Chapter 166
Chapter 166
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: Ep. 166
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Gallerons don't flap their wings often. They only do it when taking off from the ground like birds or pterosaurs, and once they've gained a certain altitude, they glide.
Once they grow beyond the Green Galleron stage, they can fly by levitating their bodies with psychic power.
In Adhai's case, its wings are well-developed compared to its body size, so it uses them frequently. But that doesn't mean it can't fly using psychic power. After all, it can fly at speeds that defy the laws of physics with its super-acceleration ability or even travel through space.
So what did the flapping sound coming from above my head mean?
'Is it looking for me?'
The creature was currently circling the area low to the ground.
As if searching for something.
'Should I fight it?'
The only enemy within my perception range was the White Galleron. With my Near-Adult stage and the unique trait I'd gained from the Transcendence System, I could defeat even a White Galleron without much trouble.
Yet I didn't move rashly.
'...Not yet.'
This was Galleron territory. A planet where countless Gallerons lived in packs. Taking down one White Galleron here wouldn't end things.
Gallerons are extremely aggressive creatures. Adhai was the unusual one; normally, Gallerons were greedy and battle-hungry, just like the dragons from myths.
The fight wouldn't end until I wiped out the entire pack or took down their leader.
If I fought that White Galleron, nine times out of ten, its kin would come to help. And if even one Black Galleron showed up among the reinforcements, winning would be nearly impossible for me.
'Unless I could kill the White Galleron in one strike.'
Gallerons had excellent eyesight, but they were even more sensitive to psychic power. If I tried gathering energy for God's Whip or Psychic Breath, it would notice immediately.
Excluding those two traits, I had no way to take it down in a single blow.
So I had to prepare thoroughly before fighting them.
I held my breath and waited motionless.
The flapping circling my area grew louder. Soon, a low vibration rumbled from the snowfield nearby.
A White Galleron averaged 20 meters in length. With its correspondingly massive wings, it would look far larger than me from a distance.
It was an unbelievably soft landing for such a huge beast. The psychic power flowing through its body had lightened its weight.
The creature that had touched down began to move.
'What is it doing?'
I couldn't see it with my body buried under the snow, but my auxiliary organs let me sense how it was moving.
It was lowering its head, probing the snow with its long, whisker-like tentacle cluster.
'Damn.'
If it came just a little closer, it would notice I was hiding under the snow. It would be better to strike first.
'No. I need to judge this more carefully.'
Fighting that White Galleron would inevitably lead to all-out war with the others. They'd start searching immediately upon sensing a pack member's disappearance. With their superior perception and memory, they'd find me quickly.
Even as I hesitated, it drew closer. It was less than 10 meters away now. It wouldn't notice only because my body was deeply buried, but if it stepped on me, it'd realize right away.
'Damn it!'
I had no more time to deliberate.
I'd ambush and kill it before it spotted me, then leave. Moving through the underground space would buy me some time.
With that resolve, I waited for it to take one more step. Just as its foot was about to touch the snow, it froze in place.
'What's it doing?'
It stood perfectly still in the pose of stepping forward. I kept tense, focusing on its movements.
'Huh?'
Its tentacles swayed in a steady rhythm. At first, I thought it was the wind rustling the cluster, but that didn't seem right.
'Talking to someone, like with Adhai?'
It looked like another Galleron had called it, stopping the search. I wanted to eavesdrop using my monster tentacles, but it was impossible.
'They must have their own private channel.'
After a moment, it spread its wings wide and flew back into the sky. Even after it left, I stayed put for a while.
Gallerons were clever creatures. It might be pretending to leave while preparing an ambush.
Only after waiting about 30 minutes did I feel certain the area was safe.
'Whew.'
I rose, shaking off the snow, and clawed at the ice slab beside the hole. It just needed to be big enough to cover the opening; thickness didn't matter. I cut out a suitably sized chunk of ice, then placed it over the hole when descending.
'This should fool them.'
Flying ones wouldn't dig up every patch of snow. With the cleanup done, I crawled down the ice tunnel.
Underground, I sensed three presences. The largest, No. 26, greeted me with a wave.
[Zuzu zzuzu zuzu zuzu (There was still work left to do)]
[Zuzu (Thanks)]
It handed me a hunk of Cavegoil meat with its tentacle. Four out of the ten remained. It was probably considering my high energy expenditure from all the movement.
I gratefully took it and bit in. They say hunger is the best sauce, and even the cold Cavegoil meat tasted pretty good.
'Tastes like cold soy sauce chicken, but tougher.'
The texture was close to pork rind, but the flavor was soy sauce chicken. A weird combo, but not bad, so I enjoyed it.
As I crunched through an entire Cavegoil lower body, Sky Mother called out to me.
[Zuzuzu zzuzu zuzu zuzu zzuzu zuzu zuzu (It left because another one called it midway)]
Sky Mother muttered seriously. Having fought Gallerons before, she knew exactly how to take them down.
[Zuzu (Yeah)]
She flashed sharp eyes as she spoke.
It was her usual look. If not for the way she was peeking out with just her head from No. 26's embrace.
This underground space was relatively warmer. Still a harsh environment. Without special evolution, adaptation would be tough.
'Adhai said its pack monopolizes spots with geothermal heat.'
Even White Gallerons had thick hides immune to cold, but Blue Galleron hatchlings or immature Green Gallerons didn't. Their scales and skin underdeveloped, they spoiled easily in the chill.
Adhai was a prime example. It had tossed its backpack aside and snuggled deep into No. 26. Tension released, it was asleep. Though the cold still got to it occasionally, making its body shiver.
Adhai had said their nest was inside an icy valley with rising geothermal heat. From its description, one of the few livable spots on this brutal planet.
'So I landed away from the nest on purpose, and now this cold problem.'
Before tackling the Gallerons, I needed to solve the cold first.
[Zuzuzu zzuzu (Must be cold, huh)]
[Zuzuzu zzuzu zzuzu zzuzu zzuzu (Talking with just your head out looks just like a chick)]
Offended by my description, Sky Mother's feathers bristled.
She glared with her pumpkin-colored eyes, but hugging the pink balloon like a stuffed toy made her look utterly non-threatening.
[Zuzuzuzu zzuzu (Means baby bird)]
[Zuzu (Right)]
[Zuzuzuzu (Smart cookie)]
Having overheard my chat with No. 26, she shuddered but soon sighed.
[Zu zzuzu zzuzuzu zzuzuzu zzuzu zzuzuzu zzuzuzu zuzu (Fighting the Galleron pack alone would be hard. You'll have to help me)]
[Zuzu zzuzuzu zzuzu zzuzuzu (You know better than anyone there's a way)]
Sky Mother nodded at my words.
All players who'd visited this world had received privileges nonexistent in the game. Like Muriel being a cyborg who could transform into other races, Sky Mother had a privilege transcending her species' limits.
'She can transform into other mythical creatures, right?'
Normally, Wolfs fixed into one animal form after deification. They learned traits and advanced stages in that form—that was the basic Wolpf playstyle.
But Sky Mother's privilege let her surpass that. Under certain conditions, she could transform into other animals.
'Unlocks new abilities each time she meets the conditions, kinda like me.'
Like me using traits as materials for unique ones, she unlocked new transformable animals by hunting and eating the game's specified targets.
Even without transforming, she could apply some of those animals' traits and passives to her griffin body.
Currently, besides griffin, she had one other mythical form. Her powerful melee prowess came from that.
'She used it against Muriel before meeting me.'
I already knew what animal. Powerful transformation mode, but short duration with a long cooldown was its big drawback.
'Makes sense for that phantom beast.'
Anyway, this was a good chance to unlock a new form for her. One immune to cold conditions.
[Zuzuzu zzuzuzu zzuzuzu zuzu zzuzuzu (What animal gives cold immunity?)]
[Zuzu zzuzuzu zzuzu zzuzuzu (Good. Unlock it here. I'll help)]
[Zuzu zzuzu zzuzu zzuzuzu (What I need right now is an ally)]
Even if my contract with Sky Mother was insurance for Ascension, it was useless if she didn't reach Adult stage.
And to truly use her as a sacrifice, she'd need higher deification. For that, her survival odds had to improve.
In short, her getting stronger benefited me.
[Zuzuzu (Have I?)]
She said no more, but her eyes didn't suggest negativity.
'Two goals before tackling the Gallerons.'
First priority: Gather traits and intel for dragon hunting.
Scout terrain for luring and ambushing, grasp the ecosystem. This unexplored planet left me info-poor. Adhai's briefing helped, but I needed to confirm personally.
'Second: Unlock Sky Mother's transformation ability.'
I'd never played Wolpf, but I'd fought plenty. I knew Wendigo materials.
Might not match the game exactly, but based on my precedents, conditions were probably identical.
'Planning's enough for now...'
I scanned the dim surroundings once more.
Before heading out, remodel this underground space first.
Into an Aimorph nest.