Dawn approached as the Dralh Sea stopped glowing. Its nature changed as it began to absorb the sunlight, gradually turning dark.
Soon, it became ink-black and began to bubble in response, growing hot enough to reach its boiling point. The Pranic Beasts became dormant in response, remaining still as making a move under this heat expended more energy than usual.
While asleep, an Iron Grade Pranic Beast gradually surfaced, and so did the rest of its school, as they were more comfortable at the surface than the depths with fiercer undercurrents generated due to the heat.
Less than twenty minutes into its sleep, the Iron Grade Pranic Beast was suddenly severed into two by a Bludder.
Spinning rapidly like the blades of a copter, the Bludder expertly moved across the bubbling Dralh Sea, taking advantage of the surface tension by using its rotation to the extreme. Its Eddy Blades flashed once and severed through the bodies of three Pranic Beasts.
It drilled into the severed halves of the Pranic Beast and gorged on its heart. As long as it swallows the heart, the Prana within the Spirit Container contained there would eventually be digested and converted into its own.
It would be able to hunt more following that.
Bludders had small bodies, reaching a length of two metres in their elongated forms. When coiled as a sphere, they were the size of a basketball, rapidly rotating as they moved around.
They were extremely carnivorous in nature and due to their smaller frames, were unable to consume much biomass. Hence, their primary diet consisted of Pranic Beast hearts.
The weather conditions of the Dralh Sea were unfavourable to them, as they were native to the Guna Caves. The conditions became extreme during the evening with the Death Hour and the accompanying Cold Shower.
But during the morning, when the sea began to warm up was the best time for the Bludders to attack. The weather was perfect for their travel and since most Pranic Beasts at the Dralh Sea fell asleep at this period, it was the best time to hunt.
Numbering in the tens of thousands were Bludders that swarmed the Dralh Sea, targeting the Iron Grade Pranic Beasts to selectively gorge on their hearts. The targeted side retaliated, resulting in a clash between both sides.
A Bludder killed two Iron Grade Pranic Beasts with its Eddy Blade and spun slowly while its head peeked out stealthily to munch on a heart.
Right at this moment, approaching it from underneath was a Pranic Beast resembling a hand with a dozen tentacles dangling from its wrist. The tip of every finger sported a mouth, revealing hundreds of rotary teeth within.
It travelled as a fist and gradually revealed its palm while close to the surface. After pausing for a moment, it clenched the hand into a fist, intending to crush the Bludder.
But suddenly, flashing out from its butt like a whip spear was an Ewworm. Its sharp tip pierced the palm, causing blood to spew out in response.
Without a moment's delay, the Bludder retracted the Ewworm into its rectum and spun away, making a circle on the water surface before returning to brush past, unleashing its Eddy Blade for an instant at close proximity, severing all the Pranic Beast's fingers.
The Pranic Beast writhed in pain, unable to screech since all its mouths had been severed off. If not for its brain and heart remaining hidden deep within the palm, it would have died from the attack.
Protected under a thick layer of bone, the palm was too tough for a Bludder to slash through in a single hit. Hence, it targeted the fingers instead, attacking its joints to sever them cleanly. This way, it neutralised the opponent, ensuring the latter was neither able to flee nor retaliate.
The Ewworm shot out of the Bludder and dug in from one of the severed fingers, gorging into the flesh underneath. Some wriggles later, it pierced through the arteries and veins leading to the heart.
Like a fork lifting a piece of fruit from a table, the tail brought out the Pranic Beast's heart and fed it to the Bludder. By swallowing this heart, the Bludder had consumed three hearts in total.
Having had its fill, it began to return. It was a short, but worthwhile trip. The Bludder was in charge of attack while the Ewworm was in charge of the defence.
An Ewworm was basically harmless and also consumed a creature's excreta to grow. As long as it grows enough, it would develop a weapon on its tail end, which would serve to protect its host.
It was the perfect accomplice for the Bludder that voraciously hunted for prey. It wasn't one of the strongest Iron Grade Pranic Beasts for no reason.
A Bludder even dared to target a Silver Grade Pranic Beast. Of course, the majority of the time, it was killed by the Silver Grade Pranic Beast.
But there were exceptions, especially in cases of Bludders that had lived for most of their lives and had also grown an Ewworm in their rectum to maturity. These Bludders dared to target Silver Grade Pranic Beasts.
"Be ready," Inala said as he observed spinning balls approach Leh Island like a swarm. Usually, during this time, Ralral would envelop the island with mist and use the terrain advantage to deal with the Bludders.
The Bludders were fast enough to evade blows from Spirit Weapons, but if they were unable to kill any prey for a long enough time, they'd change targets. After all, they consumed large amounts of Prana during their hunt.
Ralral and group would hold back the Bludders long enough until they avoid Leh Island and target other regions.
Since she wasn't alive, it was Inala's burden to protect the island. He didn't wish to leave behind any traces of his actions on Leh Island. That way, the Cooter Clan would be none the wiser.
"Ready?" Inala shouted as he was accompanied by dozens of Empyrean Zinger Scouts. He waited until the Bludders came close enough before condensing a Prana Bomb in his hand. Arching his hand to the back, he stepped forth, raised his density to the limit, and threw a heavy Prana Bomb, "Shoot!"
Prana Bombs flew in a flurry, each of them ranging from a few kilograms to a hundred kilograms—the latter being chucked by Inala, the Empyrean Zinger King, and the four Empyrean Zinger Commanders.
Swoosh!
Followed by whistling sounds, the Prana Bombs impacted the Dralh Sea with force, causing large splashes in response. The Bludders evaded them, losing their spin when water from the impact splashed on them.
They spun in circles for a couple of seconds until their rotation reached optimal rates once again, following which they sped towards Leh Island. Soon, they were less than twenty metres from the shore.
At this moment, Asaeya inhaled a deep breath as Prana surged into her throat. She then exerted all her strength to scream, "Die!"
Primary Nature—Linked Rupture!
Secondary Nature—Akashic Transfer!
The Bludders lost their sight, for a moment too stunned. Without giving them a second of break, stomping her legs on the shore was Gannala, having finished her preparations. She too surged Prana in her throat, activating Internal Inertial Gravity to her current limit.
Following that, she roared, "Argh!"
A high-frequency soundwave blasted forth from her, reversing the tides as the eardrums of Bludders in the vicinity ruptured, causing hundreds of them to stop spinning as their idle bodies began to sink into the water.
Three seconds later, they became prey to the Pranic Beasts underwater.