Chapter 64

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 64

Chapter Title: Fairy Wings

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[Fairy Wings] were exactly what they sounded like—the wings that fairies carried on their backs.

They were a fairly common and useful miscellaneous item you'd pick up in the higher trials ahead, but getting one in the early stages was next to impossible.

'I was pretty shocked when Han So-hee showed up with one at the auction house.'

That was why her appearance had settled my hesitation about choosing this place for the second trial zone. I'd made up my mind on the spot.

I took the Fairy Wings and dusted them against the back of my hand. A sparkle of powder puffed up, and a notification appeared.

"Sera, did you see that just now?"

"Yeah! Such pretty powder flew up. What is it?"

"It's magic dust."

To put it realistically, it was like moth scales. But sprinkling these beautiful particles on your body triggered an astonishing effect.

I lifted the wings again, tapping them lightly on my head next, then on both legs.

Then I handed them to Yi Sera.

"I couldn't dust one arm. Can you do it for me?"

"Sure!"

Yi Sera grabbed the wings and tapped them on my remaining arm. This time, a different notification popped up from the previous ones.

The effect this magic dust created was simple: it let you fly through the sky! I felt the pull of gravity trying to drag me down vanish completely.

"Whoa? Oppa has wings!"

The wings crumbled into dust right away. Unlike living fairies, wings taken from them could only be used once per set.

Essentially disposable.

"That's not the important part."

Hanging from the cliff, I hoisted Yi Sera onto my shoulders and took off into the air.

"Wh-what?"

Yi Sera's eyes went wide.

"Hey! You! What the hell?!"

Shin Seo-yeon, who'd been watching us, opened her eyes wide too, and the people around started buzzing in shock.

"No way."

"He's flying?"

"A unique ability? That's insane!"

I shot up into the air quickly. Or rather, I pulled back from the cliff. The fierce sea wind battered my back, trying to shove me toward the cliff again, but it couldn't hold me down.

Just one issue, though.

'I didn't notice while hanging on the cliff, but yeah, it's tough for two people to benefit from [Fairy Wings]. Moving slow with Sera on my back.'

But it was too late to send Yi Sera back down to the cliff now. I patted her dangling legs in front of me.

"I'm gonna move fast from here, so don't ride piggyback—hang onto my back. Swing my backpack to the front."

"Got it!"

In the meantime, I kept pulling back from the cliff. Now I could see everyone plastered to it at a glance.

"Hey! Take us with you!"

"Please help! Give me a ride too!"

Everyone was begging to be taken along.

"All done, Oppa!"

Yi Sera had swung the backpack around front and clung to my back like a cicada, wrapping her legs tight around mine. She wiggled her hips a little.

"Good. Here we go."

Bang!

I rocketed upward instantly, sweeping past the cliff face.

It was gigantic... no, words like that fell short. The sheer, dizzyingly vast cliff stretched endlessly.

From left to right, bottom to top—it filled my vision, and even as I flew up and up, no end in sight.

'Where is it.'

But I had no intention of flying all the way to the destination like this.

[Fairy Wings] only lasted a minute. Not enough time to reach 1,000 meters altitude, especially with someone else on my back.

'There has to be a good spot somewhere.'

What I was searching for was a safe rest area.

Once I found it, I'd use the [Summoner's Letter Envelope] to bring the others over. That was my plan.

'No protruding ledges—they're dangerous. That one's taken anyway.'

"Whoa, someone's flying?"

"Look over there—someone's in the air!"

As I climbed higher, people seeing me for the first time shouted with envious stares. But I had no time to check them out. My eyes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scanned the surroundings rapidly.

'A cave. I need a cave.'

Of course, pinpointing one in this vast expanse in just tens of seconds was nearly impossible. But high agility, extreme focus, and ten years of experience made it possible.

'That one's too small on sight, that one has people. Look for spots people avoid, places not visible from below... Good rest areas are viciously placed like that.'

Experience guiding my search, I finally spotted a decent one with a wide entrance.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

I quickly pulled out my opera glasses—the [Magic Engineering Binoculars K711]—and peered inside.

'Perfect. Spacious enough. No one's there.'

Even at a glance, it looked deep enough to settle in comfortably. I shot straight toward it.

'Damn. This is gonna be close.'

The wind clung fiercely, yanking at my skin, but I was making top speed.

Shrieeeek!

But time ran out.

'Shit!'

I hadn't reached the cliff yet when the flight effect cut out. Gravity surged up from below, yanking me down relentlessly, as if it knew I couldn't escape this time.

But besides gravity, another force acted on my body.

'Good, momentum should get me to the cliff!'

The problem was slamming into it at this speed... could be risky. I steadied my mind and locked eyes on the target ahead.

"Sera, hold tight. It's gonna be a rough impact—might hurt."

"Okay!"

Staring at the massive cliff rushing closer, I pulled a prepped item from my pocket.

A nut.

A tool for rock climbing—technically called a placement. You wedge it into rock cracks ahead of time as insurance against a fall. The square metal chunk with its long wire gets stuck fast, halting your drop.

I gripped the nut tight.

'Here it comes.'

Not many chances. Better nail it first try. Fail, and I'd plummet with accelerating speed.

'Once acceleration kicks in, even I can't stop it. Aim for the exact moment of impact.'

The cliff loomed right up. Rock texture sharpened into view. Hiss! Yi Sera sensed the hit and squeezed me hard.

'Now.'

I focused razor-sharp, scanning fast.

Found a good crack.

Spot for the nut... none!

Crash!

"Ngh."

It hit hard, but the front backpack cushioned it. Mostly clothes inside, so great shock absorption.

I desperately hooked fingers on a rock ledge to stop from bouncing off.

Crunch.

Fingers screamed, but I held.

Then my body started sliding down the rock.

'Where is it.'

Desperate search. Shoes screeched on smooth stone. Fingers burned. Thank god for the gloves, I thought.

Without them, bones would show by now.

Climbing barefoot was ideal, but ditching glove options in the selection process was suicide, so these habitual gloves saved my fingers from mangling.

'No distractions.'

Back to reality, sliding fast, eyes darting.

'Found it!'

Finally, a perfect point.

I moved my hand.

"Ah."

But downward speed was too much. Acceleration built; the crack zipped past overhead.

Then it hit me—the nut in my grip floated up, slipping into the crack.

Whirr!

The [Ring of Grand Lord Arken]'s telekinesis had kicked in.

Thud!

Wire snapped taut; muscles howled.

For a split second, I feared the bolt snapping, so I braced both feet firm on the cliff.

Screeech!

The placement shrieked like it might shatter. Yi Sera smartly reached for a nearby ledge, planting both hands.

"Hngh!"

Then she locked her legs around my armpits and powered through with her arms.

Grrrind!

I debated tossing another placement when, barely, the fall stopped.

Whew. Caught my breath, then planted my fingers next to Yi Sera's hold for stability.

"Good work, Sera. We lived thanks to you."

"Yeah!"

We'd landed safely, somehow.

No time to relax, though. The Saintess was fine, but Shin Seo-yeon's strength was only 20.

Plenty of stamina, but after hanging so long, she'd tire soon.

"Up we go."

I forced stiff fingers to move and climbed fast.

"Doesn't it hurt, Oppa?"

"Nah, I'm good."

Pain was there, but bearable. In the selection process, spinning fingers and dislocated joints were routine injuries.

"Whoa, you're climbing so well!"

Still moving this quick? Ten years of experience.

Compared to the bullshit terrain in higher trials, this was a joke.

Yi Sera would be Spider-Manning around in days too.

That was why I'd had everyone else climb over and dangle awhile. Precious or not, I couldn't spoon-feed them forever.

'Around here.'

Finding the direction was easy. Straight slide, and I'd already mapped the cave area.

'Good. Almost there.'