[Species Rank: Superior-Transcendent Species]
[Description: A ferocious fish with an extremely faint trace of dragon bloodline.]
Dragonfish are large, sleek creatures with streamlined bodies. They have sharp teeth in the front jaw and serrated teeth in the rear jaw, making them exceedingly aggressive.
Due to their faint dragon bloodline, their combat prowess is formidable, allowing them to unleash tremendous force even when out of water. A massive, red dragonfish was speared by Lu Ran and Captain Doofus, who glanced at it before shaking his head.
Too weak. The quality of its meat may be advanced, but that’s about it. Next! Lu Ran thought.
Captain Doofus swung the Frosty Sky Greatsword, shattering the ice block encasing the dragonfish. Before the creature could react, it slashed it into pieces with several swift strikes.
Lu Ran skillfully stored the fish meat and directed Captain Doofus to continue spearing fish.
The Frosty Sky Greatsword was surrounded by a sky-blue energy infusion, which Captain Doofus controlled to guide the blade underwater.
Fortunately, the lake wasn’t too deep, as Captain Doofus’s current projection manipulation only had an effective range of 50 meters. Beyond that, it would be a struggle.
A moment later, Captain Doofus brought up another dragonfish. Unfortunately, this one was only level 9, with meat likely inferior to the previous catch.
“What are they trying to do?” The three examiners exchanged puzzled looks.
Dragonfish meat is already considered an advanced ingredient. Was Lu Ran not satisfied even after catching one? This was just a unique-grade evaluation, so there was no need to pursue perfection to such extremes.
Despite their confusion, the examiners grew increasingly astonished by Captain Doofus’s prowess.
How did Lu Ran manage to train him so well?
Dragonfish lived in deep waters. Yet this dog, with no direct line of sight, could spear fish so precisely using Projection Manipulation. How was this even possible?
Unbeknownst to them, Captain Doofus had fused with the Weapon Control trait. The Frosty Sky Greatsword wasn’t just a weapon to it. It was like an extension of his body, akin to its nose, eyes, or limbs.
When part of one’s body enters water, it wasn’t entirely devoid of sensory input. In this case, it truly felt like the sword had grown eyes.
While Sword Sovereign was Captain Doofus’s innate species talent, this ability showcased the fundamental aspects of the Weapon Control trait.
At this moment, Captain Doofus resembled a dog extending its paw to scoop fish out of the lake. Except the paw was a Frosty Sky Greatsword.
This level of Weapon Control was a technique developed over 2,000 years later in the Beastmaster Era, cultivated by a group of master beastmasters from the Beastmaster Civilization. In the current era, such techniques were entirely incomprehensible.
After that, Lu Ran and Captain Doofus embarked on a prolonged fishing operation. With ample time on hand and a vast Dragonfish Lake to explore. Lu Ran did not believe they could not find a dragonfish of higher quality.
Meanwhile, other candidates had begun collecting Common and Advanced ingredients nearby, returning to start their culinary preparations.
For a Unique-grade dish, the emphasis wasn’t heavily on ingredient quality. A skilled chef could produce exceptional results with Common ingredients, unlike Treasure-grade cuisine, which required both top-notch ingredients and a high level of Culinary Intent.
As candidates returned and confirmed Lu Ran’s ability to defend himself, the examiners shifted their attention away from him to observe the other participants.
Some candidates gathered brightly colored toxic mushrooms and caught a wild chicken.
“Although this is a toxic mushroom, as long as it goes through fire to remove the toxins, this Phoenix Mushroom King Soup will pass the test for sure,” one murmured.
Another hunted a Tusked Boar and a beehive, intending to create a honey-glazed roast boar with expert technique. One candidate even gathered an assortment of peculiar bugs, planning a fried insect feast for the examiners. Being an examiner, it seemed, was a skill in itself.
Time passed by in a blink of an eye, and the first candidate confidently presented their completed dish.
“Examiners, please enjoy my dish! It is Blazing Kidney Stir-fry.”
The kidney was beautifully plated with tri-colored peppers, forming an artistic visual masterpiece. Heat rose from the dish, perfectly blending aroma and flavor.
They then turned to a candidate accompanied by a Flame Sparrow, and the female examiner said, “Your knife skills are impressive. Judging by the heat, it seems just right...”
The chubby examiner tasted a bite. The combination of spicy, hot, and numbing flavors burst across his palate. Yet, after a moment, his brows furrowed.
“The kidney’s gaminess... It’s still present.”
“Oh, this... I retained a bit of the original flavor. I believe the gaminess is the charm of kidney meat.”
“Was this deliberate or an oversight?” the chubby examiner pressed.
“It was deliberate,” the candidate asserted confidently, explaining that diners in their region enjoyed the taste.
As candidate after candidate presented their dishes for evaluation, the majority received recognition from the examiners. However, some creations left the examiners wondering if the candidates were simply amusing themselves.
Four hours flew by. Most candidates had completed their hunts, leaving only a few still searching for suitable ingredients.
“Hey, look over there!”
Suddenly, one of the candidates exclaimed while pointing in a direction. In the distance, a figure and a dog emerged from the forest.
Captain Doofus carried the Frosty Sky Greatsword in his tail, the blade piercing a large ice sculpture. Within the ice was a faintly glowing, half-meter-long black fish. Seeing the duo and their catch, many candidates were stunned.
“It’s Sudden Death King... And that fish, is that a Mutant Dragonfish!?”
[Name: Mutant Dragonfish]
[Species Rank: Low Champion Species]
“Mutant Dragonfish!? He actually found one!”
Even the examiners sprang to their feet, unable to hide their shock. Mutant Dragonfish were a significant evolutionary step beyond ordinary Dragonfish. The next stage was transformation into a flood dragon, and their meat was unrivaled in its rarity and flavor.
Dragonfish Lake actually contained a Mutant Dragonfish... No, that wasn’t the most important part. What mattered most was that this dragonfish’s power level was clearly extremely formidable at first glance.
How did Lu Ran and Captain Doofus manage to hunt it?
The three examiners realized they had underestimated Lu Ran’s capabilities.
At this moment, Captain Doofus was sprawled on the ground, panting heavily like an exhausted dog. In contrast, Lu Ran appeared delighted, basking in the joy of a successful fisherman.
Catching a Mutant Dragonfish, he was satisfied with himself. A blessing from fate itself.
“Truly a Mutant Dragonfish!”
“What!? Is Sudden Death King really planning to cook it!?”
“What a waste! What an absolute waste!”
Many candidates grew anxious. A Mutant Dragonfish, if it advanced further, could transform into a flood dragon. While a flood dragon wasn’t a true dragon, it carried a significant amount of dragon bloodline, firmly qualifying it as a Superior-Champion Species.
With proper cultivation, it even had the potential to evolve into a King Species.
Such a rare beast was highly sought after for contracts and regarded as an invaluable main familiar. And yet, judging by Lu Ran’s demeanor, it seemed he intended to cook it?
How can he be so wasteful!
Even some chefs were baffled. The gourmet assessment didn’t require this level of extravagance. With Lu Ran’s culinary skills, he could easily pass without resorting to such drastic measures.
Yet Lu Ran’s actions spoke louder than words. If the fish could be taken out of the Ascension Realm alive, he certainly wouldn’t have cooked it. But the rules prevented the removal of living beings from the realm, leaving him no choice but to transform it into a dish.
Moreover, higher quality dishes earned better scores. Lu Ran saw no reason to hesitate.
Back at the cooking area, he ignored the pained expressions of his peers and placed the Mutant Dragonfish onto the chopping board. The three examiners appeared as though they wanted to intervene, but ultimately remained silent, curious to see what Lu Ran would do.
Unlike other candidates, the examiners would soon have the privilege of tasting the Mutant Dragonfish. They resigned themselves to Lu Ran’s peculiar methods.
Lu Ran clasped his hands in a moment of prayer, thanking nature for its harvest. He felt fortunate to have encountered such an Advanced dragonfish.
Without it, he would have had to make do with the Common Dragonfish, resulting in a lesser-quality dish. He hoped the rewards for this task would justify the four hours of effort.