Chapter 128
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Crow Gobbling Donburi
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"Indeed... The owner of that long fur won't be one with feathers, will it."
"Caw caw!"
The tuft of fur I had in my beak was Black Wolf's tail hair.
Dabih and Vega's abilities could almost be said to have been made specifically to counter birds.
They pinpointed and sealed feathers, after all.
So they were a threat to birds, but useless against those without feathers.
In other words, the Black Wolf I could summon and Red Cloak could ignore Dabih and Vega's powers.
"It's just a part of it, but I can feel a strong power. If it's really you... it might even be possible to take down Dabih and Vega."
Saroka flapped her white-and-black wings.
If her close-combat prowess was on par with a cockatrice, she could definitely overpower them.
I'd take one, and the other two could handle the remaining one—we'd crush them.
Plus, Red Cloak was a witch specialized in close-quarters combat.
Gretel had put restrictions on her, but she'd said she'd lift them just for this occasion.
And the big bad wolf's skills were top-notch too.
Even setting aside her shadow manipulation, her massive size made her excellent in melee.
She fell a bit short compared to Red Cloak, but she could make up for it with utility.
"Swung swung swung!"
Swungswung rustled his fabric to show his resolve.
I had no idea what that meant exactly, but it was probably him saying he was ready too.
"Very well... Then allow me to teach you how to utilize this cockatrice byproduct directly."
I halted the refining of the cockatrice.
I needed to learn how to handle its venom myself.
Saroka's kind explanation revealed the method.
Of course, I hadn't suddenly gained the ability to wield poison.
I'm no jiangshi—abilities like that don't just pop up out of nowhere.
I hadn't acquired a related trait or evolved, so that possibility was off the table.
What I'd learned was how to coat my feathers with the cockatrice's deadly venom.
It still stung if it touched skin directly, so I processed it somewhat to protect my body.
"Normally, you'd coat every feather, but I'll respect Lord Moona and Little Wind's opinions."
To resist Dabih and Vega's powers, the feathers needed a sufficient coating of poison.
But I didn't need to go that far.
I didn't know about other birds, but my trait activated by implanting another bird's feather into my chest plumage.
Only the shiny feathers on my chest held the trait—the rest were just ordinary ones.
In short, I just needed to poison the glowing feathers—no need to cover my whole body.
"Kyaaak! Kyaaak!"
"It's time to march! March!"
Once preparations were done, the parrots surged ahead like they'd been waiting.
They weren't joining the fight.
They'd gathered to see me off now that everything was ready.
And to show the way, as a bonus.
"Hm, it really does seem to be at the source of the squall."
Moona, who'd followed for now, muttered that.
We headed toward the forest's center.
Dabih and Vega should be there in the heart of it.
The deeper we went, the heavier the rain grew.
"Even with powder, it won't fully block the rain."
Saroka said, walking beside me.
At a glance, it looked like a cumbersome procession.
Not just Moona, but even birds not fighting had come along.
But it wasn't meaningless.
Their goal wasn't just seeing me off.
Saroka took the cockatrice bones from the parrots.
Wrapped tightly in leaves, but the venom still seeped through.
"I lack the power to block rain, but what they bring down isn't mere rain."
The queen moved slowly and fluidly.
Like a dance.
She unwrapped all the leaves from the bones and buried them in the earth.
At that moment, light emanated from her body.
【Skills】
「Wing Beat LV2」
「Beak Stab LV2」
「Queen's Blessing LV1」
【Traits】
「Gorgeous Ascent」
「Wings of Black and White」
「Queen of Birds」
This had to be one of the queen's skills.
Not Wing Beat or Beak Stab, so that must be Queen's Blessing.
The queen gazed at the forest.
I did the same.
The relentless rain was killing the forest plants.
"Too much water is poison. No, it's not just water. Everything in the world becomes poison when in excess."
Her tiny feet pressed into the earth.
And in that instant, the cockatrice venom reacted.
Crackleracklecraaack.
The poison corrupted the ground.
The earth withered and died like in a drought.
The buried venom amplified through the queen's power.
It raged fiercely, as if to desolate the entire forest.
A single magpie performing a sacred dance to defile the land.
It looked bizarre and chilling at first glance, but I knew why she was doing it.
"And poison, when used properly, becomes medicine."
The moment she took another step.
Fwaaaaah!
The parched earth regained its vitality.
It wasn't just recovery.
The queen's power kept amplifying.
It stimulated the venom again, but the ground didn't dry up like before.
Shwaaaaaah.
The downpour continued.
Fwaaaah!
And green earth spread from the queen.
Dabih and Vega's torrential rain.
And the queen's drought.
These two forces clashed and canceled each other out.
It went beyond restoring the land—it even encroached on their water dominion.
Shwaaaaa...
The pounding rain weakened bit by bit.
The blinding deluge turned to a drizzle before I knew it.
This was the queen's power—and why we needed the cockatrice byproduct.
"The path is open. Please, go ahead."
The queen said, sticking out her slender tongue, exhausted.
To unleash this much power in her weakened state was astounding.
If she'd been in her full harpy form, nymphs like Dabih and Vega wouldn't have dared this.
The rain had nearly stopped.
The cockatrice venom would protect my trait.
And I could call more allies.
My reasons for victory kept piling up.
"Shwoooong!"
Swungswung, stuffed only with battle essentials and nothing else, cried out bravely.
Pounding his chest-like area with his short arms—he seemed to be saying to trust him.
"Swungswung."
His eyes reddened slightly as he stared at me—probably a "do your best."
"Caw caw."
"Take care out there. Hm, it bothers me a bit that I'm sitting this out."
Moona fretted over his own absence.
But there was no need.
This situation called for raw power over Moona's wisdom.
"I entrust this to you, Little Wind. Defeating Dabih and Vega will save our birds. No, it will save this entire forest."
Beyond species issues, they'd imposed their power on the whole forest.
The land before Saroka purified it was unfit for any life.
If they kept ruling, the forest would become a hellscape.
Beyond the quest and our goals, now we had another reason to take them down.
"As representative of this forest, I beseech you. And if Little Wind completes this mission splendidly... I promise a fitting reward."
Saroka elegantly folded her wings and bowed.
No wonder she was queen.
A reward straight from a queen of this power...
"I hear the kind Little Wind belongs to loves shiny, beautiful things."
"Caw!"
Yeah.
I did like shiny things a bit.
"I shall grant you the chance to take the forest's most beautiful bird as your mate."
"Caw! ...Caw?"
I nodded first, then immediately voiced my doubt.
What? Mate? What mate?
"Of course, taking a total stranger as mate would be hard. It'd be unfair to her too. But this one... already knows Little Wind. And she has feelings for you."
Some cryptic words flew by.
"Q-Queen? Wh-when did I ever...!"
The oriole stamped her feet beside me.
"Lady Clara. No, I offer you the Princess of this Forest."
"Kyaaaaah!"
"What fortune! What fortune!"
The parrots flapped in shock around us.
Hm, so the oriole was actually a princess?
Hiding her identity?
Forest Princess or whatever didn't stir any real emotions in me.
I mean, she's still a bird, right?
And I'm human...
"Cawk!"
Well, currently in bird form, but my mind was human.
"If... if the queen insists that much, then I have no choice..."
Clara twisted her wings as she said that.
I considered a chicken-foot kick, then shook my head furiously.
"Wha... what...!"
The oriole looked shocked.
"How can you say that to me!"
What did I even do?
"Hmm? Why? I could've sworn I saw something like affection from Little Wind..."
She had that kind of ability?
And affection?
Wasn't it just me eyeing something shiny to steal?
"N-No way..."
Saroka muttered, realizing something.
Yeah, sorry, but I can't see birds romantically.
"Not the princess... but me...?"
"Kyaaaaak!"
"Thrilling! Thrilling!"
"Heh heh... Partial..."
The parrots chattered like they were watching a morning drama.
Hm, this is maddening.
No need to make a racket here.
With the rain stopped, Dabih and Vega must've noticed our intrusion.
Plus, other forest dwellers were poking their heads out one by one.
Even that rhino-like weirdo was eavesdropping.
"Then... um... even in this form..."
The deeply embarrassed magpie and flustered oriole.
I knew explanations would only make it worse, so I bolted forward.
"Caaaaaw!"
I'll sort this out after taking down Dabih and Vega.