Chapter 723 Annoying delay (1)
As Erik and June were soaring through the clouds toward Caelora City, Erik felt something.
While reaching out with his mind through Instability brain crystal power, he detected a mass of primal urges and voracious hunger. It was clear it was a bunch of Thaids, yet, based on the altitude, it must have been a group of flying ones.
Their crude thoughts came through as a jumble of disjointed emotions and flashes of imagery, like a fragmented mosaic. But the overall impression was clear - these Thaids were driven solely by their basest instincts to hunt, feed, and kill any who dared invade their territory, and they sensed them.
Erik had encountered such primal urges before among the lesser Thaid breeds. Their underdeveloped brains lacked higher cognition, dominated almost entirely by fight-or-flight impulses. Only the oldest and most cunning Thaids developed true intelligence and forethought, but he had yet to find one.
Still, a flock of instinct-driven flying Thaids could be dangerous. Erik opened his mind and increased his mana output further, concentrating on filtering details from the mental noise.
He determined their approximate distance and direction, and estimated they were no more than a dozen individuals. At least based on the intensity of their thoughts.
Based on the area, they had to either be Galewings that were originally going toward the desert, or Zephyrwings, that contrary to the other race usually inhabited around forests.
The Zephyrwings were the most likely, since this was their natural territory. But without a visual feedback, Erik could not determine what species it was. Erik would have to wait until they crested the horizon to identify his attackers.
[June, a flock approaches. I can feel their thoughts, crude as they are,] Erik warned telepathically.
[I expected we might encounter some. But I don't think we will have problems. We have bested their kind many times.]
Erik nodded, but remained wary. A flock could still overwhelm them if he didn't play his cards right, despite June's reassurances.
Together they had battled flying Thaids across the White Desert, but not in vast groups and never this far north. Different species could mean different strategies to fight them.
Erik wasn't that worried about himself. These beasts couldn't kill him now, even if they tried. His powers were enough to make it so he could come out unscathed. June was the problem.
As if reading Erik's thoughts, June intervened to reassure him.
[My Biomantic Armor remains strong, Master. Do not worry about me.]
[I know I shouldn't but last time you got really close to get permanently injured.]
[I know, Master. That was an unlucky event. I didn't see the tenth attack coming and didn't harden enough to protect me.]
[If you say so. Just be careful, I doubt we'll come out unharmed if we fall from this eight.]
With that, June's feathers hardened and became as durable as metal as he summoned the biological power granted by Erik's Biological Supercomputer's merging.
It coated his body in natural armor. Hardened spines jutted out along his spine for extra protection.
While glancing back, Erik used the Solid Frostwind Brain Crystal power to conjure a hardened slime Flyssa, ready to use it in an instant.
His Instability power hummed as he prepared to disrupt the flock's coordination when they neared. This would not be an easy fight, but he had faith in June's abilities to avoid their attacks.
That was when the first winged shapes appeared on the horizon. Erik counted around twelve thaids, how his instability power suggested, and analyzed them one by one.
They were not that strong. On the ground, he would decimate them using no power, but underestimating them in an aerial battle was foolish.
To battle against flying thaids, despite being simpler now thanks to June, was still harder than Erik assumed before getting June's help.
As Erik observed them better, it became clear these beasts were Zephyrwings.
They were a peculiar race. There were many theories about their evolution, but no one was able to pinpoint from what animal they stemmed from.
Though they had very similar powers to Galewings, as they could control the wind, but it was to a lesser extent compared to the stronger Desertic beasts.
However, despite having a weaker brain crystal and power and fewer mana reserves, they were stronger, physically, and slightly more intelligent. The latter was the biggest problem. Though it was weird, they had some primal thoughts, despite being praised to be smart beasts.
<Should I get their brain crystals? >
However, since theirs was a nerfed version of the Galewings' power, it would be useless, and opted not to collect their brain crystals.
The flock of Zephyrwings closed the distance, their wings beating furiously to gain speed.
[Are you ready, June?]
[As always, Master. Let's cut these mongrels to pieces!]
Erik gripped his conjured Frostwind Flyssa tightly as the first of the creatures entered his range.
By reaching inward, Erik channeled mana into the glowing blue and green blade. He could feel the raw energy coursing from his brain crystal and down his arms through his neural links. Then Erik swung his sword.
Three pale blue wind blades streaked from the tip, swirling with the misty white aura resulting from the infusion of frost element into the attack.
The wind blade screeched like banshees as they tore the air, leaving a chilling aura in the surroundings.
The very atmosphere seemed to freeze in their wake, and the scent of frost hung heavy.
Erik could see the creatures' yellow eyes go wide in an instant as they recognized how threatening that attack was.
For flying thaids, kings and queens in the sky, something like that was unprecedented, with only the Wyverns being stronger than them, and to a large margin at that.
Most of the flock dove up or to the sides. However, a slow and unlucky member fell because of a wind blade.
The wind made weapon sliced through its hardened chest feathers like paper.
They cut deep into the Zephyrwing's flesh, releasing sprays of dark red blood from the gashes.
The frost attribute coating the wind blades sapped away all heat upon contact, and within a matter of seconds, it froze the blood that had gushed from the wound, creating a gruesome spectacle of frozen sculptures. Though the blades bisected the creature.
[ZEPHYRWING KILLED: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]
[0%...1%....5%...30%...70%...100%]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]
[3...2...1...0]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 5917 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]
<The experience is not bad…>
The bisected Zephyrwing couldn't even shriek as its mutilated body began separating. Its wings spasmed and lost lift, sending the creature into an uncontrolled downward spiral. It plummeted, finally disappearing below the cloud cover far below.
The two wind blades, slicing through the air, maintained their course. They carved clear paths through the sky. The clouds fragmented. Where the blades passed, they left behind trails, disrupting the cloud formations and creating distinct lines against the blue backdrop.
Seeing their brethren dispatched, the remaining Zephyrwings scattered in all directions to prevent Erik killing them on clusters and maybe give an advantage to the not targeted monsters.
But Erik slashed repeatedly, his dexterity allowing him to keep track of the beasts as they moved and circled the young man and his mount.
These Thaids' natural aerial agility allowed all to stay clear of the attacks, but they were in clear disadvantage.
The frigid wind attribute left behind by Erik's blades persisted even after they passed, continuing to sap strength and body heat from the Zephyrwings and making difficult for them to flap their wings.
Erik's focus wasn't only on the monsters. He strategically targeted specific areas around him, intending to create a chilling, frost-laden space.
This tactic was forced on him by the fact the power he merged with the Aerokynesis ability and that allowed him to use the frost element was a lesser one Erik had gained long ago.
However, the power's inherent weakness limited its scope. It wasn't strong enough to make extensive frost domes on its own, not even after the merging.
To make that situation, Erik spent significant amounts of mana to manifest the frosty environment he desired.
This expenditure was necessary to enhance the effectiveness of his strategy, though it demanded more from his mana reserves than he preferred.
Already, some were slowing and struggling to beat their wings with enough power to stay aloft. Their reactions were dulled by the insidious cold seeping into their very bones, and simultaneously, Erik was using his instability power to mess with their emotions, making them more scared than what they should be.
However, Zephyrwings were cunning creatures. Even as Erik culled their numbers from a distance and messed with their brains, these Thaids adapted to counter his ruthless assaults.
The survivors learned to anticipate the trajectory of each wind blade, adjusting their flight to keep barely clear of the attacks, and tried to stay out of the frost aura.
A few of the hardier Zephyrwings even powered through the frigid auras, fighting through the pain to stay airborne.
Erik observed their changing tactics, impressed by their tenacity, and understood why they were deemed smarter than most thaids. However, his instability power told him they were still a far cry from really being smart.
Despite the situation, Erik did not allow himself to grow impatient. He had bested even more formidable Thaid breeds in the past through his skill and bravery. These beasts may prove clever, but he would show them what a true master of the arcane could do.
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