Eren left the three ladies to argue over what to name the territory and walked back to the F-Rankers, who could only stand and watch the drama unfold.
At that moment, however, his attention was drawn to an unexpected discovery.
The Ashfang Wolves’ corpses hadn’t disappeared after they were killed.
Back at the academy, during one of their survival courses, Eren had learned that monsters whose meat was inedible were expected to vanish shortly after being slain. Edible monsters, on the other hand, left behind corpses that would eventually rot if they weren’t properly preserved.
According to the academy’s records, only twenty percent of discovered monster species possessed meat suitable for human consumption. The remaining eighty percent were either inedible or toxic, making them dangerous sources of food.
Unlike demons, who could supposedly devour almost anything, humans had to be careful about what they ate. Consuming the wrong monster meat could lead to severe poisoning, and there had even been recorded cases of people swelling up before their bodies burst into horrifying masses of flesh and blood.
To make matters worse, edible monsters were particularly rare in uncivilized regions like the Ashen Frontier.
Discovering that the Ashfang Wolves were edible was practically hitting the jackpot!
"Hey, come on, everyone! This is meat!" Eren shouted.
His voice immediately drew the attention of the three Calamities, bringing their argument to an abrupt halt.
"The meat. It’s edible." Eren straightened up and faced them. "Since we don’t have enough food, we’ll be eating Ashfang Wolf meat for the time being."
Everyone remained silent.
However, Eren wasn’t waiting for anyone’s approval.
He bent down and examined the Tier 3 Ashfang Wolf’s corpse before retrieving his utility knife. Gripping the wolf’s head firmly, he began cutting through its neck, working the blade until he had severed it completely.
Within moments, he had beheaded the enormous wolf.
Eren stood upright, holding its head briefly before tossing it over the wooden stake walls.
"We probably won’t need this part."
He turned toward Kael.
"Kael, behead the remaining Ashfang Wolves and gather their bodies in one place. The Shield Fighters and Archers will keep watch while the rest of us process the meat."
"Understood, my lord."
By then, darkness had already settled over the Ashen Frontier, making vigilance more important than ever.
Darius, Roland, Elias, and Lyra took their positions around the perimeter while the others gathered in front of the shelters. As instructed, Marcus had constructed two shelter structures, each spacious enough to accommodate them comfortably.
Everyone settled near the entrances as Kael and Garrick began dragging the eleven Ashfang Wolf corpses into one place.
"My lord, there are simply too many wolves for us to consume at once. If we leave the remaining meat unattended, it’ll eventually rot, and we don’t have the resources to preserve it ourselves," Aldric pointed out.
"That’s right." Eren nodded, his expression remarkably calm despite the possibility of losing what could become their food for the next several days.
Fortunately, he already had a solution.
He turned toward the silver-blue-haired woman standing nearby.
"That’s where Elena’s services come in. She can use her ice magic to preserve the meat, so we won’t have to worry about it spoiling."
Aldric glanced at the Frozen Calamity before quickly looking away when he noticed her turning toward him.
His sudden flinch wasn’t particularly surprising.
Ever since the three women had arrived, the F-Rankers had been acting uncomfortably around them. Even after witnessing their cooperation, the men still struggled to behave naturally in the presence of three legendary figures whose names had once shaken the Dominion Expanse.
The group spent more than an hour skinning the wolves and preparing the meat. It wasn’t until they finished that they realized they lacked sufficient water to process all eleven carcasses properly.
After considering their situation, Eren decided they would only gut one Ashfang Wolf for immediate consumption. With thirteen people in their group, that should provide enough meat for the time being, especially since they still had some bread remaining.
As for the other ten wolves, preserving them became Elena’s responsibility.
"Elena, here’s what we’ll do. We’ll gather the remaining ten wolves in one place, and you’ll use Frostcraft to freeze them," Eren instructed.
"You don’t have much mana, so try to accomplish it in a single cast. We need to conserve whatever you have left for emergencies. Understood?"
Elena stared at him without responding.
Her expression was one of confusion, and Eren couldn’t immediately understand what was wrong.
"What’s the problem, Elena?" he asked, furrowing his brows.
Almost everyone turned toward the Frozen Calamity, wondering why she had suddenly gone quiet.
However, Elena wasn’t upset with his instructions.
She was simply astonished by something he had said.
"How did you know the name of my skill, Master?" she finally asked. "Frostcraft. I’m the only one who knows its name, and I’m also the only one who knows what it can do."
A faint smirk appeared on Eren’s face.
He had been waiting for an opportunity to explain this to them, and Elena had just provided the perfect opening.
"Ever since I summoned you, I’ve been able to see your personal status screens. Literally everything about you is accessible to me. That’s what makes me your master. Your lord."
Eren straightened up, his gaze sweeping across the gathered spirits.
"I have the power to send you back to wherever I summoned you from. I can access your information and command you as long as you remain my summons."
He then turned back toward Elena.
"That’s why I know every skill you possess. Each and every one of you."
Hela and Vaelzara finally understood what he meant.
And soon, Elena wasn’t the only one staring at him in astonishment.
Elena eventually nodded and prepared to carry out her assignment.
Although she still appeared shaken by Eren’s revelation, there was no trace of anger or discomfort in her expression.
They were simply amazed.
Once Aldric and Kael had gathered the ten wolves together, Elena stepped forward.
She extended one hand toward the carcasses.
"[Frostcraft]."
A pale-blue glow spread from her fingertips.
The temperature dropped almost immediately.
Frost crept across the ash-covered ground, spreading beneath the gathered wolves before climbing over their bodies. Within seconds, thin layers of ice began forming around their fur and exposed flesh.
Then the real transformation began.
A wave of freezing mana surged outward from Elena, engulfing all ten carcasses simultaneously. The frost thickened rapidly, spreading over every body until their individual shapes were completely encased in ice.
The surrounding ground froze alongside them, forming a solid foundation beneath the enormous mass.
A few seconds later, the entire process was complete.
Ten Ashfang Wolves had been preserved inside a massive block of hard, transparent frost.
The ice was so dense that even the wolves’ thick bodies were completely sealed within it. Their fur, claws, and exposed teeth remained visible beneath the frozen surface, while faint traces of blue light shimmered deep inside the ice.
It wasn’t the fragile frost that would melt after a few minutes under ordinary conditions.
This was the work of an SSS-Rank spirit.
The ice was unnaturally solid, reinforced by Elena’s mana and cold enough to preserve the meat for an extended period. Even the surrounding ash had frozen into a thin, hardened layer.
The F-Rankers could only stare in awe.
Elena had accomplished something that would have been impossible for ordinary settlers with their limited resources, and she had done it with such composure that it almost seemed effortless.
Eren was equally impressed.
’That skill is incredible.’
However, his admiration was quickly accompanied by another concern.
Elena had possessed only 20 MP before using Frostcraft. If the skill had consumed 10 MP as expected, she would now have only 10 MP remaining.
That was half of her already limited mana.
He couldn’t help wondering whether he had made the right decision.
Preserving the meat was undoubtedly important, but what if another group of monsters appeared before Elena recovered her mana? What if they encountered a situation where they desperately needed her ice magic?
He might end up regretting his decision.
Still, the benefits outweighed the risks.
They had Vaelzara and Hela to help protect the settlement, and Elena’s mana would eventually recover. Even if it took several hours, it was a reasonable price to pay for securing enough food to last them several days.
With that matter settled, Eren turned his attention to their next problem.
They needed to cook the meat.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t a single source of fire nearby.
They had plenty of dry wood, but no lighter or matches to ignite it. Their survival kit contained a flint striker, though starting a fire with it would take time and effort.
Eren considered their options before turning toward Vaelzara.
Then, he remembered something important.
She was the Demon Queen, a master of crimson flames and blood manipulation. If there was anyone among his summons who could produce fire, it was her.
He immediately accessed her status screen.
»[Name: Vaelzara Veyrath]«
»[Age: 708]«
»[Rank: SSS-Rank]«
»[Level: 2]«
»[EXP: 140/200]«
»[Class: Demon Queen]«
»[Vitality: ???]«
»[Mana: 30/30]«
»[Skills]«
[Skill: Crimson Flame]
[Description: Generates and manipulates crimson flames capable of burning enemies, objects, and magical defenses. The flames’ intensity and range increase with mana consumption.]
[Mana Cost: 10 MP per activation.]
[Skill: Blood Manipulation]
[Description: Controls exposed blood, shaping it into attacks or manipulating its movement. Its effectiveness depends on the amount of blood available and the complexity of the control.]
[Mana Cost: 20 MP.]
[Description: Condenses blood into powerful weapons, blades, spikes, and defensive constructs. The strength and durability of these creations depend on the blood available and mana invested.]
[Mana Cost: 50 MP.]
[Skill: Crimson Regeneration]
[Description: Uses crimson energy to heal wounds and restore damaged tissues. Severe injuries require additional mana, while catastrophic damage may exceed its healing capacity.]
[Mana Cost: 10 MP per activation.]
[Skill: Crimson Step]
[Description: Releases a burst of crimson energy that dramatically increases the user’s movement speed. Allows her to evade attacks, close distances, and reposition during combat.]
[Mana Cost: 100 MP.]
[Skill: Crimson Dominion]
[Description: Expands a domain of crimson energy that strengthens the user’s control over her powers. It can pressure enemies, disrupt their movements, and enhance her attacks within its range.]
[Mana Cost: 150 MP.]
[Skill: Blood Sovereignty]
[Description: Grants superior control over exposed and unexposed blood, allowing the user to manipulate multiple sources simultaneously. It can overpower weaker blood-manipulation abilities but remains limited by available blood and opposing strength.]
[Mana Cost: 500 MP.]
[Skill: Scarlet Inferno]
[Description: Unleashes a devastating eruption of crimson flames across a wide area. Capable of overwhelming groups of enemies and destroying fortified defenses.]
[Mana Cost: 1,000 MP per activation.]
[Skill: Demon Queen’s Authority]
[Description: Releases Vaelzara’s overwhelming royal presence, instilling fear and disrupting the concentration of weaker opponents. Powerful enemies may resist or completely ignore its effects.]
[Mana Cost: 500 MP.]
[Skill: Crimson Requiem]
[Description: Sacrifices Vaelzara’s vitality and mana to unleash a devastating attack. The greater the sacrifice, the more destructive the resulting power, but excessive use can threaten her life.]
[Mana Cost: 3,000 MP and 20% of Vitality.]
[Unique Ability: Immortal Demon Body]
[Description: Allows Vaelzara to transform into her true demon form, unleashing her monstrous demonic nature. In this state, her physical strength, speed, durability, and regeneration increase tremendously. Although she can still be killed by overwhelming power, doing so would be extraordinarily difficult.]
[Mana Cost: None. This is a passive ability bestowed upon her when she became the Demon Queen.]
By the time Eren finished examining the skill list, he was utterly dumbfounded.
He couldn’t even begin to imagine how powerful Vaelzara would become if she ever regained her former strength.
Her skills were astonishing, just like those of the other Calamities. However, it was her unique ability that truly caught his attention.
’The fact that it can be used without any mana cost is... unbelievable!’
’If we can get her to transform into that version of herself, we might actually survive anything the Ashen Frontier throws at us.’
He remained lost in his thoughts until Kael’s voice abruptly brought him back to reality.
"My lord, what do we do about the fire?"
Eren raised his head.
Vaelzara was already looking in his direction, wearing an expression of anticipation as though she had been waiting for him to call upon her.
"Vaelzara, use Crimson Flame to start a fire for us. We’ll need it to cook the meat, and we can also use it as a campfire."
"As you command, Master."
Vaelzara rose and proceeded to carry out his instructions.
Eren, however, was still looking at her status screen.
Something had caught his attention.
He glanced at the information again, then froze.
»[Level: 2]«
»[EXP: 140/200]«
"Huh...?" he muttered.
He stared at the numbers, his eyes widening as the realization struck him.
"She was leveling up with me?"
Immediately, he accessed Elena’s and Hela’s status screens.
»[Level: 2]«
»[EXP: 140/200]«
»[Level: 2]«
»[EXP: 140/200]«
Eren’s eyes widened in utter disbelief.
"They’re really leveling up with me!"