Ats was still struggling to steady himself on the rugged terrain, battered by the wild, relentless wind. Each powerful gust threateo throw him off bance, and one wrong step could send him tumbling into the abyss below.

  But now, he faced a new challenge—oh talons, razor-sharp feathers, and wings that carved through the air like bdes.

  A monster bird!

  The Bdewing Ravager.

  And it wasn’t just any ordinary beast—this monster was level 75.

  The creature circled him, its massive wings cutting through the air, adding to the chaotids around him. Ats remained rooted to one spot, his eyes locked on the bird’s movements, waiting for its move.

  Suddenly, a powerful gust smmed into him from the side, making him stagger.

  And then—his instincts screamed.

  Behind!

  The bird was diving toward him from behind.

  [Elite - Tempest Guard (ditional Passive Skill) Lv. 8 activated.]

  Ats snapped into a defeance, gripping his spear tightly as the bird closed in.

  [Elite - Thunderpierce Thrust (Active Skill) Lv. 7 activated.]

  With precisiohrust his spear forward, aiming directly for the creature’s neck as it barreled toward him. The spear shot out, its tip crag with lightning.

  But the bird was faster than expected.

  It beat its massive wings with a brutal force, sending a shockwave that ks backward before his spear could nd the hit.

  DAMN IT!

  Ats’s body was flung through the air, tumbling backward, weightless in the wind’s grip. If he didn’t hit solid ground soon, he’d be thrown off the mountaiirely.

  He had the Mountain Leaper Bands to reduce fall damage, sure—but that wasn’t the issue.

  Because the bird was already diving again.

  With terrifying speed, it closed the gap, its sharp talons stretched out, aiming straight for him.

  Ats swung his spear to block the ining attack. The bird’s cws tched onto the spear, log it in a death grip.

  And then it took off, dragging Ats into the sky.

  The sheer force of the bird’s ast hit Ats like a battering ram. His grip on the spear tightened as his body jerked violently, flung around in the air like a rag doll.

  The wind tore at him from all dires, but he refused to let go.

  No way I’m losing this spear!

  Ats ched his jaw, his arms straining as the bird carried him higher and higher, the mountain shrinking below. His body twisted and filed with each beat of the bird’s wings, but his hands remained locked on the spear.

  At the peak of their ast, the bird suddenly stopped fpping its massive wings, h eerily for a moment before letting out a pierg screech.

  COAAAKKK!!!

  Without warning, the monster dove straight down.

  WOOOO AAA WOOO AAH!

  Ats ched his teeth as the sudden drop yanked him downward, the brutal wind smming into his face. His mouth opened wide as if to scream, but the wind practically shoved the air back down his throat. His vision blurred from the speed, and for a moment, he felt like his stomach was going to rip itself out of his body.

  Then, just as suddenly as it started, the bird stopped mid-air, jerking to a halt like a roller coaster reag its peak.

  Ats’s body lurched forward—and that’s when it happened.

  The bird released its grip on the spear.

  He gritted his teeth harder, realizing the damn bird wasn’t just trying to kill him—it was toying with him.

  It’s ughing at me!

  [Elite - Thunderpierce Thrust (Active Skill) Lv. 7 activated.]

  Ats’s body shot forward, propelled by the force of his spear. He twisted mid-air, aiming straight for the bird.

  COAAAKKK!!!

  The Bdewing Ravager screeched again, this time in surprise, as the spear struck it directly. Ats didn’t stop there.

  He maneuvered himself, flipping through the air until he nded squarely on the bird’s back.

  Gripping the spear tightly, he drove it into the base of the monster’s neck, yanking the bird’s head backward with all his strength.

  “Let’s see if you like this ride!” he shouted, holding on as the bird thrashed in the air, its wings filing wildly.

  Another freefall!

  Ats felt the rush of wind again as the bird plummeted toward the ground. His stomach twisted, but he held firm, refusing to let go of the spear as the creature struggled beh him.

  This time, I’m not the one being thrown around.

  Ats adjusted his grip on the bird’s neck, tightening the hold of his spear. The massive creature screeched in frustration and began to maneuver wildly through the air, fpping its razor-sharp wings in desperate attempts to throw him off.

  It darted up, then plunged down, twisting and turning in rapid dives and climbs.

  But Ats held on.

  His hands ched the bird’s neck with uing strength, and his legs ed tightly around its body. The wind howled in his ears, but he refused to be shaken loose.

  The bird thrashed even harder, trying to shake him off, but every sudden movement only caused the spear lodged in its o press deeper.

  You’re only hurting yourself, idiot.

  Finally, the creature altered its movement. With a powerful beat of its wings, it steadied itself mid-air, the chaotic thrashing ing to an abrupt halt.

  Ats loosened his grip slightly, pulling the spear free and st it ba his iory. Now, he held on only with his hands, leaning into the bird’s back to reduce the wiance.

  The monster flew on without further resistas massive wings cutting through the air with smooth, powerful strokes.

  Ats smirked to himself.

  Did I… just tame this thing?

  The thought made him chuckle.

  A bird tamer? Seriously?

  Still, he couldn’t help but marvel at the sight in front of him. The wind rushed past his face as the vast ndscape stretched endlessly below. Flying on the back of a monster bird, s freely through the skies…

  Not bad. Not bad at all.

  The bird soared through the skies, pig up speed with each powerful beat of its wings. Several times, they flew past other monster birds cirg nearby.

  Those creatures turheir glowing eyes toward Ats, as if silently saying, "Is that food?"

  Ats kept his focus, guiding the creature with subtle tugs on its neck. Each time he adjusted his grip or leaned slightly, the bird responded, veeri ht in smooth arbsp;

  It was only then that the realization hit him.

  I’m… riding a bird. A monster bird.

  He gnced around at the breathtaking view of the floating isnds beh him, the endless sky stretg in all dires. For a brief moment, a smirk formed on his lips.

  But then a thought crossed his mind.

  Wait… where the fuck is Kurogasa?

  Before he could dwell on it, another bird appeared from his left, flying smoothly alongside him.

  Damn. DAMN IT!

  Sitting calmly atop the bird was her than Kurogasa.

  The ninja rat banced effortlessly, perched on the bird’s back with his legs crossed. His left hand held a ed around the bird’s neck, while his right hand casually waved toward Ats before he bowed slightly in respect.

  Ats couldn’t help but grin at the absurd differeween their positions.

  While Kurogasa sat gracefully, Ats g to his bird with both arms and legs ed tightly around it, holding on for dear life as if he might be flung off at any sed.

  Kurogasa poioward the spot where they had beguraining.

  Ats nodded, shifting his weight to turn the bird’s head.

  To his surprise, the creature obeyed without resistance, bankily toward the dire Kurogasa indicated.

  "Heh… maybe I really am a bird tamer now," Ats muttered to himself.

  I bring this bird home?

  The thought lingered in his mind as the bird swooped lower toward the mountain’s peak. He reached into his iory and pulled out a monocur—a colpsible scouting tool he ofteo s rge areas from a distance.

  Holding it to his eye, he began surveying the isnd below.

  Off to one side, he spotted small dots moving in formation. As he focused the lens, he realized it was a group of troops, training in martial arts. There were dozens of them.

  "That must be one of the Lord’s troops Kurogasa mentioned earlier," he muttered.

  Shifting his view, he noticed several figures on small advanced boats, fishing in the middle of the ke. The sight made him pause for a moment.

  "I really o buy a boat for our own use."

  The bird flew gracefully toward the mountain’s peak, where Ats had begun his training. The fierce wind was still present, but strangely, it didn’t feel as punishing as before.

  As the bird he ground, Ats prepared to jump off.

  He slid from the creature’s back—but the wind caught him mid-air, throwing him sideways.

  Reag quickly, Ats spun his spear into position and stabbed it into the rocky ground, halting his fall and steadying himself.

  Meanwhile, Kurogasa dismounted with ease. He threw his bde, which embedded itself in the ground, allowing him to desd smoothly without issue.

  The two birds let out deafening screeches as they fpped their wings, rising bato the sky.

  Ats cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted after them, though his voice was quickly swallowed by the wind.

  "Hey bird! e back ter!"

  Of course, there was no sign the birds heard him.

  Ats smirked as he straightened up, wiping dust off his clothes.

  Suddenly, Kurogasa took a step forward, turning his back to Ats as if shielding him.

  “We have pany, My Lord,” Kurogasa said calmly.

  Ats followed Kurogasa’s gaze.

  From the rocky path ahead, three figures emerged, their heavy armleaming uhe harsh sunlight. Their ons g softly against their pted armor.

  Ats narrowed his eyes. Even from this distance, he could sehe weight of their presehese weren’t ordinary batants.

  “They’re Rank-2 Lords,” Kurogasa said.