The Author's Viewpoint-Chapter 117 - Dreams of Wings

[ Name: Tave ]

[ Level - Stage: 25 - Gaia Guardian ]

[ Elements: Fire (High) | Shadow (Medium) | Soul Fire (Low) ]

[ Sigils: Shadow Cloak | Hellforge Form ]

[ Relics: The Flamebound Seraph ]

[ Echoes: None ]

[ Pacts: None ]

Tave stared at his status window, eyes wide, lips parted slightly in awe. He was completely absorbed, borderline dazed by the updates now glowing on the screen in front of him.

And yeah... unfortunately, the effects of the Bloodline Override weren’t fully reflected in the window. The system could barely comprehend or categorize something like this. But still, the signs were there. Clear, undeniable.

He’d leveled up, twice.

And more than that... he was now halfway to becoming a Gaia Master. That alone was massive. The kind of progress that would take most people months.

If only the process could be repeated as easily as leveling up a skill.

But no.

It didn’t work that way.

Bloodline Override wasn’t something you could just spam. If he tried it again with the same type of creature, or worse, the same level of demon. The effectiveness would drop drastically. And there was a high chance he’d develop... A resonance backlash. Something dangerous. A curse locked into the very fabric of his soul.

So if he ever wanted to attempt another override in the future, he had to be smart. Very smart. He’d need a creature even more powerful than the one he just sacrificed. Stronger. Preferably A Named Demon, if that was even possible.

Still. Just the thought made his pulse rise.

Now, he had two sigils. The original one, and now Hellforge Form. But where exactly was the new sigil located on his body?

He was still figuring that out when he noticed something.

Panpan.

She was right in front of him now. Close enough that he could see the shimmer in her eyes. And she was looking directly into his eyes.

"Tave. Are you... okay?"

"Who are you!"

Panpan froze, eyes wide. "...Tave?"

Then he smiled faintly, because it was quite funny to see Panpan’s response.

Panpan chuckled quietly, her smile warm but cautious.

"Good... it’s still the same Tave," she said gently. "I was starting to wonder."

Tave took a deep breath and brushed the dust off his clothes, then instinctively reached up to his forehead, fingers searching for any trace of the horn. Nothing.

"Yes, thankfully... I’m still the same Tave. Just, you know, a slightly upgraded version."

Panpan nodded quickly, a smile tugging at her lips.

"I saw it... I won’t lie, I panicked a bit. I thought you were going to completely turn into a demon. But then... you came back looking just like yourself again?"

"You saw it?"

She nodded again, then raised her right hand with a playful glint in her eyes. "Can I?"

"Go ahead."

Her fingers gently pressed against his forehead. "Right here. I saw a horn growing from this spot."

Surprisingly, Tave felt himself relax under that brief, light touch. The lingering tension faded a little, as if the weight of the ritual lifted just from her presence.

"But it disappeared," Panpan said, pulling her hand back. "Will it come back again, Tave?"

He gave a slow nod. "Yes. Actually, I can grow the horn temporarily when I activate the form. It grants me boosts. Physical, elemental, everything."

"Ah... that actually sounds kind of fun," she said with a thoughtful smile.

Then, a curious glint lit up her face. "What do you think would happen if I did something like that? Would I get a horn too? Or wings?"

Tave blinked, a little thrown off. He couldn’t tell if she was joking or genuinely curious. "You do realize Forest Elves and Demons are... very different, right? So I don’t think that’s exactly a great idea."

Panpan let out another soft laugh, clearly amused. "Wow, you’re really shutting down my dream transformation, huh?"

Tave stood up, brushing the last of the dust from his pants. Panpan followed, rising with a graceful ease that always seemed effortless for her.

"If you’re seriously considering the Bloodline Override," Tave said as he straightened up, "then I’ll help you find a better target. Something safer. Something more suited to you."

"Oh? That’s actually possible?" Panpan asked, one brow lifting with interest.

Tave nodded firmly. "It is. I just... didn’t expect you to accept the idea so easily. I mean, Forest Elves are already a special race. You’re born with advantages humans don’t have. That’s part of why I took this route instead. I needed something more. But your race has a strong bloodline."

Panpan’s response was a wide, amused smile. "If you’re willing to do something this extreme to reach your goal... why can’t I dream the same? Why can’t I take the same kind of step?"

Tave gave her a slow nod, thoughtful. "I just didn’t expect you to be the one bringing it up. But... if you’re truly serious about it, we can talk more. Honestly, if this really is our only way to survive this Rift... wouldn’t it make sense for everyone in the team to do it?"

The idea hung in the air like a stone dropped in still water.

Tave exhaled deeply, the weight of what he was suggesting pressing on his chest. He’d kept the knowledge to himself, thinking it might give him an edge. But what good was that edge if he died before using it?

No... the truth was, the Bloodline Override wasn’t something anyone could just perform. It required depth of knowledge, precise conditions, and the courage to sacrifice part of oneself. Even with all the theory, actually doing it was something else entirely.

And this wasn’t the only extraordinary method he knew. Not by far.

So yeah. Maybe it wasn’t something worth hoarding. Not anymore.

Should he really consider sharing it with the rest of the team?

They could start hunting for other demons, or creatures with affinities and profiles matching each person’s abilities.

But then again... finding a proper sacrifice for Forest Elves would be far more complicated than for humans. Their physiology, their soul resonance. It was different.

So if he did take this step...

He needed to be absolutely sure.

Tave raised his left hand, testing the flow of his Soul Fire. Instantly, dark flames ignited from his palm. This time flaring nearly twice as large as before. A subtle smirk touched his lips. Yes, this was good. This was power.

If he pushed harder, he could make the flames roar even higher. What he held now was just the safe limit. What his core could handle without strain.

But then he pushed it further.

The fire surged, licking up his entire palm, coiling in black tendrils that radiated with raw, sinister energy. He could feel it clearly. The weight, the heat, the potential devastation packed behind every flicker.

With this Soul Fire, he could kill more efficiently. Trap his enemies in suffering. Drag them into the deepest corners of the abyss and burn away every last hope they had.

He wouldn’t hold back.

He shut the fire off with a snap of his fingers and let out a slow, satisfied breath.

Then, his eyes drifted toward the demon’s corpse lying motionless on the ground.

"We loot this demon," he muttered.

He crouched beside the body, his hands moving quickly. The armor was damaged but still intimidating, still worth checking. And then, something caught his eye.

A ring.

A storage ring?

Tave slipped it off the demon’s finger, examining it for a brief second before a grin curved on his face.

"Let’s hope this demon left us something worth bringing home," he said under his breath.