Orakha arrived before a certain shrub and stared at the apple-like fruits hanging from it. There was an intoxicating scent emanating from it, similar to a Parute Fruit. But it wasn't a Parute Fruit. Consuming this fruit would result in constipation and food poisoning.
Orakha released a bunch of Mystic Eaters that slithered into the shrubs and selectively consumed the shrubs. They then drilled into the ground like worms and made their way up the cliff wall, approaching the cave where Gannala was currently present.
The Mystic Eaters dissolved into smoke and vanished, self-destructing, releasing a dense fume resulting from the digestion of the fruits in their stomachs. This fume radiated a dense scent of Parute Fruits, something that would appear only from a farm with more than a hundred Parute Trees.
Such a farm became a strategic resource capable of strengthening an entire region. Even Gold Grade Pranic Beasts would be interested in such a farm.
"This is…" Gannala flinched at the scent, for a moment drooling in response. But immediately after, she became alert, for there wasn't a Parute Tree in her area, not to mention a farm of them.
Therefore, it was a trap, obviously laid by Orakha to lure Pranic Beasts en masse to her location, for that was where the scent was radiating from.
"He's still hiding somewhere around here," Gannala said and peered down the cliff wall, watching many Pranic Beasts climb up like a swarm of insects. Her eyes turned cold as she commanded the Empyrean Zingers, "Create a bunch of Prana Bombs!"
The Empyrean Zingers complied with her and caused a pile of Prana Bombs to appear next to her. Gannala stared at the pile and seeped her Prana into it, clenching her hand into a fist as immediately in response, the pile turned molten and flooded out of the cave like a waterfall.
It spread across the cliff and layered it, stretching for at least a couple of kilometres on all sides. As the group of Pranic Beasts continued to climb up, they eventually came across the Prana Bomb layer, getting stuck the moment their legs touched them.
"Grrhaah!"
"Rawrr!"
Painful screams resounded from them as not only were they stuck, but their Prana was also being absorbed in response. And to add to their suffering, heavy Prana Bombs rained down from above, accelerating due to the effects of gravity.
The heads of Iron Grade Pranic Beasts were obliterated by the impact as the Prana Bombs continued to fall over the cliff, sticking to any target they touched.
Each Prana Bomb weighed a hundred kilograms. Adding onto acceleration due to gravity, they were akin to artillery strikes.
The Pranic Beast horde was stopped in its tracks, unable to arrive even a kilometre in Gannala's vicinity. The case was the same even for the Pranic Beasts in the Guna Caves as the Prana Bomb layer covered the tunnel walls too.
Anyone who approached close was greeted with a Prana Bomb to the face. To avoid overcrowding the region, the Mutated Empyrean Zingers remained in their miniature forms.
Whereas, the regular Empyrean Zingers birthed by the Empyrean Zinger Queen flew out in the open, taking advantage of the stuck Pranic Beasts to fill up as many Prana Bombs as they could.
"So, that's what Inala's Tertiary Nature does." Orakha had been observing everything from the start, experiencing a chill to observe the efficient pace at which the army of Empyrean Zingers took care of the Pranic Beast horde.
Moreover, the Prana Bombs recovered from the attacks would become a valuable resource to refill their Prana. "He's raising a powerful army."
This is why he disliked facing accumulation type of characters as opponents. If given enough time to prepare, they would grow to become terrifying.
Orakha's Mystic Eaters too could be created as a swarm, but they were energy beings, requiring a constant depletion of Prana to be maintained. So, without the presence of a swarm of enemies acting as batteries of Prana for their replenishment, the Mystic Eaters would die out quickly.
Hence, he couldn't accumulate them like Inala's Empyrean Zingers.
"Well, I can try other means." He muttered optimistically. The information he obtained from the Transcendent Eater's mind only consisted of the basics. He knew what Inala's three Natures were, but didn't understand their functions.
But now, he had a decent picture of their capability. He intended to probe further until he fully grasped the sense of danger that the reincarnate named Inala posed toward him.
An ink-black puddle spread around his feet as a dozen Empyrean Eaters jutted out in response to coil around a Pranic Beast that jumped upon him. They gobbled up the Pranic Beast, leaving nothing behind.
Orakha segregated the various minerals sourced from its body and integrated them into his Human Avatar one after another, clicking his tongue in the end as he ejected them all, "They aren't good enough."
He stopped at consuming only their Prana to replenish his reserves, continuing to change his hiding place to stealthily spy upon Gannala, 'How do I best separate her from those two?'
By those two, he meant the Empyrean Zinger Queen and Empyrean Zinger King who stayed right by Gannala's side, never leaving her. The presence they unleashed was on a whole other level, possibly at the peak of the Silver Grade.
As long as they were there, it would be impossible for Orakha's methods to compromise Gannala's safety and trap her in the Guna Caves, "Hmm, let's keep trying until a window of opportunity presents itself." contemporary romance
In the meantime, back at the Mammoth Clan, situated within a large trailer house pulled by the 104th Empyrean Tusk, Grehha's reddened eyes stared at the figure of Yuza, "Endure! Yuza! You're almost there!"
"I…know," Yuza's face convulsed in pain as she focused all her strength on her stomach, trying her utmost to successfully deliver her baby. "I'm trying!"
"It hurts!"
"You can do it, Yuza." Yahard Tusk stated solemnly, "We're all counting on you."
"I'll ensure that every single Mammoth Clansman from our Settlement learns about your immense contribution for ages to come."
"I believe you," Zahaella said as she gently held Yuza's hand, "We're all praying for you. Persevere, Yuza."
"Argh!" Yuza screamed in pain as her body began to rapidly lose mass, shrivelling up rapidly.
"Grehha!" Yahard Tusk shouted in alarm.
"I know!" Grehha said and poured a torrent of Prana into his Empyrean Incubator that had fused with Yuza's womb, delivering the necessary energy for the entity within. "I need more Prana."
"Here!" Zahaella took out a High-Grade Elixir from her storage Lantern and controlled it through her psychokinesis, flushing the contents down Grehha's throat.
By churning his Mystic Bone Art to the limit, Grehha digested the Elixir as quickly as possible, directing all the generated Prana not to his Spirit Container, but into his Empyrean Incubator.
"Ahhhh!" Yuza let out one final shriek before collapsing, becoming a withered husk. Unfortunately for her, everyone seemed to have forgotten about her instantly, as the attention of all was on the baby that had been birthed successfully.
"C-Check her condition!" Yahard Tusk spoke nervously, nudging Zahaella.
"O-Okay," Even Zahaella was nervous as she gently severed the umbilical cord and picked up the baby, inspecting her for a few seconds before her face brimmed the brightest of all her life, "She is…"
"Healthy!"
Another Empyrean Tusk was born!
done.co