Chapter 294
Chapter 294
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 294
Chapter Title: Rest (1)
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The Mother of the Sky had arrived in this world a full fifteen years ago.
And it was ten years ago that she first met her late husband, the Father of the Earth. Even after they joined together, she maintained contact with players for a time.
But she had already grown weary of the endless conflicts between players. That relationship didn't last long. Perhaps it was inevitable from the moment she decided to share the fate of this world's inhabitants.
That said, it wasn't as if she had no close ties among the players. Before going into hiding, there was one player she had traveled with.
That being was the Coldblood Player ranked 22nd. Someone who hadn't made it into the top 20 and thus never saw the ending.
The Mother of the Sky met Rank 22 ten years ago, shortly after encountering the Father of the Earth.
At the time, she was torn between helping the still-inexperienced Rank 22 or staying with the Father of the Earth.
After marriage, she cut ties with other players, but she kept in touch with Rank 22 for about a year longer. Then, at some point, Rank 22 stopped reaching out, and that was that.
The device she used to communicate with Rank 22 was left abandoned in a location only she knew. To reactivate it, the Mother of the Sky returned to the Saintopia 02 continent on planet PH-101.
Having reached Advanced Deification and gained wings, she now possessed superluminal navigation capabilities like mine, making the trip feasible. Plus, her small size meant slipping past the Cults' surveillance net to enter the planet would be no trouble.
Before leaving, she said it would take about a week. In the meantime, the kids and I would wait on the planet where the Galleron pack resided.
This place, which Adhai called the "White Stone," had once been part of the Gorgon Swarm's territory.
The Gorgon Swarm drifting through space was a terror to ships, so no one came to this star system on purpose. With no visitors, few even knew this planet existed.
'Even if they did, getting in wouldn't be easy.'
As the nickname suggested, the planet's surface was entirely covered in ice. The average temperature was far lower than Adhai's homeworld, making it seem utterly uninhabitable.
However, piercing the thick ice layer revealed a completely different world below. Geothermal heat from the planet sustained an ecosystem beneath the ice where life could thrive. There were lakes vast enough to call seas, and some creatures typical of ice planets dwelled there.
Psychic power seeped out alongside the geothermal vents, allowing Adhai's pack to settle safely.
This underground realm was the Gallerons' new kingdom.
And right now, its king was on the move to repel an intruder.
"Grrooooaaarrr!"
A massive beast with a mammoth's head and a body blending bear and gorilla roared.
Two pairs of enormous 6-meter tusks shot toward my abdomen at lightning speed. My wing arms and combat arms reacted swiftly, grabbing hold of the tusks.
This brute I was fighting possessed immense strength and hefty mass. It leveraged its advantages fully, weighting its tusks to push me back. My legs slid a step backward.
But it was mistaken about one thing. My strength surpassed its own.
I poured power into my four arms gripping the tusks. The muscles writhed and swelled massively.
Slowly, its body began to lift off the ground.
"Grooh?"
Panicking as it dangled from its tusks, it had likely never encountered anything stronger down here.
"Groooaaarrr!"
Unable to escape with my arms clamped tight, it swung its developed forepaws instead.
Those bear-like paws were like living battering rams. As the monstrous weapons swung toward my wing arms, my two necks from either side of my head coiled around its arms.
The heads at the ends of those long necks gaped wide and bit into its shoulders and nape.
"Groooaaarrr!"
｢Grrrrr｣
The beast howled in agony as chunks of flesh tore free. Blood and meat seeped into my two mouths from beneath its shaggy fur.
Nearly intoxicated by the sweetness, I stayed composed and issued the next command. Tentacles on my central head writhed, emitting a unique pulse.
[Zz zz zzz (Now!)]
The widespread pulse reached the icy ceiling above us. Gallerons hidden there unfurled their wings in unison.
Sha Belmag's White Galleron, with its lean build, struck the beast's back with its breath. The purple beam scorched it, but the wound wasn't deep.
Green-scaled Gallerons followed, their breaths raining down from all sides. A few hit my arms, but no real pain.
"Groooaaarrr! Groooaaarrrrooo!"
But it took no serious damage either. The nagging pain only fueled its rage.
Its body opposite me kept swelling.
'Damn.'
My teeth in its shoulder and nape slowly pulled free. Its inflating muscles and thickening hide made holding on impossible.
In mere minutes, its size doubled. Now eye-level with me, it pushed back again. My feet slid another step.
'I figured it'd be tough given the size, but this...'
It outclassed any apex creature I knew. Size, power, ferocity—nothing like the game versions. Like the "Ice Horror" from the dragon's nest.
'Use Hunting Image?'
As I considered playing that unused card, red light flashed behind it. Adhai slammed into its right leg like a bolt.
With acceleration from its "Red Armor"-protected horn, the destructive power was terrifying. The leg, thick as my tail, shredded like rags.
"Gruk!"
The hairy predator shrieked and collapsed.
But venom still burned in its eyes. Its elephantine trunk stretched toward Adhai's rear.
The sharp teeth at the tip lunged to shred the Red Galleron's alluring tail. My two heads grabbed the trunk to block it.
"Groooaaarrr!"
Missing Adhai by a hair, it flew into a fury. It reared its forepaws high and slammed them down. The ground quaked like an earthquake, tilting my body.
Power slipped from my tusk-gripping arms, letting them pierce toward my chest unimpeded.
Or almost.
"Gruh?"
Had the tusks grown with its rage-inflated body, it might've been dangerous. As they hadn't, they merely shattered part of my chest carapace.
Righting my lurch, I shoved back with full force. The 40-meter-tall behemoth reeled far away.
With distance made, I activated "Variable Bioweaponry."
The target: my head. The carapaces mutated into a form like the Ice Horror's head.
Heavy and tough—that was enough. Three organic hammers smashed into it.
"Grak?!"
Hitting leg, gut, and head, it spewed blood. Dizzy, it staggered and toppled backward.
｢Adhai's pack!｣｢Attack!｣
Hearing Adhai's telepathic call from behind, I dropped flat. Dozens of psychic breaths soared over my back toward the downed prey.
"Groooaaarrr!"
｢Strength｣｢More｣｢More!｣｢More!｣
Adhai's urging thickened the purple breaths. Participating Green Gallerons, White Gallerons, and Adhai poured out dragon's breath at full power.
And.
"Gr... grooo..."
The beast that had troubled me and the Gallerons groaned in ruin.
Its name: Gigantotherium. An apex creature excelling in land combat.
Immune to poisons, mind control, bindings; superior physical prowess. Plus, rage swells its body, boosting strength, defense, speed—tricky foe.
'Especially infamous among Cults.'
No way to restrain it, forcing melee where it specializes. Few can win.
Ranged psychic attacks? Its hide is too tough. They enrage without killing—backfire.
Gallerons find it nightmarish too.
Before Adhai and I returned, it plagued them. Even King Ort tried driving it off but failed to kill.
'No surprise.'
Tricky enough, but this Gigantotherium was off-spec.
Normal size: 8-10m. Even raging, never over 20m.
This one started at 20m pre-rage. Tusks three times longer. Raging, it matches my eye level.
Even King Ort would struggle.
'Bad terrain too.'
Underground below ice: tough for Gallerons. Flight hindered, Black Gallerons' "Maelstrom" sealed.
'Still beat the monster.'
I watched Adhai and Gallerons swarm the Gigantotherium.
I didn't plan this op—Adhai did. I was just bait. The underground dragons felled the foe, not me.
'Good kids.'
Among Gallerons, one held its head high, wings flared. Seeing it lead kin to hunt a titan stirred odd feelings.
Then eyes met Adhai's. It flew to me.
｢Big One｣｢Me｣｢Did good?｣
[Zz zz zzz (Very well done)]
｢Yes｣｢Me｣｢Star's child｣｢Excellent｣
Pleased, it wagged its spotless tail. So smooth, I wanted to poke it.
｢Big One｣
[Zz (Yeah?)]
It called me.
｢Big One｣｢Hunt｣｢Merit｣｢Bait｣｢Very｣｢Important｣
[Zz zz zz zz zzz zzz zz zzz (You caught it, all you)]
｢Big One｣｢No｣｢Kin｣｢Hurt｣｢So｣｢Reward｣
It tilted its head; Gallerons around withdrew.
｢Big One｣｢Head｣｢Need｣｢Yield｣
[Zz zz zz zz zz (Give me the head?)]
｢Yes｣
This hunt was for them. I skipped Hunting Image, focused on baiting—didn't expect this.
'Well, if they insist.'
Dozens of purple eyes gleamed expectantly; hard to refuse. I petted Adhai, approached the Gigantotherium.
"Gr..."
Its tenacious vitality now a curse. Battered, it rasped, longing for death.
My central head bit its skull. Jaws clenched; teeth pierced hide, bone. It convulsed, then slumped.
Killing it, I yanked back with neck force. Vertebrae tore free with the head.
Gallerons eyed my heads hungrily.
'Alright.'
Under their gaze, I gulped the steaming head. Side heads took spine and flesh.
'Traits won't pop anyway...'
｢Grr?｣
As the morsel slid down my throat, a translucent text box appeared.
My side head, licking dripping blood, perfectly captured my shock.