Chapter 71: At the Summit (4)

Chapter 71: At the Summit (4)

The wild animals were tragically torn apart, hanging on the tree branches like laundry. Among them were ferocious carnivores.

The children who arrived later covered their mouths in shock. Not screaming was all they could manage.

"Ah, A-Altor. What happened? Did a c-cow bear really do this?"

Martin's voice trembled, and Lumina, unable to bear the sight, turned her head away, eyes tightly shut. Shirone made a quick decision.

"Let's go down. This doesn't seem like something we can handle."

"No, let's go a bit further. We need to find out what's happening."

"Altor! This is serious!"

"That's why we're going! If this thing is in the mountains, all the animals will flee! We'll starve!"

"But it's too dangerous. Let's go down to the city and report this."

"Report? Have you gone mad hanging out with nobles? Who will care about us mountain folk?"

"Idiot, that's what I'm saying! This isn't a trivial incident to be ignored. Look at those animals. Dont you see how dangerous our situation is?"

Martin intervened.

"Shi-Shirone. Altor. Look there."

The bushes rustled and crackled. Shirone and Altor readied their arrows, aiming in the direction of the noise.

Rustle. Rustle.

The leaves' movements heightened the tension. Each child drew their weapons, waiting for the mysterious entity to appear. When the creature responsible for the carnage showed itself, Shirone and Altors arrows pointed far above their original target.

"This can't be..."

Even the brave Altor's voice trembled with fear.

"Grrrr."

A monster resembling a wolf over two meters tall, with inflated chest muscles and slender waist, stood before them. Its arms, stretching down to its knees with hook-like claws as long as a human's little finger, supported its body on cat-like long feet.

Martin barely managed to speak.

"It's a monster."

Monsters, unlike animals, evolved from a completely different ancestral creature. This meant their animal-like traits weren't enough to fully analyze them. They were stronger, more agile, and even intelligent compared to regular animals.

'A bipedal wolf... an Ulk.'

Shirone recalled what he had read. Ulks, lacking language skills, could express hundreds of emotions through sounds and had social structures due to their communal living. Being balanced in strength and agility, hunters feared them, especially in groups.

'But why here? This area isn't known for monsters.'

The only explanation Shirone could think of was that these Ulks, having lost a tribal war, migrated here. His theory seemed right, seeing the wounds and blood on the Ulk's fur.

The Ulk, unable to contain its fury, howled. But the monster's anger wasn't as simplistic as a beast's instinct. Indifferent to its prey, it dashed towards the children, flaunting its speed.

The children scattered, their faces pale with terror. Only Lumina, paralyzed by fear, stood frozen.

"Lumina! Run!"

"Ah... Ah..."

Shirone extended his hand towards the Ulk, combining the omnipotence and omniscience of Photon Output. But Lumina was beyond the reach of his Spirit Zone.

Teleporting up, Shirone reached the summit, only to freeze. Dozens of Ulks surrounded them, the entire tribe on the move.

'I underestimated their social nature.'

The children's fearful murmurs filled the air.

"What do we do? We're all going to die."

"I'm not even married yet. I don't want to die like this."

Shirone didn't want to die either. And now, he had at least a minimal weapon against the Ulks.

"It's okay, kids. I'll try something."

"Don't. Just run. You can escape with magic."

"It's okay. It's not against the rules now."

Shirone approached the Ulk pack.

"Shirone! It's dangerous!"

Ignoring Altor's call, he just replayed his recent epiphany, fixating on the Ulks.

The silver-furred chieftain Ulk snorted disdainfully, and its right-hand Ulk lunged.

"Grrr!"

Shirone concentrated photons in his palm.

'More... More...'

The light in his hand turned blindingly white. As the Ulk closed in, Shirone focused on altering the photons' properties. Amid escalating screams, he launched the compressed light into the Ulk's abdomen. The photon sphere pressed against the Ulk, then shot out as a golden beam.

"Grrr!"

The Ulk howled, flying away, colliding with others, and tumbling down the mountain.

The children were astounded.

"Did you see that? That huge monster flew dozens of meters!"

"How did he do that? Is that magic?"

The chieftain Ulk pulled back its nose, recognizing Shirone's ability.

"Ma... ge..."

The Ulks' eyes locked on Shirone. But his focus was solely on the chieftain.

He felt confident of victory.

The mass within the photons, though minuscule, carried enough force at near-light speed to exceed expectations. This was Shirone's unique unlocker magic...

The Photon Cannon.

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