Ray was quickly taken in to the back-room of Zarrick's store.
"My store normally takes fresh orders, anyone with a animal or animal corpse they want killed or stripped will bring it here and i, well we will do the dirty work. This rooms where the messy work is actually handled however".
As ray looked around the back room a series of unique creatures caught his eye, on the centremost table lie a Boar-like creature with solid-Silverskin and 6 limbs. its figure reminded Ray of the admission letter he was given before.
On the table to its left was a second corpse of what he could only see as a pile of greenish-brown meat, similar green-ish brown blood covered the base of the tabletop. But the entire room was filled with the rotting stench of the former beast.
"If you pass the test, i can tell you about those guys. since you might work on them in the future." Zarrick shown no change in expression even in this Gorey atmosphere, clearly used to such scenes.
"What is the test?" Ray couldn't see any smaller animal corpses to dismember, this room seemed to be Moreso filled with monstrous beings than the normal chickens and cow corpses.
"that's simple. watch me cut up this Silverskin boar and don't puke. I'm sure you've heard of the Silverskin family, but few except the well informed know they are the strict controllers of Silverskin boars. these low-level beasts are slightly stronger than a single knight." he gripped the tuft of hair beneath the beasts head and shown it to Ray.
'So... ugly'. yes the boar couldn't be considered a good-looking beast. the silver looked artificial rather than natural, like someone dumped a bucket of liquid silver over it. The beasts face was a misshapen mess. like the canvas of a child, its tusks crooked, eyes too large and snout squashed directly against its face.
Zarrick took a large machete-like cleaver and directly sliced off its back hind leg. "the six limbs all have tougher hide and leaner muscle than the body, so we process them differently. start by de-limbing the beast then you work on the rest." he quickly sliced off the rest of the legs, only leaving the two extra-arm-like limbs.
"These two limbs are different, much stronger and packed with explosive muscle's. I believe this is where the monsters core strength comes from." Zarrick went to slice off its left arm-like appendage but it was clear he struggled. even a sharpened specialized blade and someone with a peak physique could barely cut it.
Watching the calm focused sawing like actions of Zarrick, Ray was mesmerised. the sight of blood leaking out the creature didn't off-put him as much as he expected. Ray had heard that a butcher was a disgusting job. but in Zarrick's nimble and very much capable hands it seemed Moreso like a art. And indeed Zarrick was a master among masters at this art.
the 'disassembly' of the creature continued without much of a hitch, organs were carefully pulled out and put to the side. both the beasts hearts still faintly hummed with power even post-mortem. and muscles were pulled and cut to a multitude of specifications. the hide was filleted and left to dry on the backwall and the creatures meat was sorted, salted and packaged.
Zarrick quickly cleaned up his station and looked at Ray with a smile, "either you've already seen worse, or your a natural butcher. You barely flinched kid." And yes indeed, after the first exposure of blood Ray didn't react once to the foul smell of fresh organs nor the constantly running blood.
'A born natural', Zarrick thought to himself.
The next morning Ray started off as usual by helping out at Oliver's store till midday where the Store closed due to lacking goods. 'there's even less carriages than yesterday.' He thought with a frown. 'less and less carriages have been arriving at town for the past year.'
But although worried at heart, Ray didn't dwell on the topic and quickly went back to Zarrick's butchery with a grin on his face and a hop to his step. "maybe i can finally increase my level".
Upon arrival Zarrick was just bringing in another monster, This one looked like a half-bird half-cat creature the size of his chest. It beat its wings against the cage in fury, yet it seemed incredibly weak. 'Observe'.
--------------------
Name: Squallor (flock griffin-ling)
Strength: 6 (weakened)
Vitality: 4 (weakened)
Agility: 10 (weakened)
Mind: 2 (weakened)
skills:
none
--------------------
Zarrick noticed him arriving and said with a stern look. "your the trainee under me starting today, i expect you to arrive here at this time everyday, in return you will get 1 silver a week and training on monster butchering."
"Only monster butchering? what about chickens and cow's and pigs?" Ray had seen some chickens getting butchered before in other butchery's and was confused.
"if you want to butcher common beasts, head to any of the other butcher shops. I only really work on dangerous creatures. Come. this is your practice tool" he patted the top of the metal cage.
"Its called a Squallor, a low-level monster. Typically weaker than the average man, yet they stay in large flocks of up to hundreds and use swarm tactics. this one is weakened with clipped wings and cant move. Kill it."
Ray looked at the Squallor cage and the knife besides it. The boy took a deep breath grabbed the knife. weaved his hand around the metal bars and cleanly sliced the now resting Squallor.
Yet... the beast woke up and furiously pounded on the cage in anger. The Squallor was much faster and Rays arms got grazed by its sharp beak. A thin line of red escaping from the back of his hand.
health:57/60
"Far to shallow, look at the cut you made, it barely got past its feathers. should i do it for you?" Zarrick sneered at him.
Ray held his cut hand and winced slightly, looking over the Squallor and indeed. 'its dense neck feathers stopped my cut, I should have used more strength.'
The duo watched the Squallor ram and bite the metal cage for nearly half a hour before it fell exhausted a second time. "Try again".
This time Ray decided to slash it as quickly as possible, and immediately pull his hand back out. he thrusted the Machete-like knife directly at the Griffin-ling from outside the cage, and yet.
[You killed a Common beast: Squallor]
'Ding!'
The blade pierced through its throat with ease, the bird-beast had incredibly thin skin protected by a dense array of feathers, against thrusting attacks they are bound to fall easily.
Yet? 'No experience?'