1.2.04 – Trinity

I followed the giant light bulb in my vision as it moved across the forest. While I still did not have a solution to hunting the beast, at least locating the beast was easy with Electro Perception. At the back of my mind, I wondered if the Storm Runner had a similar sense, which would signal me as a giant snack to it.

I had to increase my pace without relying on Lightning Infusion, afraid that I might tip the Storm Runner off to my presence. As I got closer, I saw several tracking details that had confirmed that the glowing light bulb was indeed a Storm Runner.

I saw three-toed bipedal prints, with the inner toe barely printing, its sickle claw probably held clear of the ground. There were also some shed quills around, either fallen off naturally or used to fry some unfortunate critter.

I made sure that there was only one set of prints to rule out the potential that this area belonged to a mating pair. After a few more minutes, I managed to get close enough to see the beast in its entirety.

In its regular walking stance, it stood close to what I estimated was my height. Though if it had stood straight and lengthened its neck it would be way taller. The bulk of its length though was the tail, which it seemed to use more as a counterweight as it walked rather than a sweeping weapon as the Weepwrym did.

Its body was covered in feather-like quills. I could not quite tell whether they were feather or quill, but the ones on its back definitely had a pointy end. I hoped I would never be on the receiving end of those. I looked to the sickle claw on its feet, confirming the metallic grey claw, similar to the talisman I bought.

If this was a National Geographic documentary, I would have been tempted to do my best impersonation of Sir David Attenborough while narrating how beautiful the creature was. Unfortunately, I was only here because its bones were what I needed.

It was starting to get dark, and considering I already had the area noted down, I decided to retire for the night and come back next morning before dawn. Hopefully I would be able to note down its path and territory boundary.

The next morning, I was lying flat on my belly on a thick branch as I watched the Storm Runner release an arc of lightning on a hare-like creature after its quills had missed their mark. Immediately after that arc, the energy in its core dimmed substantially in my vision.

Earlier, the Storm Runner had spun around quickly, swishing its tail to use the momentum to release sharp quills aimed at that hare. The hare had sensed it coming and quickly jumped out of the way. It had almost escaped too as it was heading to a bush that led steeply downhill, an area that would be too perilous for the Storm Runner.

Just before the hare’s last jump to freedom, I saw the Storm Runner release a bolt of lightning from its mouth, frying the hare. It then approached the hare and picked it up with its jaws, before promptly swallowing the whole thing.

The observation of the core’s energy level was something new. The compendium had not indicated how many bolts of lightning it could fire, but my estimation was probably 5 to 6, 7 at most. It seemed like while the Storm Runner was perfectly capable of firing bolts of lightning, it was not its primary method of attack as it was quite draining.

I made a move to leave once the Storm Runner was out of sight. I had the territory and a few routes mapped out by now. While they mostly stayed to their area, it seemed like they did not roam on a fixed route like Bramblehide Boars. Unless another beast chased it out, I would be able to find it in the same area when my preparations were completed.

I was back in the Weeping Grotto poring over the several options I had sketched on the floor. Just to be comprehensive, I had written Lightning Bolt as the first in the list before drawing a line across it. “It would be like feeding myself to the raptor with extra steps” I chuckled to myself.

Second option would be to use conventional weapons, like a spear or a bow, both of which had their own set of problems. A spear would require me to get close, and I doubt I would win in a melee with those claws and quills. A bow however would have been good, except the bows in this world were too primitive, used by mundane hunters hunting small birds. Due to the existence of magic, no one had bothered to develop any form of ranged weaponry that could take out a large animal.

I had considered using poisons, but even piercing its hide would be a problem. Core progression came with strengthening the body for humans. For animals, I would guess that the mana strengthening their bodies would also strengthen their thick hides. The other problem with poisons was I did not want to risk contaminating the bones. Due to the magical nature of the poisons in this world, I could never rule out that possibility.

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The third option was a classic pit trap. Though I doubt I had the time needed to dig a pit deep enough for spears to pierce its hide. I stared at all the options listed while they stared back at me. “Fuck me, this is going nowhere, might as well take a break”

I moved to get some rations from the table when my eyes fell on the broken parts of Mark I. Specifically, the copper coils and the batteries. That’s when the idea struck me. I did not need to create pits and use gravity to pierce the raptor with spears. I could drive it through the beast myself.

“Just because the Storm Runner is immune to my lightning didn’t mean that I had to omit its use entirely! I can use electricity to propel the spears through a trap!” I had essentially combined all three ideas that did not work into one that could at that moment.

Lightning magic to power the magnets, or essentially a solenoid valve. Iron spears will act as the core for the solenoid valve, which will be propelled by the magnetic force when the enchantment activates. I can modify the enchantments to only react to the raptor’s discharge, essentially working as a trap.

“The return of the prodigal son” I shed a tear as even in its death, Mark I had given me the solution I had been looking for.

Marta was glad to see that my camping excursion had ended, but furrowed her brows when I inhaled my breakfast the next morning and immediately got up. “Where are you off to in such a rush?”