Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Chapter 34 - Wind God Island #2
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Wind God Island.
A small island located at the easternmost edge.
Even though it was an uninhabited isle with no human dwellers, it bore the grandiose name of the Wind God's Island due to a legend passed down from ancient times.
[They say it's an island where a divine beast with mystical powers resides.]
[One that can punish people by whipping up storms or help them by granting favorable winds.]
"As expected of our AI! So knowledgeable! The smartest in the world! And on top of that, so pretty— is this even allowed? Won't we get punished for disrupting the world's balance?"
Even Luther, who was showering her with such dizzyingly excessive praise, had Integra stomping her feet in frustration.
[Argh, seriously!]
[Stop it already! Just stop!]
"Come on, how could I? Even your tantrums are this cute. Right?"
[Ugh... Ugh, seriously... Fine, fine. You win. Master wins. It's all my fault, so please, just stop now! Okay?]
Exactly two days into it, Integra surrendered completely, performing a full-body gesture of defeat with both hands and feet raised high.
Her display was so adorable that Luther wanted to unleash another round of mindless praise, but he held back this time.
Truth be told, the nonstop flattery had left even him feeling lightheaded.
"Still, I'm satisfied."
As the old saying goes: if you're going to be a fool, whether winning or losing, might as well be the victorious fool.
[Must be nice for you.]
"Of course it is. Wouldn't it be for you?"
When Luther bragged, Integra let out a hollow laugh and pouted.
[I seriously can't stand you.]
"Hahaha, thanks for the compliment."
[Sigh... How did our Master end up like this? I don't remember him being this way when we first met.]
"Isn't it because of our AI?"
Luther quipped back smoothly, but it was about time to call it quits.
They couldn't just keep trading empty banter forever.
Atop the sea.
Having dismounted from the cargo ship astride Schwarz transformed into Aqua Beetle mode, Luther skimmed across the water's surface like a real jetski, reaching the vicinity of Wind God Island.
"Anyway, a divine beast lives here, right?"
[There's a legend like that, but it's just a legend. All the sightings date back centuries, and there haven't been any notable reports in the last hundred years.]
"Hmm."
An island inhabited by a divine beast.
What connection could this island possibly have with the Sky Giant?
"Integra, still no signals from the Galactic Federation?"
[None detected so far.]
[The signal might be weak, so let's land on the island and check.]
"Alright, let's go."
Wind God Island had become uninhabited for several reasons, one of which was the vast field of reefs that virtually encircled the entire isle.
The jagged reefs were so densely packed that even small rowboats struggled to approach, but that posed no issue for Luther.
[Using the sonar—crafted from data obtained from the giant bat swarm—I've mapped the reefs' positions.]
[But Master, weren't you just going to fly over anyway?]
"Still, if I made it, I should test it."
After verifying the performance of the sonar installed on Schwarz's add-on parts, Luther shifted Schwarz to flight mode and hovered over the water surface toward Wind God Island.
Wind God Island wasn't particularly large.
Stretching about 2 km in length overall, a massive peak rose prominently in the center, surrounded by a dense forest that left only a short stretch of sandy beach as open, unobstructed ground.
"Feels even more humid than the south."
Luther had just landed on the beach and made that remark when—
"Kyaaak!"
A scream echoed from beyond the underbrush.
Luther whipped around reflexively, and Integra immediately shouted.
[400 meters ahead!]
The thick stand of trees prevented an immediate life-sign scan.
But Luther rocketed into the sky aboard Schwarz without hesitation.
[That way!]
Beneath the blue arrow marked in augmented reality, a portion of the forest lay trampled into an improvised clearing.
[Never-seen-before monsters!]
[Do you recognize them?]
"Gandaruz!"
Thick, powerful tails and monstrous strength toppled trees—these were lizardman-like humanoids.
Including their tails, they measured 3 to 4 meters in body length, giants that normally dwelled in water but could operate on land just like now.
There were seven in total.
Circling the clearing they had created was a single woman in white robes, slumped on the ground, with a cluster of golden tails sprouting from her hips.
"Elf kumiho?"
[Wait, an elf kumiho?]
But this wasn't the time for such questions.
The Gandaruz looked ready to pounce on the elf kumiho at any moment.
"Integra!"
[Safety release!]
[Firing prep OK!]
Integra knew exactly what Luther wanted with just the call.
The safety locks on the Gatling beam cannons mounted under Schwarz's wings—now practically a small fighter jet—clicked open with a sharp sound, and a targeting reticle appeared on Luther's HUD.
[Light 'em up!]
-Kwagagagagaga!
A thunderous roar swallowed Integra's voice.
Startled by the noise and jerking their heads up, the Gandaruz were deluged by a rain of death from above.
"Graaaak!"
Those caught in the barrage were literally torn to shreds.
Shocked by the earth-shaking power and roars, the elf kumiho curled up with a scream, while the survivors tried to flee toward the forest.
[No you don't!]
[Master!]
"Going!"
As the beam salvo raked the forest, trees toppled haphazardly, crashing onto the Gandaruz or blocking their paths.
And on top of that, one more.
[Firing micro-missiles!]
A cartridge beside the wing popped open, unleashing twelve micro-missiles toward the ground.
-Boom! Boom! Boom!
The explosion scrolls triggered chain detonations, and the Gandaruz had no means to endure it.
In an instant, they scattered as chunks of red meat.
But right then—
[Master! Powerful life sign detected!]
From deep within the forest, toward the huddled, trembling kumiho woman.
Luther fired the Gatling beam cannons again at the thing charging like an arrow, but it was futile.
The beam barrage was utterly deflected by the thick shell on its back.
[What is that?]
[A turtle?]
"Zarathus!"
A monster obtained by grafting a sturdy turtle shell onto a Gandaruz and bulking it up about 1.5 times.
Whether to take her hostage or abduct her outright, its burly claw seized the kumiho woman's slender waist.
"Integra! She's yours!"
With that, Luther kicked off Schwarz's cockpit and launched himself.
His Night Wings unfurled into a triangular shape in an instant, backpack boosters igniting as Integra took control of Schwarz's controls—by then, Luther was already within 5 meters of the Zarathus.
"Grooo!"
Sensing Luther's approach, the Zarathus swung its free right arm viciously behind its back, still clutching the kumiho.
Luther evaded with a sharp turn, landing on the ground and dropping into a low stance to face the Zarathus.
Engaging a 4-meter-tall Zarathus in hand-to-hand barehanded would be reckless even for Luther.
But instead of drawing the Clairheim Morr attached to his Night Wings, Luther clenched his fists.
"Integra!"
[Let's combine!]
[Access code! Power Fist!]
At Integra's shout, two projectiles launched from Schwarz's wings.
The Zarathus flinched and hastily retreated from the menacing momentum, but they weren't meant as attacks.
The pristine white projectiles split in two, flying past the Zarathus to Luther, where they fused seamlessly with his arms, taking form.
White, massive steel fists.
Power Fists that ballooned his arms from fist to elbow about fivefold hurtled straight at the Zarathus.
-Kwaang!
Zarathus fist met Luther fist.
Despite the height difference of over twofold and size disparity exceeding fivefold, Luther didn't yield an inch.
No— the Zarathus, swinging its fist down from above, howled in pain and staggered back.
Luther seized the opening.
He had to down it amid the rapid chain of events before it recovered, to secure the kumiho woman's safety.
"Power boost!"
[Roger! Countdown: three!]
At Integra's call, Luther kicked off the ground, soaring up as he reared back his fist.
Blue lines etched across the Power Fist armor, elbow boosters unlocking.
[Gigantic—Pistooon!]
-Kwaang!
Boosters flared as blue lightning enveloped the Power Fist.
The Zarathus never saw what followed.
A flash of azure brilliance, and a thunderbolt-like fist smashed into its chest.
A reinforced strike leveraging an instantaneously generated reverse field and booster thrust.
Not as tough as the shell, but its scales were formidable—yet the Zarathus chest caved in instantly.
The bone-shattering fist sank deep, collapsing the ribcage. Thrust back by the impact, the Zarathus toppled shell-first, spewing a gush of blood before convulsing helplessly, unable to rise.
"Huuu...."
This was the Power Fist.
Integra's newest weapon for Luther.
Of course, this was merely the first stage.
[Master, how's the first test run? Like it?]
"Love it. No, it's amazing."
[Heh heh.]
Integra feigned coyness at Luther's frank praise, but he could already picture her beaming face.
*I'd love to shower her with more praise, but...*
Now wasn't the time.
Luther flexed and relaxed the Power Fist's steel grip lightly before approaching the kumiho woman, freed from the Zarathus's clutches and gasping for breath.
As expected, a golden-haired elf, though with three tails instead of nine.
Her attire was a pure white hanbok—more precisely, a modified version.
[Eastern aesthetic, huh? Fantasy races with Eastern skins flipped on... Yeah, that vibe.]
It was spot on, so Luther approached the woman without comment and asked.
"Are you okay?"
When he refrained from touching her rashly, the panting kumiho looked up at him.
Her sweat-matted, slender golden hair clung to a face bearing not only the elf's long ears but also fox-like triangular ones.
[Bet her hearing's incredible.]
Schwarz touched down, shifting to horse form.
The kumiho flinched anew, bit her lip briefly, then turned to Luther with an earnest plea.
"Please! Save Doju!"
Doju.
The island's master.
Wind God Island's divine beast.
Luther connected the dots in a flash and stepped closer to ask for details.
And at that exact moment—
A colossal scream, as if the entire island were shrieking, erupted from underground.