Chapter 147
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Blink
I shoved away the cat clinging to me with a close-range claw kick and gazed at the lovely yellow feather.
Blink
Instantly travels a short distance.
Ignores obstacles along the path.
"Caw!"
This was blink itself!
Just reading the description made it obvious, even without the name.
This was an incredibly powerful trait.
By my standards, it was on par with Ruinous Beak—one of the highest-performance traits I had.
Acquiring it seemed brutally difficult, and its capabilities were equally extraordinary.
Blink wasn't just fast movement; it was closer to true teleportation.
The distance was short, sure, but teleportation was teleportation.
Yeah, it was the degraded version of Cheshire's Space Leap trait—a perfect fit.
In fact, that trait had weakened into Blink.
This ability meshed perfectly with my style, opening up endless strategic possibilities.
Of course, I could achieve similar results using Glow and Shadow Form.
They were my go-to moves, but precisely because I relied on them so much, I knew their limits.
Shadow Form required an actual shadow, and even amplifying it with Glow fixed my emergence point.
Against a new opponent, it could mimic blink just fine, but in a prolonged fight, they might counter my movements.
I'd run into enemies waiting exactly where I popped out before.
The fatal flaw was getting countered right after dodging, when I seized the initiative.
Especially against a powerhouse like the Lion Heart King ahead—it was likely he had ways to counter it.
But Blink ignored all those weaknesses entirely.
No wind-up, nearly instant activation.
Combined with my other mobility skills, I could leap even farther. No reason to dislike it.
"Nyaang... I don't get why you're so thrilled, but grab my hand already, nyaa! How long do you plan to stay in this creepy place?!"
Cheshire stared at me with a look of utter disbelief.
Right, now that I'd confirmed the skill, it was time to leave.
That snail monster was still waiting outside.
...I kept thinking it was just a snail, but after seeing its power, I couldn't underestimate it anymore.
I flicked out my wings, and Cheshire grabbed them tight.
"Getting out of here... Hmm, what did you take from me? I gave it to you thinking you needed it, but... urgh, something feels off, nyaa. I might mess up..."
She was probably talking about me stealing her trait.
Fortunately, her traits remained intact.
Even after I took it, Space Leap hadn't vanished.
She seemed a bit weakened, but nothing major.
She'd recover with time.
...Probably?
"Hmph! Get ready to write the tale of the crow who repays kindness, nyaa!"
With those words, we leaped.
From Cheshire's memories, back to the reality awaiting us.
*
"You're awake. I was getting worried. Looks like you snagged some kind of opportunity, though."
A plump butt greeted me.
Why the hell was this guy sitting on my head?
"We were worried for you, Raven. We were hiding you so the snail wouldn't spot you."
Rebecca explained, arms spread wide to cover my wings.
"Caw caw."
Appreciated the effort, but that setup screamed "look at me," didn't it?
Anyway, I was back.
My body hadn't fully transferred—just my consciousness had dipped into that weird space.
Good thing Swungswung and Moona were there; otherwise, it could've gotten dicey.
"Striped cat. Hmm, now I remember the name. For even I to forget it... impressive. So that's the snail's power."
"Nyahat, watch out, everyone. Touch that guy, and you won't like the results, nyaa. Sticky goo clinging to you is the least of it, nyaa."
Not just me—Moona and Swungswung remembered Cheshire too.
Neutralizing the snail's power restored everything as it should be.
No major side effects either.
"Nyahaha. Now we hunt that snail, right? Perfect timing to repay the crow's favor, nyaa. With my claws, I'll rip that body... nyarrgh...?"
Cheshire's body wobbled limply.
Just as I thought no side effects, her form turned all liquidy, cat-style.
"This is weird, nyaa... No strength... nyaa..."
Cheshire Cat was all showy info and sass, but she was a level 40 powerhouse.
Stronger than Black Wolf, even. Teaming up with her could've been a huge help.
But at this timing?
You useless cat!
...Couldn't exactly blame her.
I had a hunch why her power was draining.
Likely because I stole—er, borrowed—her trait.
Her status showed traits intact, but I'd still siphoned her strength.
Resting quietly might've been fine, but she used Space Leap to bust us out of the snail's illusion.
Without it, we'd still be stuck.
Couldn't fault her for that.
I might be a shameless crow, but not that shameless.
"Caw caw."
Too bad about teaming up, but no big deal.
"Caw... caw..."
I could handle it solo anyway.
"Raven, be careful. If it gets dangerous, I'll rush right over."
Swungswung said, stuffing my arms with a pile of gems.
Hanging with me had turned this guy into a sparkle fiend.
He'd even chomp at Moona when she tried sneaking stuff for research.
A guy who'd haggle over a single silver coin gave them to me freely.
"Plenty."
I reassured him with that.
"...Taking on the snail alone? If the knights trapped in that mist wore down its stamina... it might be feasible."
Moona quickly crunched the odds.
I'd briefed him on the snail's notoriety and tactics in that short time.
Hard to say until I faced it, but good to have in mind.
"Confident, nyaa? If the crow says so, I'm grateful, nyaa. Don't worry about us. Even weakened, I can hold my own, nyaa."
Yeah, fretting over Space Leap Cheshire was pointless.
With Moona and Swungswung guarding her, that front was secure.
Prep complete.
The foe that shocked Moona and awed Swungswung.
Time to fight the snail.
"Krraaaarararak!"
Its roar echoed from the thick mist again.
The noises inside had dwindled over time.
Meant fewer rabbits and card soldiers left.
No more delays—time to face it.
I stepped into the mist.
"Hyaak! Dodge!"
"Rabbit squeak squeak!"
Card soldiers and buffed-up rabbits literally flew through the air.
They couldn't withstand the physical impacts.
Card soldiers and rabbits wouldn't help.
No high hopes anyway—focus on my job.
"Krra... krrararara..."
The snail punishing its trapped prey with furious cries suddenly shifted its aura.
Sensing me invading the mist, maybe.
"Krrarararara!"
Boom!
It charged straight at me.
One leap brought it right up close, halting abruptly.
That's when I got why Moona freaked out.
This thing was too massive to call a snail.
Bigger than a human, a house.
Monstrously huge, incomparable.
Yeah, whale.
To describe its bulk, you'd need a white whale.
That massive.
Whale-sized body, shell like a small mountain.
"Krraaaaaah!"
Moona hadn't exaggerated.
A Sage's warning meant this level of threat.
【Lu Karkol】
I activated Crow's Eye and stared it down.
My eyes nearly popped out.
Its level was invisible.
Not question-marked— the slot was just blanked out.
【Lu Karkol】
A colossal snail that devours memories and ■■.
A powerful □■ resembling a fusion of □ and a snail.
Contact with Lu Karkol's □□ erases fragments of memory and ■■.
Its status description was partially censored too—no skills or traits visible.
Probably its unique trait at work.
If it could erase Cheshire's name from everyone's memory temporarily, this censorship made sense.
Crow's Eye pegged it boss-like, but not a true boss—no Latin chanting.
Still, undeniable powerhouse.
"Krrararara!"
My whole body tingled.
One touch from that slime would be lethal.
But I had a counter.
Spot the feather with my eyes, pluck it—block the forgetting.
Not foolproof, though.
Plucking Cheshire's sent my mind into her memories.
Body left defenseless.
Even a quick escape exposes me to other attacks.
Removing its power mid-fight? Suicide.
So how to handle it?
"Caaaaw!"
Take it down without a single hit landing.
Crackle.
Yellow and amber feathers gleamed.
Yeah—Glow and Blink here.
Time to unleash Skarnass's Black Flash once more!