Every ounce of focus Kyle could muster was in use as he took trepidatious steps toward the figures C.H.A.D.D. noted in its scans. He had no idea what the beasts would look like, and he wanted to get a good look at them with Identify before engaging. Synaptic Barbs worked seamlessly with Covert Dexterity, his body helping him see fallen sticks and bark which he avoided with each step. The fallen leaves and gnarled roots were more challenging to evade as they covered the ground, but he still did his best.
In a pace that felt agonizingly slow, Kyle finally approached the last large tree that was between him and the creatures C.H.A.D.D. detected. Low crooning sounds could be heard beneath much louder crunches; the unmistakable sound of the beasts enjoying an unfortunate meal. Crouching low, he peeked his head around the corner to get his first look at the shrikes.
The first thing that struck Kyle’s notice was their height. They stood on 2 sturdy, reverse jointed legs. Even with their long necks hunched over to eat, they stood nearly 3 meters tall, and he suspected they would stand closer to 4 at full height. Long, hooked beaks that resembled a vulture sheared through the thick carapace of some large arthropod as the trio ate, the body of the creature pinned beneath the massive hooked claws that tipped each of their long hands.
Their green and brown skin served as a natural camouflage in the jungle environment, and as Kyle watched, the patterns slowly shifted. It was nothing compared to the skills the styxlions had used, but was nevertheless an impressive adaptation. Even the barbs that covered their spines and long tails seemed to change color.
Their most prominent feature, however, was the long, curved blade that protruded from each forearm. While they were currently folded back against the forelimbs, it was clear to Kyle that they could extend. The closest approximation he could make was a paper folding fan, with the full range of the blades being easily a meter long. What’s more, Identify showed a robust mana network that ran through each of the forearm blades. There was no doubt in his mind that the shrikes would be able to use a variety of skills with their natural weapons, only reinforced as he evaluated their attributes.
Each of the 3 shrikes felt roughly equal in terms of power, and they were some of the most impressive D Grade wild beasts Kyle had encountered so far. They outstripped the styxlions in all physical attributes, with Dexterity being their clear specialty. Even though their Intelligence and Perception were about 30% lower, they still boasted impressive Willpower. They’ll certainly be using skills of some type, Kyle thought. His mind drifted to Garth, and his Air Blade. While the mana network in their arm blades didn’t look like it would match his friend’s skill, it was the closest approximation he could make.
Kyle extended the invisible tendrils of Parasitic Resonance as he withdrew behind the tree. His plan was a simple one. He would infiltrate the nearest shrike using Parasitic Resonance, which he would guide through Synaptic Barbs. From there, he would attempt to kill it outright before engaging the others. A moment later, he felt the telltale connection. Slowly, inexorably, he allowed his skill to meld with the shrike. The flow was unfamiliar, and he was looking forward to learning more about their physiology from C.H.A.D.D. once the fight was over.
Satisfied he was ready, Kyle twisted with his mana, then pulled. He felt a sudden influx of energy at the same moment he heard an inhuman screech from behind the tree. He felt the movement of all 3 creatures, and then abruptly felt his connection to the shrike get severed. He felt a flurry of debris through Synaptic Barbs at the same moment C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning. Without a moment’s hesitation, Kyle ducked low to the ground, a blade of mana shredding through the tree trunk a moment later.
The sensation of Parasitic Resonance being cut apart wasn’t painful, and he willed the tendrils to reform as he dashed away from the falling tree with Ignition blazing within him. Kyle had a moment to look at the downed shrike coughing up blood as it struggled to get to its feet before he was forced to duck under another wave of shredding energy. If Garth’s Air Blade was a sword, the attack the shrikes used was a chainsaw. Countless tiny blades rotated and spun through the air inside each of their attack, chewing through the dense foliage like it was nothing.
The creatures were unbelievably fast, Kyle requiring the full use of Ignition to stay ahead. Despite a modest advantage in speed, he found himself pushed back due to their coordinated assault. The air was filled with flying buzzsaws of mana, biting through the nearby foliage as the creatures tried to close in on Kyle. For his part, he was focused on the conceptual sharpness that seemed to be folded into the attacks they used. With Identify, he could see something beyond the simple mana in their attacks, and he found it incredibly intriguing. He went as far as to extend tendrils of Parasitic Resonance just to watch the flying blades of mana cut through them.
The closest thing he could remember to seeing something like this was when Ghork blocked the attack from the Igneous Glaivebeak, the bulwark of force he put into the air seeming to negate the very concept of the strike. Can these creatures really tap into a similar conceptual power? Kyle understood intent was important when it came to mana, but the idea that creatures in D Grade were so freely tapping into conceptual intent was hard to swallow.
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So, like any reasonable person would do when assaulted by 2 wildly dangerous predators, Kyle decided it was time for a test. Storm Shelter sprang up around him as the creatures pounced, the shield directly blocking the attacks and pushing the shrikes back. As he suspected, Storm Shelter was more than up to the task of stopping the blades, conceptually sharp or not. Then again, doesn’t Storm Shelter tap into some concepts of its own?
He hadn’t considered it too much back on Earth when he’d first heard about the skill from Skippy, but now that he thought about it, Storm Shelter was still the most powerful defensive skill he’d seen from a D Grade. It was basic. It was straightforward. And it was damn effective.
A cry of pain from the injured shrike brought Kyle back to himself, and with a sigh he decided to get back to work. The other 2 shrikes were still slashing at Storm Shelter, and Kyle dropped the barrier as he rushed past them toward their injured comrade. With his hand outstretched, he placed his palm on the creature’s forehead as he activated Parasitic Resonance, this time from point-blank range. A fraction of a second was all it took for the beast to fall lifeless, and Kyle turned to the pursuing creatures.
It was clear they expected him to retreat, as each prepared to launch the long-ranged buzzsaws at him. Instead, Kyle stepped into the closest shrike’s reach. It attempted to correct, but its long arms and forward momentum made that difficult. His palm rested against its chest, and Kyle activated Parasitic Resonance again. At the same time, vines sprang out from compartments in the new pack, tangling around the shrike’s torso and legs.
The vines were shredded in short order, but it bought Kyle all the time he needed for Parasitic Resonance to do its work. The beast fell, and Kyle felt a telltale pain in his stomach where the Core of the Parasitic Devourer resided. He could feel the mana being siphoned into the ever-consuming core, and fixed his eyes on the final shrike. From what Kyle could gather, this was a beast unfamiliar with fear. Even now, with both of its brethren on the ground, he could only see an indignant anger in its eyes.
The shrike lunged for him, making large sweeps with its arm blades as its hooked beak descended to bite into him. While he was interested in testing his own durability against the blades, Kyle decided this wasn’t the time. He jumped over the twin buzzsaws that sought to bisect him, allowing the beak to tear into him. At least, he would let it try.
To the shrike’s credit, even the bite attack was infused with enough puncturing power to actually break skin. It bit down on Kyle’s trapezius muscle, between his shoulder and neck. He felt the beak pierce both sides of him, then stick fast against the tough woven fibers of his Enhanced Carapace. Kyle expected that against the majority of prey, even in D Grade, such a strike would have sheared through flesh and bone without an issue. Unfortunately for the shrike, it was biting something, or rather someone, much sturdier than most.
Still, blood flowed out of the wound even as Kyle pushed Healing Impetus into his shoulder to heal it. More importantly, Parasitic Resonance was already hard at work infiltrating the shrike’s body, devouring and destroying with impunity as C.H.A.D.D. bound it.
A moment later, the fight was over. It had taken maybe 20 seconds, and in that time the small clearing had been torn to shreds, fallen trees and branches littering a 50-meter radius from where he now stood. Kyle was about to go examine the creatures further, when a glint of metal caught his eye. Beyond the initial clearing, Kyle could now clearly see a large opening at the roots of a rotted tree trunk. From the deep scratches present around the entryway, he was fairly certain it was their den.
“C.H.A.D.D., do you detect any other shrikes from that hollow? The one about 30 meters in the direction I’m facing.”
[I DO NOT DETECT ANY OTHER SHRIKES, DR. MAYHEW. HOWEVER… THERE ARE BODIES.]
Kyle frowned as he walked toward the hollow. As he got closer, he could see the glint of metal was a pauldron and gauntlet, still protecting the severed arm beneath. “How many?” Kyle asked.
[I AM CURRENTLY ESTIMATING THE REMAINS OF AT LEAST 47 GOBLINS, TROLLS AND OGRES. SOME OF THE REMAINS HAVE BEEN GNAWED DOWN TO THE BONE, SO THAT NUMBER IS LIKELY HIGHER.]
Kyle nodded, grim determination and a sense of macabre curiosity driving him. If the shrikes had been killing this many, for this long, why haven’t they done anything about it? Stepping into the hollow, the first thing that hit him was an overwhelming stench of iron and rot. Kyle saw a mess of bloodstained bones and scattered armor. Much of the inorganic material had been relegated into a corner of the large space, and Kyle walked toward it.
Something about the situation was off – and he hoped to find some answers. Gently, he moved and sorted the items, Identify active. Mostly, he saw mundane metal armor and basic leather. Occasionally, he spotted a piece with some basic enchantments. Kyle also saw a few toys and dolls. He bowed his head, and tried not to think about those.
Then, well over halfway through the pile, he spotted something different. It was a small metal disk that fit in the palm of his hand, covered in runic inscriptions. While Kyle didn’t feel confident manipulating the runes without more time to study, the nature of the inscription work coupled with Identify made the disk’s purpose clear. It contained information of some sort. As he continued to work through, he found 2 more similar disks, which he wiped clean and set aside.
Finally, at the very bottom of the pile, Kyle found an odd sight. It was an empty metal box, covered in inscriptions with which Kyle was very familiar. One set insulated from thermal changes, while the other was meant to isolate scents. It was a handheld, portable cooler. At least, it appeared that way at first glance. If he hadn’t been training with Jarberry the way he had, there was a chance Kyle would have missed it. The inscriptions usually meant to conceal odors and scents weren’t standard in this cooler box. They were reversed, designed to slightly amplify and project the scent coming out of the box.
Why would they… Kyle’s thoughts stopped abruptly, and a chill ran up his spine as he realized what the cooler was for.
As if sensing his realization, C.H.A.D.D. spoke. [WHAT IS IT, DR. MAYHEW?]
“It was used for bait, C.H.A.D.D. Somebody brought the shrikes here intentionally.”