Danmachi- Hell’s Forge

Addictively

I collected my spoils after the fight and headed back to the eighteenth floor eager to cook up the boar meat and find out if it is in fact delicious. If so you better believe that I was going to set up a smoker to make some smoked pork. Monsters didn't usually drop meat or organs really unless they were very special such as Amphisbaena's dragon liver or the Valgang dragons fire sacs. This was one of the reasons surviving in the dungeon was considered next to impossible unless you are on or near a floor that grows edible plants.-

As a result of this however I was going to be the first person to actually eat the flesh of a monster. With that in mind naturally I chose a monster that at the very least resembles a species that is delicious, swine. Once I got back to my campsite I wasted no time popping one of the magic stones into the portable grill and cranking that heat up. I didn't have any salt or peeper on hand but that was fine since this was a taste test for the meat itself.-

Once the grill was nice and hot I retrieved the meat and cut it into strips that I could cook two at a time and laid them down on that hot surface. Immediately a heavenly scent filled the air as the fat sizzled and popped as the heat rendered it out. I'm no master chef but I had to applaud myself as I was practically drooling by the time the meat was done cooking all the way through and I set it aside to rest. The ten minutes after that were hellish for me as I had to stare at the food but couldn't touch it.-

I grabbed a boar tusk from my drops while I waited and used my technique to turn it into a knife and fork. Finally the time came and I cut into the tender meat like it was butter as juices streamed out of it.

"OHMYGODI'MSOHAPPYICOULDDIE!" I said all at once in bliss.

The flavor was unreal, like it was perfectly salted and had a strong rich meaty flavor that made your cheeks squeeze. I was in hog heaven, pun very intended. I hadn't even realized it until I was done that I had eaten all of the meat.

'Christ that shits addictive as hell. Probably for the best if I limit the amount I collect from now on.' I thought genuinely concerned over my ravenous consumption.

I wasn't a fucking monk or anything but I was pretty sure I at least had decent impulse control. So losing myself in hunger to devour something like this was not normal at all. Then again the stuff was genuinely that good so I might be overreacting. I vowed to get some more of the meat when before I headed back up for my next update in a bit under two weeks to see how good it would be when cooked by people who actually know what they are doing.-

Over the next week and six day I fought dozens of monsters as I explored the six floors that made up the great tree labyrinth and even managed to discover something new thanks to my technique, a secret monster type. I named them Dread grubs because as the name suggested they were giant fucking grub monsters that lived under the trees bark and were pretty damn hard to notice. They were this weird purple and green color and were the size of a cat.-

It wasn't surprising at all that they had been undiscovered until now as even I wouldn't have found the things without my technique. I had even captured one to give to the guild since there was an outstanding reward for the report on any new species discovered and proof of it. The monsters were pretty harmless though as besides their blood being poisonous and used as a projectile even a level one could kill one. Once I stuffed one of the grub things in a wooden backpack it was totally chill so i had no problem at all taking it out of the dungeon.-

"Hey Rose how's it hanging?" I asked with a grin as I walked up to the guild counter.

"Alex, same as usual I assume?" the red haired werewolf asked with a blank expression.

"For the stones yeah but I have a new monster species to drop off so how we do?" I asked still grinning.

"You mean report right?" she corrected but my grin grew wider.

"Nope it's in the box." I said setting the wooden box on the counter.

She stepped back warily "That is highly dangerous not to mention without a tamer license illegal." she hissed at me.

"Is it? I thought you were supposed to bring proof of the species, here you go, PROOF." I said not worried at all since this was technically a loophole to the rules.

She clearly also picked up on this and huffed in irritation before leaving to go find someone who could actually make a decision in this regard. I was fine with waiting since I wasn't in a particularly rushed state since the Goliath should only respawn after tomorrow. About three minutes later Rose came back with an old looking elf with long grey robes but sharp green eyes.-

"You are the one who had the audacity to bring a monster to the guild to report it correct?" the old elf asked and I nodded. "Hmm We need more adventurers like you, do you have any idea how hard it is to categorize and give proper information on the monsters without a living specimen and only eyewitness statements to go off of?" the old fellow grumbled.

"I know right? Like I totally get not dragging up one of the large and harder to control monsters like a Lambton or Mammoth fool but the smaller monsters like this thing should not be an issue in my opinion." I said honestly and the old elf smiled and nodded in agreement while Rose groaned in frustration.

I got led to a medium sized room that was entirely empty save a table.

"Set the specimen on the table and we can begin to examination." the old elf said calmly.

"Fair warning the blood is poisonous and gets used as a projectile." I said as I set the wooden box on the table.

The old elf nodded and waved his hand causing the lid to lift off the box causing the grub within to release an angry hissing sound when the light touched it. The elf scoffed at that and waved his hand some more breaking apart the box with whatever power he was using and revealing the grub in it's entirety which it didn't like as it began shooting it's poisonous blood everywhere.

"I can officially confirm that this is indeed a new species of monster, low tier two roughly since this poison is quite strong but it seems to lack physical attacking means. Where did you find it and were there more?" the elf asked and I explained where I found the thing and that there were in fact more.