Chapter 209: Chapter 209 New Skill and Premonition.
Soma pulled open the door, accompanied by the chime of the bell, and with a frowning face, he stepped outside and inhaled a deep breath of oxygen to wash away the gloomy feeling in his heart.
Slowly, as the heavy feeling that lingering in his chest dismissed, Soma looked toward his left palm where he stored the scroll. He began to walk toward the still bustling place with street stalls with vigor and shouted their product.
"Hey, welcome, come check these horned rabbit skewers".
"Horned Rabbit?!".
Soma's interest was piqued as he recalled that inside his relic, he collected so many horned rabbit bodies inside the second trial gate. After reaching that point, he began to consider buying some ingredients to complement it.
He slowly approached the stall, enticed by the smell of the juicy meat cut in pretty big chunks on top of the grill, with its sizzling fat that became music in his ears and made his stomach growl in protest.
"Oh lad, you want some?".
The middle-aged, dark-skinned man wearing a white tank top and folded blue pants greeted Soma with his vigorous aura.
"How much is it?".
"It was one gold for ten of these".
"I'll take some".
Soma took out a single gold coin before he tossed it toward the stall owner. The stall owner received it happily and began to pack up the sizzling meat on top of the grilling iron inside the brown paper bag he took under the stall.
"Here you go, kid, you're lucky because this was my last sale for the day. I will give you an extra bonus; inside here, there are twelve skewers; be sure to enjoy your meal".
"Thank you very much".
The warm sensation that rested on his palm the moment the paper bag was passed to Soma's made his stomach let out another growl.
A captivating aroma fills his nose. The juicy meat turns caramelized. They release a tantalizing mix of savory and slightly sweet scent that makes Soma's nose twitch for a second, attracted by the marinade's spices and herbs.
"These things look delicious".
"Ahaha, thank you for your compliment".
Soma nodded his head as he began to walk away from the stall, trying to resist the temptation of the warm meat in his hands. First things first, he needs to find a place to sit and enjoy the savory meal.
However, from the corner of his eyes, Soma found a convenience store he saw on the TV, with a renowned name across the country, providing good products and a good experience visiting it. Soma stopped in his tracks and alternated his gaze toward the skewers and the store several times before he swallowed back his saliva and finished the things he needed to do first.
"Let's finish what I need first".
With heavy regret, Soma stored away the paper bag in his hands inside the relics. He begins to splurge the remaining gold in his possession to buy many ingredients for him to make a delicious meal and, if possible, some snacks.
***
In the quiet solitude of a small, empty park, Soma sits on a white metal bench, tearing the last meat from the wooden stick in hand. The park, with its lush green grass and gently swaying trees, gives him a serene haven away from the bustle of the city. Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Soma, who saw below the canopy, enjoyed the breeze that passed away as it swayed his languid hair, giving his body a temporary chill to loosen the tension of his body.
"This is delicious".
This was the second skewer he just finished a moment ago; as he took the third and sank his teeth, the meat revealed its juicy tenderness, marinated to perfection. Each bite carries the harmonious blend of spices that burst apart inside his mouth, making his face slacken and his tongue dance in joy.
Soma gobbled up the skewers in hand. It didn't take long for him to finish the second as he continued his meal. One by one, the skewers were gone, and five more of them were left inside the paper bag.
"I'm full".
The remaining skewers he stored inside his relics began to drink the water from the bottle he prepared a while ago. With each gulp, he washed away the flavor that stuck in his tongue and cleansed his plate.
After being fully satisfied, Soma basked himself in this ethereal feeling for a while. Then, as he finished with the lingering meal he had, he turned his head to his surroundings, watching every corner from the watchful eyes that were observing him.
However, there is none of that. The park was pretty deserted. Soma is the only one in there, then under the watchful eyes of the sun. He took out the scroll he just bought earlier. The rugged and worn-out feeling that felt in his hand again made him tense about what would come to him. He took one deep breath and exhaled it slowly, repeating it several times with closed eyes.
Then suddenly, he pried open his eyes, and at the same time, Soma opened the parchment in his hands. It was written in an unknown language from ancient times; some say that it is the words from heaven itself, but no one knows what it is. Without any hesitation, Soma ripped apart the scroll into two pieces.
Soma's vision shook, and his head began to ring an alarm, making his mind dizzy. This was followed by intense throbbing and a swirling storm of thoughts that disrupted his brain function. A stream of unknown information flooded his brain, and it spread throughout his nerves, making his body convulsed lightly.
"Aakh!".
Because of the pain that assaulted his brain, Soma clutched his head while gritting his teeth and let out a low growl from his mouth, trying to withstand his brain overheating because of the sudden injection of information.
[Extra Skill Adapt activated]
[Nullifying the pain 100%]
After several seconds had passed, combined with his paralyzed sense because of the skill, his fogged mind regained its clarity. The throbbing head and numbing nerves disappeared, and in exchange, Soma felt the world was a bit different compared to earlier.
[Congratulation Skill Instinct had been learned]
"Fuu, thank you, Adapt skill".
Soma, who regained his senses, leaned his back to the back chair, letting the slightly cold wind that passed by chill his hot and drenched body.
"That hits the spot!".
He let his body rest for a while before he abruptly stood up while holding the bottle of water in his left hand, with half remaining. Soma opened the cap and gulped the remaining water before he scanned his surroundings to search for the appearance of the trash bin.
In the corner near the main road, there is an empty metal bin painted in silver standing alone. Soma slowly approached the bin and then threw away the plastic in his hand. Coincidentally, as he lifted his gaze to the main road, his eyes caught the appearance of the white van with the delivery logo on its body. But, somehow, his eyes refuse to leave the van.
All of a sudden, his head began to send a distress signal through his nerves system, making his eyes jolted open and his body twitch. Unknowingly, Soma had already dashed and followed the van behind. "Seriously, what is inside that van that makes me become like this?".