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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Thala]
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Chapter 199
｢Me｣ ｢Savior?｣ ｢Impossible｣ ｢Understand｣
It was hard for Adhai to believe the facts that Ham Ort conveyed.
｢Me｣ ｢Small body｣ ｢Weak｣ ｢Savior｣ ｢Impossible｣
Since birth, she has had a small and frail body. It was only by good fortune and meeting kind people that she had grown at all, but her body remained diminutive. While her strength might be debatable, her body was so small it was almost laughable, even smaller than a hatchling’s.
For someone like her to be the savior? It was unthinkable.
｢You｣ ｢Small, true｣ ｢But｣ ｢First consort｣ ｢Taught｣ ｢Savior｣ ｢Star power｣ ｢Connection｣
｢First consort?｣
Just as Ham Ort was the third consort, there had been females bonded with the black Gallagon before her. The first among them was an ancient Gallagon of the fifth rank.
[TL/N- It is talking about a red gallagon.]
｢Where is the first consort?｣
｢Dead.｣
｢!｣
｢Odd Grad｣ ｢Feared｣ ｢Truth｣ ｢So｣ ｢Killed｣
Hearing this, Adhai was taken aback.
Even though the first consort’s rank had fallen considerably due to aging, she was the oldest among their kin. In terms of respect, she was honored nearly as much as the great Odd Grad.
Yet, she had been killed? It was hard to believe Ham Ort wasn’t lying.
Adhai scrutinized the white female with her heightened senses. Her psychic powers reached out and touched Ham Ort’s body. Although Ham Ort was aware that her daughter was watching her, she remained still.
After a series of assessments, Adhai confirmed that at least Ham Ort truly believed what she was saying.
The death of the first consort was also a sorrowful event for Adhai. She had been the only one in the group who treated Adhai well.
Even more so than Ham Ort, Adhai’s biological mother.
However, what the first consort had said and whether she was truly a special being were separate matters.
Ham Ort insisted that Adhai possessed the power of the stars, but it didn’t resonate with her. If she had such power, she wouldn’t have been captured here in the first place.
｢Daughter of the meteor｣ ｢Savior｣ ｢Evidence｣ ｢There is more｣
｢?｣
Ham Ort pointed with her forepaw at Adhai’s green scales.
｢Growth｣ ｢Faster than kin｣
｢I｣ ｢Hunt｣ ｢Directly｣ ｢Food｣ ｢Much｣ ｢Predation｣
Adhai tried to refute, but Ham Ort shook her head.
｢Not wrong｣ ｢But｣ ｢Too｣ ｢Fast｣ ｢Kin｣ ｢Growth｣ ｢Strength｣ ｢Food｣ ｢Much｣ ｢Much｣ ｢Needed｣
Though Adhai was too young and inexperienced to know, Ham Ort understood.
When she found the traces of her daughter, who had left this world and returned, she realized that the daughter of the meteor had grown at an abnormal pace.
Among the kin born with her, many had their scale colors change from pale to green. They were all larger and stronger than she was.
However, Ham Ort felt it. The day when this small daughter would shed her green scales for the same pure white ones that adorned her own body was not far off.
The daughter of the meteor had grown so much without any of the benefits provided by the nest that bore the Gallagon’s power. What does it mean that an exiled being grew faster than those who received all the benefits?
The answer was simple.
Before the first consort died, she said that the savior, though seemingly insignificant, had enormous potential. If the right conditions to unlock that potential were met, the daughter of the meteor could blossom into the legendary being of the tales.
｢Daughter of the meteor｣ ｢Needs special food｣
｢Special food?｣
｢The flesh of kings｣ ｢Is needed｣ ｢Follow me｣
Once she had sufficiently shaken herself, Ham Ort stood up. As she exited the cave, Adhai quickly followed her outside.
Since the day Ham Ort brought back the Daughter of the Meteor, she has relentlessly gone on hunts. It was to find food for the Daughter of the Meteor.
And today, during the day, she succeeded in hunting a monster that existed far away. Despite not being fully grown, the monster was enormous. It was so large that she couldn’t carry it alone and needed the help of her kin to move it.
｢What is that?｣
Adhai, who had entered the forest with her, sent a telepathic wave. In front of them lay the massive carcass of a beast. The creature was torn into several pieces, each of which was larger than her white-scaled kin.
Seeing Adhai tilting her head in confusion in front of the beast’s corpse, Ham Ort proudly explained.
｢King of Serpents｣ ｢Immature｣ ｢Specimen｣ ｢Ham Ort｣ ｢Hunted｣ ｢Daughter of the｣ ｢Meteor｣ ｢Growth｣ ｢Catalyst｣
She expected her daughter to be surprised, but Adhai’s reaction was completely unexpected.
｢I｣ ｢Tasted it before｣
｢?｣
｢It was delicious｣
｢?｣
Ham Ort was bewildered.
Ignoring her mother’s reaction, Adhai licked her lips while looking at the carcass of the Ice Horror.
***
Seeing my transformed state, the Crystal Wing hesitated. A creature that was once less than half its size had now appeared much larger, causing it to be understandably bewildered.
After a single roar, I charged at it. Thanks to the “Stealth Maneuver” effect, my footsteps made almost no sound. The only noise was from the trees shattering as my body crashed through them.
Then, I collided with the Crystal Wing.
Kuaargh…!
Unable to avoid properly due to its confusion, it screamed. Even when I was smaller, my horns had torn its wings. Colliding with a body larger than its wingspan left it in no better condition.
Its wing, now shredded from my charge, left it open-mouthed. Just before it could fire its particle beam, Number 26’s support arrived.
Kuuek?!
A tree, uprooted entirely, flew into its mouth, causing it to choke. While it gagged, the parasitic tentacles on my back sprang forth, wrapping around its wings.
Like a snake hunting a bird, the tentacles tightened swiftly. The broad wings tore apart, and fragments of bone splintered outward.
To finish it off, I opened my lower jaw wide. My jaw split into two, ready to swallow its head whole, but it retaliated.
Having chewed and swallowed the tree in its mouth, it fired the particle beam.
The immense heat scorched my upper palate, forcing me to close my mouth quickly. While my exterior was tougher than a ship’s hull, the inside of my body wasn’t as durable.
Escaping this crisis, it aimed its particle beam at the tentacle-bound wings.
Ku-aaaargh!
Incredibly, it fired at its own wings to tear them apart. Destroying its wings allowed it to escape the tentacles and retreat rapidly.
‘Regenerative ability, huh.’
I thought it had just reached adulthood, but it’s quite formidable. It clearly understood its own powers well.
As it retreated, new wings grew swiftly from its wounds. With the freshly regenerated wings fully spread, it took off into the air.
It must have realized its disadvantage in close combat. Switching its strategy to aerial bombardment, where the Crystal Wing excelled.
‘But you’re not the only one good at bombardment.’
I had already anticipated this move. I was prepared for a bombardment battle too.
As it hovered above the forest, preparing to fire its particle beam, my tentacles extending from my neck and jaw moved.
The black gloss of my carapace turned purple. The latent energy in my body converted into psychic power, concentrating at the tips of the tentacles.
The power of the Gallagon, Psychic Breath. This was it in its pure form, without the ‘Abyssal Hue’ enhancement.
At the moment the male Crystal Wing fired its particle beam, the tentacles attached to my jaw and neck unleashed their force.
On a snow-covered peak shrouded in dark clouds, teal and purple lights clashed violently. The booming sound, like thunder in a storm, reverberated, causing the entire mountain summit to tremble. Even before the echo of the crash died down, the sound of an avalanche could be heard from below the peak. The collision between the creature and me was shaking the entire mountain. Then Number 26 joined our struggle.
Trees, rocks, ice, and soil all floated into the air, spinning like a massive drill. It was the same technique that had previously inflicted a critical wound on the Ice Horror. Seeing this, the Crystal Wing quickly stopped its beam and dodged. My Psychic Breath grazed its crest.
As the clash between us paused, Number 26’s Psychic Drill shot towards the creature. The mass of intangible energy tore through the air, severing one of its wings.
Kuu, Kuaaaah!
The term “severed” is no metaphor. The creature, split in half in an instant, plummeted to the ground.
Meanwhile, I activated the Colors of the Abyss. The tentacles that had glowed a vivid purple now donned a myriad of colors. Green, purple, and other indescribable hues swirled around the tentacles.
With the colors ready, I activated the “Watcher of Terror.” Energy streamed from my tentacles and coalesced in the air. The liquid-like energy bubbled incessantly, as if it were boiling.
The amorphous mass, writhing as if it had a mind of its own, transformed into a gigantic bubble.
‘It’s bigger than I thought.’
The ominously shimmering bubble appeared to be about five meters in diameter. Whether it was enhanced by the Hunting Icon effect or because my body had returned to its original state, I couldn’t be sure at that moment.
Soon, the massive bubble began moving toward its target.
The target was the creature’s body. The bubble, which inflicted nightmarish pain on all living beings, flew through the air.
Kuu, Kuaaak! Kuaaak!
Seeing the approaching Watcher of Terror, the Crystal Wing let out a cry mixed with fear. Its primal instincts must have recognized the extreme danger of the bubble.
Instead of counterattacking, it tried to dodge the bubble. Had it fired a particle beam from that spot, the bubble would have burst and engulfed it.
‘I anticipated that. The next move is…’
This attack was merely a feint. As I prepared to unleash my next move, something astonishing happened.
The massive bubble shattered into dozens of smaller ones, which flew at the creature at much greater speed.
‘Number 26?’
Each of these bubbles was connected by a thin purple thread. The source of these threads was Number 26, standing behind me.
Thanks to its assistance, the swiftly flying bubbles exploded in front of the Crystal Wing’s chest. As the bubbles burst, their contents splattered over its head.
The colors spread like ink in water. As soon as they touched, the creature froze in place. The excruciating pain rendered it unable to think.
With the creature immobilized, this was my chance. I deactivated the Colors of the Abyss and fired a second Psychic Breath. The purple beam sliced through the falling snow and pierced the creature’s heart.
…Ku.
In excruciating pain and now heartless, the Crystal Wing staggered before collapsing onto the snow. It let out a long, regretful sigh and moved no more.
The hunt had gone much more smoothly than expected, but the most important part was what had just happened. Something entirely unexpected had occurred.
‘I didn’t expect it to end so easily.’
I had planned to subdue it using a distraction strategy with the Colors of the Abyss. However, thanks to Number 26 revealing a new power, I didn’t need to employ my planned move.
‘I knew Number 26 could handle psychic power well, but…’
I hadn’t anticipated it could intervene in my psychic abilities.
‘It seems like it can only interfere with techniques that use the Colors of the Abyss.’
Otherwise, it would have assisted from the moment I fired the first Psychic Breath.
‘Or maybe it’s related to the form of the attack?’
It could be that concentrated energy beams like the Psychic Breath are hard to control, but slower, smaller attacks like the bubbles are within its capability.
‘…Whatever the case, it’s a remarkable achievement.’
Even if it couldn’t intervene in all my psychic attacks, it didn’t matter. If it could control the enhanced Watcher of Terror alone, I could apply it in far more diverse ways.
I unconsciously turned to it . Facing me, it playfully waved one of its tentacles.
｢I thought it would work!｣
Confidence overflowed in its words. The only response I could give was:
[ZZZ ZZZZZ (Well done)]
｢Yeah!｣
While this Crystal Wing strategy was primarily to enhance my manoeuvrability, I unexpectedly gained a substantial reward.
I wanted to praise it right away, but there were still enemies left. I decided to discuss the celebration of Number 26’s accomplishment after we finished off the female.
[ZZZ ZZZZZ (Shall we go then?)]
｢Yeah. Let’s help out the middle ones and their friends.｣
I carried Number 26 and rushed towards the fights happening on the peak.
Approximately five minutes after the male was defeated.
Two pairs of splendid jewel wings fell side by side on the unnamed peak.
After two days of waiting, I successfully hunted down two Crystal Wings.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Thala]
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