Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Unexpected Reunion
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"Shwoong."
Swoong's essence must resemble that shadowy fabric—a whole sky's worth of it.
I could define it as some cute thing that drapes the heavens over itself like a cloak.
In other words, Swoong is no different from a sheet of fabric.
The kind you could bundle up a ton of stuff in, like making a sack.
"Whooo..."
Swoong had transformed into a bundle hugging a massive pile of silver coins.
Fortunately, having evolved into a type with no adverse reaction to silver made this kind of use possible.
Did the ghost bride factor this in when guiding the evolution?
"Shwoong!"
Swoong had been puzzled at first, but now it seemed intrigued by the shiny silver.
Unlike before, it could touch it without issue and even feel the cool sensation unique to silver, so it quite liked it.
"Caw."
This little guy has some real talent, huh?
A crow's minion should love shiny things like this, after all.
Shadow Lace and Shadow Crow—you could tell from the names alone that they paired perfectly.
The Shadow Lace slips into the Shadow Crow's body, which can operate fine in daylight, and the Shadow Crow wraps its hoarded treasures in the Shadow Lace's fabric.
A perfect mutual aid relationship.
I wonder if I could recruit more Shadow Laces later, beyond just Swoong?
That would look pretty cool.
A Shadow Crow emerging from the shadows at night.
The moment it spreads its wings, black laces unfurl in every direction.
It'd feel like a +3 charm boost over my usual look.
As I mused on that, Swoong tugged lightly at my right wing with its stubby arms.
"Shwoooong."
Don't go cheating on me.
For a second, I pictured it saying something like that with teary eyes. Was that just my imagination?
It probably doesn't even know what I'm thinking, and I can't understand it either, so yeah—just my fancy.
"Shwoong."
Look at it now, buzzing around excitedly.
While I was up, I filled my belly with the dried kiwis I'd saved.
"Chwuaap."
I still didn't get this guy's eating mechanism, but Swoong seemed nicely stuffed too.
Now, what to do?
Right—back to snoozing.
I've become pretty crow-like these days, but this is still a growing body.
Eat big, sleep big—that's the key.
"Caw."
I curled up round on the fluffy bedding.
"Shwoong."
Swoong settled softly near my wings.
What a long day it had been.
We'd come to this mansion with the jack-o'-lantern, gotten trapped inside.
Played with the little ghosts to help them pass on, only to get caught by the ghost bride.
Teamed up with the little ghost and Swoong to save her too.
All in just one day.
I hugged Swoong close, sorted my thoughts, and closed my eyes.
Thump.
How much time passed like that?
Thump thump thump thump.
Sudden pounding echoed from the mansion's door.
My sleep interrupted, I lifted my head irritably, and Swoong shot a displeased glance at the door too.
Who the hell is it, this late at night?
Those mysterious humans from earlier, who tossed us the silver?
"Caw."
Swoong, hide the silver for now.
If anyone asks, play dumb.
No refunds on payments already made, got it?
"Shwoong?"
Swoong hurriedly gathered up the coins.
Bang! Bang!
The pounding grew louder.
Not fists—more like whole bodies slamming against it.
Humans who don't know how to open doors?
Nah, unlikely.
"Chirp..."
Bam! Bam!
Whatever was outside the mansion door wasn't human.
Monsters, desperately trying to get in.
This Skarnas Village had been under the thumb of the ghost bride and her laces.
Other monsters without her favor were total outcasts.
When her eyes went red, she'd hurl will-o'-wisps and burn everything nearby—no choice but to steer clear.
All they could do was pray she stayed holed up in the mansion.
On our way here, we hadn't run into most monsters.
They avoided her mansion like the plague.
But now?
The ghost bride was gone.
They sensed it somehow and swarmed the place.
To seize control of Skarnas.
And maybe snag remnants of her power to grow stronger.
Crack!
Kaboom!
Finally, the door's lock gave way.
"Grraaah..."
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【Skills】
「Bark LV2」
「Bite LV2」
「Shake LV1」
【Traits】
「Sensitive Nose」
「Endless Hunger」
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Curse Hound.
I'd seen one before.
This one seemed weaker than the one that snagged that owl back then.
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【Skills】
「Dreadful Time LV1」
「Cursed Fangs LV2」
【Traits】
「Sturdy Bones」
「Sturdy Skull」
「Bone Master」
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Skull Skeleton.
Couldn't help but admire that skill.
Why are its traits like that, though?
Sturdy on top of sturdy—sturdier than sturdy.
Does that even count as a build?
"Grrr..."
The Curse Hound sniffed around the mansion with its rotten nose, while the Skull Skeleton prepared to do its thing.
Some kind of partnership, apparently.
They knew the mansion's owner was gone and came to claim her power.
With no clue anyone else was here.
I watched them from the shadows, loosening my stiff body.
Perfect targets to demo Shadow Flame on.
And maybe develop some combos with Swoong.
Click.
Swoong flew silently and relocked the door.
"Arf!"
The Curse Hound barked immediately.
The Skeleton could probably break it open, but not right now.
Not with a new enemy—the Shadow Lace—suddenly in play.
"Grrrrr..."
"Clack clack clack!"
The hound and skeleton charged Swoong at once.
But their attacks never reached it.
Swoosh!
Crack!
I'd struck the Curse Hound's side first.
"Kyaaang!"
The hound let out a pained yelp.
Caught off guard by my sudden talon kick.
"Clack clack clack!"
But there were two of them.
The Skull Skeleton launched itself, teeth chattering.
One thing was sure—getting bitten by those teeth wouldn't end well.
They weren't particularly sharp, but they looked filthy.
Light gathered on my pumpkin-colored feathers.
Flash!
A blinding light filled the mansion.
"Kyaaang!"
It didn't faze the eyeless skeleton, but that was fine.
Sizzle.
I'd created the flash to shadow-jump.
In an instant, I was at the hound's flank.
Its eyes temporarily blinded by the light, distance opened from the skeleton.
I swung my wings, launching rippling feathers.
「Shadow Flame LV1」
[Feathers ignite into black flames]
Whoosh!
The feathers turned to black flames and struck the dazed Curse Hound dead-on.
Fwoosh!
"Kyaaang! Kyaaang!"
Black flames engulfed the hound in seconds.
Not like my piano target practice.
The flames seeped into its wounds, growing fiercer.
Fwooooosh!
Yet no spread to surroundings—just cleanly incinerating the hound.
"...Caw."
Even I was impressed by the power, and it was my skill.
The talon kick hurt, sure, but wasn't fatal.
One Shadow Flame was enough to finish the Curse Hound.
"Clack clack clack!"
The skeleton finally clocked the situation, teeth clacking.
Another Shadow Flame would end it too, but cooldown meant no new shadow feathers yet.
Still, that didn't mean no way to take it down.
"Shwoong!"
Swoong naturally slipped into my shadow.
"Shwoong!"
Swoong peeked out from under my wing.
"Clack clack!"
The skeleton chattered its teeth for attack, but hitting a flying target like me? Impossible.
Look at it flailing uselessly.
Tat tat tat!
Unfamiliar sound—I twisted midair.
Slash!
Something sharp sheared off a chunk of my tail feathers.
"Shwoooong!"
Swoong yelped in shock.
I was startled too.
"Clack clack clack..."
Who'd expect bones to burst from the wall?
Thought it was just practice fodder, but it had some tricks.
"Caaaaw!"
Fury over my precious feathers lost, I dove at it.
It opened wide, ready to snap me up—like it planned this.
Clack!
Teeth on teeth.
I'm no idiot—I'd veered off right in front of it.
"Clack clack!"
I toyed with it, feinting approaches.
Darting back and forth in the air, taunting.
"Caw caw caw."
Mad yet?
Sorry, but you can't catch a winged me.
Crunch.
Slash!
"...Caw!"
Wall bones could graze me, but now that I was alert, no chance.
"Clack..."
Of course, this alone wouldn't kill it.
No attacks, no win.
The skeleton probably thought: You can't catch me, I can't catch you.
"Shwoong."
Swoong floated undetected above the skeleton's skull.
A heap of silver coins cradled in its arms.
"Clack?"
Too late when it looked up.
Plop plop plop.
Sizzle!
"Claaaack! Clack clack!"
The ghost bride barely endured it—think you can?
The skeleton writhed, then its bones began evaporating entirely.
Success.
I flew around drawing aggro while Swoong, hidden in my shadow, landed the strike.
First real-combat combo, but it synced nicely.
"Shwoong shwoong shwoong!"
Swoong flew back to my wing, demanding praise.
Yeah, yeah.
Good job, Swoong.
"Shwoong..."
That little open mouth—want a chwuaap treat?
Sure, help yourself to that inedible stuff over there.
"Chwuaap."
Argh!
Not on me!
As I cleaned up...
"Arf! Arf!"
Another hound's bark.
Another visitor.
Condition's decent—could handle a few more.
Catch a handful, then block the entrance with silver when tired.
"Caw."
I tucked Swoong into my body and prepped for the newcomer.
A bony hound!
Like a mashup of the two I just dropped.
Closer to skeleton than hound, maybe?
Bipedal stance suggested basic skeleton structure.
Nothing else special.
Except clutching some brown fur clump?
"Caw caw."
Shadow Flame's back online—roast it from the start?
"Oh, that tiny breeze has grown this much."
Huh?
That voice—super familiar.
Deep, gentlemanly tone.
That plump butt.
Pathetic beak.
...
Isn't that the Sage?
"Indeed. Caught again this time."
Caught again?
Did its lack of ears make my feint useless?
What the heck is this guy even?
Looks more like a weasel than a kiwi bird to me.
"This must be fate too."
About to get nabbed by that spider.
"Caw caw caw!"
...Gonna rescue it anyway!