Chapter 59 - Paradise? (Patreon)

The portal closed behind Jiran after he stepped through into hot, moist air thick with the scents of tropical plants and the sounds of active wildlife. He was standing in a wind-sheltered alcove high up the side of a massive mountain. Stretched out below him was a vast jungle that led to an ocean, thick with algae. The cobalt and turquoise water calmly reflected Second Father’s dazzling light.

Beautiful. And what’s with the ambient density? It’s so much higher than the empire. Even without eating I could probably regenerate my entire manapool in a few days just from breathing.

Even as Jiran enjoyed the view, his manabody stretched out to claim the area around him, scanning for threats. Beneath him was solid rock and this high up the mountain, there were only a few small critters burrowed in the rocky soil. Bugs zipped through the air, fat and juicy treats for the nearby birds watching his every move with beady eyes. After detecting nothing that could present an immediate danger the tension in his shoulders faded.

Three meters in front of him, the alcove met a cliff face that plummeted straight down fifty meters to the Jungle below. Far above, giant birds circled the massive mountain’s peak that reached far beyond the clouds.

Those birds must be huge if I can see them from all the way down here. Probably tier five, maybe even six. Better keep a low profile until I know what I’m dealing with.

Jiran shivered with primal fear at the idea of hundreds of tier six beasts descending on him in unison. Before stepping away from the pad, he bent down to examine its surface. With his enhanced aura, he was hoping to penetrate the strange metal. He pushed hard, straining until his manabody quivered but the metal remained unyielding, impenetrable. A spike of Coating at the edge, away from the seemingly-delicate runes, met with similar results.

Whoever made this sure knew what they were doing. Maybe if I tier up a few more times I’ll be strong enough to collect a sample.

Stepping away from the pad in defeat, he approached several piles of stacked stones that decorated one of the alcove walls. His brows rose in surprise when he noticed a good half of them were skulls—several of which looked human. There were plenty of varying beast skulls and stones as well, each decorated with intricately carved symbols in red paint. There were hundreds of them, many claimed by moss and dirt while some were fresh like they had been placed there just days ago.

So there are humans here. Potentially primitive if they are using human skulls like this. Why are they all stacked up here in this cove? Maybe they think the pad is some kind of holy object. Carrying a stone up that cliff definitely strikes those tribal-culture vibes too.

Jiran picked up one of the stones, taking several minutes to stare at its symbols, hoping that his quest reward might translate its meaning for him. When nothing happened, he placed it back exactly as he found it.

No luck. Bummer. First priority needs to be getting a lay of the land and determining the average tier of the local beasts. If this place is similar to the empire, anything above tier three will be pretty abnormal. Though, with the high ambient density and those huge birds, that’s probably unlikely.

Jiran took a peek at his map but it wasn’t too useful with so little filled in. Not wanting to draw attention, he used a Coating with Light Manipulation to bend light around himself as he began jumping along the cliff face from one outcropping to the next.

By the time I make a full circle around this mountain, I should have a much better lay of the land. That’s going to take a long time at this elevation, I should go a little higher if I can get away with it.

Glancing up, Jiran picked out a ridge on the mountain that would give him a wider view. After ensuring his camouflage was satisfactory, he began carefully ascending the steep slope. By the time he reached the ridge, Second Father had descended low in the sky, casting the ocean in countless shades of sparkling lavender and orchid pink. He breached the ridge to see the far side and discovered just how large of an island he was on.

All that jungle was just the backside of the island?! This place is huge. At least a thousand kilometers long and wide. There are even two more islands within sight. That’s a lot to explore. I figured I would get a quest as soon as I got here pointing me in the right direction. I guess if Madra’s not in a hurry, I won’t be either.

Tingles ran up his spine at the thought of what he would find in this strange new land but his exuberance was tempered with wanting to see his family again. Knowing Madra was listening, he asked—just in case. "So, any tips on where this absorber thing is or whatever you sent me here to look for?" He waited several seconds with no response, "Nothing huh? Fine, fine, be like that, more fun to explore it myself anyways."

A screech from above rattled the air, sending pebbles cascading down the ridge. Jiran’s head snapped around to see a large, red-feathered beast with a wingspan several times the length of his body staring in his direction. It leaped from its perch, diving toward him.

[Cardinal Drifter (Tier 4) ???]

Identify: + 1

The beast’s darting eyes alighted on Jiran’s transparent form the moment he spun around to face it. They shared a look, both knowing they were the dominant being and unwilling to surrender their flesh for the other to sup upon. The Cardinal Drifter’s wings folded and it picked up speed at an alarming rate. Powerful legs tipped with vicious claws reached for Jiran with deadly intent.

A blast of lightning packed with more mana than needed to kill the tier four leaped from his finger. It jumped to the bird in an instant, but Instead of the bolt killing or maiming the beast as he planned, the arcs of current flickered across its feathers. The electrical energies seeped into the creature, illuminating lines all across its body before converging into its claws which burned with a brilliant blue light.

Shit.

The beast arrived before he had the chance to make another attack. The impact of lightning-enhanced claws with tough abrasive Coating blasted Jiran off the ridge and into the air where he was quickly grabbed by a massive claw. As the drifter’s beak descended to bite into him, Jiran slammed his aura down on top of them.

The drifter squawked while beating its wings frantically to maintain its altitude. Its efforts were in vain as they both hurtled down the side of the mountain in a spinning freefall. The beast tried to release him but Jiran held on to its huge, taloned feet. His hands easily dug into the tough hide, the hollow bones beneath snapping like kindling. Not one to waste an unfair advantage, Jiran used his aura to form a platform beneath himself, instantly arresting his downward momentum.

As the beast slammed face-first into his aura, he unleashed a stream of True Origin of Wind and True Origin of Fire in a flamethrower that doused it in flames hot enough to melt steel. The beast screeched again, this time in agony, as feathers, skin, and muscles were incinerated. The smell was intoxicating and he was already licking his lips at the idea of devouring the delicious tier four chicken.

A cacophony of screeching roars from above shook the air so hard even the trees far below quaked in response. Jiran flipped himself around to see an entire flock of the Cardinal Drifters descending toward him. Hunger reflected in their dark eyes, no less ravenous than his own. Each of the giant birds released a sonic boom, their speed suddenly tripling.

Great, killing one attracted thirty. What will happen if I blow these up? Will even more show up? Better avoid fighting for now until I know what other threats are around. I might not be able to kill you all, but there’s no way I’m letting you steal my dinner!

Fire erupted from his feet propelling him and his meal toward the ground like a meteor, leaving the flock to choke on his fumes. Two of the birds proved their dominance of the air as they flapped their wings, sending powerful gusts of wind to clear away the smoke as the rest of the flock descended. They alternated between diving and flapping, working in perfect harmony as they chased after him. Jiran reached the ground seconds before they were on top of him. Thinking fast, he grabbed his mana in a tight hold and blasted Metal Manipulation into the ground.

A crater of mud formed and he leaped in, his dinner clutched tightly in his aura. He returned the soil above him to hard ground as he burrowed deeper. When he could no longer feel the birds furiously pecking and clawing at the dirt with his aura, he stopped going deeper. Jiran grimaced as he was forced to use the dreadfully named Big Bang to compact the ground. Soon, a cave was formed.

Gas Manipulation with True Origin of Wind filled the small space. Not knowing the exact composition of breathable oxygen, what he ended up with smelled terrible. Knowing he wouldn’t last long with his jury-rigged oxygen, he used Channeling with the metal element to form a shaft leading back to the surface at a steep angle away from the Cardinal Drifters. With fresh air and a peaceful place to enjoy his dinner, Jiran checked his newest notifications.

EXP: + 1

True Origin of Wind: + 1

Gas Manipulation: + 1

Channeling: + 1

Big Bang: + 1

His aura and coating had kept him and his catch relatively clean from the mud dive but he summoned some water to finish the job. Finally, it was time to fill his belly with the delicious meat while listening to the dull thumps of the insane birds still slamming into the ground far above him.

Persistent, aren't they? My delicious friend, were you perhaps a prince of your people, destined for greatness? And now they seek revenge upon the wicked interloper who dared strike you down. Yeah… I’ve been spending way too much time alone lately. I’ve gotta admit though, this island is pretty fun so far.

After refilling his mana, he allowed the remaining density to seep into his body, empowering him with growth which activated the delayed attribute growths from his short fight. He breathed deeply, exhilarating in the feeling of power growing within him. Even if it was only a little, it always brought a rush.

Strength: + .8

Agility: + .8

Endurance: + .6

Durability: + .7

Wisdom: + .9

Intelligence: + .9

One-thirtieth of the way to doubling my attributes and being capped for the tier. If red density gives the same three percent per kill in this tier as it did last tier, I’ll get 1.8 in each attribute when I start collecting it. How much more intense is that going to feel?

Jiran shivered in anticipation of the ecstasy that kind of sudden attribute increase would bring before immediately being flooded with disgust in himself for craving it. He keenly remembered killing two dozen beasts all at once in the desert and being overloaded with their challenger density. The thought of experiencing that again brought bile to his throat and ruined the taste of his meal.

No, I can’t let myself become addicted to killing like some junky constantly chasing the next bigger high. Until I find a way to combat the craving, I’ll keep avoiding the stuff. If I run into another tier five, I’ll leg it just like I did in the forest.

Done eating for the moment, he fed Daughter again before creating a layer of sand around him to snuggle in for the night. He fell asleep to the charming cadence of thumping birds. Eventually, the dull banging of professional upstairs neighbors abated and he napped peacefully for a few hours. After waking, he ate another round of chicken prince, then widened his air chute and crawled out into First Father’s morning light. Birds and bugs swarmed the area, more numerous than higher up on the mountain. Not a single one could escape his aura’s sight, allowing him to marvel at the immense variety of life around him.

He took a moment to appreciate the crater the beasts left in their search for him. He chuckled at their efforts before getting his bearings and coming up with a plan.

I should avoid pissing off those birds again if I ever want to finish exploring this island. Persistent bastards will be annoying with how many there are. That first one didn’t notice me until I was dumb enough to talk out loud so if I keep my camouflage active, my mouth shut, and stay away from the mountain, I should be fine. Of course, that’s assuming there aren't even worse beasts in this jungle.

Just as he had the thought, an unusual beast entered the far range of his aura before vanishing. He strained the edges of his perception, trying to get a better look but the creature was obfuscating its presence somehow. He could tell it was still there as he could pick out details from around its body like displaced air and the imprint of its weight in the dirt.

The displacement gave hints to its shape: Large rounded ears, long fingers with elongated claws, and a thin, whip-like tail. The creature moved cautiously, testing the air as it advanced toward his position. Curiously, it stood on two feet, something rare amongst beasts. Jiran had heard plenty of horror stories of one type of beast that always stood on two legs: Graymin.

Fury sparked within him that the hated enemy of the empire could have corrupted this beautiful place. In that moment when anger overtook him and sent his heart racing, the beast dashed away in the direction it had come from.

If it’s a scout and it detected me… I have to stop it!

Jiran leaped into the air and braced on a vertical slab of aura. Forcing and muscles combined to send him hurtling forward. Wind roared in his ears and tousled his hair as he rapidly caught up to the invisible monster. A blade of Coating formed around his hand and elongated into a deadly-sharp sword. He descended from above—blasting through the treetops—prepared to end it before it could alert the horde that no doubt resided on this deceitfully peaceful island.

He was only given a fraction of a second after he crashed through the boughs to realize his mistake. The creature stumbled, flickering into view as panic overwhelmed it. It turned, large brown eyes widened to an inhumanly large state as alarm turned to pure terror. Unable to stop his momentum, all Jiran could do was move the angle of his blade to let it pierce the ground instead of the young woman who had appeared from a shimmer in the air. He slammed into her and they rolled across the ground. Her scream was interrupted as the wind was blasted from her.

They came to a stop still entangled. She thrashed against him, her fingernails suddenly extending into ten-centimeter-long claws that stabbed deep into his chest. He felt the little needles bounce off bones and penetrate into his lungs. She rolled away from him, her claws withdrawing from his flesh. It felt like a part of him was pulled out with them, leaving gaping holes in his being.

Somehow, her eyes widened even further as she got her first good look at his face. She scrambled backward across the ground while shaking her head frantically. “Mac ara kala korotatta borundosci,” She spoke in yips and growls between shallow, frenzied breaths.

Jiran tried to speak, but the pressure needed to push air out of his lungs refused to form. His lips moved but only blood leaked from his mouth.

Restoration!

Mana flowed into the holes in his chest, rapidly filling them with regenerated tissue. As the pain and confusion of the moment passed, he saw letters flickering in the air. They spun and danced before falling into his head where something was slowly clicking into place.

“So Korotatta! I farapa know! Seodanda, we have to fortotto, uncle can morahla you, so sorry!”

[Regional dialect deciphered]

[Quest reward administered]

As the girls' rambling continued to become more understandable, restoration finished its work and Jiran took a deep breath of scrumptious jungle oxygen. The fog in his mind cleared and he wiped the blood off his chin. He stood up and coughed a couple times to clear the liquid from his throat.

Seeing him stand up, she scrambled to her feet as well, fully revealing her strange features.

Mouse ears stuck out of blue hair that framed a too-cute face. Sharp, symmetrical features were punctuated by large brown eyes with slitted, animalistic pupils. As she calmed with each passing second, her pupils morphed into a human roundness. She was slender, but tightly corded muscles beneath smooth skin spoke of strength and athleticism ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice.

Jiran was stunned, finding her beyond beautiful. He was unable to speak, though this time from a heart that temporarily refused to beat rather than holes in his lungs. Words appearing in his interface as he stared at her snapped him from his daze.

[Homo Musculus (Tier 3 - Sapient) A reclusive genus of beastmen with a mixture of unusual skills and traits.]

“I am so sorry! I did not mean to hurt you. Can you walk? If we hurry to uncle, he can heal you. Uncle can heal anyone. Please do not die, I am so sorry!”

Her words finally registered in his head and he raised a hand to stall her distraught rambling.

“I’m fine, I already healed myself. It’s my fault for attacking you. I thought you were a beast.” Jiran flinched at the sound of his voice forming alien growls and grunts he had never heard before.

“A-a beast? You thought I was a beast?! Never mind my help, you can bleed to death out here, you jerk!”