My Borderline Supervillain-Slash-Hero System-Chapter 61: Sharing Beers

The driver gave a sharp whistle and lightly flicked the whip against the corrupted phoenix’s neck.

The massive, crimson-feathered beast responded with a shrill chirp that echoed through the sky. Its enormous wings spread wide—nearly blotting out the sun—and with a powerful flap, it launched itself into the air, lifting the carriage high above the ground.

It was the first time Zane had ever experienced true flight. Shelby, on the other hand, was no stranger to soaring through the skies. He had flown in helicopters, cargo planes, and even stealth gliders during missions back on Earth—but flying on the back of a living, corrupted magical beast? That was new.

Inside the carriage, they stood near the thick, reinforced glass windows and watched the world shrink beneath them.

Galbaza Town became a patchwork of rooftops and streets. The green of the countryside stretched like a painter’s canvas, veins of dusty roads coiling through the vast landscape, rivers glinting like silver threads in the morning sun.

"Wow," Zane whispered in awe. "So this is what it feels like to fly."

"You call this flying?" Shelby scoffed. "Laughable. Come on, I’ll show you what real flying feels like."

Zane blinked. "Huh?"

Without another word, Shelby walked to the metallic door at the rear of the carriage. For most, opening the tightly sealed mechanical door would have been impossible midair. But Shelby casually twisted the reinforced handle, disengaging multiple locks with a sequence of practiced movements.

Erlin raised her voice from her seat, warning, "Whatever you’re planning, stop. Now."

Neither of them listened.

From the front compartment, the driver shouted in alarm, "Sirs! Please step away from the door! It’s dangerous out there!"

But Shelby ignored him. With one final turn, the door released, and a violent gust of wind slammed into the cabin. Loose items rattled; curtains flailed wildly.

The driver’s voice cracked in panic. "No, no, no! Opening that door mid-flight is against company policy! Please shut it at once!"

Zane grinned. "Don’t worry. Nothing’s gonna happen. Just focus on flying, yeah?"

Shelby stepped outside first, his boots crunching softly over the phoenix’s dense crimson feathers. The beast didn’t flinch—it was trained for situations like this.

Zane followed without hesitation. Both of them stood tall atop the bird’s back, the sky wide open around them. The powerful wind howled like a beast, but to them—each carrying unnatural weight due to their cultivation—it felt like a breeze.

Zane’s dark hair was swept backward, his sleeves flapping as the rushing air enveloped him. The adrenaline, the elevation, the sense of weightless freedom—it was exhilarating.

He threw his head back and screamed into the sky. "Yaaaaah!"

"You scream like a little girl," Shelby teased.

Then he joined in, howling like a wild wolf. Zane laughed and mimicked him, their voices rising into the open sky, two free spirits riding a corrupted phoenix across the clouds.

Inside the carriage, Erlin rolled her eyes as their howls echoed through the walls. "Boys," she muttered. "Hmph."

Outside, Shelby pulled out a chilled bottle of beer, uncorked it with his thumb, and chugged it down in one smooth motion.

He let out a deep breath. "Damn, that’s good!"

Zane glanced at him, his eyes bright.

"What?" Shelby asked.

Zane gave him a hopeful look. "Can I have a bottle of that?"

"Nope. You’re still seventeen. I don’t share beer with underage kids."

Zane frowned. "Seriously, man? I’ve already drunk death back in the Rusty Mug at Whistler Town."

"Really?"

"Yeah. That happened when I failed my eleventh—and last—awakening test. I got drunk silly that night, and the next morning, I woke up able to use mana."

Zane said it with a distant tone, lost in the memory. He didn’t mention the strange old man—Heron—or the System that had guided him ever since. But deep down, he knew the two were connected.

"Rusty Mug? Never heard of it." Shelby shrugged.

Zane scoffed. "Whatever, man. I’ll bring my own next time." He started to walk toward the phoenix’s neck, ready to claim a better view.

"Hey, I’m kidding," Shelby called out, chuckling. He reached into his pouch and pulled out two chilled bottles of beer. "Take this."

Zane turned back, surprised. "Thanks."

The two sat down casually over the warm feathers of the corrupted phoenix and enjoyed the endless sky. The landscape rolled beneath them, an emerald landscape of forests, rivers, and winding roads.

For the first time in days, Zane wasn’t training or strategizing—he was simply living.

It was peaceful.

Throughout the flight, they spotted various airborne beasts—some feathered, others scaled, and some with translucent wings like dragonflies the size of horses. Zane had never seen creatures like these, not in Earth’s prehistoric records or textbooks.

None of the creatures dared to approach them. The corrupted phoenix’s presence clearly kept lesser beasts at bay.

"Even the birds are different here," Zane murmured, sipping the beer. "This really is another world."

Just then, the driver’s voice came through from the front cabin. "Sirs, we’ve entered the region of Tsar Valley."

Zane leaned forward, peering down through the clouds. Far below, nestled between stretches of dense greenery, was a serene body of water.

"If that’s Tsar Valley," he muttered, "then that must be Tussar Lake... What a view."

The driver gave a low whistle, guiding the phoenix lower. The beast chirped in response and began its descent. The wind shifted as they broke through the cloud layer, gliding just above the treetops.

Now flying low, the valley came into full view.

Zane was amazed to see structures—buildings and towers—scattered across the land, similar to those in Galbaza Town. However, the roads here were wider, cleaner, and better maintained.

For the next half hour, they cruised over the rolling green hills and sparse villages of Tsar Valley. Then the driver made another announcement.

"Sirs and Miss, we’re entering the Humba District, as agreed. My service ends here."

None of the three responded.

Zane and Shelby were too captivated by the landscape. Erlin sat with her usual princess-like poise, offering no reaction. The driver didn’t mind. Compared to the spoiled nobles he usually transported—those who whined over every bump and wind shift—this trio was practically a dream.

With one final whistle and a gentle flick of the reins, the phoenix began its descent.

It landed in a grassy, isolated patch not far from a distant village.

The moment they touched down, the three passengers hopped down with ease. Erlin, without a word, reached into her coat and handed the driver a thick bundle of notes—nearly the size of a brick.

The driver stood stunned.

She and the others walked away casually, not sparing a glance behind them.

The driver stared at the bundle in his hands—just the tip alone was worth more than ten years of his salary. He quickly regained his composure and bowed three times in gratitude toward their departing backs.

"Best passengers I’ve had in a decade," he muttered.

With a joyful whistle, he stepped back into the cabin.

The corrupted phoenix chirped again, stretched its wings wide, and soared into the sky—leaving the trio standing in the heart of Tsar Valley.

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