Chapter 207
Chapter 207
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 207
Chapter Title: Elder
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Ep. 207
"Elder"
The one who had been rubbing its horn against my body suddenly pulled its head away. Then it called out to me with psychic waves.
[Zuzuzuzu (Does it hurt anywhere?)]
"Denial""Pain""None at all"
I wondered if there was some injury I hadn't noticed, but that didn't seem to be the case. It hesitated, putting some distance between us.
The creature that had been so joyfully affectionate just moments ago now seemed awkward. It wasn't just its attitude. Negative emotions were leaking out through its psychic waves.
'What's gotten into it all of a sudden?'
As if answering my question, it sent out more psychic waves.
"I""Apologize""Necessary"
[Zuzuzuzuzu (Apologize?)]
"I""Followed""Ship Ort""Abandoned Elder""Sorry"
What it brought up was the time when we first encountered Ship Ort, and it had followed him. I knew what intentions it had when it left, but it seemed like that point had been nagging at it all along.
"I""Elder""Kin again""Want""Please"
It lowered its front legs and bowed its head. It was an incredibly polite posture, one I'd never seen from it before.
'Hmm.'
I'd planned to take it back from the start. So I hadn't thought much of reuniting with it.
But from its perspective, things were different. Adhai had once been exiled by its own kin because it was small and weak.
'Now that I think about it, even before coming here, it was overly cautious.'
After guiding me to the nest, it had asked if it could stick around. I'd assumed that was obvious, but it hadn't. It worried that it was no longer needed and should leave.
The same was true now. Especially since this time, it had left us to save its own life. From its viewpoint, returning must feel burdensome.
'...No point dragging this out.'
I knew well how past pains could strangle one's life. The body lives in the present, but the mind lingers in the past.
So I did what I'd most wanted when I was hurting.
I gently grabbed it with my wing arms and pulled it into a tight embrace.
[Zuzuzuzu zuzu (You're back, so that's that)]
"Elder""Forgives me?"
I shook my head, denying the anxious trembling words.
[Zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (No wrongdoing, so nothing to forgive)]
"I""Abandoned kin""Wrong"
[Zu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzu zuzuzuzu (You chose to protect me. If anything, I was wrong)]
"Denial!""Elder""No wrong"
[Zuzuzuzu zu zu zu zuzuzuzu (Let's call it even, neither wrong)]
"I""Kin again""Possible?"
[Zuzu zuzuzuzu zu (You never left to begin with)]
I infused the waves with firm resolve. Reading my true feelings, Adhai finally relaxed its tense body.
I lightly stroked its head with the small arms on my chest. It turned its head as if ticklish, then fixed its gaze on my wing arms.
"Wings""First time seeing"
[Zuzuzu (Is that so?)]
I'd had wings when we met, but not in this form. They were like beetle elytra covering my back then, and thanks to the transcendence penalty, I could barely use them.
"Cool!""Cool!""Super""Cool!"
Adhai bobbed its head vigorously, tapping my wings with its front paws. It really seemed to like my changes.
[Zu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (Then let's head back. The others are waiting)]
"Little Elder""Ugly friend""Weak child""There?"
[Zu (Yeah)]
Hearing me, Adhai wriggled free from my embrace and climbed onto my back.
I returned to where I'd left the others, with it in tow.
"What happened?"
The moment Sky Mother saw me arrive with Adhai, she asked.
[Zuzu zuzuzu (I got tricked)]
"...Looks like it."
"Little Baby!"
"Subcontroller 2 'Little Baby' confirmed. Nice to see you again."
"All""Happy"
Galleron don't lie, by design. Modeled after legendary and mythical dragons, they value contracts above all. Without that trait, I wouldn't have trusted Adhai so readily during our pact.
That's why I'd taken Ship Ort's words at face value. Who'd have thought a Galleron would lie?
'...At least Adhai's unharmed. Small mercy.'
This was a case where the lie was actually a relief, separate from my irritation at being duped by the Galleron.
Having finished greeting everyone, Adhai scampered over to me.
"Sky King""Elder""Hunt?"
[Zuzuzuzu (Sky King?)]
It pointed its horn tip at the exploded Sky Whale corpse.
'But why did those two come here?'
Ship Ort aside, Adhai had terrible matchup against Sky Whales. Psychic tech forbidden, small size—no way to land effective hits.
Conversely, Sky Whale could kill it effortlessly. Photon cannon or wing smack—dead.
'It knows that much.'
As if to resolve my doubt, Adhai continued its waves.
"Ship Ort""Said""Sky King""Needed""I""Said""Elder already""Hunted""Done""Sky King""Hunt""Useless"
Adhai spread its wings proudly. From its words, Ship Ort had targeted the Sky Whale. Midway, it learned I was here, and Adhai said hunting was impossible.
[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzu zuzuzu zu (I get needing the Sky King, but why come together?)]
"Ship Ort""Said""I""Sky King""Must eat""Savior""Condition"
[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu (Must eat the Sky King?)]
Come to think of it, Adhai's fully spread wings looked different. I'd overlooked it while checking injuries, but now it was clear.
'Spots on the wings?'
Near the wing membrane, white spots like sand grains dotted densely. Not like sickness—more like natural freckles.
'White ones.'
A thought struck: maybe Ship Ort was trying to evolve Adhai.
Galleron growth conditions unknown. I didn't even know how Adhai grew. During its green scale molt, I was far away.
"Ship Ort""Snake King""Brought""Elder hunted""Snake King""Much""Bigger"
'Snake King? I gave it? No way... ah.'
Now it clicked. The first apex predator I hunted here: Ice Horror. Size and form fit "Snake King" perfectly.
'White Galleron requires eating apex predator?'
Hatchling Blue Galleron absorb nest's natural psychic power. Green Galleron hunt wild animals properly.
Dragons' planets host many apex, so inevitable clashes.
'Apex are nutrient-rich.'
Ice Horror, Glacial Fin, Crystalwing—all packed immense energy. Devour them, store power, become White Galleron.
'Not exact, but...'
If true, White Galleron should abound in nests. They don't, so unknowns remain.
'Maybe Adhai's special.'
Ship Ort took it for being unique—needed against Black Galleron horde.
Though handing it back now? Unclear.
[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (Eat Sky King to change?)]
"Ship Ort""Said""Change""Possible""I""Snake King""Absorbed""Change" "Occurred""Strength""Increased"
It pointed to the wing spots with a front paw.
'Test and see.'
If true, eating Sky Whale meat should trigger changes.
'Ship Ort and Galleron are mine anyway.'
Adhai knows their habitat. Uncertainties? Capture and ask.
I approached the Sky Whale corpse.
Over the sticky blood and guts, I activated Hunting Aspect.
Shell-covered eyes on headform, bone scythe arms bursting from back membrane, centipede-like small claws on lower body and elsewhere.
All prior changes, but two differences.
Berserker Synapse slashed energy cost drastically—no massive length growth. Now ~45m. Normally doubles at least—revolutionary small.
'No size regrets yet. Gain, even.'
Other change: red patterns on combat arms and wing membranes.
Vascular red from inner arms/wings, tracing muscles to wing membrane. Black wings cool originally, this had style too.
"Elder""Wings""Cool"
"Yeah. They are."
"?"
"What? Why?"
Transformation complete, I bit into the leaking Sky Whale head. Others approached, sampling cosmic whale meat.
The Audgrad horde was unusual; normal Galleron cherish young kin. They lay few eggs, many fail to hatch in harsh environs. Rare hatchlings demand whole group's protection. Non-hunters—male or female—guard nestlings. Few hunters out, most defend. Nest falls only two ways: predator like Sky Whale attacks, or stronger Galleron horde raids. And now. Ship Ort's horde teetered on annihilation. Surrounding forest blazed like bombed. Flames engulfed multicolored-scaled Galleron corpses. Nest cave for younglings: ceiling ripped off. Inside, bodies piled mountain-high. Most blue hatchlings. Nest leader Ship Ort watched the horror. Not from coldness or lack of kin-love. Her body wrecked: bridal white wings torn entire, tail severed to third. Three of four elegant horns broken, mouth tentacles half-gone. Few unbroken bones. Her ruiner floated leisurely skyward. Six horns, starless-night black scales, overwhelmingly larger than Ship Ort. Planet's mightiest Galleron: Great Audgrad. He clutched a Blue Galleron with front paw, slurping fluids. Purple tentacle cluster shredding newborn hatchling. Scene Ship Ort desperately blocked. Instantly devoured, he tossed withered corpse at her feet. "Wicked Audgrad!""Killed young kin!""Original horde kin!""Killed!" Fury waves burst from Ship Ort at hatchling's gruesome end. Fights happen, but innocents needless. Her rebellion split Audgrad's horde in two. Short one, killing all—poor call. "Young kin""Guiltless!""Cruelty!" To her primal rage, Audgrad replied calmly. "Audgrad""Declares""Rebel""Seeds""Must eradicate""!""However" He landed atop her. Vast body crushing—she screamed. "Rebel""Won't kill""Ship Ort""Won't submit!""Irrelevant""Rebel""Pain""Far more useful" Front paws snapped her legs one by one. Agony silenced screams to groans. "Audgrad""Commands""Drag rebel""Affirmative""Mates""Hunt escaped rebels""Kill" Other Galleron seized her amid delirium. Dragged away, she thought: Last hope untouched—thank goodness. Didn't tell Yuseong's Daughter, but for savior role, one sacrifice remained. Devouring white kin. She planned self-sacrifice. But Audgrad struck first, derailing plans. Desperate, she asked kin Nel Germa. Nel Germa, female resisting Audgrad too. Heard plea, acted despite crisis. While drawing eyes, other white kin Nel Germa led survivors safe away. Fulfilling final mission. Ship Ort's role done. Now, daughter's choice. She'd made only wrong calls. Two she trusted as right.
But daughter: wise choice. Till unconscious, she prayed.