Mike first returned to the settlement to announce that the danger had passed, then instructed his clansmen to prepare bronze tools and dig two massive pits in the heart of Paradise Mountain—large enough to conceal the Titan and dragon corpses.
He intended to hide them for long-term use.
Next, he took the Cyan Stone and flew back to the site where the Titan and dragon had perished.
When he arrived,
the blood of the two demigods had ceased flowing—their bodies were no ordinary beings.
Yet beneath them, several pools of golden blood had formed.
However, due to the inherent conflict between light and dark energies,
where the two types of blood mingled, a sizzling sound erupted, as if something were being eroded until both decayed!
Seeing this, Mike abandoned the idea of bathing in both Titan and dragon blood.
But he still had to choose: light or darkness, Titan or dragon.
After a moment's thought, he considered his own form and decided he leaned more toward humanoid beings.
So he stepped into the pool of Titan blood, clutching the Cyan Stone, and plunged in!
"Ahhh!!"
Instantly, bone-deep agony wracked his body. Every inch of his skin and cells felt as though they were burning!
It was like being reforged—his body hammered like metal, while a violent force yanked his bloodline out and shoved it back in!
But soon, the Cyan Stone emitted Kacey's light, spreading a cooling sensation that soothed the torment and stabilized his bloodline mutation.
Just as Mike caught his breath, the pain returned—worse than before, as if he'd been cast into the depths of hell.
The pain was unbearable!
This time, there was no lake water to dilute the blood; he was submerged in pure Titan blood.
Outside his consciousness, the system's chimes rang incessantly, but he had no focus to check them.
For three days and nights, the cycle repeated. By the time the pain faded, only a tenth of the Titan blood remained, its radiance gone, now dull as ordinary liquid.
Only then did Mike recover.
He first examined his body: his wings had shed all gray-black feathers, replaced by pristine white ones.
His hair had turned silver, and all other feathers—including those on his face—had vanished, revealing handsome features and fair skin.
Bathing in the Radiant Titaness's blood had greatly enhanced his charm.
But the most thrilling change was his hands and feet—now fully transformed into human-like limbs, identical to those of his past life.
With human hands, he could accomplish far more, and his combat prowess had soared!
Only then did he check his system panel.
Upon opening it, a flood of notifications appeared:
[You have bathed in Titan blood. Your attributes have changed!]
[You have bathed in Titan blood. Your bloodline is mutating!]
[You have bathed in Titan blood. All attributes increased!]
...
[You have bathed in Titan blood. Your willpower has improved!]
[You have bathed in Titan blood. You have awakened the power of light!]
...
[You have bathed in Titan blood. Your eaglekin bloodline has fully mutated. Please name the new bloodline!]
Panel:
[Name]: Mike
[Race]: Eaglekin (Fully mutated. Please name.)
[Template]: Ordinary Player (Temporarily unavailable)
[Template]: NPC (Master-tier)
[Profession]: Thunderwing
[Age]: 36
[Attributes]: Strength 25, Constitution 20, Spirit 25, Agility 25, Charm 30.
[Level]: Locked (Sealed, to be unlocked after game launch)
[Skills]: Throwing (Mastery), Spear Arts (Mastery), Sword Arts (Master), Thunder Power (Transcendent), Light Power (Transcendent).
[Skill Points]: Locked (Sealed, to be unlocked after game launch)
[Innate Talent]: Champion's Will (Your insight and reflexes are unparalleled, with combat awareness surpassing all others.)
[Quest System]: Locked (Sealed, to be unlocked after game launch)
[Game Launch Countdown]: 3,643,100 days, 4 hours, 19 minutes.
Seeing the prompt to name his race, Mike's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
He considered naming it "Angel," but the moment the thought arose, a sense of impending doom struck him, forcing him to abandon the idea!
To claim such a name without the power to match would invite calamity.
"If I can't be an angel, a Winged One will do for now. System, name the new race: Winged Ones!"
Mike declared firmly.
[Congratulations, Player! Race successfully renamed from Eaglekin to Winged Ones!]
Returning to Paradise Mountain,
Mike saw two hundred-meter-wide pits nearing completion in the mountainside.
With the entire tribe working for three days, digging the pits had been no challenge.
As his clansmen toiled, Mike landed and joined them to finish the job.
Though his aura was familiar, the eaglekins hesitated to recognize him at first.
Before, Mike had still resembled an eaglekin. Now, the differences were stark.
If anything, he looked like a miniature Titan—a hundred times smaller, with wings!
An aged eaglekin stepped forward and asked,
"Mike... is that you?"
"Oliver, it's me!"
Mike nodded.
His childhood friend had grown old. In this ancient era, ordinary eaglekins lived only about fifty years. Without transcendence, time had claimed them.
"Good... you've grown even stronger. We're one step closer to vengeance!"
Oliver laughed heartily.
The other eaglekins also brightened, pride shining in their eyes.
"Yes, it won't be long now."
Mike raised his voice to address the tribe:
"But I alone cannot topple the Celestial Mountain royal court. Now, I've found a way for all of you to grow stronger with me!"
"How?"
"Can it work? Our tribe has no eaglekins with transcendent potential!"
The clansmen buzzed with questions.
Mike explained:
"I evolved through Titan blood, and now that blood lies before us."
"Clansmen, these pits aren't just for burying the dead Titan and dragon—they're for harnessing their blood to transform our tribe!"
"I will build a pool here, where all may bathe in Titan blood!"
"But legends say Titan blood burns all who touch it!"
A clansman voiced doubt.
"I have a solution!"
Mike replied with certainty.
...
A day later,
the two colossal pits were ready.
Mike led the tribe's strongest to transport the Titan and dragon corpses back, burying them in the pits.
Over the dragon's grave, he established a forbidden zone. Above the Radiant Titaness's resting place, he constructed a hundred-meter-wide pool.
He crushed the Cyan Stone and scattered its fragments across the pool's bottom, then made a small incision in the Titaness's body, allowing a trickle of golden blood to flow into the pool.
Once prepared,
he gathered the entire tribe to bathe in the diluted blood.
Only a few eaglekins showed changes after the first bath.
But Mike decreed that all must return every seven days.
And so,
as time passed,
their feathers gradually shed, their beaks softened, their gray-black plumage turned white, and their limbs grew more human-like.
Yet none awakened to transcendence.
Transcendence was truly rare.
Another twenty years slipped by.
Atop Paradise Mountain, Mike stood tall, surveying his tribe below.
With his silver hair, violet eyes, and pristine wings, he resembled a miniature Titan—radiant and majestic.
The tribe now numbered five thousand, their appearances vastly different from their eaglekin origins.
Mike estimated that in another century, before the Titan blood ran dry, all his clansmen would resemble him.
By then, his Winged Ones would no longer be a race of one!
Gazing at the thriving settlement—now more a town—Mike sighed softly.
"Only regret... Oliver, Sam, Lie... none achieved transcendence. Time grinds all to dust. My old friends are all gone."
"Boss, don't dwell on it. You've still got me! Don't worry—I'll outlive you for sure!"