They waited on the high platform outside the house for three full days. Not for battle. Not for scouting. They were waiting—for a flock of mutated aerial beasts that could fly high enough, steady enough, and always in pairs.
These creatures had once been raptors. After the magnetic shift, they gained high aggression and group coordination. Their flight speed was extreme. Their feathers had turned metallic. Their magnetic sensitivity was sharp. But most importantly— they could reach the lower edge of the stratosphere.
Zhao Yang spoke quietly:
"They're here."
Lu Ye opened the Eye of the World:
"Twelve total. Six pairs. Flight paths stable."
Chen Mo stood up, rolling his shoulders.
"One for each of us."
Lin Lan flipped open his notebook.
"Magnetic field is stable. No hostility."
He Xuan confirmed:
"They're watching us."
They weren't here to tame pets. They were here to catch a ride.
Chen Mo's jump power was strong— but his max reach was 300 meters. The aircraft hovered higher, near the stratosphere's base. They needed the beasts to bridge the gap.
The flock circled overhead, about 300 meters above ground.
Chen Mo took a deep breath. Without activating his Shattered-Time Fist, he struck the ground with raw force. The shockwave launched him upward— his body like an arrow, cutting through the air.
Zhao Yang murmured:
"He's jumping higher now."
Hu Hao synced the magnetic field:
"Trajectory stable. Approaching target."
In midair, Chen Mo adjusted his posture, using wind pressure and momentum to land precisely on one beast's back. Magnetic fields crossed instantly. He didn't attack— he simply stabilized.
The beast didn't resist. It hovered— waiting for a signal.
Lu Ye spoke softly:
"Hu Hao, begin."
Hu Hao closed his eyes. His mental circuit expanded, connecting to the consciousness layers of all six pairs.
Not to suppress— but to synchronize.
"We're not enemies," he whispered. "We're… the lead."
The flock slowed. Magnetic frequencies aligned.
Chen Mo sat firmly. Zhao Yang leapt, guided by blood mist, landing on the second beast.
Lin Lan used wind pressure to glide upward. He Xuan used magnetic propulsion for precise positioning. Hu Hao boarded last, completing the sync.
Lu Ye didn't jump. He stood at the edge of the platform— and one beast descended to pick him up.
Twelve beasts. Six riders.
Magnetic fields stabilized. Flight paths locked in.
They had submitted.
The flock formed a formation, rising steadily through the sky. They passed through clouds, cut across wind barriers, and reached the lower edge of the stratosphere.
This was the current limit of the beasts' altitude.
Zhao Yang pulled down his hat.
"Wind pressure's shifting."
Lin Lan closed his eyes.
"Magnetic field's thinning."
He Xuan recorded:
"Environmental data synced."
Chen Mo looked into the distance.
"We can fly now."
Hu Hao spoke softly.
"They're listening to us."
Lu Ye opened the Eye of the World.
"Time to begin the next step."