Ch.64Beast Alliance

I heard a week after the fierce battle with five insect monsters. I was finally able to move from the hideout the bird had shown me.

Despite the enhanced recovery in the forest due to the World Tree’s blessing and Mary’s healing magic, this injury was severe and took a long time to heal.

A long scar remained on my forearm, and similarly, another scar formed on my ankle, marking where a large wound had been.

During that week of bed rest, I had many conversations with Mary, one of which was about birds. She told me that the species called Storm Wing gets its name from the massive winds it creates with a single flap of its enormous wings, which support its gigantic body in flight.

While talking with Mary, I remembered the notification about a trait that had been generated when I was fighting the ladybug, so I checked it.

= = = = = = = = = = = = =

【Pain Reduction】: You can now ignore pain from scratches, and extreme pain is slightly reduced.

= = = = = = = = = = = = =

It would have been nice if this had appeared when Lassis was hitting me, but better late than never. With that thought, I checked my body.

I threw some jabs and tested my legs to check my physical condition, and the results seemed more satisfying than before. I felt so pleased with my body feeling like it was newly born that I jumped around here and there.

When I started making noise checking my condition, Mary woke up from her sleep.

“Khan… Are you okay now…?”

Mary spoke to me with a half-asleep face, still drowsy.

“Moooo! Mmmerrr!” (Yes. I’m completely fine. Thank you for continuously healing me these past seven days.)

“Khan and I are partners. It’s only natural.”

I stroked her with my finger as she laughed “hee—” and then placed her on top of my head. Once on my head, Mary curled up her wings and rolled around.

After enjoying a brief moment of leisure, we left the hideout. The sunlight I was seeing after a week was so warm that I narrowed my eyes and looked around.

What entered my vision was… empty spaces where trees should have been. Only tree stumps remained, making the area so barren that I wondered if it could still be called a forest.

“What… is this…?”

Our hideout must have been well soundproofed, as we hadn’t heard these trees disappearing… Looking at the missing tree trunks, it seemed like someone had taken the trees themselves.

“Mmmerrr—” (It looks like they cut down and took the trees themselves…)

“This will anger the forest’s master… Why is the master staying quiet? Could it be that instead of sleeping, it’s dead?”

I shook my head at those words. If the forest’s master were dead, the killing intent and pressure I felt when crossing the boundary between the entrance and middle areas wouldn’t make sense.

“Mmmerrr mmmooo” (That’s not it. If the master were dead, the chilling killing intent and pressure we felt as soon as we crossed the boundary wouldn’t make sense. Maybe… it seems to be letting whatever happens happen…)

“This isn’t a normal problem. We should hurry to meet the demonic beasts in the Forest of Demonic Beasts.”

“Mmmerrr.” (Yes. Do you know the location?)

“Yes! The feather Storm Wing gave us contains its power, so we just need to follow where the feather guides us!”

The feather emerged from Mary’s bosom. It was over a meter long, and I had no idea how it had fit in Mary’s bosom, but following the feather’s guidance…

We quickly traversed through the forest.

* * * * *

KWAAANG—!!!

A thunderous sound echoed through the forest. Yet despite the loud noise, there were no screams.

Rustle, rustle.

Only the sound of something moving could be heard. The Turtle Dragon, the source of the thunderous noise, merely spat fireballs at those who charged at it, as if annoyed.

The Turtle Dragon had the perfect appearance of a turtle, but with an angular face, horns on its head, an imposing shell, and fire-breathing ability—it was classified as a subspecies of dragon known as the Turtle Dragon.

Despite this intimidating appearance, it was normally a gentle demonic beast that just slept in forests or lakes and showed little reaction even when creatures entered its territory…

But now, seemingly enraged, the fireballs shooting from its mouth incinerated countless beings approaching it.

However, the beings approaching the Turtle Dragon—Mineral Ants about 3 meters in size—charged toward the Turtle Dragon, disregarding death.

Mineral Ants were a species whose danger level varied depending on the minerals they consumed. If they ate iron, they became Iron Ants with iron’s strength. If they ate copper, they became Bronze Ants with copper’s strength.

Creatures that had eaten iron could be handled sufficiently by humans. But what about Mineral Ants that had eaten titanium, adamantium, or in extremely rare cases, orichalcum?

Adamantium Ants were not only hard but also came in such large numbers that they devastated the surroundings, classifying them as monsters above Disaster-class but below Catastrophe-class.

Of course, those that had eaten orichalcum would be Catastrophe-class monsters or higher… but since those that had eaten the rare orichalcum didn’t exist, Adamantium Ants were currently the most dangerous ones.

The ones charging at the Turtle Dragon were Titanium Ants. These creatures, no less than disasters to humans, were charging at the Turtle Dragon.

For the Turtle Dragon, one or two weren’t a major threat, but the situation involved hundreds of 3-meter Titanium Ants charging with determination, their numbers exceeding tens and hundreds.

The Turtle Dragon was holding back the Titanium Ants by shooting fireballs, but they weren’t coming from just one direction.

Crackle—

Rumble…

White Titanium Ants and silver Iron Ants—two types of ants began threatening the solitary Turtle Dragon.

Suddenly surrounded from behind and both sides, the Turtle Dragon tucked in its head and legs that had been shooting fireballs and supporting its body, demonstrating its defensive capabilities.

Rustle, rustle, rustle—

The Titanium Ants, paying no attention to this, bit at the Turtle Dragon’s shell with their jaws. But the Turtle Dragon’s shell had a strength greater than titanium, so no matter how much the Titanium Ants gnawed, not even a scratch appeared.

The Turtle Dragon grinned inside its shell, waiting for them to retreat.

However, the ants defied the Turtle Dragon’s expectations. They began collectively lifting and moving the entire Turtle Dragon!

Unable to deal with it themselves, they believed that bringing it to their leader would solve everything, so they started moving the Turtle Dragon.

The Turtle Dragon, startled by its body suddenly floating, peeked its head out and looked down, only to be shocked.

Its body was floating in the air! Confused by this impossible situation, it tried to spit a fireball downward, but seeing its exposed head, the ants approached with their jaws extended, forcing the head to retract.

In this absurd situation, the Turtle Dragon began to sob.

Kwooooo—

Kwoooooo—

Hoping someone would help. It wasn’t that it had refused when others talked about demonic beasts uniting against the insects last time, wishing it would participate too.

Until now, it had been able to handle the insects with its fireballs and strength, which is why it hadn’t participated…

Who knew these insect bastards would be so numerous and powerful! The Turtle Dragon blamed its past self, but nothing changed. It just hoped that a kind demonic beast who heard its cries would come to rescue it.

Kwoooooo——

Mmmerrr——

Then, someone responded to its cry! The insects hearing this sound turned toward the direction of the noise, and the Turtle Dragon also slightly extended its neck to look.

There, a giant minotaur was charging through, knocking down trees. Reaching the scene in an instant, it swept away the ants with an axe made of lightning.

MMMERRR—— !!!!

As it stomped the ground with a thud, lightning spread out, electrocuting the insects, and the lightning spread to all the Iron Ants, knocking them unconscious.

The minotaur, ignoring the unconscious ones, continued charging toward where the Turtle Dragon was. The Turtle Dragon, wanting to help, peeked its head out while the ants’ attention was diverted and spat a fireball.

Whoosh…

KWAAANG—!!!

The Titanium Ants carrying the Turtle Dragon were shattered, and freed once more, it slowly turned its body and spewed fireballs at the ants in the direction the minotaur was charging from.

KWAAANG—!!

The minotaur wrapped the chain attached to its axe around its hand and swung it, stomping on those not killed by the axe and grabbing Titanium Ants one by one with its hands, crushing them.

Though strong against external attacks, their insides seemed fragile, as they burst when strong pressure was applied.

The Turtle Dragon and the minotaur eventually managed to kill all the ants.

Where the minotaur had swung its axe, Iron Ant corpses were strewn about, and the bodies of Titanium Ants were torn or burst, their fluids staining the ground.

As the Turtle Dragon tried to express its gratitude, the minotaur passed right by. Surprised, the Turtle Dragon slowly moved forward with its slow pace…

Unable to keep up with the minotaur’s speed, it eventually fell behind, letting out only sorrowful cries.

Mooooo…