Saquin's hair whipped back.
His form cut straight through the air, into the clouds.
In the clouds, Saquin's [Spatial Awareness] picked up the presence of the Grollys that had gone after him.
They were furiously flapping their wings, trying their hardest to breach through the clouds. Albeit, they were limited to this height and they could not change that, unless they reached a higher Class.
Saquin did not immediately rush in.
His assassin's instinct had kicked in.
For the next few minutes, Grolly Birds dropped out of the clouds like flies as Saquin went on another killing spree.
This time, he did it silently and slowly. Taking each Grolly Bird by surprise, using the clouds as his ambush spot.
Saquin noted that even though the Grolly Birds had great eyesight, they were clearly not designed for flying in or seeing through the clouds.
Also taking the fact that their wings could not carry them higher than the clouds into account. He concluded that they were built as low attitude flying creatures, that can also properly function on the ground level.
He also discovered that they did not completely rely on their eyesight. Rather, they seemed to have a six sense that is similar to his [Spatial Awareness].
[ You have killed a High-Class Grade One Underbeast -- Grolly Bird (No Bloodline). ]
[ Underessence extracted. ]
[ Core gained. ]
"The air."
As Saquin retrieved his sword from the neck of a Grolly Bird, he finally figured it out.
"It is the fucking air." Saquin affirmed to himself. "They should have an affinity with the air. It would also explain their flight ability."
Saquin watched as the Underbeast that had been clueless about its death till the last minute fell from the sky.
"I was always skeptical about their ability of flight, and in extension mine. The wings did not seem to be flapping fast or strong enough to keep me or them up. It is also too silent."
Saquin thought through his former doubts.
"But, if they all have this affinity with the air, that would make more sense."
Saquin concluded.
He then switched his focus to his Awareness.
"I have killed them all." He muttered, a bit surprised. "Kinda seem like genocide." He joked to himself. "Wait, that lightning bird is still breathing. Killing him should mark the end of the lineage."
He nodded to himself.
"Yep, gotta end him. Do not leave any loose ends. Don't want some dude hunting me years later to avenge his lineage."
Saquin smiled at his own joke. Then, the smile turned into a laugh.
His light hearted laugh spread through the clouds as he hovered there silently.
He suddenly frowned. His lips shifted to a pout.
"Hmmm..." He dragged the sound in his mouth.
"I really shouldn't be talking to myself." He said, doing what he had just reprimanded himself of. "Plus, when did I become so chatty."
He scratched his head with his left hand.
"Eh, who cares. Let's go hunt."
As usual, he pushed away his worries. Except this time he did not feel it bloat up his mind.
Swoosh!
He exited the clouds in no time.
His eyes roamed through the sky region of the forest with insane speed, looking for his target.
"There... Uh? That bastard is running away."
Saquin spotted the white form of the Underbeast a distance away. It has turned tail.
He also noticed there were two others by it side.
"You won't be getting away, lil guy." Saquin called out as a smile bloomed on his face.
I kinda fuck with this...
His wings spread out in their full majesty. Frost slowly crawled over them as Saquin poured his energy into them.
I can feel the fatigue slowly build up, I should rest soon.
Saquin noted.
But not before I kill that lil guy.
Boom!
He blasted off after the trio in a trail of cold air.
The trio, the lightning Grolly Bird, a Grolly Bird with a golden pattern filled body, and a Grolly Bird which had ice shards as most of its feathers, pushed their flight speed to its limit as they ran away from the murdering psycho.
The lightning Grolly Bird looked back to see that the monster was tailing it. It turned to its brothers and screeched at them, telling them to pick up the speed.
At the same time, it could not help but curse in its mind. Was the same being that the World had recently instructed them to kill? The supposed Abomination?
Hell yeah, that thing was definitely an abomination and should definitely be killed. Just not by them.
Saquin, on the other hand, slowly closed in on them. But.
"This is too slow." He frowned.
Then.
He dived downwards.
Into the forest.
In no time, he reached it, entered, and continued towards the ground.
Boom!
As soon as he reached the ground, his right leg's muscles strained themselves. They absorbed the force of the landing, added more force to it, and used it to launch forward.
His form blurred.
In no time, he reached his max flying speed and surpassed it as he weaved through the forest.
Everything in the forest was used as a footstool to push forward. Trees, rocks, the ground, even unsuspecting Grade Zero Underbeasts.
The trio who had thought their pursuer had given up the chase after diving downwards almost shat their feathers as they saw Saquin's running speed.
Skrrppp!!!
The lightning Grolly Bird screeched in 'what the fuck'. Worry and fear crept up its spine as Saquin closed the distance.
It turned towards the sky and roared, hoping it had reached.
Saquin looked upwards, he had caught up to the trio. All that remained was to fly upwards.
But he didn't. Not yet
"Why???"
His vision was occupied by a screen.
[
Day: 15th.
Population:
5,274 ↓
5,120↓
5,020↓
4,600↓
4,350↓
]
He had not even known he could access the population an date stat while not being in the base camp till it suddenly appeared in front him, glowing red.
Candidates were dropping dead, fast. Too fast.
"Tch. What is going on?"
Saquin's eyes narrowed. He had no specific relation with the people dying, but it was just too much of a number to ignore. After all, there were not just numbers, there were human lives.
Humans just like him.
"First, calm down."
He took a deep breath in.
"Let's get this over with first."
He increased his speed and gave the trio a little gap.
Then.
Ran up a tree and shot up into the sky.
His wings spread out, changing his ascent angle to intercept with the trio's flight path. The feathers of the wing rippled as Saquin's strength coursed through them.
The wings flapped once.
Then, he was on course towards his target.
The lightning Grolly Bird noticed Saquin's ascent, but instead of the mix of fear and hatred that pervaded its face earlier, it was now filled with only hatred and a hint of killing intent.
It roared at the incoming Saquin, and attacked with a lightning ball.
The lightning ball was tailed by a ice shard pike and a golden beam.
Bang!
They all hit true.
Saquin did not even try to dodge them. His wings took the hits with minimal effort.
Strangely though, his gaze, directed up, had grown solemn.
He was no longer looking at the trio.
Rather.
His gaze was directed at the being shooting down from above the clouds.
Even with his severe lack of knowledge. He could easily recognize what the being was.
A Dragonkin.
The label he could see did not help ease his mind either.
[ Raythra (Pinnacle-Class Grade One) -- Trial Location present Underbeast Boss. ]