Chapter 155
Chapter 155
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Rampage (1)
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The next prey he targeted was the insect-type monsters that ordinary users avoided—worms, specifically the "Elemental Worms" belonging to the earthworm family.
These gluttonous beasts primarily devoured earth, wind, or wood, but depending on the situation, they could even consume fire and lightning. However, due to the terrain, earth, wind, and wood made up the bulk of their diet.
They converted the energy they devoured into magic-like abilities and spat it out, offering decent experience points but notorious for being tricky to hunt. Yet before Rokan and Kai's combo, they were utterly helpless. After all, their levels were only around 250.
"Krraaaaaah!"
Rokan first stunned them with a Mad Cry. At level 291, these worms were nothing more than mere earthworms to him.
Squeak!
As they flipped over—whether it was their belly or something else—and lost consciousness, Kai darted in nimbly.
Thud. Squish squish. Ptooey.
Thanks to the racial advantage between bird and bug boosting his beak attack power by 30%, Kai grabbed a Wind Worm, chewed it around, and spat it out.
The level gap made it impossible to swallow in one bite, and the worm's health was too high.
"Strike."
Boom!
So Rokan lent a hand. He sliced the worm's fragile body nearly in half, draining its health in one go.
Tweet! Tweet! Gulp!
Kai then snapped it up. He chirped happily, as if savoring a delicious meal, and swallowed it down.
[Kai has digested a Wind Worm.]
[Wind energy has partially taken root in Kai's body.]
Changes began occurring in Kai. No visible differences on the outside, but something shifted internally.
Hoping for dramatic transformation from just one worm was unrealistic.
But what if it devoured dozens, hundreds?
'Need to cut down the time.'
That would take time, though. They were only level 250 monsters to Rokan—nothing much—but their near-magical abilities could drag out the hunt longer than expected.
So Rokan decided on a little trick.
"Inventory."
Boom!
Before the Elemental Worms could recover, he tossed mechanical engineering items at the stunned ones—not grenades, but clustering bombs.
While shock grenades repelled, clustering bombs gathered.
The worms' small bodies were magnetically drawn to the clustering bombs, clumping together into a single mass.
"Whirlwind!"
Slash slash slash slash!
He then hacked away like mincing meat.
Tweet! Tweet!
Kai was thrilled.
Some worms died outright, unable to withstand Rokan's attack power, but others barely clung to life.
Thump! Nom nom.
[Kai has digested an Earth Worm.]
[Earth energy has partially taken root in Kai's body.]
Those went straight into Kai's belly. With Whirlwind now bursting so many Elemental Worms at once, Kai bobbed his upper body like a boxer, snapping up the fragments.
"Good grief..."
The sight was absurd, but Rokan chuckled and kept hunting Elemental Worms.
Waddle waddle. Burp, gurgle!
After a long session of hunting, Kai—no longer rushing around to pick them up—simply gaped his beak wide to receive them.
Yet his gluttony was insatiable; his belly swelled like a bowling ball, rounding out his frame.
Rokan even worried the shape might set permanently.
[Kai's belly is full. Cannot eat any more.]
Finally stuffed to the brim, Kai collapsed in a heap—whether lying down or rolling, it was unclear.
"Time for a break."
It wasn't that hunting had gotten tough; now they had to wait for Kai to digest.
After repeating this cycle countless times, changes appeared in Kai's body.
[Elemental power infuses Kai's body.]
[Kai's elemental resistance greatly increases.]
This was different from acquiring skills. Like how Rokan had fed him stamina potions before, the pet's trait allowed growth direction to vary by diet.
Some power from the Elemental Worms had embedded in Kai through digestion.
The immediate visible change was just elemental resistance, but with the right trigger, he might gain elemental skills—or infuse them into existing ones.
Either way, excellent. Non-magic pets rarely gained elemental powers.
"Alright, time to eat some more."
Most would stop here, satisfied. But not Rokan.
Once fixated, he saw things through. He planned to raise Kai to level 200 here anyway—no reason to stop.
Tweet!
Kai naturally agreed. Digestion complete, his body slimmed back down.
The memory of a full belly might make him hesitate, but like owner, like pet—Kai cheerfully dove back in.
'Wonder if this is okay... Tch.'
He half-worried Kai might develop a gluttony-related skill, but no choice. This was the only way for rapid growth.
Rokan sighed at Kai, who followed eagerly with gleaming eyes. No turning back now.
Hunt, eat, rest—the cycle repeated endlessly.
[Kai's level has risen.]
[Kai has reached level 200.]
[The spirited Big Bird Kai grows one step further.]
Kreee!
Forcing level 200 triggered changes in Kai's body.
Rapid growth. His size ballooned as if under an enlargement spell.
'Perfect.'
Every bone, muscle, and organ reshaped—naturally painful. Pitiful sight, but inevitable. This was Kai's purpose.
All that remained: endure the pain, then mount the grown Kai to learn the riding skill.
But things didn't go perfectly.
[Kai has evolved into an Elemental Big Bird.]
[Kai resists growth with powerful will.]
[Elemental Big Bird Kai has comprehended Body Manipulation. Would you like to acquire it?]
[Cannot forfeit skill acquisition.]
[Kai has acquired Body Manipulation.]
"Damn it! What the hell!"
Post-evolution growth complete, Kai had learned the skill himself. Rokan frantically checked the pet management window, but with no option to forfeit acquisition, deletion was impossible.
One of Kai's mere three skill slots—now selfishly taken. Rokan fumed but held back. First, assess Kai's status.
"Ha... This is insane."
Kai's stats exceeded expectations. Growth direction matched what Rokan envisioned, with even greater increases.
But a key element—skill slot—blocked. Infuriating.
[Body Manipulation]
Freely control your body size at will.
However, no stat changes based on body size.
"This thing..."
Ambiguous ability. What use controlling body size?
No stat fluctuation was positive, but for Rokan—who raised Kai as a flying mount—disappointing.
"Whew, Kai. Grow big for now."
Tweet squawk!
Not only that—even swallowing his anger and making the request earned fierce refusal. Painful memory kept him at previous size, unchanging.
If just a tamed monster, Rokan would've split its head and found another. Impossible now; he seethed inwardly.
"Here, take this. Do it."
Hug.
Rokan offered a top-grade stamina potion. Bait for the gluttonous Kai.
Squawk...
Kai couldn't resist temptation. Pretending reluctance, he approached and gulped it down.
Only then did he finally manipulate his body as Rokan wished.
"Good. Stay like that."
Kai transformed to a size that could carry a person—or even a troll.
Maneuvering with multiple riders impossible, but one Rokan—even laden—seemed fine.
Rokan hopped on effortlessly.
[You have acquired the Sky Riding skill.]
[Unbelievable achievement! You are the first to tame a flying mount. You are the first warrior to soar the skies.]
[Acquired title 'First Sky Rider.']
[You are the first to obtain this title.]
[First][First Sky Rider][Unique]
You are the first human to tame a flying mount.
You are the first to obtain this title.
[Effects]
-Flight speed +15%
-[Empathy] effect: Silent command transmission to mount during flight
-[Empathy] effect: Special effects on user apply identically
Effects kicked in immediately. The long-awaited title acquired.
Plus first-owner bonus: extra 5% flight speed, and Empathy ability.
Normally controlled by reins or verbal commands—now by thought alone.
Meaning far more precise, complex maneuvers possible.
User's special effects applying identically? Perfect for Rokan, who envisioned flight combat beyond mere travel.
"So that's how it was possible."
He recalled the Sky Knight from his past life. Wielder of a massive lance—insane control explained by this title.
Now that power was his.
"Nice. Perfect."
His precarious plan felt more solid.
"Now just prepare myself."
Kai's hunt done—basics set—Rokan returned to Taimura. Time to reorganize his situation and abilities.
"Create combo skill."
Equipment upgrades impossible; only changes were combo and creation skills.
First, deleted Bombardment from combos. Added one skill, regenerated.
[Please name the combo skill.]
"Bombardment."
Same name. Slightly different effect. Included Whirlwind in the combo.
Old Bombardment targeted single foes with massive damage; new one used Whirlwind to hurl ten hand axes at once.
Slightly less power, but truer to "bombardment."
[Please name the creation skill.]
"Destruction Charge."
One more. Deleted Weapon Break-centered Disarm creation skill, recreated prior combo Destruction Charge as creation skill.
Felt lacking in charge skills.
Of course, premised on damage so high Weapon Break or Armor Break unnecessary.
Preparations done, Rokan gathered intel.
During his seclusion in the hunting grounds, what moves had Chrono and the Red Crusaders made? Humanity's responses? He had rough outlines, but now needed details.
And confirmed: events diverging from his past life's course.