Ch.205Whom the King Fears (2)

–

Survival is competition.

Finding food, seeking shelter, mating to leave offspring. Everything is related to competition.

To find limited food, one must compete with other beings, and places that feel comfortable to oneself similarly appeal to other creatures. The same applies to feelings toward potential mates.

However, just because survival and competition are closely linked doesn’t mean everyone can be a winner. Most creatures in nature live with defeat in at least one aspect.

The master of a small cave, the Sharkbear, was also a being with dual aspects of victor and loser. He had won in all other competitions but failed in just one area.

He had no mate.

Perhaps it was because he had separated from his pack at an early stage.

He never learned social skills and viewed other creatures only as prey. Occasionally females approached him, but they all left because of his attitude.

But what did it matter?

He had a cozy cave, and the wide territory around it was all his. Except for his inability to leave offspring, he was living a perfectly satisfying life.

Today too, the young male Sharkbear was leisurely strolling through his hunting grounds to satisfy his hunger. There were no creatures in this area that could threaten him.

Except for the white-furred beast with elongated arms and legs that occasionally invaded his territory.

That monster walking on two legs was agile and strong. Especially troublesome were its arms, long in proportion to its body. This made it somewhat burdensome even for the Sharkbear.

Still, the young male wasn’t worried. He had chased away that ignorant creature when it entered his forest not long ago. He had taught it a proper lesson, so it wouldn’t return anytime soon.

As he was walking through the forest with peace of mind, a scent reached his nose. Warmth and stickiness that didn’t belong in this frozen place. And within it, a sweet fragrance deeply permeated.

It was the smell of blood.

Someone had died in his hunting ground.

“Kuong.”

The young male let out a low growl.

Who dared to trespass on his territory? He thought. This time he wouldn’t let that ignorant white-furred monster off easily.

Following the scent floating in the air, he came upon an open clearing. In the middle of the clearing where snow was falling, the source of the blood smell was there.

Any other time he would have rushed out immediately, but the male didn’t.

Something was strange. No predator would abandon such delicious prey for no reason.

He cut off his interest in the sweet fragrance and looked around. There were no other animal footprints on the snow-covered ground. He raised his head to look up at the wide-open clearing above.

As always, only white snowflakes fell continuously from the dark sky. Was his instinct warning him of danger wrong?

His gaze caught the ends of tree branches. Branches unnaturally broken. It looked as if something heavy had fallen from the sky.

If he had possessed even a little social awareness, if he had interacted with others of his kind, he would have known what those traces meant. How dangerous the beings that fly overhead are.

But the young male living alone never knew this fact. He approached the snow-covered corpse. His jaw opened wide, and all the teeth inside protruded at once.

Just as he was about to enjoy his feast.

Something from the black sky above flew down onto his head.

–

「’Enhanced Endocrine Gland’ trait has been applied.」

「Can be merged with existing ‘Muscle Reinforcement’.」

「’Enhanced Endocrine Gland’ and ‘Muscle Reinforcement’ traits have merged. Evolved into ‘Berserker Synapse’ trait!」

「Berserker Synapse: Enhances overall physical abilities. Reduces energy consumption rate and allows more energy to be stored in the body.

*P.S.: You are a living tank and an unstoppable locomotive.」

‘Whew. Finally.’

After hunting the 11th Sharkbear, I finally gained a new trait. It took quite some time since I didn’t use the Mark of the Hunt.

‘I need to save the Mark of the Hunt for the Skywhale.’

Skywhales have some mine traits like ‘Energy Absorption,’ but they also have many other useful traits. Besides ‘Giant Creature’ and ‘Space Flight,’ they possess numerous good traits. They’re worth hunting precisely because they’re so powerful.

Anyway, I looked down at my body with the new ‘Berserker Synapse’ trait applied. As expected of an internal organ fusion trait, there weren’t many visible changes.

The main difference was that the muscles in my arms, neck, and tail area had been strengthened and thickened. The muscles in my wing arms had also improved, allowing me to fly faster and longer.

‘I’m overflowing with strength.’

In the game, there were only numerical changes, but perhaps because this was reality? I felt power surging throughout my body. Even without using transformation modes like the Mark of the Hunt, I instinctively knew.

That I could now worry less about side effects.

「Big guy, don’t you need to eat more?」

[Zu Zuzuzu Zuzuzuzu Zuzuzu(No. It’s fine. You eat the rest)]

“A rapid increase in muscle density and changes in energy distribution rate detected.”

「…Those muscles are incredible.」

No. 26, who had always been by my side watching me grow, showed little interest, but the others were different. PS-111 looked like it wanted to collect samples of my skin tissue, and Sky Mother was focusing on the muscles of my combat arms.

[Zuzu Zuzuzu Zuzu Zuzuzuzu(Let’s depart as soon as we finish eating)]

「Yes. Flap flap good.」

[Zuzuzuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu(Where should we go to find the Skywhale?)]

「…Huh? Oh, well, hmm.」

She, who had brought the Golden Spear of Shaman from the nest, seemed interested in the changes in my body. Staring at my arms with her amber eyes, she was startled when she heard my question.

「W-well, I’m sure it’s somewhere in the atmosphere, but I’m not sure where we can easily find one. As you know, they keep moving around without rest.」

As she said, Skywhales don’t have nests. The entire planet, and indeed the universe, is their range of activity. They roam the planet’s atmosphere, absorbing solar energy and various other energies. When they get bored, they move to other planets or star systems.

The planet where the dragon’s nest is located is rich in psychic power, so Skywhales frequently visit. Therefore, there’s a very high possibility that a Skywhale is somewhere on this planet.

“It hasn’t been detected in this area.”

PS-111 said while eating Sharkbear meat with its hook-like hands. The chunk of meat in its hands instantly shriveled, turning like a dried leaf. No. 26 ate and disposed of the withered meat.

I watched them eat and thought.

‘They won’t go near the dragon’s nest because of the Gallergorn there.’

Even in the game, events where Gallergorn and Skywhales fought occurred frequently. Skywhales, which absorb even hostile energy, are natural enemies of the powerful psychic creatures, Gallergorn. That’s why Gallergorn hate when Skywhales come near the dragon’s nest.

‘Do I need to search by flying around myself?’

It seems like I’ll have to rely on auxiliary organs for searching again.

After No. 26 and PS-111 finished their meal, I began the search for the Skywhale with them.

Thick muscles rippled with each wingbeat high in the sky. Each time my black wings struck the air, the surrounding clouds split. Hailstones the size of soccer balls mixed in the blizzard hit my wings, but my wing membrane wasn’t damaged at all.

While my body and wings soared through the sky like an ascending Imugi, the auxiliary organ under my jaw also continuously performed its task. It analyzed every component mixed in the clouds, energy flowing in the air, and various other elements without missing anything.

[Zuzu Zuzuzuzu Zuzu(Do you see anything?)]

「Not yet.」

「I don’t feel anything!」

Sky Mother and No. 26, riding on my back, were also looking for traces of the Skywhale. Sky Mother stood on two legs, scanning the clouds with hawk-like eyes. It was remarkable progress for someone who feared flying.

‘Except for the fact that she’s tightly gripping the corrosive tentacle with her hands.’

Beside her, No. 26 extended its tentacles to track the flow of energy.

I maintained a speed that wouldn’t make it difficult for them to search while continuing to fly. I had eaten plenty of Sharkbear, and with the effect of Berserker Synapse, I still had energy to spare.

As we continued searching for a while, my auxiliary organ caught something. There was a feeling of something gently tickling the end of my auxiliary organ, subtly different from psychic power.

‘What’s this?’

I could feel an exotic energy flow from a specific direction. No. 26 on my back must have felt something similar, as it sent out a wave.

「Big guy! I feel something strange over there!」

[Zu(Yes)]

I slightly folded one wing to turn in the direction where the energy was felt. Following inertia, the axis of my body sharply tilted to the side. Then I spread both wings wide again and struck the air forcefully. My body shot forward like a missile launched from a platform.

As I sped forward, a massive mountain peak came into view. It was an incomparably higher mountain than the twin peaks we had visited to catch the Crystal Wing.

A mountain that extended high above even after piercing through the clouds. Since the peak was above the clouds, there was no snow accumulated at the mountain top. With no trees growing, it appeared simply black.

It looked more like a giant from mythology than a naturally formed terrain.

「It’s incredible. I’ve never seen such a large mountain in my life.」

Sky Mother was right.

Would this be what it feels like to see Mount Olympus, known as the largest mountain in the solar system, with your own eyes? The majesty displayed by this immense black mountain was truly remarkable.

As we approached the mountain, the flow of heterogeneous energy felt even stronger. The black mountain was pouring out energy from its peak, like a volcano spewing ash.

‘This mountain is producing energy….’

「There! There’s a Skywhale there!」

Just as I was about to focus on the mountain, Sky Mother sent a thought wave. She pointed her foreleg near the mountain peak. Though it was too far to see clearly, something like a tiny particle was circling around the peak.

I increased my speed to approach it. Soon, the Skywhale’s appearance began to come into my view.

An elongated body resembling a whale, six wings that looked like opal-colored particles gathered together, and multiple eyes.

It was the cosmic whale, the Skywhale.

‘Judging by its size, it’s still young.’

Even a juvenile Skywhale reaches a body length of 50m. The one before us was about 60m long. Almost twice my size.

「■——–」

It noticed my approach and made a warning sound. Since I came to hunt it in the first place, I ignored its warning and continued approaching.

「■—!」

Then it spread its wings in anger. Opal-colored particles began to gather and emit light from its wings.

‘Oh no!’

Knowing what this meant, I folded my wings and dove sharply. Then six photon cannons were fired from its wings. Six heat rays, as thick as the psychic breath I shoot, grazed where I had been.

In the community, Skywhales are evaluated as having a temperament similar to herbivores.

Someone unfamiliar might misunderstand this to mean they’re gentle and not dangerous, but think about it. African elephants and hippos are also herbivores, but how terrifying they are.

The cosmic whale is the same.

After firing first, it launched opal-colored heat rays again. I wrapped my body with my wings and rotated in mid-air. The heat rays slightly grazed the outer part of my wing skin. After the evasive maneuver, as I spread my wings again, Sky Mother on my back took action.

She was trying to seal the Skywhale’s photon cannon attack with her ‘Ice Wraith’ ability. The Skywhale that met her eyes flinched.

The light on its brilliantly shining wings flickered and quickly faded.

「My current limit is only 1 minute! We need to finish within that time!」

[Zuzuzu(Don’t worry)]

I wasn’t planning to drag it out anyway. While the creature was disoriented due to the Ice Wraith, I instantly closed the distance.

I could see its pupils that had lost their weapons. The creature, having lost its reason, charged at me. I didn’t avoid it either and rushed straight at it.

Then the black wings and opal-colored wings collided with each other. A thunderous sound reverberated as if lightning had struck.

「■—–!」

Though it had lost its mind, it couldn’t help but feel pain, and the Skywhale howled. I also felt considerable pain at the point of collision, but it was bearable.

Corrosive tentacles shot out from my back and bit into its body. It struck my head with its wings. Though my carapace didn’t break, the impact was substantial.

「Pain Relief activated!」

Ignoring the text box, I opened my mouth and bit its wing. It writhed in pain and tried to hit me with its other wing.

「Help Big guy attack!」

“I will assist.”

At that moment, everyone on my back rushed at the Skywhale that I was holding.

Sky Mother had brought the Golden Spear of Shaman after a long time. While the golden spear flashed and carved out flesh, No. 26 swung its tentacles beside her, wounding the creature’s back. PS-111 crawled like a spider, attached itself to the creature’s side, and clawed at it fiercely.

Skywhales have energy absorption abilities, making them immune to all energy-based attacks. Since I had warned everyone about this before coming to fight, they all attacked the creature physically.

‘We have the advantage in close combat.’

Though the creature’s close combat skills aren’t bad, it has one weakness. It lacks durability.

Its outer skin can be easily damaged even by our attacks.

「■——」

It tried to shake off the enemies that had climbed onto it. I tightly bound it with my corrosive tentacles so it couldn’t move.

Thinking it couldn’t deal with the others until it killed me, it opened its mouth wide.

A Skywhale’s mouth is used more for other purposes than for consuming food. According to the setting, when males compete for a female, they bite each other’s bodies with their mouths to demonstrate strength. Being bitten by those massive jaws would be fatal even for another Skywhale.

But there’s something it doesn’t know.

‘Now!’

「■?!」

The moment it opened its mouth, I reversely inserted my head into its mouth. Before it could apply force to its jaw, I stabbed its palate hard with the horns on my head.

Six massive horns pierced through the delicate palate and touched the sensitive parts inside. I applied force to the corrosive tentacles holding it, pushing my body deeper into its mouth.

「■——–」

It tried to scream, but that was impossible. About a quarter of my body was stuffed into its mouth.

I shook my head, tearing up the inside of its palate with my horns.

「—…」

And finally, when my horns tore through to its brain, it stopped moving. The light disappeared from its beautifully shining wings, and its six eyes slowly closed.

As its breath ceased, all of us floating in the air began to fall rapidly.

「Hey hey hey hey hey! You crazy Morph! We’re falling! We’re falling!」

「Waaaaaaah! This is fun!」

“If I measure this height and calculate the damage…”

After pulling my head out of the Skywhale’s mouth, I spread my wing arms wide. Simultaneously, a heavy load was placed on the corrosive tentacles holding the cosmic whale’s body.

[Zuzu Zuzuzu(Quickly come up)]

“Thank you.”

「…Phew.」

「That was fun!」

While the others climbed up the tentacles, I didn’t stop flapping my wings. As I flapped my wings while holding the Skywhale, our falling speed gradually decreased.

‘Now I just need to land and eat…’

At that moment, I felt a flow of intense psychic power. I immediately released the tentacles holding the Skywhale and flew upward rapidly.

In a split second, a thick purple heat ray tore through my tentacles. The cosmic whale’s corpse fell down along with pieces of tentacles.

「King of the Sky」「Cannot miss」

A being resembling a pure white angel was looking down at me from the black sky.

‘…Ham Oort.’

The pure white Gallergorn who took Adhigh Orr.

White Gallergorn Ham Oort was there.