It was said that in the old days, when nobles discovered someone promising, their first thought was how to claim that person for their own. No method forged that bond more effectively than marriage. Regardless of the process, nothing bound two parties more securely than the union of families.
That tradition came to mind when I heard Feed speak of marriage.
I never thought I would feel the generation gap here.
His way of thinking struck me as old-fashioned. I hadn't noticed it before because of his youthful appearance, but he really appeared old right now. He seemed to be an old acquaintance of Maxim, which meant they were likely close in age.
The Iron-Blooded Lord, Maxim, and Feed... Feed also looked young, but not as much as the Iron-Blooded Lord. The latter carried himself like someone untouched by time itself.
In any case, I turned him down once.
Feed didn't continue pressing it and changed the subject. "What type of blessing do you possess?"
"It isn't combat-related. There is no way to train or improve it, so it's difficult to explain," I replied.
Feed looked surprised. "All of them?"
"I only have one blessing," I said evenly.
Feed hummed. "So you fought me with just that single blessing? As expected, my daughter—"
Maxim was unable to stay quiet and cut in, "Feed, stop talking nonsense."
For the first time, I was grateful for his presence.
Feed came to his senses and sighed. "I apologize. My daughter has been of marriageable age for some time, but she keeps delaying it. I suppose I've grown impatient."
"Didn't you say she is around my age?" I noted.
"To be precise, she is twenty years old. How about it? Among young people these days, a four-year difference is nothing."
"It's fine."
"Yes..." Feed nodded before changing the subject again. "Your blessing is difficult to develop. Is that why you formed a contract with a divine beast? After all, you need a way to withstand the miasma."
"I did gain some benefits from it." I recalled something. "By the way, that wolfman named Peter Fang saw my divine beast and called it the ominous black snake . Do you know what he meant?"
Feed shrugged. "Who knows? It may be a legend passed down through the beastfolk tribes. The Seven's myths and legends developed independently, so I have no way of knowing."
Then Feed glanced sideways. "If it is a beastfolk legend, isn't there someone here more qualified than I am?"
"Right." He had a point. One of the most renowned beastfolk was here.
"Huh? You mean me?" Maxim was a bit flustered once all eyes fell on him. Then he shook his head. "I'm sorry. I haven't heard of it either."
Feed frowned. "You haven't?"
Maxim sighed. "The beastfolk aren't like your winged race. Do you know how many different tribes there are? Even when we share a legend, each tribe and region tells it differently. The protagonist changes, the plot shifts, and the ending rarely stays the same."
"I see." Feed shifted his gaze back to me. "Then your best option is to ask Peter Fang again the next time you see him."
I hesitated. "Do you think he'll tell me? He treated me like a thorn in his side."
"He will." Feed sounded certain. "Peter Fang seems to like you. He must've already acknowledged you as a warrior."
I struggled to imagine that prickly werewolf acting friendly toward me.
"If you don't believe me, just ask him yourself later," Feed suggested. "He isn't the most straightforward person, so it may take some time."
I nodded. "I understand."
Feed continued, "There's something else I didn't mention before. Your combat style has another weakness."
"What is it?"
"You are vulnerable to aerial attacks," he replied.
He was right. I was almost helpless against Feed's attacks that poured down from the sky.
"Isn't this something that can be fixed with experience?" I asked.
I didn't speak lightly. During today's sparring session, I had performed much better than I had the day before.
"That might work if your opponent closes the distance and trades blows with you," Feed said. "But combine this issue with your first one. What happens if your enemy stays out of reach, hovers high in the air, and bombards you from a distance? How will you respond?"
He had a point.
Feed continued, "I can do that too. If I push the Blessing of Heavenly Wind to its limit, I can float high enough to overlook all of Teper and wipe out around one-third of the city. Would you throw your sword at such an opponent like that?"
It was hard. A sword could reach the sky, but the farther the opponent, the harder it became to land a hit and the easier it was for the opponent to dodge. If the opponent was strong like Feed, the probability of the attack hitting would drop once the distance exceeded one hundred meters.
The more I listened, the clearer the problem became. I suddenly realized that I had been fortunate until now. After all, all my enemies had stayed within my attack range. The low-ranked demons I had fought before my regression could fly but lacked the intelligence to exploit it.
So what should I do? Should I begin training in archery right away? This seemed like the obvious solution, but mastering it would take too much time.
At times like this, I couldn't help thinking of the ideal martial artist that I sought to become: my master and seniors.
Of course, my master Bai Luguang and my seniors all possessed reliable means for long-ranged combat.
Senior Brother He Lou wielded the Wind and Thunder Halberd, which commanded winds fiercer than Heavenly Wind Knight Feed's and could even summon thunderstorms.
Senior Sister Tian had mastered many tricks, including the Qi Men Dun Jia, and could control the weather freely without relying on any tools.
Senior Brother Arang was one of the most versatile warriors I had ever seen and was capable of aerial and underwater combat.
As for Third Senior Brother, I knew little of his abilities.
I brought this weakness on myself. I was the one who stubbornly insisted on training only in the White Sun Eclipse.
I was seriously pondering this when Feed spoke. "There is only one solution."
"And that would be?"
"It's a solution that can handle long-range attacks and even flying enemies," Feed replied.
"Something like that exists?"
"That's right."
Maxim, who had been listening in silence, suddenly narrowed his eyes. "Feed, don't tell me..."
Feed nodded. "Yes. I can give him Crowtaker."
Maxim slapped his thigh, the sharp crack of it blurring the line between a sigh and an exclamation.
I was the only one lost in the exchange, so I asked, "What is Crowtaker?"
"It is both a power and a relic. Among the winged race tribes, only the Skystriders have the right to pass it on." Feed sounded unusually vague.
When he noticed my blank stare, he realized his mistake and corrected himself. "In other words, it is the power of flight. Of course, you won't be able to wield it as freely as the winged race do..."
"Can I fly with it?"
"Yes."
If so, it was definitely the power I needed the most right now.
Still, confusion lingered, so I asked, "It seems like a rare power, but you want to give it to me?"
"I have the right to do so. Though I admit, I have an ulterior motive." Feed laughed. "I hope you can talk to Delac. I don't want to become enemies with the Badnikers."
"I'm not sure if he'll listen to me..."
"If he won't listen to you, who would he listen to?" Feed countered.
"I understand," I said, letting the uncomfortable subject drop. "So how do I receive this Crowtaker?"
"A sacred power usually takes physical form as a pattern," Feed explained.
"That means..."
"I will engrave the sacred mark of the winged race onto your body," he said evenly.
A tattoo again... First, a snake tattoo, now wings. My body wasn't a blank canvas, so I couldn't help feeling strange. Still, I can't refuse.
Feed said, "Speaking of which, let's do it right now. Take off your jacket and turn your back to me."
"Yes..."
"I am envious. You refused when I asked for it," Maxim said, causing Feed to laugh.
"You are the setting sun now. It benefits me more if a rising star owes me a favor. He will one day become a pillar of the Hero Society," Feed said matter-of-factly.
I doubted I would remain a hero of the Hero Society for long, but I had no desire to dampen the warm mood.
Feed pulled out a dagger no longer than my index finger. "Now then..."
Was he really planning to carve a mark directly into my back? I flinched as its blade pressed against my skin.
"W-wait a minute," I stammered. "Are you going to perform this procedure like that?"
"Then what?" Feed asked.
"What about anesthesia?" I demanded.
"Anesthesia?" Feed echoed, as if the word were foreign to him. "Why are you so startled?"
Someone would think that a warrior shouldn't have asked such a question.
Feed regarded me steadily. "A tattoo is proof of a warrior's bravery. Naturally, anesthesia would only tarnish such a noble resolve."
I wasn't some kind of masochist who insisted on enduring pain that could be avoided. "I'm neither brave nor noble, so go ahead and use it."
Feed shook his head in disbelief. "You are really strange."
No. The strange one here is you.
***
The procedure lasted about two hours. I had no idea whether that counted as fast or slow. It seemed to happen in an instant. Even under anesthesia, I sensed a faint thread of pain, but it was bearable. However, the feeling of the blade cutting my skin was quite irritating.
"It's over," Feed announced.
I nodded.
A dull ache throbbed across the lower part of my shoulders.
I casually touched the back of my neck and asked, "So I can fly now?"
"No. You'll need an adjustment period, along with proper training," Feed replied. "Still, you can give it a try."
"Now?"
Feed nodded. "Crowtaker manifests differently for each user. Wing shape, duration of use, and side effects vary. The difference isn't small, so I want to see the results myself."
"I understand, but how am I supposed to use this?" I asked.
"Focus your mana on the tattoo on your shoulder blade," he instructed.
My shoulder blade... The blade had pierced that exact spot moments ago, so I knew exactly where the pattern was engraved.
The area to focus my internal energy on is roughly near the Jianjing shoulder acupuncture point. I often channeled internal energy through that pathway while using the White Sun Eclipse, but this was the first time I focused my internal energy only on that location.
I immediately guided my internal energy through my meridians.
The moment the internal energy pooled at the acupuncture point, a new sensation stirred within me, and something sprouted from my back. It was almost like I had grown a new limb that I could move. The sensation resembled the way I released my internal energy in all directions to expand my energy perception. It was difficult to describe it. It was like a weapon wedged between my flesh and internal energy, or maybe a newly formed organ.
"Hoh."
"This..."
Maxim and Feed's flustered cries echoed.
I looked behind me and froze at the unexpected sight. "What is this...?"
Could it even be called a wing? It looked nothing like the wings I had seen on the winged race so far. The difference was striking, especially the color.
"It looks like a crow's wing?" I murmured.
Feed replied, "That is why it is called Crowtaker. However, that isn't the important part. Right now, you only have one wing."
"One wing?"
I turned my head to the other side and stared. Sure enough, a single wing had sprouted from my back, specifically, the right side.
"It seems to be a side effect of not being fully synchronized with your body," Feed speculated. "Still, the shape is correct. Even with only one wing, you should be able to fly."
"I can fly with just one?"
"Of course. For the winged people, wings are merely form," Feed answered evenly. "Think about it. No matter how large they are, even our kind can't fly very fast due to our body structure. Yet, we can fly long distances at high speed and even remain suspended in the air without flapping. We manage that because we naturally receive the wind's blessing."
That much was undeniable. No kind of wing could remain aloft without movement, just like Feed had demonstrated earlier.
Feed said, "Now that we have confirmed the wing's shape, let's stop here for now—"
"Can I try flying a bit?"
Feed shook his head at my words. "That's impossible. This is an entirely new sensation for you. You must devote at least a month to get used to it—"
At that moment, the surge of internal energy erupting from the acupuncture point ignited into flame and raced across the entire wing. Crimson fire swallowed it in an instant, then darkened as though stained with ink. The flames turned pitch black. At the same time, I rose gently from the ground.
"O-ohh?"
A thrill ran through me as I experienced this sensation for the first time.
Then I caught the conversation between Feed and Maxim.
Maxim said, " Sheesh. That's an incredible talent."
Feed added, "Talent is one thing, but I've never seen that type of Crowtaker in any record. A wing formed from black flames?"
Maxim hummed. "It isn't a style I can accept. However, boys around fourteen to sixteen tend to gravitate toward that aesthetic."
Understanding dawned on Feed's face. "I know what you mean. It is the age when they obsess over darkness, night, shadows, and blood, even if they aren't demon worshipers. Of course, if you mention it a few years later, those kids will act like they don't know you and want to kill you for mentioning it."
I couldn't stand it any longer and cut in, "It isn't like that."