Chapter 51: The Thunder Bird
The creature on the other side of the stream was a breathtaking spectacle. It was a kind of prehistoric ostrich, but of colossal proportions, easily standing three meters tall.
Its body was covered in dense, thick plumage, reddish-brown in color, which looked incredibly warm, designed to withstand the most extreme winter temperatures. Despite its size, the bird possessed no visible wings, making it dependent on its lower limbs.
And it was those legs that had captured Kellar’s attention. They were true columns of muscle and bone, measuring two meters long and ending in sharp, powerful talons. The animal was ignoring Kellar and Mila’s presence, concentrated on searching for food in the melted snow near the water’s edge
"That plumage will work great for clothes and blankets, and those tendons... they’re perfect," whispered Kellar, evaluating the beast with his gaze.
"How do we attack it?" asked Mila in a low voice, gripping her weapon. "Those legs don’t just give it speed; a single kick from that thing could crush our bones."
"Let’s use tactics," said Kellar, looking at the feline on his shoulder. "Go around the rear and release your aura to freeze it for a moment. Mila and I will flank it from both sides."
The cat nodded and disappeared in a flash through the frozen bushes. Kellar and Mila split up in opposite directions positioning themselves to cut off the bird’s escape routes.
Once the cat reached a solid position behind the monster, it unleashed its oppressive apex-predator aura all at once. However, unlike yesterday’s pig—which had frozen solid with fear at the cat’s presence—this colossal bird refused to be intimidated. Though it sensed the threatening presence, its territorial nature and massive size caused it to react with wild fury rather than paralyzing terror.
The creature let out a deafening screech that echoed through the air. Eyes red with rage locked onto the small feline. Enraged by the attempt at dominance, the beast raised one of its huge feet and slammed a brutal stomp into the ground, shattering the rocks below.
The cat barely managed to dodge by leaping backward, its fur completely puffed up.
"Mila, now! Distract it from the left!" ordered Kellar, drawing his weapons and charging at full speed under the boost of the blessing.
Mila reacted instantly. She darted toward the bird’s left flank with agility, clanking her weapons to draw the monster’s attention. The feathered giant whipped its long neck toward her, preparing a lethal peck.
"Mila, keep your distance! Don’t get near its legs!" ordered Kellar, looking out for her safety at every moment. He wasn’t going to let her take a single scratch.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Kellar activated [Butcher]. Instantly, his perception shifted: thin lines and glowing red dots highlighted the giant bird’s anatomy, revealing soft joints, tendon density, and the spots where the bone structure was most vulnerable.
"Master, what do I do now?" the cat’s voice resonated in Kellar’s mind.
"Use your agility to draw its attention from above. Leap through the trees and make it raise its head. I’ll disable its legs from below" Kellar replied.
The cat obeyed immediately, springing into the high branches and letting out a loud meow to draw the beast’s gaze. The creature, bewildered by the coordinated attacks coming from three fronts, jerked its head upward toward the feline for a split second.
That single instant was all Kellar needed.
He surged forward at top speed toward the bird’s right leg. He initially drew the ceremonial blade, but noticing it was too short to pierce through the thick plumage and reach the deep tendons, he sheathed it right away. In its place, he equipped the Overlord Club. Though the club looked crudely made, ugly, and seemingly weak, Kellar knew from the System data that its material density was unrivaled and could withstand any impact.
Guided with precision by [Butcher], Kellar swung a devastating blow with his 62 Strength points into the weak point of the knee joint.
CRACK!
The sharp sound of bone and joint giving way echoed through the air. The bird let out a screech of agony and lost its balance, buckling to one side.
"Mila, throw off its balance on the other knee! Cat, drop onto its eyes!" ordered Kellar, coordinating the final strike like a master tactician.
The cat dropped straight onto the bird’s head, clawing at its eyes to blind it, while Mila—following Kellar’s exact instructions—struck the opposite joint with full force. Left without both legs to support its three-meter height and colossal weight, the creature collapsed noisily onto the snow, completely immobilized.
Kellar walked calmly toward the neck of the defeated animal and, with a swift, powerful strike of his club backed by all his strength, finished the beast off.
Mila collapsed onto the snow, breathing heavily from exhaustion. Even though it had been a short battle, its sheer intensity had pushed her strength to the limit; a single mistake in coordination could have cost them all their lives.
The cat approached the fallen beast and began pacing around it, staring fixedly with perplexity.
"What’s wrong?" asked Kellar, stepping closer.
"It’s strange..." the cat replied directly in Kellar’s mind, twitching its ears. "This beast didn’t freeze when it felt my presence, and I don’t know why."
Kellar was also confused. He had assumed that if the cat was such a dominant creature, this bird shouldn’t have been able to resist its aura.
"If you had come alone, could you have killed it?" asked Kellar.
The cat tilted its head and answered with complete naturalness.
"Yes, it would have been much easier if I didn’t have to protect you."
Kellar couldn’t help but let out a bitter chuckle at the beast’s honesty as he looked down at the bird lying in the snow, knowing there was still much to uncover about the secrets and hierarchy of this forest.
Kellar walked over to Mila, offered his hand to help her up, and looked at her with calmness yet firm resolve.
"Let’s get out of here," said Kellar, helping her stand. "We don’t know if this thing has family nearby, and we barely managed with just one."