, the snake meat he'd eaten was already being broken down and distributed throughout his body.
Of course, the absorption had slowed compared to when he had first eaten. As efficient as his breathing method was, his body still had its limits.
"If you're full, go rest. Or you can go play with your friends if you want."
"No, I'm going to sleep," Muria said, wiping the oil from his mouth with a soft leaf before preparing to leave the treehouse. His parents hadn't eaten with him, and Muria didn't ask why. He was used to it by now.
His parents always ate before he got home. They never ate with him, a unique arrangement in their family. The reason was simple—Muria ate so much that if they dined together, his parents would likely end up going hungry. So they had adopted the habit of eating separately.
"Oh, right! Dad, when you're out hunting, do you ever face life-threatening danger?" Muria suddenly stopped as he was about to leave and turned back to ask.
"Life-threatening danger?" Batu looked at his son, puzzled. "Of course not."
"None? But the Great Elder told me there are many dangerous monsters out there—the Horned Armored Beast, the Nightblade Panther, the Bloodthirsty Ants…" Muria rattled off a list of monsters the Great Elder had warned him about. "He said these creatures pose a serious threat to adult Ikkon. Is the elder lying? Are these creatures not real?"
"The Great Elder isn't lying. I've seen many of those creatures in the wild," Batu replied, stroking his black hair. "They do have the power to threaten our lives. But as long as we don't provoke them, they won't bother us."
"They won't bother you? They don't attack on sight?"
"That's right. As long as you don't attack them, they'll leave you alone."
"This…" Muria's lips moved as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. What kind of situation was this?
"Ull, do you have more questions?" Hida asked with a smile, noticing her son's confusion.
"I want to know why creatures like the Misha or other powerful beasts don't come to take over our village. Our tribe is so special," Muria said, voicing his curiosity.
"Hahaha! Ull, no monsters like the Misha will invade our village because we're protected by the Divine Tree!" Batu laughed.
"The Divine Tree? What's that?" Muria's eyes lit up at this new piece of information.
"You'll learn about it in time. For now, don't ask too many questions. Go get some sleep!" Unfortunately, his parents didn't elaborate further, and their reverence for the Divine Tree was evident in their words.
"Alright," Muria nodded reluctantly, realizing they wouldn't say more. He then left the treehouse. At night, he didn't sleep with his parents but in his own treehouse.
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