"Big brother, are we really going after that Slime King? That thing is one of the strongest food monsters around here. What if..."
A tall, muscular young man with black hair tied in a ponytail strode forward, followed by several boys and girls carrying backpacks.
"No problem, no problem. Your big brother is plenty strong. The Cooking King Contest held once every three years is only a month away. We have to collect more special, top-quality ingredients so you can claim the title of Cooking King."
The young man laughed heartily and kept going, while the boys and girls struggled to keep up behind him.
"Big brother, slow down, slow down. Uh... huh? Big brother, look! What kind of food monster is that in the sky?"
The boy who had just been talking to the young man wiped the sweat from his head and suddenly noticed a growing black dot in the sky.
"Hm?"
The young man looked up too, only to meet a pair of eyes filled with mockery and amusement.
The intense sense of death made his pupils contract sharply and his muscles tense.
"Hide!"
He roared and leaped into the air.
Every muscle in his body compressed like a spring pushed to its limit.
"Hah!"
He threw a punch.
Sweat mingled with blood evaporated into a scorching current that shot toward the Demon Raven circling overhead.
"Caw, caw, caw..."
The Demon Raven cackled mockingly and dodged the attack with an effortless turn.
"Caw!"
It let out a piercing cry.
An even stronger death aura surged down.
The boys and girls foamed at the mouth, their eyes rolling back as they collapsed. Only the muscular young man could barely hold on.
Feeling playful, the Raven Demon casually killed a few weak food monsters, then spawned Corpse Crows from