"This was just an appetizer," Ren said calmly. "This Sea King had just been in a fight before you caught it. Its meat was full of lactic acid, which affected the flavor. Besides, it was too old."
Ren's gaze swept over the two giants before finally settling on Rocks. "On this island, there is a species called the Rockhorn Triceradragon, which feeds on volcanic rock. Because it consumes minerals year-round, its meat is firm and rich in various trace elements. Its bone marrow, in particular, is like the finest butter and is perfect for making rich stews."
His words made everyone's breath catch. Gatz's eyes were already sparkling.
The smile on Rocks's face grew wider. He knew the real feast was just about to begin. "Did you two hear that?" Rocks looked at Dorry and Brogy. "My Head Chef has taken an interest in the dinosaurs on your island."
Dorry and Brogy exchanged a glance, and then both broke into warlike grins. "Gahahaha! The Rockhorn Triceradragon is no easy prey! It has a thick hide and immense strength!" said Brogy.
"That's right! Even in our prime, it took us a lot of effort to catch one!" Dorry added.
"Perfect," Rocks took a step forward, an invisible aura of Haki slowly spreading from him, making the air heavy. "How about a hunting competition? Us against you. We'll see who can hunt down that Rockhorn dragon first. The winner gets the most delicious part."
This proposal instantly ignited the fighting spirit of the two giant warriors.
"Alright! Let's do it!"
"Humans! Don't you dare wet your pants in fear! Kyahahaha!"
A prehistoric grand hunt, centered around a top-tier ingredient, had just begun.
The rules of the hunt were simple: split into two teams, enter the jungle simultaneously, and the first to hunt a Rockhorn Triceradragon and bring it back to the clearing wins.
"Gahahaha! Little human boys, we'll be on our way!"
"Try not to get carried away by the mosquitoes in there!"
Dorry and Brogy laughed as they charged into the jungle with mountain-like strides. The ground shook, and trees toppled in their wake. Their presence was immense.
"Captain, what do we do? We can't compete with their speed," Dolum said, worried.
Rocks was unconcerned. He glanced at Ren beside him. "Head Chef, lead the way."
Everyone looked at Ren. They knew that if he could name the Rockhorn Triceradragon, he must have a way to find it.
Ren closed his eyes. His extraordinary Observation Haki spread out like an invisible net, covering the entire island. The sound of the wind, the rustling of leaves, the buzzing of insects, the roars of distant dinosaurs... countless pieces of information flooded his mind. He filtered out the noise, focusing on the pulse of the earth and the strength of the living creatures.
Soon, Ren opened his eyes and pointed in the opposite direction from the giants. "That way. There's an abnormal concentration of mineral energy underground. That's their lair."
"Alright! Let's move out!" Rocks ordered, and the four of them set off immediately.
This primeval jungle was a death trap for ordinary people, but for the Rocks Pirates, it was more like a challenging playground.
"ROAR!"
A velociraptor suddenly burst from the tall grass to their side, its speed like lightning, its sharp claws aimed straight for Gatz at the front.
"Nice timing!" Gatz was thrilled rather than scared. Ever since he started eating Ren's food, he felt like he had an endless supply of energy. He didn't even use his anchor, simply meeting the attack with a powerful fist.
BAM!
His fist and the raptor's claws collided solidly. The velociraptor let out a pained cry and was sent flying backward by Gatz's punch, crashing through a large tree.
Gatz shook his hand and grinned. "Awesome! Head Chef, can we eat this thing? It looks meaty."
"The meat is too tough, and the fibers are coarse. It's only suitable for making jerky," Ren gave his professional assessment.
"Tch, never mind then." Gatz instantly lost interest.
This was the subtle change brought about by the "Boon of the Feast." Ren's cooking not only healed their fatigue and hidden injuries from their voyages but was also slowly and steadily improving each of their physical constitutions. This change was especially noticeable during intense combat and physical exertion.
Silver moved along the team's flank, his steps as light as a cat's. Suddenly, with a flick of his wrist, his spear shot out like a viper, striking lightning-fast towards the canopy above.
Pfft!
With a soft sound, a giant, colorful python that had been trying to ambush them from above was pierced through the head and pinned to a tree trunk. Silver's movements were faster than before, and his senses were sharper. He could clearly detect every hostile presence in the jungle.
"The snake's gallbladder is good. It can be used for medicine or as a seasoning," Ren commented after a glance.
Silver nodded. With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved the gallbladder from a distance, wrapped it in a leaf, and handed it to Ren.
Along the way, they were attacked by various prehistoric creatures: packs of Dilophosaurus, giant toads that spat poison, and they even startled a Tyrannosaurus Rex, which charged at them roaring.
As it turned out, the apex predator of a bygone era didn't even get a chance to display its might. Annoyed that it was blocking the path, Rocks hit it with a shockwave from a long-range punch that blew off half its head. Its massive body crashed to the ground.
"Honestly, so noisy," Rocks said, shaking his hand as if he had just swatted a fly.
Gatz, Silver, and Dolum were no longer surprised by such scenes. Their captain was an unreasonably powerful monster.
Ren, however, crouched down to examine the T-Rex's corpse, then shook his head. "A pity. Your punch shattered its brain and the most valuable spinal marrow. The integrity of the ingredient has been compromised."
Hearing this, the corner of Rocks's mouth twitched. For once, he looked a little embarrassed and scratched his head. "I'll be more careful next time. A spanking will do, right?"
Under Ren's precise guidance, they soon arrived at an open area of scattered rocks. The rocks here were a strange dark red color and radiated a faint heat. The air smelled of sulfur and metal.
"This is the place," Ren said, pointing to a huge, cave-like lair ahead. From deep within the cave, they could hear heavy chewing sounds and low growls.
"Ready?" Rocks's eyes grew excited. "Let's see what this big guy that our Head Chef is so obsessed with is capable of."
The group silently approached the cave entrance and peered inside. There, a beast the size of a small truck had its back to them. It was repeatedly slamming its keratin-covered head against the cave wall, shattering the hard rock, and then chewing on the mineral fragments with relish.
This was the Rockhorn Triceradragon.
Three rows of huge, bony blades ran down its back, from its neck to its tail, glinting like metal. The three thick, sharp horns on its head were even more ferocious, looking as if they could easily pierce steel.
Just then, the Rockhorn Triceradragon seemed to sense something and whipped around. Its dark yellow, vertical pupils instantly locked onto Rocks and his crew at the entrance.
-------
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