Uru’en led me over to a stack of large, wooden bowls and bone-handled spoons. I copied her, taking one of each. She moved toward the far corner of the hut where a massive hearth roared.
Standing before it, wielding a ladle the size of my forearm, was the tallest and most broadly built barbarian I had seen yet.
He had the shoulders of a draft horse and arms thick with corded muscle. Yet, when he turned at Uru’en’s call, his face broke into a wide, gentle smile that seemed to soften his entire formidable presence.
"Dad, two for us! As usual!" Uru’en called out cheerfully.
’...Well, that was unexpected.’
I kept my expression neutral, but inwardly I wasn’t that surprised.
Uru’en had clearly inherited her striking, almost delicate beauty from her mother. While her powerful build and sheer physical presence came straight from this man.
The giant chef’s gentle smile shifted to me as I approached. His voice was a low rumble, like stones grinding together.
"Another one, eh? A pointy-eared one this time," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone, but I heard it clearly.
"Here," He ladled a generous portion of a thick, steaming stew into my bowl.
It was packed with chunks of dark meat, hardy root vegetables, and fragrant herbs I recognized easily thanks to my recent training.
Still, the aroma was rich and savory, stirring my appetite.
He handed the bowl back to me, his deep-set eyes meeting mine.
"Please, tell me how it is after eating," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "And don’t hesitate to criticise."
I thanked the man with a nod and followed Uru’en to a nearby, mostly empty table.
"Let’s dig in," she said, and immediately began devouring her portion with a gusto that was anything but ladylike. She ate like she fought, like she hadn’t seen food for days.
I shrugged and started on my own stew.
The first spoonful was a burst of deep, savory flavor, the tender meat and perfectly cooked vegetables blending with the rich, herb-infused broth.
It was hearty, warming, and undeniably delicious.
I couldn’t lie even if I wanted to.
As we ate, the large hut filled with more tribespeople. Soon, the air was filled with laughter, clattering bowls, and rumbling conversation.
A group of curious teenagers, their builds already hinting at future warriors, wandered over to our table.
They fired questions at me in a bit sloppy but understandable Common tongue — where was I from, had I ever seen a human-city, what was the strongest beast I’d fought?
I answered carefully, sticking to my Lumin persona.
The gathering grew louder and more vibrant.
As the meal drew to a close, the older tribesmen began to share stories and tales with the younger ones, their voices rising and falling in the rhythmic cadence of their language.
It was a scene of raw, communal life.
The peak came when a heated debate between two burly hunters escalated. Voices rose, chests puffed out, and in a flash, they were squared off, ready to brawl.
Before the first punch could be thrown, a massive shadow fell over them.
THUMP.
The chef, Uru’en’s father, had crossed the room in the blink of an eye.
A single, open-handed slap from each of his colossal palms connected with the backs of the two men’s heads.
The sound was like two melons being smacked together.
Both hunters crumpled to the floor, momentarily dazed.
"Outside," the chef rumbled, his gentle smile gone, replaced by a look of absolute authority. "You want to fight, you do it where you don’t ruin the mood."
The two men scrambled up, shamefaced, and shuffled out.
The chef dusted his hands off, his gentle smile returning as if nothing had happened, and went back to his hearth.
Throughout it all, I had been subtly checking statuses.
The chef was a powerhouse, just like his wife. He was a peak Tier 6 Resonator, with his path being Sage of the Hearth.
I suppose he truly loved cooking to the point of making it his path.
Many of the other barbarians around were Tiers 3 and 4, with a few elders also showing as Tier 5.
They lived up to the statement Uru’en claimed about cherishing strength above all. But of course, in a good way.
And I had to admit that the quality of their overall strength was equal if not better than our family’s. Considering my father’s recent breakthrough to tier 6 and the guard captain being only a tier 5 resonator, this tribe’s collective power was staggering.
After a while, the dinner finally came to an end.
I dutifully returned my empty bowl to the massive chef.
"It was excellent," I said, and meant it. "The balance of herbs, the tenderness of the meat... This is definitely every warrior’s go-to meal."
The chef’s gentle smile widened into a genuine grin. He gave a satisfied nod. "Good. You have taste, pointy-ears. Go on, I approve of you."
Before I could correct whatever misunderstanding the man had reached, Uru’en led me away.
Outside, night had fully fallen.
"Oh," I looked over outside the fortress.
It wasn’t just dark; it was an oppressive, pitch-black blanket that smothered the world beyond the fortress’s torches and firelight.
Even with my night vision, I could barely make out the shapes of the nearest trees. The darkness felt thick, heavy, and alive. It was more than an absence of light; it was as if there was a presence.
’Its domain really does reach this far, huh...’
To think its influence could drain the very moonlight, creating this atmosphere... it lived up to its rumored rank.
An Overlord...
"Scary, isn’t it?" Uru’en chuckled beside me.
I tilted my head, considering the oppressive darkness. "Scary? No. But I could say it’s certainly... impressive."
Uru’en laughed again. "I knew you weren’t ordinary. Most outsiders tremble just by looking at it."
She paused, then nudged me with her elbow. "Should I take you to see the Black Dome tomorrow then?"
"Huh?" I looked at her. "It’s possible?"
"Of course," she said, her amber eyes glinting with a mix of mischief and pride. "As long as we stay a certain distance away from it, there won’t be anything wrong. We keep watch posts on the high ridges to monitor its movements. It’s almost become a tradition. To look upon the thing that rules our nights."
I didn’t need to think about it. The chance to observe a Tier 6 entity, or its domain, from a position of relative safety was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
"Alright, let’s do it then."
"Good, leave it to me," she said, then paused. "Just... don’t tell Mom or Dad. Or else they’re gonna nag me again."
I squinted at her. "...So, it’s not allowed?"
She grinned, a flash of white in the dim light. "Well, you wanna go or not?"
"...Alright, I won’t tell anyone," I conceded. "But are you sure it’s going to be okay?"
"What, chickening out?" she teased.
"No," I said flatly. "I just prefer to be cautious and not to break rules that might get us both in trouble, while just being a guest."
"It’s fine." She waved a dismissive hand. "The watch posts are always manned. We’re just... taking a slightly closer look than usual. For observation purposes. Anyway, let’s go, I’ll show you where you can sleep."
We headed back to the massive hut.
This time, Uru’en led me through a different carved doorway, into a smaller hall with a low ceiling. Two simple rooms, separated by heavy fur curtains, opened off this space.
"You can sleep in either one," she said, gesturing. "I’ll be sleeping in the next hall over. Tell me if you need anything now, or else I’m going to sleep."
"No, it’s fine. Thank you, and have a good night," I said, bidding her farewell.
She gave me a final, amused glance before disappearing through another doorway, the curtain swishing shut behind her.
I pushed aside the fur curtain of the nearest room. Inside was sparse but clean: a thick pile of furs for a bed, a small, empty stone hearth, and a narrow window slit covered by a leather shutter.
It was more than enough to spend the night, far better than sleeping outside in fact.
Closing the curtain, I laid down on the bed and let out a slow breath.
’Tomorrow’s gonna be even more interesting...’