Cillian survived only by wedging his sword in the creature’s throat as it tried to swallow him, causing it to choke and die. Stranded and wounded, he spent nearly a week alone in the wilderness. Starving, he finally cut a strip of flesh from the monster’s corpse and cooked it over a weak fire.
The meat healed him.
And changed him.
Returning to the academy gaunt but alive, Cillian discovered that eating monster parts granted temporary abilities. He began experimenting, documenting every effect in a leather-bound book titled:
“The Gastronomicon — A Field Guide to Edible Monsters.”
After earning his certification, he left Teikoku and traveled to the Springreach Adventurer Guild, seeking stronger monsters, rarer ingredients, and new “recipes.”
He doesn’t hunt for gold or glory.
He hunts to learn.
He hunts to cook.
He hunts to become stronger than the things that terrify the world.