Michael pulled Eric along, allowing no refusal. He cut a large piece of meat from Max’s magical beast and gave it to him, making the corner of Eric’s eye twitch.
This piece of meat looked to be at least 50 kilograms, the size of a whole crossbred pig. Moreover, upon getting closer, even though the Thunderfire Beast was dead, its lingering might and residual magic fluctuations made Eric’s face turn pale.
Wow, those fangs, that weight, that glossy black fur... although it startled him, he felt more excitement and a desire to try it out. Eric excitedly reached out his hand, wanting to touch it.
However, this Thunderfire Beast was hunted by Max, and Max held no goodwill towards him. He felt a bit too shy to touch it, merely standing before the Thunderfire Beast with brightly shining eyes.
Michael looked at him with some amusement. He always felt that Eric was somewhat different today, finally looking a little cuter, having the appearance of a cub.
"If you want to touch it, just go ahead. Max isn’t that petty," Michael said.
If the original owner had heard this sentence, he would have surely added another mark against Michael in his little black book. To the original owner’s ears, this sentence sounded like he was showing off his relationship with Max.
Now that it was him, he certainly wouldn’t overthink it. This sentence was exactly what he wanted to hear. Michael was truly a good person!
He reached out and gently touched the fur of the Thunderfire Beast before him. The Thunderfire Beast looked like a mix between a lion and a tiger, with a giant, sharp horn on its head.
According to the novel’s description, when the Thunderfire Beast was alive, the sharp horn on its head could release lightning, with power equivalent to a full-force blow from a magus. Its mouth could also spit out lava fireballs.
Fortunately, the beastmen had magic resistance and thick skin and flesh, unafraid of being burned or struck by lightning. If they were human, who knows how many people would have to die to take down such a large monster.
The moment his hand landed on it, a numbing electric current passed through his palm. The Thunderfire Beast’s fur still retained magical energy. No wonder the human world coveted every part of these magical beasts so much.
The glossy black fur was as smooth as silk. Though the hairs were soft, they were incredibly tough.
Eric’s Vietnamese blood stirred in his bones. He remembered how, back in the day, his ancestors had fashioned countless trays, basins, pots, pans, ladles, and spoons from the wreckage of B-52s. He might not be their equal, but he surely wasn’t far behind, right?
With such good fur, he wondered how many toothbrushes, oil brushes, or laundry brushes he could make... Hmm, he could also make a grooming brush for Leo.
When Max and the others divided the meat, they didn’t damage the Thunderfire Beast’s pelt, so it looked particularly appealing.
If only he could also hunt such good prey. Not only was the meat edible, but he could also use the pelt to make door curtains, bed cushions, and rugs. In winter, it could be made into clothes, and the fur could be used to make all sorts of brushes.
The thought that human merchant caravans could trade such a fine pelt for just some crude salt, spices, and pottery made him feel a sense of regret.
Light industry must be developed!
"Thank you, Michael," he said sincerely.
In the past, the original owner’s attitude towards Michael was considered good if he didn’t roll his eyes; sometimes he would even make sarcastic remarks. His current attitude, in contrast, made Michael a bit unaccustomed.
"It’s nothing, it’s nothing. What’s there to thank me for? Can you carry the meat? If you can’t, I can bring it over for you." He suddenly seemed embarrassed, lifting the meat to change the subject.
The corner of Eric’s mouth twitched. The nerves of these beastmen were really thick. Don’t they know that men can’t say they can’t?
A person with a sensitive mind could indeed get angry easily. He now felt a little sympathy for the original owner.
For a sensitive person like the original owner to appear among a group of beastmen was like a pumpkin growing in a patch of winter melons.
He took the piece of meat and placed it on his bundle of firewood, trying to lift it. It wasn’t as heavy as he imagined. It seemed he was only a little weaker than the others in his tribe.
Alright, maybe it wasn’t just a little weaker. He recalled the scene of a group of tribesmen carrying back magical beasts as large as small mountains, then thought about how his own beast form wasn’t even as big as their feet. Forget it, he’d better not compare. As long as he was stronger than he was in his past life, that was good enough.
After a moment’s thought, he said to Michael, "This meat is enough for the two of us for a few days. Next time you go hunting, if you catch any prey, could you give me some of the fur?"
He was a little embarrassed, so he spoke haltingly.
Michael’s expression was a bit puzzled, but he still nodded and said, "Of course, you can. Just come and pick some out then."
Eric thanked him gratefully, then carried the meat and firewood, held the chicken, and led the waiting Leo home.
Watching his retreating back, Kevin was also very puzzled. He put his arm around Michael’s shoulder and said, "Why does it feel like that kid has changed? It’s a bit strange, but I can’t quite put my finger on it..."
"That’s right!" Sam, who was beside them, shouted, attracting everyone’s attention.
He said sheepishly, "I just realized, Eric didn’t talk to Max today. Usually, the moment he sees Max, isn’t he already clinging to him? Plus, he smiled at Michael today. I’ve only ever seen him secretly glaring at Michael before."
Sometimes he glared at them too.
"Who knows? It was strange enough that he came to get meat today. In the past, he’d rather let Leo go hungry than come over. Besides the food we bring him, he catches those tiny things himself to fill their stomachs. It’s one thing for himself, but he let Leo get so hungry his fur wasn’t even glossy," Kevin said with a pout.
To beastmen, the most important thing was their fur! A smooth and glossy coat was proof of a beastman’s strength!