Cian tightened his stance as the monstrous Kazaard spread its wings again, screeching loud enough to shake the leaves. Its eyes locked onto them, glowing with stormy fury. Wind coiled around its body as it prepared another supersonic strike.
"Shirayuki!" Cian shouted over the roar. "Thorn Whirlwind! Stall it!"
Without hesitation, Shirayuki launched herself high into the air, her soft quills bristling to razor-point. She twirled midair—
FWHIP! FWHIP! FWHIP!
—a cyclone of piercing energy exploded around her, slicing through the wind current as the Kazaard dove.
The bird swerved, screeching in frustration as the barrage of spinning quills nicked its wings, disrupting its balance.
System:
> "Deploying Thorn Whirlwind.
She's literally a spinning death plushie. Stay jealous."
Cian gritted his teeth. "System… give me the spell. Now."
System:
> "Finding suitable long-range spell...
Found: [Void Lance].
One use only. Don't screw it up."
Mana surged into his palm as he shaped it, breath growing shallow. A dark, compressed form of power began to build—pulsing, trembling, humming like it wanted to break free. His arm went numb from the sheer tension.
The air around him warped.
System:
> "[Void Lance] – Condensed mana projectile. High velocity. Pierces defense.
On impact: gravitational rupture, localized detonation. Side effect: Enemies regret existence."
"One shot, one humiliation. Let it rip."
"Shirayuki!" Cian yelled, eyes focused on the diving blur. "Get clear!"
She twisted out of her spin, landing beside him in a skid, breathing hard. "Ready."
Cian smirked, muscles straining to keep the spell in check.
"…How about THIS for size."
He threw the Void Lance.
No trail. No warning. Just BOOM—the sound barrier cracked.
The lance smashed into the Kazaard before the monster even knew what hit it. Its screech cut off instantly. For a moment, the air went still—too still.
Then it happened.
The impact ruptured the space around the Kazaard. Gravity twisted, yanking the monster inward like it was being crushed by an invisible hand. Trees bent toward it. Dust spiraled in. The Kazaard thrashed, wings bending unnaturally, feathers ripping free as the core of the rupture collapsed.
And then—
KA-BOOOOM!!!
A shockwave burst outward, shredding branches, toppling shrubs. Cian staggered back, arm covering his eyes. Shirayuki gasped beside him.
In the sky, the Kazaard spun wildly, one wing crippled, its shriek broken and jagged. Flames and smoke licked its tailfeathers. It flailed through the air like a crashing meteor before disappearing into the dense trees beyond.
Silence.
Only the sound of wind brushing through the forest remained.
Cian slowly exhaled, his heartbeat still thundering.
System:
> "...You actually hit it.
Congratulations, Lance-boy. You're now 1-for-1 in bird obliteration."
"That spell may be basic, but you made it look illegal."
Cian wiped sweat off his brow, panting.
"Heh… fried chicken's on the menu."
Shirayuki blinked up at him with wide eyes. "Cian… that was…"
He gave her a cocky grin. "Cool, right?"
System:
> "Cool? Bro, that thing had a family."
The forest air was thick with tension. Smoke still clung to the treetops where the Kazaard had vanished, its trail of shattered branches and torn feathers leading deeper into the woods.
Cian and Shirayuki moved cautiously, following the destruction. Each snapped twig and scorched leaf was a breadcrumb. The silence that followed the blast was eerie—no birdsong, no rustling. Just the faint drag of something wounded ahead.
"There," Cian whispered, pointing.
The Plumefeather Kazaard lay crumpled beside a creek, one wing twisted unnaturally, half its beak cracked. It weakly twitched, eyes burning with hate but its body no longer obeying.
Shirayuki stepped forward, slowly.
The bird hissed, trying to summon a gust of wind—but too late.
With a sudden dash, she spun midair, a glint of silver magic tracing around her body as she landed the final strike clean through its chest. The Kazaard let out a dying screech—then slumped, motionless.
System:
> "Target eliminated: Plumefeather Kazaard.
Registering Essence...
[Beast Shift] activated.
Monster Essence Acquired:
– Wind Slash (Evolved)
– Supersonic Reflexes
– Avian Agility
– Storm Resistance
You are now officially part bird.
Warning: Do not attempt to lay eggs."
Cian blinked. "What the hell is that last part?!"
System:
> "I don't know, man. The code's weird. You absorbed a bird. Things happen."
Shirayuki turned back to him, cheeks a little puffed with pride. "Done."
He smiled. "Thanks, Shirayuki. I owe you."
She nodded silently, but there was a shimmer in her eyes—like she was proud too.
System:
> "Bond increased. Combat synergy improving.
And yes, she just saved your feathery wannabe butt. Again."
Cian rolled his eyes, but deep down, he grinned.
"…Alright," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's keep moving. If that was a normal bird in this forest, I don't want to see what the boss looks like."
The forest gradually thinned as the path widened, the sky above now a deep velvet blanket of stars. Moonlight spilled through the branches as the duo trudged on, each footstep softened by pine needles and moss.
System:
> "Monsters successfully avoided via Silent Route Mode.
You're welcome. Again."
Cian glanced up ahead—and then stopped.
Through the parting trees, a breathtaking view unfolded.
Stone walls lined the distant hills, softly lit by torchlight and glowing windows. A sprawling city, nestled in a crescent of hills, surrounded by patches of farmland and sparkling rivers. At its heart stood a castle with elegant towers, not overly grand, but regal in an honest, weathered way.
System:
> "Welcome to the human stronghold of Veldenreich.
Population: 143,728.
Crime Rate: Moderate.
Hospitality: Questionable."
Cian exhaled. "Finally. Civilization."
But the gates were too far, and night too thick.
"Let's rest here," he said, patting the base of a tree. "No use dragging ourselves into town dead tired."
They began setting up camp. Shirayuki gathered firewood, her spines softly clinking together. Cian built a fire with practiced ease—sparking the twigs with flint and shielding the flame.
Then came the soup.
He knelt near the fire, laying out their haul of herbs, spices, and—the roasted slices of the defeated Kazaard.
A pot rested atop the stones. Into it he added:
– chopped fireleaf herbs (for heat),
– thin-stemmed dawnsage (a peppery zing),
– a few drops of bitterroot oil (for sharpness),
– and slivers of Kazaard breast meat, crisping lightly.
The aroma filled the clearing—savory, smoky, with an herbal bite.
Cian stirred slowly. "My old man taught me this… said good soup can make hell feel like home."
Shirayuki watched curiously, tail wagging. Her eyes widened at the scent.
He ladled out two portions, handing one to her.
She took a sip—and instantly her spines poofed slightly from the flavor shock.
"…G-Gooood," she whispered with effort.
System:
> "Warning: Soup may cause addiction.
Also, nice job, chef. That actually smells edible.
You sure you're not secretly a culinary class?"
Cian smirked. "I'm a man of many hidden talents."
They sat side by side under the moonlight, the fire crackling gently, the scent of herbs rising with the steam.
The walls of Veldenreich glowed faintly in the distance, just waiting.
But for now, soup and stars would do.
Just as the last embers of the soup pot simmered, a faint rustle echoed from the nearby bushes.
Cian froze, chopsticks halfway to his mouth.
Then—fwump!
Something warm and scaly tackled his chest.
"Emberlix?!"
The little ember-scaled lizard blinked up at him with glowing orange eyes, then nuzzled into his neck like a sleepy salamander.
"Well hey there, fireball. Missed us already?"
System:
> "Oh look, your clingy lava noodle is back. You sure you're not emitting some sort of lizard-attracting pheromones?"
Cian snorted, reaching for the pot. "You want some too?"
Emberlix opened her mouth comically wide like she was ready to devour the entire pot in one bite.
He chuckled and fed her a spoonful. She licked it happily, tail thumping on his leg.
Across the fire, Shirayuki—the hedgehog girl—watched silently. Her tiny claws clutched her empty bowl, eyes flicking from Emberlix to Cian.
She didn't say a word.
But her spiky fur ruffled ever so slightly. And that side-eye?
It was lethal.
Cian raised a brow. "You're not jealous of a lizard, right?"
Shirayuki turned her head sharply, nose in the air, but her cheek puffed adorably.
System:
> "Update: Fire lizard is fed. Hedgehog is emotionally unstable. MC is oblivious.
This party dynamic is peak comedy."
Cian shook his head, leaning back against the tree, Emberlix curled up on his lap like a warm, sleepy log.
"Yeah," he muttered with a grin. "This ain't so bad."
The stars shimmered overhead. In the distance, the proud silhouette of the kingdom of Veldenreich loomed under moonlight.
Tomorrow… they would enter the capital.
But tonight, it was firelight, food, and whatever this chaotic little family had become.