Chapter 233: Flight of the Executor

Chapter 233: Flight of the Executor

[Ability Unlocked: Trait Acquisition]

[Trait Acquisition: Copy one physical trait from each soul shackle. The trait persists as long as the soul remains anchored.]

I blinked multiple times and even rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.

"Doesn’t this mean I can keep gaining physical traits as long as I keep creating more soul shackles?"

A grin formed on my face. This was totally unexpected.

And more than that—a new race entirely.

Just to be sure nothing had gone wrong, I scanned my body with my perception. Bones, muscles nerves—everything was where it should be. No unexpected changes.

My shoulders relaxed.

"Good."

It was time to taste the effect of my new ability.

I stood up and placed my right hand on my chest and summoned Silver.

Crimson mist surged out, and soon Silver stood in front of me.

But this time, something was different.

Not only could I see Silver’s level—

A faint glow shimmered beside Silver’s status. A list had appeared—three items, floating like soft lights in the air, waiting for me to choose one.

[Wings]

[Predator’s Vision]

[Avian Spine]

I stared at the options, heart thudding. There were no descriptions, no extra details. Just names. But I didn’t need any. I could tell what each meant.

Predator’s Vision? I didn’t need it. My perception was already very insane.

Avian Spine? I skipped that too. I already had a passive skill called [Apex Body], and even though it was still in its early stage, I knew it would grow into something powerful. There was no need to pick a spine upgrade when my body itself was on a path of evolution.

That left the last one.

Wings.

My eyes stayed on that word, and something inside me stirred. Excitement. Anticipation. I looked up and met Silver’s gaze. The bond between us carried my thoughts, and he understood instantly. He let out a sharp cry and spread his wings wide for me.

They were huge, regal things—broad, curved, and cloaked in his signature crimson mist. Wind moved around them naturally, flowing in circles, humming softly as if the world itself bowed to their presence. I had seen those wings carry me, North, and Steve across skies without slowing down, and even then, I hadn’t seen them strain.

This was a gift. A powerful one.

I made my decision without hesitation. I chose [Wings].

The moment I confirmed my choice, the crimson mist around Silver exploded outward like a crashing wave. It surged toward me and struck my body, flooding through my skin like hot wind. I could feel the force of it flowing in through every pore.

Inside me, something responded.

The runes—the ones etched into my body during the race evolution—lit up, glowing faintly with violet light. They moved, shifting, guiding the energy through my system.

The mist and the runes mixed together, reacting like two halves of a lock and key. They rushed toward my upper back, right around my shoulder blades and spine.

My shirt tore apart as the pressure built. I watched through my perception as the mist began to shape itself, pulling into form. Wings—just like Silver’s—began to take shape behind me, slowly solidifying from the cloud of energy.

Then came the pain.

A tearing, grinding feeling spread through my back and spine. The runes weren’t just letting the wings form, they were carving space for them, making room inside my body to anchor this new trait. It felt like my bones were moving, adjusting. Muscles stretched and split, nerves rearranged themselves.

I clenched my jaw and closed my eyes. But the pain wasn’t short. It dragged on, steady and brutal, as my body slowly accepted the new limb. The runes pulsed the entire time, guiding the change.

Minutes passed. Maybe more than thirty. I didn’t count. I only breathed, stayed still, and waited for it to end.

Then, slowly, the pain faded.

My eyes opened. My breathing was slow but steady. And for the first time, I felt something behind me. A part of me. Something new, but not foreign. A limb. A natural extension of my body.

Wings.

I willed them to move.

The wings on my back flared open with a smooth, fluid motion. Crimson. Vast. Feathers made of condensed mist curled around faintly glowing violet runes etched into every inch.

They looked solid—almost real—but when I focused, I could see the way the mist danced and shifted like flames frozen in time. Each feather pulsed with quiet power, reacting to my thoughts, my intent.

I stood at the center of the stone platform—the one suspended in the middle of a grey, cloudless void. There was nothing around me but the endless abyss and the still air of this strange world, created for my evolution. Here, time felt hollow, and the silence pressed against my ears like a second skin.

I spread my wings fully and the air responded.

A gust spiraled around the platform, sharp and fast, circling me like a living thing. I blinked in surprise as my body lifted slightly off the ground without me even trying. The wind bowed to the wings like loyal subjects.

With a gentle flap, I hovered a few feet in the air, drifting forward over the platform’s edge. I angled my wings and turned in midair, slowly circling the platform like a bird of prey gliding on a thermal. There was no weight pulling me down. It felt natural, like walking or breathing.

Then I tilted forward and flapped harder.

My body shot ahead, the wind folding around me like a second skin. I zipped across the grey space, twisted midair, and banked hard to the right. The platform spun behind me, a tiny speck as I gained distance. The wings moved as if they had always been a part of me. Each beat was precise, each motion perfectly synced with my intent.

I slowed midair, pulling my wings out wide and letting the misty feathers act like air brakes. Then I tucked in slightly and tried again—this time faster.

A single flap and I surged forward with more speed. The air screamed past my ears. I grinned.

Then I willed Essence to shift within me, pulling at the nearby wind particles. The air responded as if waiting for this exact moment.

I infused the wind into the wings themselves, and suddenly they lit up. The mist feathers shimmered, and my next flap created a burst of force that rocketed me upward like a bullet.

I clenched my teeth in delight as I felt myself tear through the empty sky above. The grey space blurred around me.

And then I added more.

With a twist of my body, I kicked down hard, activating [Seismic Burst] from the soles of my feet. The resulting shockwave launched me even faster, the combined force of my technique and wings pushing me to impossible speeds.

The air around me rippled violently, and the platform disappeared far below.

For a moment, I just hovered at the peak of my flight, wings spread wide.

There was no sound here. Just the soft hum of violet runes glowing on my back and the ever-present whisper of wind beneath my command. I stayed suspended in midair—completely still, floating in the grey sky as if time had stopped.

Then I dropped.

I folded the wings tight to my back and dove headfirst.