The battle with the Blood Eagles went on for hours.
Some emerged as new heroes. Some gained fame overnight.
But no one could forget the power Aegis had demonstrated at the very beginning.
Though he never called himself a hero, others naturally assumed him to be one.
The highest branches of the Tree of Life had now become a gathering place for wounded warriors and strengthened spirits after the battle.
One of the newly emerged heroes stood up.
He was a young man with a horse-shaped mark on his forehead.
He coughed lightly to clear his throat.
"Warriors," he addressed respectfully, "tonight, we adventurers and Skylords, bot stood as one. We fought as a united force. We understood thr significance of Unity. So let us never forget this unity."
"I am Skylord Horas, and I invite you all to join my B-Rank Island. Together, I believe we can build a great force and survive the calamities that are yet to come."
His voice resonated across tens of thousands of people. Many felt that his words made sense. If they wanted to survive, unity was essential.
A woman stood up, clutching her child tightly.
"Lord Horas," she said tremblingly, "I am willing to join you, if you promise to protect my child."
The young man smiled gently.
"That is only natural. Every follower's family is my family."
Moved by his kindness and welcoming demeanor, more and more people stepped forward, expressing their willingness to join his island.
Naturally, other Skylords also began proposing attractive benefits and promising positions, trying to lure as many followers as they could.
In just a few hours, the entire Tree of Life was divided into hundreds of factions.
Bella, publicly known as the Ice Goddess Skadi, and Sylus, known as [Eternal Warrior], also formed their own factions.
Only Felix and Aegis sat aside, showing no intention of taking any followers
.
"Hey, why are you not taking followers?" Aegis asked, leaning against the main body of the tree and looking slightly annoyed as he glanced at Felix.
Felix jumped down like a black panther and scratched his head in embarrassment.
"I want to join you, Your Grace. But I already understood that you have no intention of taking any followers at all. I am waiting to see if I can somehow melt your heart," he said honestly.
Aegis frowned.
"There are many better candidates out there."
"But they are not quite like you. You're built different," he replied with a smile.
"Suit yourself. If you die, don't blame me."
Aegis then looked toward where the sun's rays broke through the dawn.
Clouds gathered around them, as if a single step could lead them into the sky.
The ground was now two thousand meters away, so a single misstep from here meant death.
As the light reached every corner through the canopy, Aegis began his climb higher.
As usual, Felix followed him without another word. Like this, these two created a strange harmony that Aegis wasn't willing to accept.
He remained stubborn about not trusting other humans.
"Look at those fools, Lady Skadi," one young woman from Bella's group pointed. "They are charging to their deaths."
Bella looked at Aegis with an unreadable expression.
"Leave me be. Focus on our own situation," she muttered coldly.
Behind them followed Sylus's group.
"Bella is so different now, Sylus. I wonder what's changed," added one of Sylus's friends, who was now a follower.
Sylus's eyes burned with anger.
"That bitch has become so arrogant just because we arrived in a new world. Sooner or later, I'll put her under my groin."
His gaze then turned toward Aegis.
"And that bastard. I'll wipe the arrogance off his face."
His friends fueled the flames even more.
"That's right, Sylus. You're the Eternal Warrior. He knows it, right? And yet he didn't even acknowledge you. It's as if he doesn't care at all."
Sylus' couldn't retort. He could only clench his fist in suppressed anger.
The journey to the peak continued, silent and efficient.
Very soon, they encountered a nest so vast it was comparable to a village.
It was built across multiple interlocking branches near the uppermost reaches of the Tree of Life. Thick layers of hardened twigs, bones, and dried flesh formed a crude but terrifying structure. The air reeked of blood and decay.
Massive Blood Eagle eggs lay scattered everywhere. Some were as large as barrels, others nearly the size of small huts. Each egg pulsed faintly with life, veins glowing beneath their crimson shells.
Hundreds of Blood Eagles rested throughout the nest.
Some perched silently along the edges, their sharp eyes half-closed but alert. Others crouched near the eggs, wings partially spread, talons gripping the branches as if ready to tear apart anything that dared come close.
The sight alone made many adventurers instinctively stop.
But fear did not last long.
Greed quickly overwhelmed rationality.
Flying pets.
That single thought ignited countless hearts.
In a realm filled with floating islands, what could be more valuable than a flying companion? With a Blood Eagle mount, one could cross islands freely, scout from the skies, escape danger, and dominate aerial combat.
Whoever succeeded would gain an overwhelming advantage.
The temptation was irresistible.
Sylus was the first to step forward.
His gaze locked onto the largest egg at the center of the nest, his breathing growing heavy.
"We will take the eggs," he said firmly. "Fast and clean."
Several other Skylords and adventurer groups exchanged looks before nodding in agreement. Ambition burned in their eyes, drowning out caution.
"If we succeed, the sky will belong to us."
"We'll be kings of the Sky."
They began forming small strike teams, quietly circling the edges of the nest, calculating paths, distances, and escape routes.
None of them noticed the subtle change in the wind.
None of them realized that the Blood Eagles had stopped resting.
Above them, crimson eyes slowly opened one by one.
The entire nest seemed to breathe.
A deep, vibrating screech echoed faintly through the branches, too low for human ears to recognize as a warning.
The Blood Eagles were not unaware.
They were waiting.
And the moment the first foot stepped into the nest's boundary, the sky itself seemed to darkened.
What they believed was an opportunity was, in truth, a grave mistake.
Their greed had already sealed their fate.
Aegis wasn't with this suicide plan at all. He was already searching for a different route.
However at that exact moment, a system notification flash on his vision:
[ Quest Issued: Eliminate the Blood Eagles and save the humans. ]
[ Reward: 10x Sky Crystals + Divine Crystal 1x ]