056. Taia Family's Monsters
Bang! Bang!
A deafening roar echoed through the entire second underground floor. Iron bars rattled as countless chimeras on the ground leaped into the air in all directions.
A monster with a serpent's body and bird's wings. Another with a rabbit's form and a massive conch shell sprouting from its back. Even one resembling a pig with a human face.
Unfamiliar beasts cried out in agony midair.
"Shraaaaaek!"
"Kwaaaaaek!"
They twisted like leaves caught in a storm. Clearly, these were chimeras fused from 5th class monsters or higher.
Yet they fell powerless all the same.
Amid the swarm, Bin rode a teal avian monster. Noni stared, speechless, at the sight of the boy astride the massive bird.
"What in the world is going on...?"
He had definitely scattered the powder that let him control monsters. Yet they ignored him completely. Instead, they obeyed Bin of all people. It was absurd.
Bin flashed Noni a faint smile. A sly grin.
His gaze soon shifted to the seal gleaming on his left hand. A single bird within a blue circle.
This thing's useful.
Bin glanced downward. Countless chimeras swarmed the ground below.
Standing with one foot on the teal monster's neck, he thought,
Wind can handle 5th class monsters like these with ease.
From his memories of his past life, Bin knew about avian monsters. Wind. A ferocious carnivorous raptor that commanded gales, its hallmark sharp feathers slicing like blades.
Surveying the chimeras below, Bin murmured low,
"Sweep them."
At his command, Wind beat its wings through the air. Gusts began swirling from its teal plumage, spinning fiercely toward the beasts on the ground.
Whoosh.
A long vortex tore across the cavern, dragging the chimeras into its spinning maw like tops.
They shrieked in disoriented pain.
"Shraaaaaek!"
"Kwaaaaaek!"
The teal whirlwind sliced into their flesh like knives. Skin tore, black blood spraying.
Splat! Splat!
In moments, the gale turned black with their gore.
"Kwaaaaaek!"
Shraaaash.
With a fierce howl, the shredded chimera corpses rained down.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud...
Noni, flustered, yelled at the monsters,
"Why are you attacking each other?! I told you not to act on your own!"
But the teal raptor, Wind, ignored him entirely.
Why? Why does it obey that kid...?
Noni's mind swirled with questions. Monsters had never disobeyed him before.
He didn't know the truth: the Taia family seal on Bin's hand held far greater sway than his powder.
Wind, cloaked in fierce winds, even snorted at Noni dismissively.
"Hmph."
As if to say, Why should I?
Riding Wind, Bin called out to Noni,
"It says it's done listening to you."
Noni gnashed his teeth in fury.
Grind. Grind.
"......"
Speechless, he scanned the surroundings. His eyes fell on the horde of 5th class chimeras.
His expression brightened.
That many chimeras can't lose to just three monsters, right?
But the outcome was brutal.
As the avian beasts soared, chimera after chimera crumpled on the ground.
Noni clenched his jaw, racking his brain for a plan. Nothing came—only chaos.
Because of just three...?
Still, countless chimeras wailed around him.
"Shraaaaaek!"
Whoosh.
Others rampaged wildly, clashing with the vortex.
In an instant, the horde scattered every which way.
Bin's lips curled upward. Just as he'd predicted.
He whispered to the blue monster,
Move, Rain.
As his words ended, black clouds bloomed across the ceiling.
They spread swiftly, forming a ring that hemmed in the chimeras.
"......!"
Before the beasts could panic, a downpour erupted from the clouds.
Shraaaash! Shraaaash!
Rain pounded like drumbeats on eardrums. As droplets hit chimera flesh, smoke hissed up.
Not ordinary rain—acidic.
The chimeras writhed and howled.
"Shraaaaaek!"
"Kwaaaaaek!"
The encircling storm of black clouds blocked all escape. Then, a regal blue bird with a proud aura roared.
"Shreeeeeeek!"
Its doing, no doubt.
Blue wings. A tail like a flowing brush.
Flap. Flap.
Each wingbeat summoned more clouds and sheets of rain.
The nearby chimeras fixated on the blue bird, Rain—especially with the vortex lurking unpredictably. They yearned to rip its wings off.
Ront gazed at the blue bird in awe.
The mystical bird, Rain...
A monster that brought rain to enrich soil and crops, adjusting its acidity to suit. Some said offerings of cattle were made to it in droughts.
The clouds slowly tightened around the chimeras, who huddled desperately, paths sealed.
Frantic shrieks filled the air.
"Shraaaaaek!"
"Kwaaaaaek!"
But Bin ignored their cries, preparing his next move.
Your turn, Thunder.
Atop Wind, Bin finished speaking. A massive yellow bird materialized in the air with a screeching roar.
"Kaaaaawk!"
Piercing eyes. Feathers spiked like sea urchins all over its body.
Irritable at first glance—the opposite of calm Rain.
Ront's eyes gleamed at the sight.
"Thunder..."
An avian monster that generated electricity, said to lurk in clouds, storing power.
Crackle. Crackle.
Sparks clashed. Then Thunder's body blazed brilliant yellow.
The gathered light erupted as lightning, crashing into the horde.
Zzap! Zzap! Zzraaack!
Encircled by rain, the chimeras convulsed on contact.
"Shraaaaaek!"
"Kwaaaaaek!"
Sizzle. Sizzle.
Their eyes rolled back, skin charred black. But the assault didn't end.
Bin on Wind dove before them. Wind's wings summoned a whirlwind, shredding the chimeras to bits.
Crunch. Crackle.
With the horde cleared, Bin descended to the ground.
Step. Step.
The three birds that had caused the uproar approached him.
Bin faced off against the trio of avian monsters. A tense silence fell.
......
Thunder broke it first.
"What? This kid?"
Thunder cocked its head, scrutinizing Bin.
Bin showed no reaction.
"And?"
"What'd you say?"
Thunder furrowed its nonexistent brow, wings twitching with sparks.
Crackle. Crackle.
A gust swept back Thunder's crest—Wind's doing.
Wind shook its head, speaking calmly,
"Thunder, calm down. This is the one who saved us."
"Hmph."
Thunder snorted but folded its wings reluctantly. Hot-tempered as it was, it knew Bin had orchestrated the chimera slaughter.
Too young to admit easily, but his feats couldn't be denied.
Wind bowed to Bin as representative.
"One who bears the Taia family's aura. We thank you for your aid."
Wind bowed, and Thunder and Rain followed.
Bin addressed them,
"Enough of that. Let's deal with that guy first."
Though treated like royalty by the raptors, something nagged at him—their deference reminded him of the skull-headed Codic.
Speak of the tiger, and its tail appears, as they say.
Just then, Codic returned, bellowing,
"My liege! Rest easy now. This body, enough to make even a manticore weep, has arriv—"
His words cut off.
The place had been a storm of wind, clouds, and lightning moments ago. Now, chimera corpses littered the floor. It was over.
......
Silence descended. Codic cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Ahem..."
Ront sighed in relief at the three raptors.
"Phew. That was close."
He thought meeting Irin Taia before coming here had been a stroke of genius. Without these three, they might've been chimera chow.
Now, time to press Noni on Luminare and the children's treatment.
Noni stood frozen, face blank with defeat.
"......"
His eyes took in the chimera carnage—a far cry from his earlier confidence.
Ront spoke to him,
"Noni. I know I've disappointed you greatly. But no one values dwarves more than I."
"What trick is this?! You abandoned our kind for a human woman...!"
Noni bristled. Ront shook his head calmly, then whispered to Codic.
Codic's jaw unhinged, vomiting up a weathered parchment.
Something was drawn on the old hide. Noni tilted his head.
"A blueprint?! This is..."
His eyes flashed. It was what he'd sought all along.
Ront nodded.
"As you guessed, the blueprint for crafting the ancient weapon!"
"......?!"
Noni gaped. Through this, he saw Ront's true heart toward dwarves.
Without it, countless dwarves had been slaughtered by the Gana Empire.
Ront had escaped prison and hunted it first—driven by love and guilt for his kin. He'd poured his forge-earned fortune into commissions across families.
And succeeded.
Tears streaming, Noni dropped to his knees.
"M-Master... Forgive this foolish disciple. Please, I beg—"
He stopped. An ominous aura prickled the air.
Then, someone approached Bin's group.
A figure with a long tongue lolling out, licking its lips.
Slurp. Slurp.
The tongue longer than a man's hand. Heavy makeup shadowed its eyes as it surveyed the chimera-strewn chaos.
"Looks like the plan's gone to hell."
Noni stammered,
"H-Hobas, sir!"
Hobas, forelock veiling one eye, grinned sinisterly.
He extended a hand toward Ront.
"You said ancient weapon just now? Hand it over. Unless you wanna die."
Bin, meanwhile, gripped Luminare tight, eyes on the intruder.
I've been waiting, Super Nova Hobas.