Profound darkness enveloped the land, and a distant moon hung alone in the high sky, its cold, frosty moonlight sprinkling down like a delicate silver veil over everything.
Arkhan leaned against a tree trunk, hands behind his head, quietly gazing at the countless dazzling stars overhead.
Whether it was due to awakening his Black Dragon Body or spending sixteen years in the Land of Shadows, he now preferred to be in such a dark environment.
Whenever he found himself here, he felt an inner tranquility that came from the depths of his heart.
He liked this feeling very much.
Sixteen years had passed since he arrived in this world, and everything around him had undergone a massive transformation. Yet, this expanse of stars remained just as he remembered it.
In the grand scheme of the universe, amidst ever-changing tides, all things turned to dust, in a mere blink of an eye.
"Teacher, the meat is ready!" Artoria called out.
"On my way!"
Arkhan stood up, brushed off the dirt from his clothes, and headed towards the campfire.
The meat roasting on the rack gleamed with a golden hue, sizzling with hot oil. A sprinkle of prepared salt and spices released a rich fragrance that filled the air.
"I never expected you to have such skills." Kay remarked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"Fine cuisine is a masterpiece created by humans. By combining various ingredients and performing simple processing, one can achieve magical results, even the most ordinary person can learn such a skill. How could I possibly miss out on such a miraculous innovation?" Merlin proudly declared.
Artoria watched with eager eyes, not blinking for a moment, as if fearing the grilled meat in front of her might suddenly vanish.
After the king's selection had ended, at Arkhan's request, she no longer concealed her true gender.
Her dazzling golden hair cascaded behind her, tied by a black ribbon, while her pure white dress resembled a lily, outlining her petite figure. Her slender legs were encased in black stockings.
This attire had been prepared by Merlin for Artoria in a while, and from his impatient demeanor at the time, it was clear that he had been eagerly awaiting this day for a long time.
Artoria handed the best-looking, most aromatic piece of grilled meat to Arkhan.
"Please enjoy, Teacher."
"Thank you."
Arkhan accepted the meat, took a bite, and the crispy outer layer crackled in his mouth. The thick, juicy meat provided an immensely satisfying texture, and with each bite, a burst of rich juice enveloped the flavors in his mouth, like an erupted volcano.
This was indeed the most delicious grilled meat he had tasted since arriving in this world.
After Arkhan had eaten his fill, Kay and Artoria began their meal.
It was a custom among squires to wait until the knights they served had finished eating before starting their own meals.
Arkhan had no choice but to accept this.
Meanwhile, Merlin just stood by and didn't participate. He didn't need to eat, didn't like consuming leftovers, and wasn't sure if he'd end up being bitten by a certain food-protective lioness if he reached for anything.
The dinner lasted for over an hour. Except for Arkhan, who had two pieces, the rest went into Artoria's stomach.
The entire 500 kilograms of boar's meat, nearly ten times Artoria's weight, had been devoured by her alone. Strangely, she still had a somewhat unsatisfied look on her face.
Looking at Artoria's flat stomach, Arkhan's lips twitched slightly.
Though he knew that most of this grilled meat had been devoured by the Red Dragon Heart within Artoria, witnessing this scene felt somewhat surreal.
Compared to this, the so-called 'mukbangers' of his previous life didn't even qualify to be Artoria's shoe-shiners.
Arkhan could only be thankful that he could control his Black Dragon Body's activation and deactivation at will; otherwise, if another glutton like Artoria's came along, their supplies would truly be in jeopardy.
"AHHH!!!"
A sudden scream pierced the night sky, and everyone's eyes instantly turned toward the same direction.
"Someone's in trouble!" Kay furrowed his brow, clearly recognizing it as a woman's scream.
Artoria immediately stood up. Despite being about eighty percent full, she was already in peak condition, ready for continuous combat for three days and nights without any issues.
But one person moved even faster.
Arkhan instantly activated his Black Dragon Body and wrote Rune on the air.
[Rune - Element]
In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from Kay and Artoria's view.
The two siblings were left dumbfounded, exchanging glances before quickly following in his footsteps.
Merlin remained seated by the campfire, casually toying with the burning twigs. A meaningful smile curved at the corner of his lips.
===
The enhancement of his five senses allowed Arkhan to pinpoint the exact location with just that one scream. It took him less than half a minute to reach his destination.
The deep night sky posed no obstacle to his vision, and he could clearly see a massive creature resembling a lion, launching a fierce attack on a woman surrounded by a light green barrier.
'Wait! That doesn't look like a lion!'
Arkhan frowned as he noticed that next to the 'lion', there was a goat head, and the rear half of its body resembled a goat, with a tail covered in icy scales, resembling a snake.
Lion's head, goat's body, snake's tail—such distinctive features made almost anyone instantly shout its name—Chimera!
Chimeras were phantasmal species that surpassed even wyverns, not only possessing immense strength but also spewing deadly poison and flames. Some especially unique chimeras were said to rival the might of dragons.
However, with the decline of the Age of Gods, chimeras had long turned into historical dust, and it had been at least a century since anyone had seen a living one.
'Why did this creature suddenly appear here?'
Arkhan didn't have time to dwell on it because the woman's light green barrier was rapidly dimming under the relentless assault of the chimera, clearly unable to hold on much longer.
With a swift step, he dashed toward the chimera like a black lightning bolt.
But the chimera, living up to its reputation as a phantasmal species surpassing wyverns, reacted instantly as Arkhan closed in.
Its massive snake head slightly raised, its black vertical pupils as cold as ice, and with a snap of its mouth, a cloud of black poison mist surged toward Arkhan.
Wherever the poison mist touched, the air emitted a hissing sound, and the surrounding trees rapidly corroded and melted, sending shivers down anyone's spine.
Such terrifying toxicity would be a death sentence even for a wyvern.
Arkhan's gaze turned cold as he witnessed this.
Without the slightest hesitation, he went straight through the center of the poison mist. His fingers clenched into a fist, compressing the surrounding air like a vortex, and fiercely slammed his hand down onto the massive lion head.
*BOOOM!*
The massive lion head, even harder than marble, instantly exploded, with crimson blood splattered onto the nearby snake and goat heads.
The snake and goat heads made human-like puzzled expressions, clearly didn't understand what had just transpired.
Without delay, Arkhan reached out and grabbed the remaining two heads, then crushed them like balloons in his hand.
With all heads destroyed, the life of the chimera immediately vanished, and its massive body collapsed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Ehh, it's you?!"
Suddenly, the woman who had just been saved exclaimed in surprise after she saw her savior's face.
Arkhan turned around, and a hint of helplessness appeared in his eyes.
"Can you tell me why you were here, Miss Guinevere?"