I, Yuhaka, am hungry!

While Yuuki was imagining her inexplicable past, Yuhaka walked into the cave and sat opposite her quite naturally. Meanwhile, Yaya looked at Yuhaka with a wary expression. After all, Yaya could smell the scent of a lot of dead creatures on Yuhaka, including the scent of a lot of cats, including this very dangerous scent, which made Yaya dare not make any rash moves.

However, Yuhaka didn't do anything out of line. Instead, he stared at the skewers of grilled meat beside the fire. Seeing Yuhaka looking at the skewers she had made, Yuriko picked up one of the skewers and said to Yuhaka:

"Would you like a skewer?"

Upon hearing Yuuko's words, Yuyu's eyes lit up and she immediately replied:

"Youyou wants to eat OwO~"

Upon hearing that there was food, Yuhaka accepted the grilled meat skewers from Yuriko without any hesitation. Although there were no seasonings, the local mushrooms, after being grilled, had a hint of mushroom flavor, and the taste was still acceptable.

The Meru cat headgear on Yuhaka's head opened its big mouth, and Yuhaka stuffed the kebab into it and pulled it out. The jerky and specialty mushrooms on the small wooden sticks were also eaten by Yuhaka.

As Yuhaka closed his mouth behind the Meru Cat mask, Yuuko and Yaya, who were standing nearby, also showed surprised expressions. They were clearly surprised that Yuhaka could do such a thing while wearing that mask. This really surprised Yuuko, because she didn't expect that the mask could be opened. Yuuko couldn't help but feel sorry that she hadn't seen what was inside.

However, Yuuko suddenly remembered that she had other kebabs, so she took the opportunity to hand one to Yuhaka and said:

"Youyou, another skewer?"

Seeing the kebabs Yuuka handed him, Yuhaka shook his head and said to Yuuka:

"No, it doesn't taste good OxO."

"Well....."

Upon hearing Yuhaka's words, Yuriko's forehead was covered in black lines. She clearly hadn't expected Yuhaka to reject her so bluntly. But it was true, after all, the dried meat had been soaked in the river for so long, the salt flavor had long been lost in the water, and the dried meat soaked in the river didn't taste very good, which Yuriko couldn't deny.

But soon, Yuhaka's next move almost made Yuuki's eyes pop out. Yuhaka reached into his animal skin cloak and took out an iron pot, placing it aside. Yuuki stared wide-eyed at Yuhaka, clearly not expecting that Yuhaka could hide an iron pot under his cloak. Then, Yuhaka took out a stack of plates from his cloak.

"???"

Here, Yuuko started to feel something was off. If it were an iron pot, it would be fine, but this stack of plates was completely different. Although they looked like wooden plates, even wooden plates would make noise when carried around, right?

However, Yuhaka arrived without making a sound, making Yuuki wonder if he was some kind of stealth expert. Before Yuuki and Yaya could react, Yuhaka pulled out a picnic blanket and placed it on the ground. Since this was unremarkable, it didn't surprise Yuuki and Yaya. After Yuhaka arranged the plates, he took out the ingredients and a cleaver that had transformed into a Baradion. With a swish, the ingredients were chopped and placed on the arranged plates. Yuuki and Yaya were so shocked by this that their jaws almost dropped.

Clearly, Yuhaka's move had startled the two of them. After all, Yuriko only saw a fleeting afterimage of the knife's speed. In just a moment, Yuriko saw the ingredients being cut into various shapes, and the same ingredients being cut into the same shapes. This clearly demonstrated how skilled the child wearing the Meru cat headgear was with his knife.

To be honest, with this kind of knife skill, you have to concentrate a lot of energy even to cut just one ingredient. If you cut more than three, it's completely impossible. Two is barely manageable, but to cut each ingredient into a different shape like yohaka, or even the same shape for the same ingredient, is basically impossible.

After Yuhaka chopped the ingredients, he used the fire lit by Yuriko to place the pot on the rack he had taken out. Then he took out a bottle of mineral water from his cloak and poured it into the pot. Although Yuhaka wanted to use water element to condense water directly, he thought that his actions might frighten the other party, so he did not do so.

After putting the empty water bottle back into his animal skin cloak, Yuhaka took out some simple seasonings and placed them aside. He then added a little seasoning to the pot, put the lid on, and waited for the water to boil. While waiting, Yuriko looked at Yuhaka with curiosity and asked:

"Hey Youyou, who taught you that sword technique you just used?"

Upon hearing Yuriko's question, Yuhaka shifted his gaze from the pot to Yuriko, and honestly answered her question:

"It's Grandma Cat, and Red Kite, Grevas, and the others OwO~"

Upon hearing so many names, Yuuko's lips twitched slightly. Why would so many people teach her swordsmanship? However, hearing Granny Cat's words confirmed her suspicions. After all, only beings like Palicoes and Merlins would be called Granny Cat, right?

Could those other names be something like Mewcats? After all, Yuuko had never heard of these people. If the swordsmanship Yuhaka just used was taught by them, then they must be very famous figures. But since she hadn't heard of them, it was possible that they were also Palicoes or Mewcats. This made Yuuko feel an urge to become their apprentice. After all, for Yuuko, "strength is everything for a hunter." Without strength, there was no way to protect the village.

This is also why Yuuko has such a strong desire for power.

At the same time, the water in Yuhaka's pot was also boiled. After all, Yuhaka used the power of fire element to make the water heat up much faster. Yuhaka also picked up some ingredients and put them into the pot to wait for them to cook.

Chapter 1177 [Yohaka: It's a new ingredient! OwO~]

After the ingredients in the pot boiled, a fragrant aroma wafted out. Upon smelling the meaty aroma, Youlizi and Yaya, along with their dog, couldn't help but drool over the hot pot.

Then Yuhaka gave Yulizi and Yaya a pair of chopsticks and two bowls. As for why there was only one pair of chopsticks? You don't actually think dogs can use chopsticks, do you?

When Yuhaka gave them bowls and chopsticks, Yuriko realized that Yuhaka was inviting them to eat. Yuriko was very grateful and didn't stand on ceremony with Yuhaka. After all, she and Yaya were exhausted and hungry. They had spent several hours in the cold river today, so they deserved something to warm them up.

Being polite at this point would be foolish, considering there's a vengeful tiger dragon roaming outside. If Yuuki doesn't replenish her strength to deal with it, she's afraid she won't die fast enough.

After giving Yulizi and the others bowls and chopsticks, Yuhaka opened the pot lid, and a rich aroma of meat wafted out from the pot along with the steam. Yulizi and Yaya, the dog and one of them, couldn't help but feel their stomachs rumbling as they smelled the aroma.

Yuhaka took out several small dishes and placed them on the picnic blanket, then took out various special sauces to dip the food in.

As for Esther, Yuhaka and Esther had already eaten dinner, and Esther, whose belly was round and full, went back to Yuhaka's contract space to sleep, so there was no problem in calling Esther.

......................................................................

After finishing their hot pot meal, Yulizi and Yaya, along with their dog, looked quite relaxed. They felt much warmer after the meal, as Yuhaka had prepared chili dipping sauce beforehand. Chili in this world has a warming effect, which made Yulizi and Yaya feel much better, at least they no longer felt a chill.

After finishing her hotpot, Yuriko patted her slightly bulging belly and let out a sigh of relief, saying:

"Phew, this is probably the best hot pot I've ever had..."

As she spoke, Yaya, who was lying on the ground nearby, barked in agreement. Yuriko patted Yaya's furry belly and then looked at Yuhaka, who was burping. Although Yuriko had been curious about what was under Yuhaka's Meru cat headgear, she couldn't see what was inside because it was dark. However, from Yuhaka's pair of white little hands, Yuriko could tell that Yuhaka was probably human. After all, the hand structure of dragonmen and beastmen is different. Even dragonmen only have four fingers, unlike the five fingers of humans.

"Hey, Youyou, where did you get all these ingredients? Especially this meat and tongue, I've never eaten such delicious meat and tongue before."

Upon hearing Yuuki's question, Yuhaka answered very honestly:

"Oh, that's what Youyou hunted down =w=~"

Yuuko was a little surprised to hear that Yuhaka knew how to hunt, but when she thought about the situation in her village, she felt it was normal. After all, their Flamefire Village would occasionally encounter disasters like the Night Parade of a Hundred Dragons, which made all the residents of Flamefire Village skilled hunters. Even the children received relevant hunter training at a very young age.

Every time the Hundred Dragons Night Parade takes place, almost all the residents of Flamefire Village will enter a state of combat readiness, and even those who are not good at fighting will handle logistical issues.

There are many children of similar age to Yuhaka in her village, and they have all received relevant hunter training. They are basically able to handle small monsters and gathering tasks. Yuuki thinks that Yuhaka must be very strong living in such a dangerous world with cats.

After all, at least they can hunt on their own, which is quite impressive, right?

"It's dragon meat and tongue =w=~"

Upon hearing this, Yuuko was stunned, as if she thought she had misheard. She then picked at her ear and said:

"Um, Youyou, the fire dragon you mentioned, do you mean the kind that runs on the ground?"

"The kind that flies in the sky, da owo."

After confirming that the dragon Yuhaka was referring to was the male Rathalos and not the female Rathalos, Yuriko gasped. The male Rathalos was the ultimate goal for hunters who wanted to become truly independent. Every successful slaying of a male Rathalos meant the birth of a hunter who could stand alone.

She never expected that Yuhaka could actually defeat a creature like Rathalos. However, it could also be a group hunt. After all, the Merlins are very clever and cunning, and they use all sorts of traps to create trouble for their prey. With their agility, dealing with Rathalos shouldn't be a problem, right?

And those masters who taught Youyou knife skills must have been very strong, right?

Yuhaka, unaware that Yuuki's expression was also one of smugness, said to her:

"That thing that flew in the sky came to Youyou's house and Youyou caught it right away, so silly =w=~"

Upon hearing Yuhaka's words, Yuuki also imagined a Rathalos being suddenly shot down while passing through the Palico Village. Uh... this scene felt somewhat familiar. After recalling the numerous traps set up in her own village, Yuuki realized why it felt so familiar.

However, at that moment, Yaya and Yuhaka, who were lying on the ground, suddenly seemed to sense something and looked up at the cave entrance. Seeing this, Yuriko knew that something had changed, so she took out her hunting knife and asked Yuhaka:

"Youyou, what did you find?"

Upon hearing Yuriko's question, Yuhaka answered very honestly:

"Youyou smelled something burning (?w?)......"

Upon hearing Yuhaka's words, Yaya barked in agreement, as she too could smell the unfamiliar scent, clearly the vengeful tiger dragon that had been chasing them.

At that moment, a bewitching light, like will-o'-the-wisps, appeared in the dark forest in the distance.

Chapter 1178 [Yoyo's Flying Kick, Yoyo's Heavy Hammer OwO!]

Upon seeing that familiar, alluring flame in the distance, Yuuko frowned and said:

"Oh no, that troublesome guy is catching up with us."

Hearing Yuuko's words, Yuhaka looked at her with a puzzled expression and asked:

"Troublesome guy O-O?"

Yuuki nodded and said to Yuhaka:

"That's right, it's the Wraith Tiger Dragon, a very dangerous monster."

Upon hearing that the monster Yuuka mentioned was one she had never heard of before, Yuhaka's eyes lit up instantly. Even with the Meru Cat headgear on, it couldn't hide the red glow emanating from Yuhaka's eyes. Seeing this, Yuuka broke out in a cold sweat. Clearly, she hadn't expected Yuhaka to become so excited about the Magnificent Tiger Dragon that its eyes would glow red. What did it take the Magnificent Tiger Dragon for?!

"The Vengeful Tiger Dragon? Youyou has never heard of it =w=~"

Upon hearing Yuhaka's words, Yuuki and Yaya almost fell to the ground. After all, while there weren't many records of seeing the Magnificent Tiger Dragon in Flamefire Village, its reputation was quite well-known. The Magnificent Tiger Dragon was almost always present during the Hundred Dragons Night Parade. Specifically, the Hundred Dragons Night Parade might have been caused by the Magnificent Tiger Dragon, or it could be due to other reasons. The specific situation still needed to be investigated.

"Anyway, let's get out of here quickly. In our current state, we might be a hindrance to you. We'll distract them then."

Upon hearing Yuuki's words, Yuhaka was immediately filled with a big question mark, clearly not understanding why she was running away. Wouldn't it have been better to just eat her directly?

"Why are you running? Does Youyou want to eat some new meat?"

"what?"

Upon hearing Yuhaka's answer, Yuuki stared at him in disbelief, clearly not expecting that Yuhaka intended to eat him. Yaya, on the other hand, wasn't too surprised, as she could sense that the scent emanating from this short creature was far more terrifying than that of the Wraith Tiger Dragon. Hearing that Yuhaka wanted to eat the Wraith Tiger Dragon, Yaya barked at Yuhaka, expressing her desire to try it.

Yuuki heard Yaya bark and said to Yuhaka:

"See? Even Ya Ya says he's not sure he can fight the Wraith Tiger Dragon."

Upon hearing Yuriko's words, Yaya and Yuhaka looked at her with strange expressions, clearly not knowing what she was talking about. After all, the insect and the dog were talking about eating the Wraith Tiger Dragon.

Just then, the Spectral Tiger Dragon leaped out of the forest. It was clear that the Spectral Tiger Dragon had also sensed the presence of Yuhaka and Yuuki. Upon seeing Yuuki and the others, the Spectral Tiger Dragon let out a low growl. Soon, the Spectral Tiger Dragon also noticed Yuhaka. Upon seeing Yuhaka, the Spectral Tiger Dragon was very puzzled. After all, it had never seen such a small Elder Dragon monster before. Even the Kirin was much larger than this strange creature in front of it, right?

Could it be a cub?

Regardless, Yuan Hulong has no intention of letting them go.

"Roar----!"

After roaring at Yuhka and the others, the Spectral Tiger Dragon jumped up. Then, a small explosion suddenly occurred behind the Spectral Tiger Dragon, and it charged towards Yuhka and the others as if it had sprouted wings. It was so fast that even Yuhka and Aya couldn't react in time. However, for Yuhka, the Spectral Tiger Dragon's movements were very slow and easy to see through.

In a flash, Yuhaka leaped into the air and kicked the flying Magnus away. The Magnus was also kicked away and looked bewildered. It was obviously not expected that it would be knocked down in the air by the enemy. You should know that if it had just used a sneak attack, basically no monster would have been able to react in time, not even Rathalos.

After being kicked away, the Spectral Tiger Dragon rolled on the ground but quickly got up. Its head, which had been hit by Yhaka, shook a few times but quickly recovered. Although it didn't have much of an effect on the Spectral Tiger Dragon, it made it wary. After all, although Yhaka's attack didn't hurt much, it was very powerful and could send it flying in one go. However, this only made the Spectral Tiger Dragon want to eat Yhaka even more.

Seeing Yuhaka kick the Specter away, Yuuki was dumbfounded, while Yaya scratched herself with her paw, clearly not surprised.

After falling from the sky, Yuhaka quickly regained his footing and stared at the Spectral Tiger Dragon. Yuhaka examined the Spectral Tiger Dragon's body to see which parts were usable, but because the Spectral Tiger Dragon's carapace looked quite thick, Yuhaka couldn't see what it looked like to eat. Moreover, because the creature looked like a large cat, it made it even harder for Yuhaka to figure out how to cook it. After all, Yuhaka mostly cooked based on the appearance of the food and recipes, and encountering a monster like the Spectral Tiger Dragon that resembled a large cat was a bit of a challenge for him.

Even a velociraptor like a black panther is still a dragon-like creature, so at least Ehaka has a way to find a way to cook it. But cats are a different story, since Ehaka has never eaten cats or dogs before.

After Yuuki realized what was happening, she looked at Yuhaka with a shocked expression and said:

"Wow, that's powerful! He actually sent the Vengeful Tiger Dragon flying with a single kick?!"

Hearing Yuuko's words, Yuhaka turned around and gave Yuuko a thumbs up, saying:

"Youyou is the strongest!"

As Yuhaka turned around, the Specter Dragon charged forward as if it had spotted an opening. Seeing the Specter Dragon charging, Yuuki and the others quickly warned Yuhaka:

"Youyou! Watch out!"

The two men's warnings were essentially harmless, since Ehaka could sense the charging Spectral Tiger Dragon. The moment the Spectral Tiger Dragon charged, Ehaka sensed it and reached into his animal skin cloak, pulling out Baradion, which had transformed into a giant hammer. He then delivered a powerful rocket hammer blow to the charging Spectral Tiger Dragon's head. With the heavy blow, the Spectral Tiger Dragon was thrown back, and the will-o'-the-wisp on its head exploded, sending the Spectral Tiger Dragon sprawling to the ground as it struggled to its feet.