Chapter Index





    Ch.116116. Birdman (4)

    Great-Thunderbird. This ancestral being, both the blood and spiritual progenitor of dozens of Birdman tribes who had ascended to the level of a “Spirit-god,” possessed an unparalleled history throughout this New Continent.

    Originally one of the spirit-magical beasts of this New Continent, he transcended material limitations after a series of major events that would fill over a dozen volumes if written down. Thus, Great-Thunderbird abandoned his aspect as a magical beast and “ascended” as a spirit.

    Of course, during this process, even the discarded magical beast aspect had surpassed racial limitations and reached at least an advanced level.

    Great-Thunderbird, realizing that once he ascended as a spirit he could not easily return to the material world, decided to use this to his advantage.

    In other words, he sought to create an anchor to the material world through the physical body he left behind.

    Normally, such an abandoned material-body of a magical beast would naturally transform into precious metals or materials imbued with vast mystical properties, but Great-Thunderbird instead used this characteristic to modify the transformation of his remaining body according to his will.

    The components of Great-Thunderbird’s abandoned body began to “transform” and change in nature.

    The feathers that grew from his body each gained consciousness and were reborn as “Birdmen,” avian humanoids.

    Particularly, the Birdmen born from his magnificent tail and head feathers became individuals possessing the qualities needed to lead Birdman society as future leaders.

    Additionally, Great-Thunderbird’s flesh and skin became his kin, the Thunder Eagles… spirit-magical beasts that would later be called Thunderbirds.

    Unlike the previous generation of Thunder Eagles, these were closer to material beings with physical forms, and thus, unlike the naturally “occurring” original Thunderbirds, they could reproduce like ordinary magical beasts.

    Furthermore, Great-Thunderbird’s bones became relics later called “totems” among the Birdman tribes. These totems, which formed otherworldly domains around them through their inherent power, greatly helped the latecomers (Birdmen) survive in the harsh New Continent.

    And… Great-Thunderbird’s internal organs and bodily systems became tools worshipped as ancient sacred relics by the Birdman tribes.

    His four eyeballs became mystical jewels that bestowed Great-Thunderbird’s insight.

    His central nervous system, including brain and spinal cord, became a staff passed down through generations of tribal shamans.

    Great-Thunderbird’s heart became a necklace-shaped relic that granted immense power to its wearer, while his stomach, which had barely been used as he rarely consumed material food, became a pouch that produced sustenance.

    Similarly, his other internal organs were transformed into weapons or equipment according to their respective properties.

    Having exchanged his physical body for anchors, Great-Thunderbird thus ascended from the earthly realm (material world)…

    Afterward, the Birdmen and Thunderbirds, who could be considered Great-Thunderbird’s offspring, flourished and gradually spread across the land.

    True to being a race born from Great-Thunderbird’s feathers, each Birdman possessed a superior physique and a slight but definite aptitude for magic.

    Their stiff feathers not only provided resistance against heat and magical energy but also guaranteed physical protection, while their muscular bodies possessed strength that was by no means inferior to other beastmen of the New Continent with their wild power.

    Additionally, the Birdmen formed close connections with the Thunderbirds, who could also be considered Great-Thunderbird’s offspring. Thanks to this, they gained the ability to manipulate thunder and lightning mysteries, allowing them to obtain power comparable to other indigenous forces despite being latecomers.

    Of course, this growth was no exception for Great-Thunderbird, who had ascended as a complete spirit.

    His descendants left in the material world instinctively sensed the existence of Great-Thunderbird, their genetic ancestor, and worshipped him as a god. Having become a spiritual being influenced by the emotions of these mortals, Great-Thunderbird thus reached an even higher realm.

    The realm of a demigod, sometimes referred to as a Spirit-god.

    The highest realm attainable while maintaining the identity of a Thunderbird.

    Great-Thunderbird, who became a spirit that ascended to godhood and the tribal deity of Thunderbirds and Birdmen, spent his days in the “celestial realm” for ascended beings.

    The celestial realm where “ascended” beings reside is, so to speak, a higher-dimensional region, and because of this, the concepts of time and space are blurred there, making causality meaningless.

    Because past and future existences are identical, spanning across multiple timelines, maintaining a sense of self is both easy and difficult for demigods like Great-Thunderbird due to this unique peculiarity.

    This might sound like nonsense, but the story changes if one understands that these beings possess a spiritual hierarchy worthy of being called gods.

    Gods, with thought patterns and structures incomprehensible to ordinary human brains, are truly beings “different” from ordinary humans, not just in flowery rhetoric.

    And among such gods, one who exists at the lowest rank.

    Great-Thunderbird, who had escaped the shackles of mortality and gained some freedom from causal and spatiotemporal constraints, was traversing between timelines as usual when he happened to encounter the image of his distant descendant.

    Unlike most of his descendants (Thunderbirds) who lived in their homeland (the New Continent), this was the rare sight of a descendant living in another land far beyond.

    Of course, Great-Thunderbird, whose anchors to existence were mostly in his homeland (the New Continent), had been unaware of this descendant’s existence until the Thunderbird happened to set foot in this land.

    Having a kind of attachment to the children who could be considered his offspring, the Thunderbird wanted to meet this child, perhaps for the last time…

    And so, Great-Thunderbird descended directly to the earthly realm.

    ※ ※ ※

    After Great-Thunderbird descended to the earthly realm, he was deeply impressed by the mortal who had formed a contract with his distant descendant.

    Although his spiritual presence was diminished compared to his true form since he descended through a medium, the sight of someone standing proudly without losing composure before him was something even Great-Thunderbird had rarely witnessed.

    Knowing better than anyone the influence that a being of higher spiritual hierarchy exerts on lower beings, he understood that an immense pressure would emanate even in such a simple encounter.

    Despite having abnormal insight and cognitive abilities that made his thinking patterns different from mortals, he was ultimately still bound by his Thunderbird nature, making this all the more true.

    In any case, pleased by this bold demeanor, Great-Thunderbird continued the conversation, during which he roughly heard the stories of how these two had lived until now.

    And… upon learning that Corin, who could be considered his descendant, had been a target of smugglers’ kidnapping, Great-Thunderbird could not contain his fury.

    ‘…What?’

    One might ask how a being of demigod status, a spirit-god, could be unaware that his own child was subject to human trafficking, but understanding the details would make such opinions sound even more foolish.

    The gods of this world are by no means omnipotent or perfect beings.

    Though their methods of birth may differ, they are ultimately “powerful beings” with broader vision and stronger power due to having their foundation in a slightly higher dimension.

    Though they may appear transcendent and mighty absolute beings to mortal eyes, gods are ultimately just one of the components of this world with their own abilities and limitations.

    They are merely components of a slightly higher order.

    Moreover, Great-Thunderbird, having escaped material limitations through ascension, gained power at the cost of difficult access to the material world.

    Therefore, unable to freely approach the material world, Great-Thunderbird had been unaware of the relatively small-scale smuggling operation until now.

    Naturally, upon learning of this situation, Great-Thunderbird was enraged. He could not help but be furious.

    [I’m sorry for not knowing about your tragedy and leaving you alone.]

    [W-What? …It’s okay. I was… born this way anyway…]

    Thus, Great-Thunderbird apologized directly to Corin, who had suffered tragedy due to his negligence.

    And to somehow compensate Corin, who was pretending to be fine, he implanted a portion of his “power” within him.

    Though not omniscient, Great-Thunderbird was capable enough to take responsibility for problems arising from his ignorance.

    Of course, after realizing this situation, Great-Thunderbird had no intention of leaving things as they were.

    And these thoughts… were tantamount to a death sentence for those who sold his descendants, the poachers.

    Even though a god’s influence on the material world might be limited, a god is still more than capable of bringing destruction to someone with that limited influence.

    Thus, the poachers of the New Continent had essentially received a death sentence from that day forward.


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