The flight to Mount Hakobe was longer, the terrain below shifting from dense forest to rolling foothills, and finally, to the stark, rocky inclines of the mountain range. As Katsuki ascended, cutting through the thinner alpine air, he noticed something… different. A subtle, almost imperceptible thrumming in the atmosphere, a strange energy that seemed to resonate with the power simmering within him. It wasn't something he could see or consciously grasp, but he felt it, a faint, tingling sensation on his skin, a heightened awareness in his senses.
When he'd first arrived in this world, he'd dismissed the idea of 'magic' with contempt. But the way the townsfolk spoke of Fairy Tail, the casual displays of impossible feats he'd witnessed in Magnolia, and now this… this ambient energy that seemed to saturate the very air of Fiore… it was becoming harder to ignore. He still considered it a crutch for those without true, inherent strength like his Quirk, but he couldn't deny its pervasive presence.
As he neared the coordinates specified for the Rock-Scaled Wyrm, the feeling intensified. The air grew thick with it, a palpable pressure that made the hairs on his arms stand on end. And then, he felt a distinct surge, not from within himself, but around him, as if the ambient energy of this place was reacting to his own explosive power, amplifying it, supercharging it in a way he'd never experienced. His Quirk, his nitroglycerin-like sweat, felt… more volatile, more potent. The familiar tingle in his palms was sharper, the latent heat more intense.
"Tch," Katsuki grunted, a flicker of surprise, quickly suppressed, crossing his features. "So this is that 'magic' bullshit. Feels like it's trying to juice me up." A predatory grin spread across his face. He wasn't about to question a free power-up. If this world wanted to make him even stronger, he'd gladly take it. "Awesome."
He spotted his target soon enough. The Rock-Scaled Wyrm was an enormous, serpentine creature, its body covered in thick, overlapping plates that resembled jagged shards of granite. It was coiled around a rocky outcrop high on the mountainside, its massive head, crowned with a series of bony spurs, surveying its domain with reptilian indifference. It was easily twice the size of any Nomu he'd faced, a true monster of stone and sinew. Smoke, tinged with a faint sulphurous odor, curled from its nostrils with each ponderous breath.
This thing was tougher than the wolves, clearly. A wide-area attack like Howitzer Impact might not be enough to pierce that dense, rocky hide, especially if he wanted a recognizable 'chunk' for proof. He needed precision. He needed penetration.
Katsuki didn't hesitate. He adjusted his trajectory, rocketing towards the Wyrm with unerring accuracy. As he closed the distance, he focused his power, channeling the nitroglycerin sweat into a concentrated point in his right palm. The ambient magical energy seemed to flow into him, coiling with his own power, making the impending blast feel almost uncomfortably potent.
"AP Shot!" he yelled, the technique designed for armor penetration, for punching through defenses.
Instead of a wide, concussive explosion, a focused beam of pure destructive energy, white-hot and needle-sharp, erupted from his palm. It lanced through the air with incredible speed, striking the Rock-Scaled Wyrm squarely in its thick, stony side.
The effect was devastating. The Wyrm let out a deafening, agonized shriek that echoed across the mountain peaks, a sound like mountains grinding together. The rocky plates at the point of impact didn't just crack; they vaporized, a shower of molten rock and superheated steam erupting from the wound. The AP Shot, amplified by the strange magical energy of the environment, had punched clean through the creature's formidable armor and deep into its vitals.
The massive creature thrashed, its coils spasming, dislodging boulders and sending them crashing down the mountainside. Its death throes were brief but violent. Then, with a final, shuddering exhalation, it went still, its enormous body slumping against the rocks, a plume of dark smoke rising from the grievous wound.
Katsuki hovered in the air for a moment, observing the kill. The amplified power was… intoxicating. He could feel the residual energy thrumming through him, a thrilling, dangerous sensation. He descended, landing lightly near the fallen Wyrm. The creature was immense, its sheer bulk awe-inspiring even in death. He approached the gaping, smoking hole his AP Shot had created. He needed proof.
With a grunt of effort, he reached into the wound – heedless of the intense heat still radiating from it – and, using his raw strength, tore loose a large, jagged chunk of the Wyrm's rock-like hide, still sizzling and dripping with dark, viscous blood. It was heavy, solid, undeniable proof. He examined it with grim satisfaction, then, much like he'd done with the wolf claw, found a place to stow it – this time, he had to wedge it somewhat awkwardly into a tear his landing had made in his uniform trousers, as his pockets were full. The garment was rapidly becoming a repository for monstrous remains.
Two down. One to go. The Shadow Panther near Oakhaven.
He glanced at the third parchment, noting the southeastern direction. The amplified power still coursed through him, a restless energy demanding release. There was no thought of fatigue, no consideration for rest. Only the drive to complete the task, to assert his dominance, to push his limits in this new, strange, and unexpectedly empowering world.
With another guttural roar and a series of ground-shaking blasts that sent tremors through the already unstable mountainside, Katsuki launched himself back into the sky. He streaked away from the corpse of the Rock-Scaled Wyrm and the desolate peak of Mount Hakobe, a fiery arrow aimed towards his final target, the amplified echo of his explosions leaving a profound silence in his wake. The sooner he finished these damn jobs, the sooner he could get paid, and the sooner he could figure out what the hell he was truly dealing with in this magic-infested kingdom.