Volume 1 Chapter 35 Quest： Not Just My Brother II
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After about 20 minutes of walking, the stream began to curve sharply to the left, and a large tree stood straight in the middle of the previously straight flow of the river.
Kian didn’t know what kind of tree it was, but its roots were exposed, creating a hollow space underneath.
It was a small cave.
As they got closer, he caught a faint whiff of smoke.
Serena quickened her pace.
”Is anyone there!? If you are, respond!”
Her high-pitched voice rang out clearly.
The sound of a lively girl echoed through the forest, causing nearby birds to flutter away from the trees.
Kian followed closely behind as they approached the cave.
Serena shouted again.
”We came to help! Is anyone there!?”
They reached a spot where they could see the fire inside the cave.
Piles of dry leaves were heaped near the entrance, and they burst apart as if reacting to Serena’s voice.
”Is… is someone there!? Has help arrived!?”
From beneath the blanket of fallen leaves emerged a bearded giant.
He was wearing tattered armor, and his face was covered in mud.
”Are you John?”
”Yeah, I’m John! But how do you know my name?”
The big man crawled over, his right foot stuck under a branch.
It seemed the injury the crow mentioned was a broken bone in his right foot.
”We came to collect your belongings and your body on your brother’s request.”
”W-What!? I’m still alive! Collecting my body? That damn brother of mine!”
”It doesn’t seem like it’s a case of mistaken identity.”
Serena murmured this as she observed the big man’s reaction.
”We’ll talk later. There’s still a ‘Spoon Wing’ nearby. We need to leave here before we get found.”
Kian said this and helped the man to his feet by supporting his shoulder.
”Damn it! That Matilda set me up! I came looking for food, but I didn’t expect to get caught by monsters like this!”
She pulled the wires tight.
The two monsters, drawn towards her, had their heads knocked off by a single blow from Serena’s longsword.
”Amazing.”
John muttered, as Kian summoned his magic power beside him. Kian couldn’t let Serena outshine him, as it would affect his personal evaluation.
(…, …)
Kian released his magic power.
The magic power spread widely and thinly around him.
Kian’s eyes widened.
(Crows, come!)
A low rumble, like an earthquake, emanated from Kian.
Caw, caw.
Caw, caw.
Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw!!!
In response to their master’s call, the surrounding crows gathered into a black vortex, swirling in the sky. The sound of dozens of flapping wings echoed, and black feathers scattered around.
Kian, using an application of “impact,” enveloped the crows with magic power. The crows’ black wings and beaks began to shine with a metallic luster.
And then…
”…! …!!”
(Kill that one!)
Mixing a stagnant killing intent into the magic power, it was released around them. The black birds all squawked loudly in unison. The sound of their wings formed a storm-like cacophony as the black flock rushed toward the ‘Spoon Wings.’
Even though they had nearly two-meter-tall bodies, the small birds’ rebellion proved to be fatal.
”…!”
Serena’s eyes widened in shock as she moved away from the spot. One of the ‘Spoon Wings,’ surrounded by crows, let out a chilling scream that froze the air around them.
Crunch, crunch, crunch──.
However, the swarm, transformed into a natural force of fury by Kian, devoured the soft parts of the insect dragon──its eyes, throat, and wings──like hungry ghouls, tearing into them with a crunch and swallowing them down.
They didn’t care even if their comrades were exposed to the toxic liquid of ‘Spoon Wing.’ Madly, they clung to the monster’s body, willing to sacrifice themselves.
”What, what’s going on!?”
John shouted.
Kian felt the corners of his mouth naturally lift.
He gestured with his open right hand as if to crush the enemy’s neck.
A deathly scream rose from the center of the bird funeral.
In the high sky, the sound of ki-chi-ki-chi, like thin insects, echoed.
In this abnormal situation, the last remaining ‘Spoon Wing’ seemed to decide to flee. The monster attempted to abandon its comrades, who were being devoured by the birds, and flew away over the slope.
But Kian had no intention of letting it escape either.
The flock of crows left behind the blood-soaked remains, attacking the last remaining creature from behind. The black mass had become so dense that it felt as if it was gathering from all over the forest.
Through the gaps in the trees, black birds could be seen swirling in the sky, gathering like storm clouds.
They descended into the forest one after another, even the last ‘Spoon Wing’ was pecked to pieces and devoured alive.
John covered his mouth.
”Ugh…”
”What the hell…?”
Serena, who had landed on the ground, also seemed to step back in fear.
Eventually, the crows devoured the two monsters down to the bones, leaving behind a flurry of flapping wings as they scattered into the sky. Kian had released his control.
All that remained were the shells and bones of the monsters, scattered along with countless black feathers.
* * *
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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