Chapter 24: 24 Barbeque or Charcoal
More than thirty minutes had passed now making four people really anxious for their friends. While in the bush Ben was already on his way back. Stopping ten metres away from the camp ground. Ben retrieved the four Redflaming rabbit and the Two Tailed Wild Cat, tying two Redflaming rabbits at each end of a rope each, he hung the Two Tailed Wild Cat on his shoulder and started for the camp ground.
Seeing that there was an argument Ben frowned, coming closer he found out the two people with the loudest voice amongst the four, he couldn't help but give a shallow laugh.
"Since no one is missing any limbs or flesh I'll need your help to get these things off me." When they heard the familiar voice they all turned to the source and saw a young man with a very warm smile that could make a lot of girls blood rush.
""Ben!"" Vanessa and Kate were the first to react immediately the heard Ben's voice. And because of their reaction this put them in an awkward position right now.
As a fast thinking person Ben quickly said. "Nope, not Ben, it's the Boogyman." with that the weird atmosphere quickly got lifted.
Thud!
Ben threw the four Redflaming rabbits near the fire and laid the Two Tailed Wild Cat a bit further but purposely closer to Parker.
"What the hell is that?" Parker jumped up from his seat as he shouted in fright. Everyone else became a little skeptic as they came closer to have a better look. Bob and Mia already had their swords drawn.
"Is that... is that a Two Tailed Wild Cat? How did you kill that thing all by yourself?" Bob asked poking the corpse with his sword.
"I had help." What a simple answer that was.
"Okay, then how do you explain how you got four Redflaming rabbits? Wait, let me guess, you had help." Flash asked with an astonished look.
"Nope, I hunted them myself."
"""..."""
"Are you guys hungry or what? If not I should just leave it for other creatures to eat them."
"""You dare!!!""" They all shouted at the same time glaring daggers at Ben.
"But who's going to prepare it? I can't cook." Jeremy brought up a good question then all the men looked at the girls.
"Don't look at us and don't even think about it! we're warriors not housewives." Vanessa said a bit red, Kate too, Mia... she was still the same.
"Guys, forget it, I'll do it." shaking his head Ben agreed to do it.
"This means we're going to eat charcoal if you are to prepare it." Flash said as he sneered at Ben.
"If you're much better why don't you do it?" Mia was clearly irritated by Flash's words.
"That would be perfect actually." Flash bites back.
"Then go hunt for your own game, this is Ben's." Jeremy angrily said.
Seeing things were going sideways Ben intervened. "You don't have to worry guys, we have enough for all of us. There isn't a need to go back and hunt, and I don't think they'll be any game five hundred metres radius from us here. Just let them have this one..." after saying that he took one Redflaming rabbit and cut it in two then he gave it and a whole one to Flash "...don't come begging for our piece later on."
"You wish. come on Flash let's teach this him how it's done." Parker said. Then they went to work and didn't say anything else.
Ben took a look at how Flash began his preparation, he shook his head chuckling. Ben picked up his dagger and went to start on his own work. He had to cook for four people. Four hungry people! So he didn't want to waste anymore time. Ben began showing off his skill when roasting the Redflaming rabbits.
Ben scary scattered the blazing flames in his side of the bonfire ,reducing the the overall heat. Flash and Bob smirked when they saw Ben putting it his fire. After ten minutes of continuous turning and grilling the meat changed into gold-brown, fat and oil began to drip on the the fire making sizzling sounds, it looked very alluring, plus, smelling the fragrance of this meat, even those high nobles would salivate much less these youths.
Putting his hands inside his bag he took out a bottle of seasoning. Again out of pretence, he began sprinkling then in the golden brown roasted meat on the fire.
"Ben, if you keep keeping us waiting I'm going to bite off your arm." said Jeremy drooling.
"I'm almost done dude, there'll be no need for that." Ben smile.
Over at Flash's side of the fire things weren't going too well as they just kept struggling with the heat. On Ben's side everyone just couldn't take their eyes off the meat. Two minutes later Ben gave them their share, they dragged it out of his hands and bit down.
"Careful! it's still hot goddammit." Ben laughed as the four couldn't wait and warned but was too slow for these young wolves to hear.
"""ouch"""
Vanessa, Jeremy and Kate screamed out loud forgetting they just took the meat out of an open fire. Mia still had some rationality to cool hers before chewing on it. Flash, Parker and Bob raised their heads and saw the golden-brown barbeque in the hands of the other party and couldn't help swallowing two mouthful of saliva. Looking down they shook their heads in a depressed manner.
"Would you guys need some seasoning?" Ben laughed when the half burnt meat came to his view.
Hearing Ben's words the others turned only to see the gloomy faces of the trio opposite them. Veering their heads down they stole a glance and saw the half black meat the that will most likely turn to fuel for the fire if it should stay there for another five minutes. The four burst into laughter. Mia only chuckled.
"Yeah, we're all gonna eat coal alright! hahaha... " Jeremy didn't let an opportunity like this to pass by him.
"What's wrong Parker, is the fire not enough, haha..." who else would derive pleasure humiliating Parker if not Vanessa as she laughed to her heart's content.
No more paying anymore attention to the trio Ben turned to Mia and said, "What's up with you?" sitting next to her.
Mia got startled by Ben's sudden question, exactly, what's wrong with me? Mia though to herself. She said instead, "Nothing, what's wrong?" she ask in reply.
"Nothing, you just like staying quiet, that's all." Ben answered with a smile on his face. Confused Mia kept staring at the fire. "If you don't eat your food I think you're gonna have frozen food instead of barbeque." Ben added looking at her in the face.
What Ben said brought her out of her thoughts, "Why are you staring at me?" she frowned seeing Ben staring at her.
"You know, doctors say the only reason young people get older and have wrinkles faster nowadays is because they frown a lot. I think you're getting wrinkles." Ben stated as though saying something extremely important in life.
"Huh?" fear shone in Mia's eyes as she used her hands to touch forehead forgetting she recently held a greasy kebab. When her hands made contact with her face was when she realized she was tricked into doing so.
"Hehe, girls do care a lot about their face and appearance regardless of occupation, don't they?" Ben chuckled telling Mia.
Mia's eyes went wide open staring at Ben, however something unexpected happened. Extreme anger burst out of Mia's body accompanied by extreme chill freezing the meat in her hands instantly, it even affected Ben's. She dropped the frozen meat then stood up and stormed into her rent. Ben was fast to catch the falling frozen meat before it hit the ground, he stood up but didn't go anywhere, he just stood there confused. He didn't know what had happened or what brought the change of attitude. He knew he hadn't done anything to hurt her, even his words weren't provoking... okay, maybe a little, but it was still a joke, no?
The rest saw what transpired but knew not what caused it. They were all dumbfounded that Ben had made someone really angry, and to make things worst that 'someone' was Mia! If other students heard of this they'd wish to beat Ben up. A lot of people had tried getting closer to Mia yet there was someone vexing her.
"Dude, what did you do?" Jeremy came closer asking.
"If I told you I knew I would be lying." both Jeremy and Ben stood there staring at the direction Mia had stormed off to.
"Jerk." Vanessa harrumphed and left together with Kate.
"*sigh* Who's staying guard for now?" Ben knew that if he tried to figure out what had made Mia angry, it would only give him a headache. You just can't understand a woman's way of thinking. Ben thought to himself.
Ben's group has been moving into the deeper parts of the the mountain range unstoppable. Killing without stop. Even their training instructors were shocked by they're progress. They were the only group that has gone deeper than any other team in the mountain. Captain Marko however, wasn't happy with the teams progress. The progress of these bunch were extraordinary indeed. Hunters of the lowest grade might even be compared to them, scratch that they were actually doing much better than some Hunters squad.
Captain Marko didn't forget the promise he made to these students - a Seventy Base sword. Even if he had to get one he will have to use his salary for half a year to buy one and this group is most likely going to get this prize. When he recalled the beast they were meant to face - C rank Spirit Colossal Rat, he smiled. He believed even if they manage to encounter the creature they won't be able to kill it considering they aren't strong enough.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone