Gustave and his three companions huddled around their crackling campfire. The mountain air carried a sharp chill that seeped through their clothes, making the dancing flames all the more welcome.
"Has everyone had enough for dinner?" Shanks asked suddenly, his casual tone not quite masking the hopeful note underneath.
Gustave shot him an incredulous look. "You haven't had enough? You put away seven or eight bowls of rice back at that inn. The poor waiter's jaw nearly hit the floor."
"You know how much I eat," Shanks replied with a sheepish grin, patting his stomach.
"Fine, fine." Gustave waved a hand dismissively while tossing another piece of wood onto the fire. "Go hunt something if you want more food, but make sure you clean it properly. I'll grill whatever you bring back."
"Perfect!" Shanks jumped up with obvious enthusiasm. His Observation Haki had already picked up a cluster of pheasants roosting about three or four kilometers away, ideal for a midnight snack.
Gustave watched the red-haired Emperor disappear into the darkness and shook his head with an amused smile. "That guy..."
Shanks moved with the efficiency of a seasoned hunter. Less than ten minutes later, he returned carrying six properly dressed pheasants, their feathers plucked and bodies cleaned.
"Impressive speed!" Gustave gave him an approving thumbs up.
"What can I say? I was motivated," Shanks chuckled.
"Alright then, let me help you with this midnight feast." Gustave stretched and took the birds from Shanks. He found three sturdy sticks nearby, skewered two pheasants on each, and positioned them over the fire at carefully calculated angles.
Soon the pheasants began to sizzle and pop, their skin turning golden as fat rendered out and dripped into the flames below. Despite managing six birds simultaneously, Gustave worked with practiced ease, rotating each spit at precise intervals to ensure even cooking. The air filled with the rich, savory aroma of roasting meat.
When the birds were nearly done, Gustave reached into his travel pack and withdrew several small pouches of seasoning he'd prepared during their mountain journey through various villages. Without these carefully selected spices and herbs, mountain game would be disappointingly bland.
He dusted each pheasant with his custom blend, the seasonings clinging to the crispy, oil-glistened skin. The transformation was immediate - the birds now looked positively appetizing, and their aroma became absolutely mouthwatering.
"Gustave, your cooking skills are still unmatched!" Shanks swallowed hard, his praise genuine.
"Did that really need saying?" Gustave replied with characteristic confidence in his culinary abilities.
"There we go, perfectly done!" He lifted one of the spits, inhaled the aromatic steam rising from the golden-brown birds, then tore off a drumstick and took an appreciative bite.
"Hey, that's my prey!" Shanks protested.
"It belongs to everyone now," Gustave declared, completely ignoring the complaint as he distributed portions to Fahai and Ning Caichen.
Fahai accepted his share and began eating naturally, but Ning Caichen, though clearly salivating, hesitated to take a bite.
"Go ahead and eat, Brother Ning!" Gustave looked puzzled. The scholar had the food right there - why wasn't he eating?
"But..." Ning Caichen glanced nervously between Gustave and Shanks.
"Brother Ning, I was only joking with Gustave just now. Don't worry about it," Shanks assured him with a warm smile.
"Thank you, Brother Shanks!" Relief flooded the scholar's face as he finally accepted the drumstick from Gustave and took his first eager bite.
"Hey, Brother Yan! Come join us!" Gustave called out, then lobbed an entire roasted pheasant through the air toward the bearded demon hunter.
Yan Chixia turned at the sound of his name just in time to see a golden, perfectly roasted bird sailing toward him. An ordinary person would have been knocked flat, but someone of Yan Chixia's martial prowess simply drew his sword in one fluid motion, spearing the pheasant cleanly on the blade's tip.
"Much obliged!" Yan Chixia stood and cupped his fists in a grateful salute before carrying his portion over to join the group around the fire.
"Anyone interested in some wine?" He held up his gourd and gave it a shake.
Everyone except Ning Caichen eagerly accepted, and soon the five men sat in a comfortable circle around the crackling flames, sharing food, drink, and increasingly animated conversation.
Alcohol has a way of dissolving barriers between strangers. As the wine warmed their bellies and loosened their tongues, the group grew more familiar with each other. Eventually, Yan Chixia began sharing stories from his past.
"I was once a judge," he explained, his voice taking on a heavier tone. "Spent my career going after corrupt officials - couldn't stand the sight of them. But in this world..." He gestured broadly with his wine gourd. "Treacherous ministers hold power while corruption runs rampant through every level of government. I couldn't take it anymore, so I resigned my post and took to wandering."
He paused to take another sip before continuing. "During my travels, I came across a strange book. Taught myself the mystical arts from its pages. That's when I stopped being just another ordinary man."
The firelight flickered across his weathered features as he stared into the flames. "Eventually my wandering brought me to Lanruo Temple. I discovered there was a monster preying on innocent people, so I decided to stay and deal with it. Turns out the creature is a thousand-year-old tree demon. Problem is, my skills aren't quite enough to destroy it completely."
He sighed deeply and took another drink.
"A tree demon that harms people!" Ning Caichen's voice cracked with fear as he instinctively scooted closer to Fahai.
"Don't worry, Brother Ning," the monk said reassuringly. "While I may not possess the same level of skill as Master Yan, I can certainly protect you."
Gustave kept his thoughts to himself, but he couldn't help thinking: No matter which version of Fahai this is, your magical power definitely isn't weaker than Yan Chixia's. You're being far too modest.
Suddenly, Yan Chixia shot to his feet, hand already moving to his sword hilt.
"Everyone, I just heard a scream - sounded like Xiahou! I need to investigate!"
Without waiting for a response, he grabbed his blade and rushed out into the darkness.
"I'll come with you." Shanks brushed the dust from his hands and stood, following in the demon hunter's wake.
"Brother Gustave, Master Fahai," Ning Caichen looked between them with confusion, "why didn't I hear anything?"
"Brother Ning, that scream came from at least several miles away. It's perfectly normal that you couldn't hear it," Gustave explained patiently.
"Several miles!" The scholar's eyes widened in disbelief.
"They might be gone for quite a while," Gustave said, rising and searching for a suitable sleeping spot. "We should get some rest."
Fahai nodded and found his own resting place about ten feet away from Gustave. But as both men settled down to sleep, Ning Caichen remembered Yan Chixia's warning about monsters lurking in Lanruo Temple. A shiver ran down his spine. He glanced at his two companions, then quietly moved to position himself directly between their sleeping forms. Only then did he feel safe enough to close his eyes.
Meanwhile, Yan Chixia arrived at the riverbank to find Xiahou's body drained completely dry, nothing more than a withered husk.
"Alas," he murmured, shaking his head sadly. "After death, we're nothing but empty skin. Why do we waste our lives worrying about such petty things?"
He moved to lift the swordsman's corpse, intending to find a proper burial site. But the moment his hands made contact, the desiccated remains suddenly snapped their eyes open and lunged forward with snapping jaws.
Yan Chixia jerked back in shock and slapped the animated corpse away. The thing flew several paces before recovering and launching itself at him again with inhuman hunger.
"Foul creature!" Yan Chixia snarled, drawing his sword to put down Xiahou's corrupted remains once and for all.
A brilliant slash of energy suddenly cut through the air, and the zombie exploded into scattered fragments.
"Thank you for the rescue, Brother Shanks!" Yan Chixia bowed gratefully. Now he truly understood how Xiahou had lost their earlier duel.
"Think nothing of it, Brother Yan. Are you hurt?" Shanks asked, adopting the more formal speech patterns of this world.
"I'm fine, but I'm surprised the tree demon was bold enough to strike with so many skilled fighters nearby tonight." Yan Chixia frowned in confusion. "Usually the creature is extremely cautious. Why would it risk provoking a group like ours? Aside from Ning Caichen, we're all formidable opponents. Isn't it afraid we might band together and destroy its lair?"