Chapter 90: Contact
Seeing a Grimalkyne about to be bitten by a Mernos, the danger was clear. These Fanged Wyverns, which long fed on carrion, carried a massive amount of bacteria in their mouths. Their teeth were long and sharp like steel nails; though not venomous, the resulting infections would be incredibly difficult to deal with.
In the nick of time, a snow-white Grimalkyne charged in like a whirlwind. Blurs of electricity caused its fur to puff up like a pom-pom, hiding sharp, hook-like claws beneath the fluff.
Felines are naturally agile, but enhanced by electricity, this one's movements were shockingly fast—to an ordinary observer, it would be nothing more than a series of afterimages. With a flicker of its body, it zipped past the Mernos, viciously swiping twice at its large, bulbous yellow eyes.
Fragile eyeballs were no match for razor-sharp claws. They were punctured instantly, and transparent vitreous fluid trickled out. The intense pain caused the Mernos's vision to go black, and it began attacking everything around it in a frenzied, uncontrollable struggle.
By then, the white Grimalkyne had already leapt far away, bouncing through the battlefield like a flexible white rubber ball. Having grown to a size of one and a half meters, its limbs possessed a staggering two to three hundred kilograms of force. A casual swipe could leave ghastly, bloodied gashes on the three-meter-long Mernos.
Combined with its extreme agility and speed, its threat level to a hunter likely already surpassed that of small monsters like Velociprey.
As agonized shrieks rang out, one Mernos after another was blinded. Trapped in darkness, they blundered about like headless flies; some lost their sense of direction entirely and tumbled into the river channels below.
This sudden turn of tide bolstered the spirits of the other Grimalkynes. They launched a counterattack, their handmade spears and bone clubs raining down on the remaining Mernos. The predators were quickly forced into a retreat, eventually fleeing the cave without looking back.
The joy of victory led the Grimalkynes to cheer in excitement. Some even dragged out instruments made from nautilus shells and blew into them with all their might. For a moment, the entire cave echoed with a sound like surging ocean tides.
The boisterous scene made the white Grimalkyne feel a bit awkward. It scratched its claws, unsure of how to face its former kin. Just as it was trying to find the right words, a group of Grimalkynes surrounded it with expressions of pure admiration.
"Lulu! You're Lulu, right, meow?!"
"You've changed so much, we almost didn't recognize you, meow!"
"This is great! You finally escaped safely, meow!"
Seeing that its kin had recognized it before it even had to explain, the white Grimalkyne felt a surge of emotion.
Of course, this was only natural. Logan had never forbidden these Grimalkynes from scouting near his cave; many had watched the white Grimalkyne transform step by step into its current form.
"I'm back, meow! I'm so happy to see you all, meow!"
Since the conflict resulted in no casualties, the entire Grimalkyne tribe immersed themselves in a joyful atmosphere after a quick cleanup of the battlefield. Optimistic and cheerful by nature, they brought out their treasured food and played various strange instruments, celebrating as a whole tribe.
At this banquet, the white Grimalkyne was undoubtedly the center of attention. Even setting aside its impressive performance, its height alone made it stand out among its peers.
The cats curiously asked about its previous experiences. It had nothing to hide, so it recounted everything truthfully. Amidst the festive air, the cats frequently let out gasps of excitement—they were curious about Logan and envious of the white Grimalkyne's transformation.
In the eyes of creatures in the wild, appearance isn't the key; strength is the foundation of everything. Besides, a large white cat was simply too cool.
They immediately agreed to communicate with Logan and decided to organize a team to make contact with him right away.
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Logan rolled over on his soft mattress. His massive weight caused the foam to collapse, unable to spring back.
He wasn't worried about the negotiation failing. Given that Felynes were willing to cooperate with hunters, this race was clearly open to communication with the outside world.
Whether it was food or other needs, he was confident he could satisfy them. Even if Grimalkynes had a particular fondness for shiny things, the worst-case scenario was simply plucking two of his own scales to give to them.
Staying in the Coral Highlands for so long had started to feel boring. The vibrant, multi-colored corals looked dreamlike at first, but after a while, visual fatigue set in. Pinks, purples, and reds—none of them were as easy on the eyes as green. Even the desolate Wildspire Waste would be better than here.
Perhaps this was because he had been a land-dwelling creature in both his past and current life.
As his thoughts drifted, a faint sound of footsteps came from the cave entrance, accompanied by excited meowing.
"Boss! I'm back, meow!"
The white Grimalkyne led the way into the cave, followed by four others who were half its height. Along the way, they turned their furry heads curiously, taking in their surroundings. When they saw Logan, they instinctively froze in their tracks.
What kind of creature was this? Its magnificent body was covered in snow-white scales that sparkled like gemstones in the dim cave. Its majestic head was covered by a forged iron mask, behind which grew large, elegant pale horns. Its limbs bore claws like blue jade, and its tail ended in a massive blade.
Powerful, majestic, divine... the Grimalkynes saw no hint of savage brutality in this creature. Instead, they felt an inexplicable sense of reverence.
"So incredible... it's just too beautiful, meow!"
"It looks even stronger than a Rathalos, meow!"
Even though it wasn't their first time seeing him, they couldn't help but marvel, their gazes turning reverent.
With the white Grimalkyne acting as a translator, the ensuing communication went very smoothly.
This Grimalkyne settlement had indeed caught Goldenfish and Platinumfish before and kept some of the scales. They didn't value these scales much, keeping them only as decorations because they looked nice. They even said that if Logan wanted them, they could give them to him for free.
Logan didn't want to take advantage of a few cats. However, looking around, he realized he didn't have much on hand suitable for trade. Should he go catch a few Barnos for them? He felt that was too much trouble. He decided to use this instead.
He brought his tail around to the front. As his tensed muscles relaxed, four sharp, feather-like scales instantly detached. The tips pierced the ground under the force of gravity, sinking three inches deep.
As his body size had grown, these feather-scales were now nearly two feet long. By attaching a suitable grip to the quill end, they would be perfect Great Swords for the Grimalkynes.
"I won't take advantage of you. I'll use these to trade for your fish scales."
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