Chapter 538: Hunting from Krysal to Irun

In the end, it took them a few days to finish off about a dozen Bloodtails. After the first battle, the time was less about actually killing them than finding the remaining ones. Technically they might have saved a little time if they'd gone elsewhere and waited for reports of attack, but with teleportation resources limited, Kai was glad for a last hunt with his wives.

Especially because of what he suspected was coming, but he didn't want to think about that just yet.

Instead, as they got ready for the teleport back to Yulthens, Kai sat and focused on the new essences contained within his monstrous soul.

<

Bloodtail's Armor - I (alpha)

Bloodtail's Tail - I (alpha)

>

After eating so many Bloodtails, he'd been able to consume two separate abilities: one for their armor and one for their tails. The armor ability might be useful, though his real intent was to eventually merge it with other defensive essence, and the frustratingly named "Bloodtail's Tail" was just because it seemed like too notable an ability to skip.

Omilaena had joked that he needed to merge it with Lizarkyl's Tail to develop a hip-shaking ability. He honestly had no idea what he was going to do with it, but maybe this was the time to experiment. Kai glanced at his entire soul and everything it contained:

<

Name: Kai Clanless

Total Power: 953

Monstrous Hunger - XV (omicron)

Cultivation: Nascent Foundation 48% (261)

Savage Heart: 25 (251)

Physique Level: C-9 (345)

Beggar King's Robes: +3 (15)

Soul Level: 9 (81)

Behemoth's Heart - X (kappa)

Thunderbird's Wings - IX (iota)

Baleful Breath - VIII (theta)

Manticore's Spine - IV (delta)

Tyrant's Claw - XII (kappa)

Famished World - IV (delta)

-

Direboar's Strength - XIV (xi)

Void Gaze - VIII (theta)

Mutefang's Stealth - XV (omicron)

Isulfr's Bite - IX (iota)

Sahagin's Soul - XII (mu)

Lizarkyl's Tail - VI (zeta)

Wallcrawler's Feet - III (gamma)

Abominalgum - I (alpha)

Rose Piranha - III (gamma)

Cloud Piranha - III (gamma)

Bloodtrap - III (gamma)

Slime's Immortality - I (alpha)

Silver Demon - I (alpha)

Voidmaw's Bite - I (alpha)

Great Cetae - II (beta)

Bloodtail's Armor - I (alpha)

Bloodtail's Tail - I (alpha)

>

Despite being on Deadwaste, his cultivation and Savage Heart continued to grow, plus the fight made him feel much closer to a Physique breakthrough, but his real interest was in all his monstrous abilities and what he might make of them.

If he had been faced by a single dangerous opponent, Kai might have tried to develop more enhancement abilities, or maybe replace an older ability that was falling behind. Instead, he was going to be fighting against an incursion that spread across the continent, so what he needed was game-changing abilities. A long time ago, he had been rejected because he lacked enough offensive power - even though he had far surpassed the standard for hunters, he had newer, higher standards.

Before he could come to any particular decision about his abilities, his wives walked back in his direction.

"I think the elite just showed up in the nearby city," Omilaena said. "But we have to meet them over there, and - oh no! - it looks like we'll have to walk."

"We will not." Zae Zin Nim touched her spatial bracelet and dropped a small Cloudspire vessel onto the ground beside them. "I have more."

"Aww, and I was going to suggest that Kai carry you."

"I can request that myself."

For all that the two of them joked, when they climbed into the ship and flew back, there was a bit of melancholy to the silence. Once they made contact with the elites, their visit to Krysal was over and they would need to act quickly. Normally that was no problem, but Kai suspected what Zae Zin Nim was going to say, so he was unsurprised when she spoke up.

"I intend to stay here," she said softly. "I will continue my own advancement while helping the acid cultivators."

"I think that's the right decision." Kai stroked her shoulder. "This is a good place for you, and they certainly need the help. I'll talk to Krainuun about making sure you aren't disturbed by any of the local politics."

"Personally, I'm not so sanguine about it." Omilaena patted her other shoulder, turning it into an amorous caress. "I'm not going to leave you alone. Trust me, I'll be back while I work on my big pill project."

"But the two of you will be going to Irun?" Zae Zin Nim asked.

"Yes, we really should. The late start won't ruin us, but we shouldn't let the handicap get out of hand."

Having voiced the fact that they were splitting up again, the fact was defanged of its intensity in a strange way. It wasn't for so long, not with portals spanning the continent. Besides, Kai was overdue for a visit to Irun and curious about what had happened in his absence.

In theory, Yuinafal had been given just over a week to get a head start on his own project. Even though part of Kai was irritated by that idea, and wanted to take down the arrogant elite, he told himself that he should actually want more progress. Both of them ultimately wanted to help boost Irun, after all, and it was possible that Yuinafal really did have a major role in that.

Back in Yulthens, Kai had another meeting with Krainuun, this one much shorter. The administrator wasn't even surprised that they had eliminated the Bloodtail threat, just took a report, thanked them, and noted that the reward money would be used for their trainees. It seemed that getting a little bit of unconditional support had given him a second wind of administrative power.

Before they met up with the elite, Kai also checked in with his own students. Bonto had already learned the basics of crystal cultivation in the past, so being fed more crystals meant his Power was rising rapidly. Meanwhile, Tori needed some time to master the basics... but she was already forming crystalline structures and seemed eager to experiment further. His hope had been that the rapid construction of crystal cultivation could make up for her slower Path of Steel, and it looked like that might work out.

Ultimately, though, that was up to them. Krainuun or Tori or Bonto, or even Zae Zin Nim, Kai was going to have to step away and trust them to handle their part.

There was one other meeting he wasn't sure would happen, but was glad when it did: just before he left, Cragrila arrived on the rooftop. She was wearing new clothes, of Krysali make but indeterminate meaning, and looked somewhat healed from her time back home. Despite that, her eyes were even harder than he remembered.

"Krysal is falling part," she told him quietly. "Not its defenses, its people - there's no revolution to bind everyone together anymore. It's gotten much worse while I was gone, especially the anger. I hate nobles and crystalliers as much as anyone, but some of the people out there want to execute their children in the street."

"I heard about some of that from Krainuun," Kai said. "You should talk to him, by the way."

"We've spoken, but I don't think I can help with his struggles. He wants me to contribute my voice to his cause, and I don't think that would be effective."

"Hmm." Kai considered that for a moment and came to a conclusion he hadn't expected. "You said you hate crystalliers, and everyone knows that thanks to your part in the war. You're basically a hero to a lot of people here."

Cragrila raised an eyebrow.

"I mean that you should use that. I need you to do something I can't: go join the nativist Krysali faction. If they have their own ideas for the future, that's fine, but if they're planning anything that could sabotage us for the incursion... for example, I can imagine someone striking at the remaining crystalliers."

"Too believable." Cragrila grimaced slightly, then nodded. "It's a good plan, and I'm better suited to that anyway. I don't know when we'll meet again, but perhaps it will be in defense of Krysal."

Part of Kai wanted to stay and deal with all this, since he still viewed Krysal as his responsibility. But even if he had the stomach for all the politicking, he couldn't be everywhere at once. He would leave this to Zae Zin Nim, Krainuun, and Cragrila while he headed to the opposite side of the continent.

"You ready to do some Irunian eugenics?" Omilaena asked cheerfully as she walked up.

"Not quite yet," Kai said. "One other thing to take care of first."

"That thing better be Zin Nim." She stepped up beside him, hip against his and an arm around his waist.

It actually wasn't their wife: Kai asked the elite to take them back to the western coast, where his remaining students were still working. In his absence they'd actually started helping out the local communities with monster hunts, but fortunately it didn't take long to find Mariyay and take her with them. He didn't think many of his students had a future path through Irun, but Mariyay's difficulties with her Builder Class might be helped by Irunian metals.

Especially if Omilaena got her way and she was able to transform the nation into something new yet again. Of course, this time they wouldn't be unopposed, and there was no guarantee that Tusquo could help them enough.

So just another challenge as the underdog. Kai grinned and stepped into the portal to Irun.