Soaring the Heavens - Chapter 429: One Missing

In the wake of the first wave of shadow creatures, the world was plunged into ruin, a desolate yet enchanted wasteland. Humanity, driven underground, clung to survival while desperately plotting to reclaim their shattered world.But from the abyss of darkness, something miraculous stirred—a mysterious tree, shimmering with ancient power, appeared overnight. It chose only the strongest of heart, those with unbreakable will, gifting them extraordinary abilities. With these powers, humanity rose from the depths, waging war against the shadows.Yet beneath the surface of their heroic deeds lay a hidden rot. Corruption seeped into their ranks, and arrogance clouded their judgment. As their powers grew, so did the whispers of betrayal. The true battle may not be against the creatures lurking in the shadows—but against the darkness festering within their own hearts.A question lingers: When heroes fall, who will rise to take their place?

“When he makes the uncommon common, it puppeteers their actions—while they still call it free will.”----Caleb’s life was ruined by a butt, a camera, and a society pretending to care about the truth.Just when his world collapsed,an old lady smacked his skull and installed a system that rewards illogical justice.[Ding!]That sound marked the birth of the Common Sense Hijacker.----Caleb doesn’t use his power to beat just anybody.For him, kindness and evil should be picky. Like food—he only picks the ones that look truly tempting and satisfying to beat.He is—The Picky Beater!

Vainqueur Knightsbane is your average dragon: a giant, fire-breathing lizard who loves to take naps on his golden hoard, kidnap princesses for fun, and make the life of adventurers miserable. Vainqueur's only pleasure in life is to watch his treasure get bigger, one coin at a time.

So when a would-be thief turned unwilling minion tells him about "classes," "levels," and "quests," Vainqueur wonders if maybe, just maybe, he should consider a career change.

After all, why bother hunting monsters for free when you can get paid for it?

Carn wakes up from a vivid dream where he spent a thousand years as a gargoyle, guarding a demon lord's tomb.In this dream, he possessed supernatural powers, including the ability to teleport and instantly kill anyone within range who broke eye contact with him. Heroes, saintesses, adventurers, all fell before him.When he returns to his normal life, things take a strange turn. Carn realizes he still has the gargoyle’s powers, and the world he has woken up to seems different.But adjusting to the new reality is not the real issue. Carn brings back something nobody in this world has imagined. Not only he imports his powers to this alternate Earth, but he also carries over his gargoyle instinct and his hobby. He loves snapping human necks.Whether it's ordinary humans, explorers, super soldiers, cyborgs, mutated beasts, monsters, or mysterious entities from other dimensions, Carn eagerly anticipates snapping their necks, one neck at a time...In secret, of course.