NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 275: Horrifying Creature
Cassius leaned over the pot of boiling pasta, the steam rising in soft curls as he gave the glowing cheesy sauce a final stir, the cream and spice blending into a rich, aromatic masterpiece.
He dipped a spoon into the sauce, tasting it with a satisfied nod, his lips curving into a grin as the flavors danced on his tongue.
"Perfect..." He muttered, his voice low with pride as he set the pot aside. He then began preparing a marinade, sprinkling in crushed dawnpetal herbs, tiny, luminescent buds that only bloomed at sunrise for a subtle, floral kick.
"This hog's gonna be a feast." He said to himself, his hands moving quickly as he mixed the marinade, the scent of herbs mingling with the campfire's smoky warmth.
Nearby, Julie knelt by the ice cream maker, her eyes wide with fascination as she watched the milk and cream she'd added—well, the salt she'd managed to add without disaster, slowly churn into a creamy texture.
Her face lit up with a rare pride, her shoulders straightening as she murmured, "Look at that, it's actually turning into ice cream!"
She leaned closer, her voice soft with awe as the machine's Eather-based gears hummed quietly.
"I mean, I only added the salt, but still...I did that!"
Aisha hovered beside her, her posture tense with vigilance, her eyes narrowing as she watched Julie like a hawk.
"Don't touch anything else, Captain." Aisha warned, her voice sharp as she crossed her arms, her expression wary. "I'm dying for that ice cream, and I swear, if you ruin it, I'm never forgiving you."
Julie glanced at her, her voice tinged with indignation as she clutched the instruction paper, her cheeks flushing.
"I'm not gonna ruin it, Aisha! I got the salt in, didn't I?" She protested, her tone defensive as she gestured at the machine, her pride still glowing despite her earlier mishaps. "I'm just looking! It's amazing, how it's all coming together, okay? Let me have this!"
Aisha rolled her eyes, her voice dry as she leaned closer, her expression skeptical. "Yeah, sure, just looking. That's what you said before you turned our soup into seawater after adding so much salt in the past. Just stay back and let the machine do its thing."
Just as Julie opened her mouth to suggest adding a splash of syrup to "make it even tastier" a loud cry echoed through the campsite, piercing the night air.
"Master!...Master!"
The voice was unmistakable, Skadi's exuberant shout, and everyone's heads snapped toward a rustling bush in the distance, the leaves shaking wildly.
Cassius paused mid-slice, his knife hovering over the hog's marinade, his eyes narrowing with anticipation. "Here she comes." He said, his voice bright as he set the knife down, expecting Skadi to burst through with her prize.
But to their utter shock, the creature that stumbled out of the shadows wasn't Skadi.
No, this...this was something else entirely.
A monstrous figure emerged into the firelight, a horrifying hybrid with the massive, snarling head of a wild hog, tusks gleaming menacingly, and the slender, unmistakable body of a girl beneath it.
The campsite froze. The air turned thick and suffocating as every pair of eyes locked onto the nightmare in front of them.
Aisha's hand shot to her wand so fast it was a miracle she didn't sprain her wrist. "W-What the hell is that?!" She shrieked, sparks crackling violently at the tip as she aimed it dead center on the hog, headed abomination.
Julie let out a sharp gasp, her hand flying to her sword as she drew it halfway with a metallic hiss.
Her voice was low and grim, her body tense like a coiled spring. "Stay sharp, everyone." She barked, her eyes narrowing. "That's no ordinary beast. One wrong move and we're bacon."
Even Cassius, a man who'd stared death in the face and laughed stumbled back a step, his voice cracking in disbelief. "What the..." He started, his fingers fumbling for the hidden dagger in his ring.
But then...
The creature stopped dead in its tracks. It straightened awkwardly, the enormous hog head swiveling stiffly toward them.
"Uh...guys? Why are you all staring at me like that?" It said, its voice confused, high, pitched, and utterly, unmistakably Skadi's. "What's with the weapons?!"
The group froze harder. Julie blinked. Aisha's wand sparked dangerously. Cassius's jaw dropped.
"I-I did my best to bring the hog, okay?" Skadi went on, her voice defensive as she raised her hands in a comical "don't shoot" gesture. "You're looking at me like you're about to roast me instead!"
Aisha's wand lowered by a hair, her eye twitching as she squinted at the figure. "Wait...Skadi? Is that you?!" She choked out, her voice trembling between fear and disbelief.
The creature, no, Skadi let out an exasperated huff. With one dramatic flourish, she grabbed the hog's head and yanked it clean off her own, revealing her grinning, slightly sweaty face beneath.
"TA DAAA~!" She cried, tossing the hog head to the ground with a meaty thud. Her hair stuck up in random directions, her cheeks flushed from effort, but her grin was wide and triumphant. "Of course it's me! Who else could drag a hog this big through the woods for you guys?!"
A beat of stunned silence.
Then:
"Skadi?! What in the name of the gods possessed you to walk in like that?!?!" Aisha exploded, clutching her chest like she'd just shaved ten years off her life expectancy. "I almost blasted you into the afterlife!"
"Yeah!" Julie barked, sheathing her sword with a loud clang as she stomped forward. "Do you have any idea how close you were to getting skewered?! I was this close to turning you into a hog, kebab!"
Skadi pouted, puffing her cheeks as she placed her hands on her hips. "Pfft! Oh, come on! I thought you'd all be impressed!" She said, striking a playful pose like she was modeling for an imaginary audience. "It's called dramatic flair, you guys. You should be thanking me for the entertainment."
Cassius pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long, suffering sigh. "Skadi, I've fought actual demons that were less terrifying than whatever that entrance was supposed to be."
"I thought it was cool!" Skadi huffed, folding her arms. "You're all just too uptight to appreciate a good show!"
Aisha groaned, dragging a hand down her face as she muttered. "Next time I see a hog's head coming at me in the dark, I'm firing first and asking questions later."
Ignoring Aisha, Skadi bounded over to Cassius, the massive headless hog slung across her shoulders, her voice bursting with pride as she dropped it at his feet, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Master, look! I got the hog, just like you said!" She declared, her tone triumphant as she puffed out her chest. "It didn't even stand a chance. By the time it looked up, I slashed its neck in one go, bam, down it went!"
She mimicked the motion with her hand, her grin wide as she bounced on her toes, clearly eager for praise.
Cassius chuckled, his voice warm as he straightened up and patted Skadi's head, his lips tugging into an amused smile.
"Good job, Skadi. You really are a good girl for bringing in this pig." He said affectionately, ruffling her hair until it stuck up in tufts. "My best little puppy, huh?"
Skadi giggled, her voice bubbling with pure joy as she leaned into his hand like an overgrown dog begging for more pets, her cheeks glowing with pride. "Hehe, I am the best puppy, Master!" She chirped, clapping her hands together as she basked in the warm glow of his praise.
Cassius then took the hog from her shoulders, carefully setting it down to inspect it.
But as his eyes scanned its flank, his brows slowly furrowed.
A jagged bite mark marred the hog's side, a chunk of flesh missing alongside the clean slash across its neck.
He frowned, tilting his head as he pointed at it.
"Uh, Skadi...what's this?" He asked, his voice dipping into an awkward, hesitant tone. "Did another animal fight you for the hog? This looks like something actually bit it." His hand hovered warily over the wound as his eyes flicked to hers, searching for answers.
Hearing this, Skadi shook her head innocently, her voice casual as she rubbed the back of her neck, a sheepish grin creeping across her face.
"Nope, no other animals, Master." She said brightly. "That, uh...that's my bite mark."
Cassius blinked, caught off guard. "…Your bite mark?"
"Yeah." Skadi admitted, her cheeks flushing as she shifted on her feet. "I got a little hungry on the way back, so I took a nibble. Just a tiny one!"
Her eyes darted guiltily to the side, her grin turning lopsided as if hoping he wouldn't scold her...