Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Midnight Aerial Battle
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"Coo coo coo...."
An owl making sounds like a pigeon.
But it looks seriously vicious.
A massive owl with talons like blades.
A nocturnal bird that sees effortlessly even in pitch darkness, silently soaring to strike prey in an instant—the hunter of the night.
Swift Charge LV4
Crush LV2
Mid Night Vision
Flexible Bones
Sharp Talons
From the description and its skills and traits, this guy's a tough opponent.
No, why is that kiwi hanging from the branch instead of staying safe in the nest, only to get caught by something like this?
"Black bird. It was a short meeting, but enjoyable in its own way. Looks like it's time to say goodbye."
Don't accept it so easily!
"Caw! Cawk!"
I let out a valiant roar to draw the owl's attention.
I couldn't lose that kiwi.
Not when it was about to steal my bag of knowledge right in front of me!
"Coo coo coo...."
The owl's head swiveled around.
Its beak above its eyes, eyes below the beak—a bizarre setup.
Right, owls are like that.
"Caw! Cawk!"
I flapped my wings and charged at it.
Rescuing the kiwi while it was still clinging to the tree was the best option.
"Coo coo grook!"
As if reading my mind, the owl spread its wings wide with a single flap.
Whoosh.
A sudden gust of wind!
For a split second, my body staggered inevitably.
And that moment would lead to a painful mistake.
I gritted my beak, preparing to counter its attack.
The moment it came at me, I'd peck out its eye.
"Coo coo frap...."
But what it did was beyond my expectations.
Flutter.
It didn't come at me—instead, it just flapped its wings.
Meaning it was content to hunt the kiwi and skip the fight.
"Creeeeek!"
Don't run!
Fight me!
I screamed, but it didn't even glance back.
"For someone of my stature to let my guard down. Well, at least I gained something."
I wanted to retort that he wasn't anyone special, but there was no time.
No way to do it either.
Right now, I had to catch it before it escaped.
I quickly opened my status window.
Crow's Eye LV2
Bird's Wisdom LV1
Sturdy Beak (Mountain Eater)
Low Glide (Venom Mantis)
Confirming my active traits, I immediately spread my wings.
Pheromone Manipulation was useless anyway—this combo was best.
Low Glide
Spread your wings and ride the wind currents.
The trait that let me escape the female Venom Mantis.
Low Glide.
"Creeeeek!"
With a valiant cry, I threw myself from the branch.
I spread my wings and let the natural flow carry me.
Doing this with wings whose feathers hadn't fully grown yet.
Even with the trait, it was still dangerous.
And this was only my second time using glide.
But I didn't think I'd fail.
The first time, I flew without thinking to save my life.
This second time, I pushed aside the thoughts rising to save someone else's.
Swoooosh!
I couldn't fly on my own power, but riding the wind was possible.
"Coo...."
It knew I was an immature fledgling, so it'd be careless.
And it probably thought crows had poor night vision.
Thanks to that, it wasn't flying too high.
"Creeeak!"
High enough for me to catch up.
Crunch!
With a fluid motion like flowing water, I landed on its back.
"Kookookook!"
The owl thrashed in panic.
"Oh, the winds of fate churn once more."
Yeah, keep chattering away.
If this owl relaxes its talons, you'd fall.
"Cawk cawk!"
I pulled my neck back as far as possible and delivered my strongest strike.
Screeech!
Just a hard peck, but my beak was sturdy.
"Kweeeek!"
It could deal some damage.
Especially since I was on its back.
"Kweeeek!"
Its feathers were so stiff, it wasn't a fatal wound.
Still, I had the overwhelming advantage.
It had no way to shake me off from its back.
Unless it landed...
Was it really unable to attack me?
I stopped attacking and quickly turned my head.
Screech!
At the same instant, its beak grazed past.
How could it peck at me from its back?
The mystery didn't last long.
"Koogooogoogoo!"
Its neck had twisted a full circle.
Owls were known for their flexibility to begin with.
And this wasn't an ordinary bird—its flexibility was honed to the extreme.
"Creeeak!"
So it could twist its neck and strike behind it!
Screeech!
Its beak stabbed again.
I ducked urgently, targeting the same spot as before.
To drain its strength with my attack.
And because I trusted the helmet on my head.
Thud!
The owl looked flustered.
But it wouldn't last.
Thud thud!
It wasn't pecking directly, but the brain-rattling shock came through.
Shrrrip!
I yanked out a clump of feathers.
"Keeek!"
Exposed skin like a plucked chicken.
Now I could deal real damage.
Thud thud thud!
It knew it too, shaking wildly while hammering my helmet with its beak.
I clamped my legs tight, targeting its soft flesh.
Crunch!
"Kweeeek!"
Clenching my legs meant gripping its flesh hard.
Squish!
Pecking the flesh, blood finally seeped from its body.
It must be in agony.
Like a wasp trapped in your clothes, stinging nonstop.
In a spot you couldn't reach.
But I was struggling too.
Spinning dangerously in midair, it madly battered my helmet with its beak.
A concussion knockout wouldn't be surprising.
Meanwhile, it was bleeding but not fatally.
If this kept up, I'd lose.
"...Chirp."
But my goal wasn't victory.
It was to drop it to the ground.
I dipped my head slightly and pressed my beak to the feather in my chest.
Screech!
Moving my head made its beak graze my body instead of the helmet.
Splurt!
Unlike with the Venom Mantis, bleeding started.
As a bird too, did it gauge the difference between my visible size and actual bulk?
My defeat was already all but certain, and now extra bleeding?
Without another variable, I'd collapse like this.
"Caaaw...."
Of course, I'd covered that variable by dipping my head.
Nom nom.
"Koogoo grook?"
A look of confusion at swallowing something mid-battle.
Did it think it was my last meal? It even smirked a bit.
"Coo coo frap...."
Yeah, laugh while you can.
Gulp.
It hurt.
The pain I'd barely forgotten returned.
Born a man, yet tears welled up.
Yeah.
What I just swallowed was the sun.
In other words, a chili pepper.
Birds can't taste spice.
But what about capsaicin on a wound?
Payback time!
I gave the little crow a spicy surprise.
"Koogoo grook!"
First, pain from the reopened wound.
Then, soon after, the second wave.
"Kwek! Kweeeeeek!"
The effect was tremendous.
Its body, which had somersaulted in the sky with perfect balance, began to crumble.
"Winds bearing the sun chase the night. Is there a day as fine as this?"
Quiet for a while, then watching from the VIP seat.
"Cawk cawk!"
Shut up and hop on my back quick!
I can't fly, but I can glide down slowly.
That's what I tried to rescue the kiwi with, but sadly, its tightly clenched talons wouldn't open.
This way, the kiwi would end up a goner.
Talons closed, can't extract the kiwi.
Falling like this would kill it.
Sigh, Mom and Dad said no gambling.
Only one choice left.
Grip its body and roll wildly.
I spun continuously as we fell.
Kiwi, owl, kiwi, owl.
The one hitting the ground kept changing.
Boom!
The result was in.
"Hm, didn't fly as far as I thought."
"Kwek, kweeeek...."
The owl, Blade Talon, cushioned the fall!
Plan successful.
But no time to relax.
"Kookoogoo grook!"
It was still breathing.
Birds are so light, falling from the sky doesn't kill instantly.
Still, with me and the kiwi attached, it took a hit.
Of course, we felt it too, but less than it did.
"Cakawk!"
Kiwi free from talons—now just escape.
No matter how injured, taking it down was tough.
"Koogoo grook!"
Blade Talon charging in rage.
Its weapon wasn't the beak, but those sharp talons.
A strike incomparable to midair.
"You shouldn't fixate on what's before you. Better to see what you can gain from this."
The kiwi spoke in a deep voice.
Did it hit its head on the fall?
What are you saying all of a sudden?
"Sometimes a rock beats the wind."
No, speak so I can understand!
And why stand there still?
Just turning your head slightly...
"Koogoo grook!"
The moment Blade Talon charged, I realized what the kiwi meant.
I ignored the incoming foe and stood still like a rock.
"Coo grook... kooooook!"
Because it spotted another approaching from here.
Crack!
Blade Talon's talons never reached me.
The rotten hound that barged in snatched it mid-charge.
"Koogoo grook! Kwek! Kweeeek!"
The owl struggled and clawed the hound's face with its talons, but it was useless.
What good are such attacks against flesh already rotted?
The owl's resistance didn't last.
Crunch!
The hound bit down hard once.
Crack!
With the sound of breaking bones, it stopped moving.
The midnight assailant breathed its last.
The kiwi must have known it was coming and signaled me.
...Though it was probably just its usual speech pattern.
Still, one worry down.
Owl dealt with, and it'd be busy eating owl meat, ignoring us—so escape...
"Grrrrr...."
Why aren't you eating that?
The hound slowly approached me and the kiwi.
Standing like a rock meant nothing now.
It'd switched from owl to hound—we had to run.
"I told you to see what you can gain from this."
"Chirp chirp!"
All I'd gain is bite marks!
I flapped my wings, gesturing for the kiwi to hurry and flee.
My body ached all over; somehow, it seemed like it'd target the kiwi first.
...Wait, why isn't this guy running even now?
We'll all die!
The kiwi stared calmly at the charging hound.
Staying put would drag me in too, so I was about to flee alone.
Then the kiwi's long beak parted slightly.
Its gaze turned to the moon in the night sky.
And then the sound came.
"Kiiiiweeeeeeek─!"
A deafening roar that made me doubt my ears.
If hell's sounds were brought to this world, it'd be like this.
Would ancient dinosaurs ruling eons ago have roared thus?
A sound beyond imagination poured from that slender beak.
The Hell Hound tucked tail and retreated, and the lingering ghosts scattered swiftly.
Now I understood.
Why this kiwi hung from the branch despite a safe nest.
It had something to rely on.
I just never imagined it'd be that cry.