Chapter 57
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Hungry Slayer 57
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Dane, what now?”
Bankers asked, shrinking back with a grimace.
“Like this.”
Dane dropped the egg to the ground and crushed it underfoot with a crunch.
“......”
“......”
Nothing happened.
‘It’s not a hatchling, so it won’t call the mother... Guess I was too naive.’
Just as he wondered if he should try another approach, Dane glared at some point beyond the blocked street.
-Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap...
He sensed a faint sound, as if coming from impossibly deep within.
It wasn’t just one. Countless creatures were scraping along the ground, the noise swelling like an approaching tidal wave.
Led by Dane, everyone rushed outside.
“?!”
From the ends of streets in every direction, pitch-black waves surged toward the shack. They shuddered in their own ways at the chilling sight.
But what truly shocked them was Dane.
“You, why are you getting all hyped up like that again?” “Quit grinning at the monsters, will ya?”
He looked exhilarated. The way he blatantly licked his lips was downright scary.
“A bit bigger than king crabs. That size should be perfect for soy-marinated crabs.” Dane’s eyes gleamed red.
Memories of crab dishes flashed by like a montage. The Krekator’s appearance matched, and the taste he’d just sampled was similar.
Crabs in season were delicious no matter how you ate them. Right now, crabs were in abundance. Couldn’t be better.
Saliva exploded in his mouth. That was all the prep he needed.
“Let’s go.”
The predator’s awakening made the wave hesitate. The monsters, instinctively charging to protect the egg, were overwhelmed by an even greater survival instinct.
In that brief gap.
Dane flung his cloak into the air.
Eyes bloodshot, he spread his twin blades wide and charged.
The small Krekators weren’t much different in appearance from the medium and small ones. They were just smaller, and there were uncountably many.
He gauged how many he could load onto the wagon.
‘Even one percent is plenty.’ And with that, the massacre began. If there were too many, he’d just have to work a little harder.
Dane tore into the surging wave of monsters like a whirlwind.
The massive wave crashed against him like a solid breakwater and scattered. It approached intact but dispersed in unrecognizable chunks.
Even as the front ones died, the rest pressed on relentlessly.
The small monsters judged Dane a large monster. They had no choice but to overwhelm him with numbers.
So they didn’t even glance at his rear.
Priscilla gripping her cleaver, Bankers clutching his Elite skewer-spear, River holding her Elite pot as a shield and drawing her sword—they never imagined this would happen.
So they just watched.
“We’re totally sidelined here.” “They don’t even see us.”
“Regeneration! Regeneration!”
The other comrades were left out in the cold.
As the monsters’ blood and fluids soaked Dane’s body, his hunger exploded, and his battle spirit blazed.
His unyielding momentum halted some of them, then gradually forced them back.
Monsters had no strategy or tactics. They charged to kill, but fled when death loomed.
Pushed back at one point, the broad wave reversed. The incoming tide turned to a swifter ebb.
“Click! Click!! Click! Click!!”
“Where do you think you’re going?!!!!”
Dane pursued without mercy. It was fun.
He showed no pity for those behind hesitating against the front ones. He killed indiscriminately, piling up the corpses.
Swinging his blades ruthlessly, he noticed an odd flow in their movements.
“Click!! Click!! Click!!”
The chittering sounded like a beaten child wailing for its mother.
Slicing their rears, Dane uncovered the reason for the flow.
‘It’s not crying out for protection—it’s trying to protect something.’ First the egg, now the egg-layer. The target had simply shifted.
As the wave calmed and the flow steadied, Dane spotted what they desperately guarded.
Beyond where small Krekators piled up, forming a wall with their bodies, an exceptionally large Krekator emerged. Medium-large size.
‘That’s the mother. A bit smaller than a Krekator, maybe.’
One female. This one had implanted its eggs in the villagers’ bodies.
Dane felt an eerie familiarity from its massive carapace. A distant food memory dominated his mind.
Mixing hot rice with the salty-sweet marinade inside that shell—how delicious would that be?
It was poignant. Beyond poignant, agonizing.
‘Damn it. I don’t have soy sauce or rice.’
In desperation, he decided to trust River. She might find the flavor he craved.
Chasing the monsters, Dane glanced back and locked eyes with her.
To River, it felt like a final salute from someone charging into their last battle.
“Daaaaane!!!!!”
She clasped her hands and screamed unwittingly, but Dane didn’t hear.
He’d launched himself forward with an even louder roar.
“Soy-marinated crab!!!!!!!”
* * *
“The more I learn, the weirder he gets.” “He’s gotta be insane, no matter how you slice it.”
“I wanna crack open his head.”
River silently agreed with Priscilla’s chilling remark. Their captain was utterly incomprehensible.
The medium-large Krekator lost its antennae first, then one by one its leg joints to Dane. The boss mob’s end was far more pathetic than the others.
“Screeeeech! ! ! ! !”
Dane sat cross-legged atop the wailing monster’s body. He looked like a living boulder.
‘What an odd guy.’
The small Krekators—hatchlings and minions—vanished faster than they’d appeared. The scattered ones were mostly captured alive by his comrades.
‘The big one’s belly, the medium one’s claws, the small ones’ whole bodies—they shine differently by size. Judging them as separate types for once; Kaipatu’s in a generous mood.’
Pondering how to cook them, Dane waved to River.
“Got something to discuss.”
River tensed at his serious tone, but the follow-up was absurd.
“Soy-marinated crab?”
“Yeah.”
River nodded along, taking notes as he explained step by step.
“Soak beans in saltwater for the sauce, then marinate the monster in it. The taste is a bit milder than Elite sauce.” She caught on quick.
“Hmm, I’ve never made it myself, but Lakes Restaurant sold something similar.”
“Ooh!”
“The main ingredient was freshwater fish, but the sauce was bean-based, so same method. My Elite BBQ sauce follows the same principle. That’s why it had a similar umami.” Music to his ears.
“Then let’s consult your grandpa and make it as soon as we get back to Mekardo.” Dane casually calling Ludelver “grandpa” made River feel oddly pleased. Dane barreled on without noticing.
“This one goes on the roof tied down, and we load the small live-captured ones onto the wagon. Bankers! Give me a hand.” Dane issued quick orders, then looked around. No Priscilla.
‘The pounding in my chest stopped, so no more danger. Management said to support her investigation, so time to pull out?’
Following the energy, he entered the house. Priscilla was checking the man recovering from surgery.
“How is he?”
“No consciousness.”
“Sticking around to keep investigating?”
“That’s my job.”
Krekators seen only in the delta appearing in the root zone was unprecedented. And forming groups while parasitizing eggs in human bodies—that was new to her too.
And something else piqued her interest.
Beyond the root weakening investigation, she wanted to slice open the villagers’ bodies.
To gain experience before inevitably dissecting Dane someday. Opportunities to open live humans galore didn’t come often.
“We’re heading to Mekardo before the Krekators spoil.”
“Got it.”
Priscilla spoke without meeting his eyes.
“Take care on the way back.” Dane turned away without lingering.
* * *
The Butcher Crew’s wagon returned to Mekardo in high spirits. Even loaded with Krekators, Dink showed no strain.
From the gate entrance, curious followers trailed one by one, their numbers swelling.
“Dane’s Butcher Crew’s back with monsters!” “What kind are those?” “You’re eating those too?”
Like kids chasing the pied piper, the crowd followed the wagon to the plaza.
Kreya and the trading company folk, along with Ludelver, greeted the disembarking crew.
Puffing cigarette smoke, Kreya called out cheerfully.
“Missed you, Captain Dane! Told you to rest up, and you come back this late?”
“Things look different. Pretty swanky now.” “Oh... I put some effort in today. Not bad?”
At Dane’s response, Kreya twisted her body slightly with a smile. Her lips matched her vivid red suit.
“No, I mean the butcher restaurant. Sign up, and... you added an open kitchen outside. Smart move with the outdoor seating.” Dane’s gaze fixed on the Dane No.1 Monster Butcher Shop beyond her.
Kreya’s face fell awkwardly. River, who’d been glaring at the fox-like woman, burst out laughing—then caught Ludelver’s eye.
“You caught some dangerous-looking monsters. Any... injuries?” “Nah, I’m fine...”
Awkward chatter flew by in seconds. Even Ludelver, trying to be friendly, felt as embarrassed as Kreya.
“We’ve got backlog to catch up on, but let’s process these first. Chef Ludelver, please whip something up with River.” Dane was curt to Kreya, polite to Ludelver. Then he and Bankers started sorting the haul.
“What’re they up to?”
“Beats me...”
While onlookers buzzed with curiosity, Bankers hauled out strings of small Krekators tied with rope from the wagon’s rear.
Dane effortlessly lifted the medium-large one from the roof and set it down. It shook its head futilely in resistance.
“It’s alive! It’s alive!!”
“Woooah!”
Cheers erupted from all sides toward the armored oddity.
“What’s that monster?!” “Isn’t that a Krekator?” “Bringing it to eat?”
Unable to hold back, questions poured in.
Many already knew monster meat’s appeal from the cooking contest and No.1 Yadus Butcher Shop.
Ignoring the reactions, the pair worked silently. Exhausted from an all-nighter, but closing strong, they felt no fatigue.
“Dane, done consulting with grandpa.” As Dane and Bankers finished prepping ingredients at the open kitchen, River approached.
“We’re doing four dishes at once, sized to the Krekators. The one you want—soy-marinated—we’ll do small ones for...”
“Uh... think it’ll work?” “Grandpa’s got fermented bean paste base. Should get close to what you want. But just the dish might be salty, so we’ll make rice to go with it.”
Dane doubted his ears. He’d only explained soy-marinated crab, never mentioned rice.
Amazed by her intuition, he asked back.
“Rice? You’ve got rice?”
“It’s Mekardo. Harder to find what we don’t have.” “Freshly steamed rice...” “Mixed with the marinade—it’ll be delicious.”
The best news he’d heard lately.