Chapter 706: The Utility of Delicacies |
In another apartment on Rue Orosay in the Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative, Lumian placed the cold Fürth fish in front of Ludwig.
Ludwig's eyes lit up when he saw the pan-fried fish in the exquisite wooden box. He quickly turned to Lugano, who understood his meaning and handed over a child's knife and fork he had found in the newly rented room.
Lumian leaned back in his chair and watched as Ludwig sliced the remaining half of the fish into pieces, chewing and swallowing the meat along with the bones.
Without waiting for Lumian to inquire, Ludwig narrowed his eyes, seemingly enjoying himself, and said, "The Fürth Firefish is a mutated fish resulting from the corruption leaking from Fourth Epoch Trier. Its breed stabilized 769 years ago and mainly resides in the Danro section of the underground Madar River. Its meat and blood can be concocted into a 'warm cocktail' with various sunflowers. After drinking it, one can resist the effects of the cold to a certain extent for half an hour.
"A Fürth Firefish that has lived for over a decade is an ingredient rich in spirituality. Using its meat, blood from a Mid-Sequence Beyonder of the Hunter pathway, ice, and lemon juice, one can cook Ice Lemon Fish fillets. After anyone eats them for the first time, they permanently enjoy reduced damage from flames. Eating them later will enhance the effect, but it only lasts for half an hour."
Lumian nodded in enlightenment. In Franca's words, the first time it's eaten, it adds some permanent fire resistance. The subsequent enhancements are temporary…
Lugano was taken aback.
Ludwig actually knows cooking?
Moreover, it involves cooking with superpowers!
It seems capable of permanently enhancing some of my abilities!
After Ludwig finished his meal, Lumian suddenly thought of something.
Franca's ritual for advancing to the Demoness of Affliction involved being burned at the stake—without using a substitute—for fifteen minutes and surviving without going mad.
If Franca eats Fürth Firefish's Ice Lemon Fish fillet to increase her fire resistance, although the pain won't abate, her chances of surviving the incineration will greatly increase. When the time comes, she can eat some more temporarily before the ritual. Lumian's thoughts raced as he quickly made up his mind.
Today, he would head to Underground Trier to search for Fürth Firefish that had lived for over a decade!
From his Traveler's Bag, Lumian retrieved a map of Underground Trier reconstructed from his memories, derived from the one Gardner Martin had once displayed. He searched for the location of the Danro section of the Madar underground river.
As Lumian scrutinized the map, he asked Ludwig with a smile, "How do you know the precise name of the source? Do Fürth Firefish have knowledge of the rivers they inhabit?"
Ludwig licked his lips, unsatisfied.
"Indeed, they do. From years of fishing, humans inevitably mention the names of rivers and specific sections. Even if Fürth Firefish don't comprehend the meaning, they instinctively retain this information in their corresponding cells when repeatedly exposed to it."
"Interesting." Lumian had posed the question in jest, not anticipating such a serious response.
Pointing to himself, he inquired curiously, "Will consuming the Ice Lemon Fish fillet reduce the burn damage I sustain?"
As a Reaper, flames inflict relatively minimal damage to him.
Ludwig picked up a minuscule remnant of the fish, no larger than a grain of rice, from the exquisite wooden box and presented it to Lumian. "Only this much."
Without hesitation, the boy promptly popped the morsel into his mouth.
"Well, that's better than nothing," Lumian remarked with a smile and a sigh.
He intended to secure a special serving of Ice Lemon Fish fillet for himself, with additional portions for Jenna, Anthony, Lugano, and Ludwig!
To accomplish this task, Lumian proactively inquired, "How does a Fürth Firefish that has lived for over a decade differ from its ordinary counterparts?"
Ludwig's response sounded as if he were reciting from a textbook, "A Fürth Firefish that has survived for more than a decade can grow to nearly a meter in length and tends to reside in caves at the riverbed. They rarely approach the surface but exhibit a keen sensitivity to blood and spiritually rich food. These fish are highly aggressive and willing to take significant risks driven by their instincts.
"Their skin has hardened, rendering them impervious to fishing spears. Sharp teeth fill their mouths, enabling them to devour any humans who happen to fall into the river. Additionally, their blood possesses a distinct burning characteristic."
After attentively listening, Lumian calmly assessed the information.
Despite their longevity of over a decade, Fürth Firefish did not possess Beyonder characteristics or acquire supernatural abilities through boons. They belonged to a species that had undergone corruption but had since stabilized.
If they were to continue living in such an environment for tens of thousands of years, they might evolve into creatures with their own intricate society, akin to the Batings Black Insect.
As he put away the map and stood up, Lumian turned to Ludwig and asked thoughtfully before leaving,
"Apart from the permanent enhancements, does this special cooking method involve any adverse effects, such as corruption?"
Ludwig scrutinized Lumian and remained silent. Lumian suspected that Ludwig was internally mocking him.
For someone already deeply corrupted, the concern over a minuscule amount of additional corruption seemed trivial.
After a brief pause, Ludwig replied, "As a child, I lack understanding of such matters. What I do know is that if one desires to indulge in finer and more delectable cuisine, they must be willing to accept the associated risks. Those unwilling to take the risk can simply choose not to partake…"
Ludwig instinctively added, "If you don't wish to eat, you can always leave the food for me."
With a slight nod, Lumian opened the door and exited the apartment.
…
In the depths of Underground Trier, the Madar River flowed through a tranquil, deserted, and dimly lit cave, its gentle splashing echoing in the distance.
Emerging from the shadows, Lumian, Franca, and Jenna made their way to the riverbank. One carried a carbide lamp, while the other two traveled empty-handed.
Although ingredient suppliers seeking to monopolize Fürth Firefish guarded this section of the subterranean river, it posed no significant challenge for a Hunter and two Demonesses. Utilizing the shadows, they deftly navigated through the patrolled area and successfully reached the water's edge.
Raising his carbide lamp, Lumian discovered that the underground river was not only expansive but also incredibly deep. Submerged caves lined the riverbed, inhabited by peculiar fish.
After a quick survey, Lumian set the carbide lamp down, rolled up his sleeves, and crouched beside the river.
Without hesitation, he plunged his right arm into the frigid water.
"Is this your preferred method of fishing?" Franca inquired, well aware of Lumian's penchant for "fishing." However, she hadn't anticipated him employing the same technique when his prey was, quite literally, fish.
"What alternative do I have?" Lumian chuckled. "Would you prefer I strip down, dive into the underwater caves, and catch them with my bare hands?"
"That's not an impossibility," Franca replied with a playful smile. "It would provide an excellent opportunity to admire your physique."
Ignoring her comment, Lumian focused his spirituality, causing a thin layer of white flames to emanate from his thumb.
The flames, resistant to the water's extinguishing effect, took the form of a small knife and carefully sliced his index finger. A single drop of blood seeped out, rapidly dispersing into the surrounding water.
The Fürth Firefish swimming in the shallows seemed to detect an ominous presence and swiftly retreated from the area where the blood had spread.
Moments later, enormous Fürth Firefish, their skin charred and hardened, emerged from the caves along the riverbed.
One particularly swift specimen reached Lumian's right hand in a flash, its mouth wide open to reveal sharp, gleaming teeth. Before it could sink its teeth into his flesh, Lumian's palm abruptly clenched into a fist. Instead of withdrawing, he thrust his hand forward, punching directly into the fish's gaping maw.
With a resounding bang, Lumian grasped the creature's skull and hauled the colossal Fürth fish out of the river.
Silently, cold and sinister black flames ignited in the river, incinerating Lumian's blood that had merged with the water.
It was Jenna.
"We can return now," Lumian declared, tossing the massive Fürth fish to Franca.
As Franca caught the ingredient, freezing it and storing it in her Traveler's Bag, she appeared lost in thought.
Keenly observing her demeanor, Lumian asked, "What's on your mind?"
Pointing in a specific direction, Franca responded, "I remember that nearby, we entered a unique mirror world and acquired the classic silver mirror that granted Anthony and me access to Fourth Epoch Trier."
"Indeed," Lumian acknowledged, gesturing for Franca to continue.
Averting her gaze, Franca expressed her thoughts, "I'm contemplating whether we could utilize the mirror world to stage an ambush against Moran Avigny. Specifically, I'm referring to the conventional mirror world that interconnects all the mirrors in this world."
In the conventional sense, the mirror world functioned more akin to a conceptual amalgamation of doors rather than a tangible realm. It served as an intricate network of passageways linking various mirrors and enigmatic lands. In essence, if Franca could harness the mirror world and pinpoint the precise location, she could conceal herself behind the mirror frequently used by Moran Avigny and launch an attack the moment her target entered.
"What is it that you truly wish to convey?" Lumian raised his eyebrows.
Franca eagerly elaborated, "Considering that a portion of the corruption from Fourth Epoch Trier has seeped into this area, giving rise to unique creatures like Fürth Firefish and the extraordinary mirror world we previously explored, is it plausible that within this vast underground expanse, there exists a secluded corner influenced by the corruption of a select few high-level Demoness powers over an extended period?
"Could it be possible for one to traverse through the mirror and enter the mirror world without attaining the status of a demigod Demoness?"
After a moment of serious contemplation, Lumian replied, "It's a possibility."
Jenna's eyes darted around as she suggested, "Could it be the location where you discovered the special mirror? That area must have been corrupted by the power emanating from Fourth Epoch Trier's mirror world."
"We can investigate," Lumian said with a smile. "There's no need to rush. If it proves unsuccessful, we can bide our time. Once Hisoka's Beyonder characteristic is transformed into a Sealed Artifact, perhaps we can assume the form of Wraiths and conceal ourselves within the mirror. However, I'm uncertain whether Wraiths possess the ability to navigate the mirror world."
"Let's prioritize the search!" Franca declared, retrieving her Mirror World Fragment. She hoped that this item might provide some unique means of detection.
Lumian glanced at the fragment and, after a brief contemplation, advised seriously, "Holding the Mirror World Fragment is unlikely to yield any benefit. Instead, take out the Primordial Demoness figurine."
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