'This is frustrating.' Inala thought, trying his best to calm down, absolutely pissed at the fact that Asaeya chose a self-sacrificing Tertiary Nature.
After he completes his evolution, Inala would have the capability to upgrade the Inhibition Needles into a Minor Treasure. He would have to use dozens of Millingers in response, but it was doable.
Once the Inhibition Needle reaches the level of a Minor Treasure, Asaeya and Gannala will be safe even when the Boar King reaches the 5-Life Stage. They could continue remaining in the safety of the Brimgan Empire.
Thereby, even if Inala fails to kill the Boar King, they'll remain safe, their fates disconnected from the Mammoth Clan. Anyway, once he evolves, he wouldn't even be a Mammoth Clansman. So, he wouldn't be concerned about their life and death.
The only two people he cared about were in the carriage beside him. Here he was, planning his absolute best to ease their lives when in contrast, Asaeya conceptualised a Nature that would cause her to lose her life just to inflict a mortal wound on the Boar King. He fucking hated it.
He wasn't satisfied with Asaeya's promise to not use it. After all, he was aware of the fact that if his life was at risk, she would sacrifice herself on his behalf, even when armed with the knowledge that he could be revived through Blola.
'As long as she has it, she'd end up using it at some point in time.' By accessing the countless arguments between Asaeya and Gannala regarding the topic, he understood Asaeya's mindset. As long as she spends a few years with him happily, she wouldn't regret killing herself as long as it granted him the slightest benefit.
"Gannala, comprehend more of your inheritance." Inala said, "Let's see if there's anything in it that allows us to erase an existing Nature."
"I promised you that I won't use it." Asaeya argued, "Why do you have to do this?"
"I know you well." Inala stared at her, "So, I won't feel satisfied until there are no dangers to your life."
The trio rode the carriage in silence until it reached the peal of Karuta Hill. The driver alighted at the destination and opened the door, "We have arrived."
"Thank you," Inala said and paid the driver, accompanying Gannala and Asaeya to one of the most famous restaurants there, one from which they could peer into the valley.
"It looks spectacular," Inala commented as he breathed in the chill mist and exhaled softly. Upon seeing that Asaeya's mood was still sour, he patted her and rubbed her back, "Alright, forget everything I said. Don't miss out on the scenery."
"…Okay," Asaeya nodded as she stared from the railing and observed the valley covered by mist, "I can't see anything."
"The scenic item is only visible at certain times during the day." A waiter joined their conversation and pointed them to the nearby table that was free, "Please enjoy our treats while you wait for the mist to clear up a bit."
"With pleasure." Inala flashed a courteous smile as he took a seat with the duo. He then stealthily took out a Prana Bomb from his bag and moved it through psychokinesis, sticking it to the cliff beyond.
The Prana Bomb cracked as the Empyrean Zinger—in miniature form—hiding within it crawled out and leaped. It unfurled its wings and glided into the mist, soon coming across a gigantic tusk that was hoisted atop a platform, with its tip reaching halfway up the hill.
As it neared the tusk, the Empyrean Zinger noticed that large segments of it were covered by grey sand that for some reason remained inactive. Potholes covered the surface while cracks were strewn across like a cobweb.
The tusk hadn't been damaged due to weathering as the place's environment was strictly maintained to keep it undamaged. But the signs of damage on it were there from the beginning, carved from an era where the Mammoth Ancestor had her final battle against the Mudropper army.
It was then that they severed one of her tusks that lay at the location to date.
The Empyrean Zinger landed on the tusk and activated Mystic Bone Art, noticing a stream of information gush into it with enough force that its head exploded, "Kiek!"
Before its death, the Empyrean Zinger unleashed a cry in a frequency audible only to Zingers. Seated at the restaurant at the peak of the adjacent hill, Inala frowned, 'As I expected, there's information left in it by the Mammoth Ancestor. But the volume of information is too vast for the Empyrean Zinger to endure.'
'Then, I should be careful and use the Mind Slip Prime Skill instead of the Bone Slip Skill.' If he were to use the Bone Slip Skill, all the information present in the tusk would flow into him in an instant and cause his head to explode too.
Only with the Mind Slip Prime Skill could he take his time and surf through the information at a pace bearable to him.
The trio spent a couple of hours at the restaurant, eating casually while discussing in a merry. Using the opportunity, they conceptualised a plan to break in. Inala retracted the Prana Bomb and secured it in his bag. Slinging it on his back, he accompanied Asaeya and Gannala to casually leave the restaurant.
The trio walked along the streets at the peak of Karuta Hill as casually as possible. Soon, they made their way towards the edges. There was a wall separating them from the cliff for safety reasons, as the mist would waft in from time to time, making it easy for someone to slip to their deaths.
The trio stood at a comfortable spot close to the wall and seemed like casual tourists, not attracting any attention. Soon, the mist began to spill out of the valley and into the hill. The locals promptly requested all tourists to enter nearby establishments and stay there for the time being, as the mist usually recedes in a couple of minutes.
Inala kept his attention on his surroundings. Once he was unable to feel any prying eyes on him, he grabbed Gannala and Asaeya to jump over the wall, taking advantage of the mist to mask his entry.
Mystic Bone Art—Prana Claw!
His feet became covered by a layer of Prana Bomb and used its adhesive property to latch onto the cliff wall. By activating Internal Inertial Gravity, he maintained balance. He ran down the cliff wall, treating it as flat terrain, making casual leaps as and when necessary.
He had already practiced the craft back at the Sanrey Plains. And after so long, especially after his training at the Dralh Sea, he had pretty much mastered it. Without any issues, Inala arrived at the bottom of the valley, stopping before the Mammoth Ancestor's tusk as he muttered with a solemn tone, "The Tusk of the first Empyrean Tusk in history. Contained in it are boundless secrets…"
"Technically, she was a Mammoth Clansman with the power to transform into an Empyrean Tusk, similar to Resha." Gannala retorted, "Only her great-grandchildren became Empyrean Tusks. She created the Mammoth Clan through a process similar to my predecessor."
"I know, brat." Inala grumbled, "I was just trying to be cool."
"Of course, I knew that." Gannala grinned as she pointed at his hip which she was touching with her index finger. So, she had read his mind and retorted on purpose.
"Pfft!" Asaeya burst into laughter upon seeing Inala's eye twitch at Gannala's actions, "Hahaha! You got him good, Gannala."
"Serves him right for scolding us."
"Fine, fine, you guys win." Inala let out a chuckle in defeat as he touched the Mammoth Ancestor's severed tusk.
Prime Skill—Mind Slip!