Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: qiqi iykow gkk-217i
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: The Black Galleron Descends
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A black existence emerges from the clouds, revealing itself. Even from a distance, its intimidating presence is impossible to ignore.
Flapping wings more than twice the size of its body, it descends upon the forest.
As I draw closer, my auxiliary organs tingle sharply. It's the immense psionic power radiating from the Black Galleron that's affecting me.
The strongest entity among all the apex predators I've faced.
The black dragon Od Grad stands before me.
No. 26, riding atop me, issues the warning. Tension is clear in its psychic waves.
I know full well just how powerful a Black Galleron is. After all, I've hunted them dozens of times in the game.
The one thing I hadn't anticipated was why it was here.
'How did it know?'
While the Mother in the sky was monitoring its nest, she hadn't seen any creatures entering or leaving. The Green Galleron pursuit team never returned either, so the chances of it knowing about me are slim.
'Could it be the Green Galleron from the cruiser logs that tipped it off?'
It might have witnessed my battle with the cruiser and reported back to Od Grad.
But questions remain. The wing-broken White Galleron clearly mentioned a "trap."
In other words, it had already seen through my plan—targeting the moment the White Galleron went out to hunt.
Its unexpected appearance has thrown a wrench into things, creating no small number of problems.
I'm not in peak condition right now. My wounds have mostly healed, but the issue lies with my traits. "Emblem of the Hunt," the gigantification via "Organic Evolution," and the "Revenant Organ" are all sealed away.
And my allies are scattered. Here, I only have No. 26, Adhai, and Nel Germa to fight it with.
Even at full strength, victory wouldn't be guaranteed against such a foe. Fighting in this depleted state makes the situation nothing short of disastrous.
'...Calm down.'
This isn't the time for negative thoughts. They won't change the circumstances. Right now, figuring out how to survive the enemy before me is far more productive.
I steadily observe it. Having landed on the ground, it glares at me without charging recklessly.
It's probing me, just as I am it.
'...Not bad wits.'
Judging by its appearance alone, it's larger than any Galleron I've seen here. About the size I reach when using Emblem of the Hunt.
Its body is sleek like a serpent's, but it doesn't give a slender impression. Solid muscles run from its neck to chest, waist, and tail, covered in obsidian-like scales.
Six curved horns like those of a goat or sheep adorn its head, and long tentacles dangle from its mouth like a mustache.
Up to this point, one might call it noble like an Eastern dragon—but nothing of the sort crosses my mind. It's those eyes.
Ham Ort, Adhai, Nel Germa—all have beautiful amethyst-like purple eyes. Od Grad's are purple jewels too, but they feel entirely different.
Only ferocity and cunning emanate from Od Grad's gaze. A world apart from Adhai's dignified eyes with their hint of playfulness.
'A cruel personality.'
Better to treat it like a player rather than a regular creature.
'Heard it's old. Wonder how that factors in.'
In the game, aging rarely affected NPCs. Even among Gallerons of the same color, there were no differences.
But this is reality. Ham Ort alone is stronger than fellow White Gallerons Adhai and Nel Germa. How aging impacts the black dragon Od Grad is unknown, but it doesn't seem weakened.
'It subdued Ham Ort without a single injury.'
A few scars mar its black scales, but they're not from Ham Ort. Meaning it overpowered Ham Ort unscathed.
'Hm?'
While examining it, I spot something unusual. A ring with a gem adorns its foreclaw.
'Never seen gear like that.'
Nothing like it in the game. The refined gem suggests expert craftsmanship.
'Stay wary.'
Just as I noticed something special about it, it notices something about me. It tilts its head at No. 26 on my back.
Whether Black Galleron or Sea Demon, all are potent psionic beings. They seem to sense each other's danger.
Soon, deeming itself superior to No. 26, it begins to move. Psionic power flows like water over its black scales, rapidly gathering toward its head.
'Here it comes.'
The first strike is a Psionic Breath. Charging at high speed, it unleashes a near-black dark purple beam.
I spread my wings and lift off. The beam grazes the chitin below my lower body. The touched area evaporates without a trace.
'...Reflection's no good.'
By the time Psionic Reflection Armor activates, the chitin is gone—pointless. airborne after dodging, I try flying toward it.
Then it tilts its head up while firing the Psionic Breath.
'Tch.'
With psionic power to spare, it doesn't stop midway, spewing continuously. The all-devouring beam chases my tail. I beat my wings fiercely, boosting flight speed.
While I draw its attention, Adhai and Nel Germa move to attack Od Grad. Nel Germa spits energy first, but something intercepts it.
The wing-broken White Galleron counters with its own breath, nullifying Nel Germa's attack.
As Nel Germa marks the White Galleron, Adhai comes to support me. It swings around to Od Grad's rear and fires a Psionic Breath. A barrage of purple energy orbs—now its signature technique—flies toward Od Grad's head.
Od Grad briefly halts its breath and raises a wing to shield its head. Adhai's orbs explode on impact.
Yet its wing remains intact, save for slight scorching on the outer edge.
Od Grad emits cold psychic waves before firing another Psionic Breath. A beam erupts from its maw far faster than the one aimed at me.
'Trick!'
It had deliberately fired slowly at me.
[Zuzzuz (Danger!)]
It was a close call. Had Adhai been any larger or slower, the beam would've bisected it.
It barely dodges by air, but can't save the tip of its tail. It falters from the burning pain.
Just as Od Grad swings its breath to finish Adhai, I unleash the energy I'd gathered while it bought time.
The power of a White Galleron, forged by the monster's tentacles, hurtles toward its head. Judging it hard to block with a wing, it turns and blasts a beam at me.
Its near-black beam clashes with my vivid purple one in a contest of strength. The shockwave cracks the ground between us and shatters trees into airborne shards.
'...Strong!'
I'd expected a Black Galleron to be tough, but not like this. Our raw output is comparable, but its energy reserves are on another level. It's close to an Aimorph Adult.
While focusing on the beam clash, I check on Adhai. It's barely enduring the tail pain and evading into the air.
Confirming that, I cut off my breath. With the clash broken, its Psionic Breath surges toward me.
Instead of flying up, I drop low. As expected, it assumes I'll go high and angles the beam upward.
Luring its wasted shot, I keep low and gape my maw wide. My lower jaw splits in two, spewing a mass of green fungal matter.
As the acidic fungus flies, it spreads both wings wide and flaps violently. Like a small typhoon, the airborne fungus scatters.
'Clever bastard.'
True to its age, it knows how to use its body well. Of course, I never thought it'd writhe from acidic fungus.
Buying time with the fungus, I slam my tail into the ground and leap upward. It belatedly tries firing another beam.
If not for the scattered fungal mass reforming and hurtling at it.
'What?'
Od Grad fires a short Psionic Breath at the fungus moving like it's on invisible strings.
While its attention diverts, I soar high into the sky.
After a few wingbeats to gain altitude, Adhai flies up to me.
[Zuzzuz (You okay?)]
In that brief exchange, one thing's clear: it's no pushover. Its senses rank among the top five of any being I've faced in this world.
And befitting a Black Galleron, its combat prowess is top-tier. A direct power clash, and I'd lose.
'Need irregular attacks to clinch it.'
I know its traits and skills, but it doesn't know mine. It knows nothing of Aimorphs or me—what powers I wield or how I use them.
[Zuzzuz zuzzuz (I need your help)]
No. 26 on my back wiggles its tentacles.
Then a Psionic Breath streaks up from below. Dodging, I see Od Grad flying toward us.
As it breathes, its horns glow purple. Not just psionic power.
[Zzuz zuzzuz (Watch above!)]
As its horns glow purple, the clouds' flow turns strange. Soon, massive waterspouts descend inverted from the sky. Accompanied not just by hail and snow, but purple lightning.
A potent psionic technique Black Gallerons can use: "Maelstrom." True to its name, it summons a powerful psionic storm.
[Zuz zzuz zuzzuz zuzuzzuz zuzzuz (Must keep moving nonstop to dodge lightning)]
Warning Adhai, I move again. The instant I do, purple lightning crashes where I was.
In Maelstrom's zone, staying still is death. Lightning slightly weaker than Psionic Breath homes in on the caster's foes.
Triggering localized weather chaos, Od Grad flaps after us. Its Psionic Breath grazes my wingtip.
I feign evasion while gradually slowing. Riskier, yes—but I have No. 26.
It's subtly adjusting the Psionic Breath's angle, unnoticed by Od Grad. I dodge by a hair or take only minor burns to my chitin.
Irritated by my slippery dodges, Od Grad sends irritated psychic waves.
'Now.'
I'd waited for its emotions to slip. Dodging while preparing my Psionic Breath. When energy nears full, I fold one wing, veering sharply. Momentum flips my body sideways.
In that pose, the monster's tentacles birth draconic power again.
Anticipating this as I closed in, it calmly counters my breath.
The power struggle resumes. It still exudes leisure. Endless power pours from mouth tentacles; amethyst eyes brim with mockery.
Adhai's special—regular Gallerons can't move while breathing psionically. I can adjust angle freely, but speed drops.
It knows this. In Maelstrom's heart, clashing power must seem foolish.
Purple lightning strikes above me, as predicted. Just as it threatens me and No. 26, a new energy orb flies from afar. It detonates the lightning overhead.
Psionic lightning pierces my chitin, ravaging inside—but bearable. Maelstrom bolts pack less punch than direct breaths. Plus, Adhai detonated it midway, halving the force.
Struck by psionic energy, my head's Psionic Reflection Armor triggers. The lightning's energies scatter like fireworks, directionless.
To psionic-sensitive Gallerons, the explosion's like a fighter jet's flare.
Disrupting its vision, I activate "Shades of the Abyss" and fold my wings fully. My body plummets; its beam sails over my head chitin.
Two horns snap off again—fine by me. Dodging, I unfurl wings and dive under it.
Its horns flash again. To block lightning falling above me—ergo, on it.
'But the real attack's elsewhere.'
Another feint. As it pauses to control lightning, I ready my weapon.
A froth of green, purple, and chaotic colors erupts. Countless bubbles—no, Terror Gazers coated in Shades of the Abyss—fly at it.
The moment it attacks the bubbles, it's over. No. 26 will control the enhanced Terror Gazers and hurl them at it.
Even one bubble touching it neutralizes it.
And it moves exactly as predicted. Tuning Maelstrom, its head snaps reflexively to the bubbles. Mouth tentacles glow purple.
Psionic Breath imminent—less than a second away. Suddenly, bewilderment floods its eyes.
Instantly, tentacles revert; it flaps hard and retreats like facing deadly toxin. Gone is the leisure—it flees.
No. 26 tries pasting bubbles on it, but it's already far.
Plan to incapacitate with enhanced Terror Gazers fails.
Od Grad blasts strong psychic waves from afar. Seeming enraged at first, but laced with other emotions.
Unequivocally, wariness and fear.
'How?'
It naturally went to breath the bubbles. Even charged energy. But aborted right before firing and withdrew.
As if it knew my attack was dangerous.
'...It wary of Terror Gazer? Does it know about me?'
How Od Grad knew to evade Shades of the Abyss is unclear, but one fact's confirmed.
This fight with the Black Galleron won't be easy.
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