Chapter 305: Wings of Freedom (6)

“

Aah

, this is the feeling!” Icarus flapped his wings with an ecstatic expression.

He recalled how he had trained desperately for the past month, unable to forget this sensation. The vast green meadow filled his vision. On top of that, the gazes of the birdfolk, filled with envy, were fixed upon him! Feeling like the protagonist of the world, Icarus proudly showed off his flight.

Naturally, the hearts of the birdfolk watching him greatly wavered.

“I-Is that really okay?”

“He really looks like he’s enjoying himself...”

“Icarus is doing it, so why can’t we?”

“Th-That’s right. Then maybe I should try flying too.”

One by one, the birdfolk, who had only hesitated and twitched their wings, slowly began flapping. The first to take action were the young birdfolk who had struggled to contain their desires. Dozens of birdfolk soared into the air, leaving the forest behind.

Icarus welcomed them with cheerful wingbeats.

“I-I’m flying... I’m really flying through the sky!”

“

Hahaha!

This feels amazing!”

“

Argh

... Darn it...”

“

Huh?

Are you crying?”

“No?!”

Each of them expressed their joy in their own way. The birds that had escaped their cage by their own will enjoyed their freedom, soaring through the vast sky. However, that was short-lived.

Gargoyles pierced through the dark clouds, their red eyes gleaming as they let out fierce roars.

“

Kyaaaagh!

”

“

Kraaaagh!

”

“W-what are those things?!”

“Those wings... They’re the same as the ones Icarus showed us!”

The gargoyles had been dispatched to punish the birds that had left the Cage.

Icarus looked down at the ground with urgency. He desperately needed the help of Kai and Blizzard. However, they didn’t move an inch, as if they were nailed to the ground.

Why... Why? Why aren’t they helping?

The benefactors he had believed would save the birdfolk, why weren’t they stepping in at this moment of crisis?

Icarus’s expression twisted as he saw his people being attacked and fleeing in panic.

***

“Are you really sure about this? Blizzard asked in a slightly concerned voice.

It was only natural, as Kai had just said he wouldn’t intervene.

“If it gets too dangerous, we’ll step in. But for now, I want to leave it to Icarus. That’s why we trained him, right? He has talent, and he learns quickly.”

“But it has only been a month since his training began. A single month.”

As Blizzard continued his argument, Kai chuckled as if he couldn’t hold back his amusement and looked at him. “You’re really funny, you know that?”

“...

Huh?

”

“Just give me your arm.”

Blizzard hastily tried to hide his arm behind him, but Kai grabbed it and examined his scales. The normally strong and sturdy scales of a black lizardman were now full of cracks.

“Look at this. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

"F-forgive me for showing such a humiliating sight..."

“That’s nothing to be humiliated about. Besides, like Icarus said, you weren’t even going all out.”

The cracks were scars from his sparring matches with Icarus.

Kai used Sunlight’s Warmth to heal Blizzard’s wounds and then asked, “Alright, let me ask you again. Do you really think something capable of injuring you this much would lose to a gargoyle?”

“... But he lacks experience.”

“That’s exactly why.” Kai’s clear eyes turned toward Icarus, who was flying toward the birdfolk in danger. “He needs to start gaining it now.”

***

“W-what are these things?! Why are they attacking all of a sudden...?!”

“

Argh!

Get away!”

The birdfolk, struck by the gargoyles' attacks, were completely helpless. Since they had never flown beyond the forest, they had no reason to learn aerial combat.

On the other hand, the gargoyles were monsters tasked with overseeing the Black Archipelago! They pummeled the birdfolk, who were once called rulers of the sky, like mere punching bags.

“

Agh

, their claws sting, but... it’s not enough to be fatal.”

“Just endure it and keep fleeing!”

“If we make it back to the forest, they won’t be able to find us!”

The terrified birdfolk flapped their wings to retreat to the forest.

At that moment, a gargoyle blocked the path of a young birdfolk girl.

“

Kraaaagh!

”

“

Ahhhhh!

”

The feathers of young birdfolk continued to grow as they matured. During this process, they learned how to sharpen, soften, or harden their feathers. However, the young girl was still too young to have acquired such knowledge. So when the gargoyle’s sharp claws came slashing toward her, she tightly shut her eyes.

Standing at the forest’s edge, her older sister could do nothing but stomp her feet in despair. “A-Angela!”

At that moment, with a sound like the collapse of a cave wall, one of the gargoyle’s wings was severed and fell.

“

Kraaaaagh!

” The gargoyle let out a scream as it plummeted.

The one who had delivered that powerful blow was none other than Icarus.

“

Huff, huff

...”

Icarus stared blankly at the falling gargoyle. Even he couldn’t quite believe what he had done.

“Th-thank you!” With tears forming in her eyes, Angela quickly bowed before dashing toward the forest.

It worked...

As Icarus flew in the sky, he suddenly looked down at his own body.

Over the past month of training, his physique had grown remarkably. During that time, he had mastered techniques that only the birdfolk warriors of the past would have learned. Chieftain Gust had been a veteran warrior who had gone through countless battlefields. He had generously taught all his knowledge to Icarus, but that wasn’t all.

Blizzard...

Combat wasn’t something one could master just by learning the theory. The only reason Icarus could demonstrate this level of skill was because of Blizzard’s immense contribution.

And Kai hyung...

Determination filled Icarus’s eyes.

“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”

He finally understood why those two hadn’t stepped in to help the birdfolk.

They believed in me this much.

Through their gazes and actions, they had conveyed that the one to defeat the gargoyles was none other than himself without saying a word.

Then this is a true real-world test.

All the sparring with Blizzard had been mere practice, but this was real.

In that case...

Icarus spread his wings even wider than usual. His pure white wings shone brilliantly even beneath the dark clouds, exuding an aura of nobility.

“

Kyaaagh!

”

“

Kraaaaagh!

”

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

The gargoyles, who saw the birdfolk as mere prey, focused their gazes on Icarus. Among the birdfolk, he was the first arrogant prey to rebel against them.

“

Kyaaaaah!

”

The gargoyles flapped their sturdy wings and flew toward Icarus. However, fundamentally, gargoyles were beings made of stone.

Their movements are heavy.

Chieftain Gust had always said,

Faster.

Icarus's speed broke the sound barrier as he shot toward them. The gargoyles had wings that allowed them to fly, but they couldn’t match Icarus's speed. In fact, even among most birdfolk, there were few who could fly as fast as he did.

“

Krrrk!

”

Realizing they couldn’t catch up, the nine gargoyles formed an encirclement. Like a tightly woven spider web, they adjusted their formation.

The birdfolk are freer than any other race. Free...!

As Icarus flew at supersonic speed, he suddenly adjusted his wings vertically. At the same time, his speed drastically decreased, and he made a sharp right angle turn, soaring upward.

“

K-kyaaagh?!

” A gargoyle positioned above him screamed.

It hadn’t expected him to attack from such an angle. However, the well-trained gargoyle instinctively slashed downward with its claws.

Icarus’s hawk eyes gleamed.

Their attack pattern is simple, and most importantly... too slow.

By spreading only one of his wings, Icarus spun midair, effortlessly dodging the attack. If he had dodged once, it was now his turn to strike. Using his wings, he spun his body in a full 360 degree rotation, delivering a powerful spinning kick straight to the gargoyle's head.

Boom!

The sound of shattering stone echoed as the gargoyle's head was smashed to pieces.

***

“What do you think? Your impressions?”

“... Impressive.”

Kai and Blizzard conversed as they observed Icarus’s battle from the ground.

The time Icarus had taken to defeat ten gargoyles was eighteen minutes. By their standards, it was quite slow, but for Icarus, this was his first real battle. Considering that, they could only give him a passing grade.

Icarus flapped his pure white wings at a slow pace and returned to the forest. The birdfolk, who had been watching from the ground, greeted his return with blank stares.

D-did I do something wrong?

As Icarus felt overwhelmed by their dazed expressions, Kai approached him.

“You did well. That was amazing.”

“I was amazing...?”

“Of course. You saved the birdfolk from danger, didn’t you? Right?”

Kai asked the young birdfolk girl, Angela, who was standing beside him.

She nodded her small head and shouted loudly, “That’s right! Thank you so much, Icarus!”

Her gratitude marked the beginning. First, Angela’s older sister, who had been crying uncontrollably, approached Icarus and expressed her thanks. Then, countless other birdfolk followed, praising his heroic deeds.

“

Uh... uhh

...”

Icarus had always kept his distance from the birdfolk, considering them cowards. Naturally, he had never received such attention, congratulations, or gratitude before.

Once all the birdfolk had returned to the village, Icarus finally collapsed onto the ground. “

Whew

... This is more exhausting than the battle itself.”

“But it feels good, doesn’t it? Doing something good and being thanked for it,” Kai chuckled softly, speaking as if he knew the feeling all too well.

Icarus pondered deeply at his words. Kai was right. He hadn’t understood why his heart had been pounding so hard since earlier, but now, after hearing those words, he was certain.

I’m happy... This feels good.

The fact that he had helped someone. The moment he rescued those in danger and received their heartfelt gratitude. Though the time had passed by like a storm, their appreciation had certainly been conveyed to him. That emotion remained vividly in his heart, making his heart race. It was a feeling he had never experienced before.

“This... is nice. Helping someone. Receiving sincerity from others...”

“Right?” Kai joyfully grinned and held out his hand to Icarus. “Congratulations on becoming a warrior, Icarus.”

Icarus grinned back and firmly grasped Kai’s hand.

***

“... So, with everything as it is, we should set a date soon.”

“

Hmm

...” Gust let out a low groan as he talked to Kai in private conversation. “It’s true that some of our kind have recently begun to long for the outside world. And with the birth of a hero like Icarus, they’ve gained courage and shed much of their fear of the gargoyles.”

“I understand that not all of the birdfolk are perfectly ready. But if we’re going to leave, now is the best time. If we delay any further, who knows what Harley might do? We can’t afford to wait for that.”

“

Hm...

”

Even with Kai’s urging, Gust looked troubled. He fully agreed with Kai’s words and even supported the idea. However, as the leader of the birdfolk, he had to carefully consider whether the majority of his people could escape safely.

“Are you sure you can keep Harley completely occupied?”

“Yes. Even if it costs me my life, I will hold it back.”

“

Mmm

...”

In fact, as long as Harley didn’t interfere, escaping from the Black Archipelago wouldn’t be too difficult. The gargoyles’ chase was expected to be relentless, but the birdfolk were faster than them.

“

Sigh

. Alright.” In the end, Gust made his decision. "Your words are correct. If we seek perfection, there will be no end to it. I agree that now is the optimal time."

"I appreciate your precious decision."

Tomorrow, one way or another, the Cage would be broken.