Chapter 28 : Flight Spring
“Really? Then that’s great for me. As long as you’re okay with it, senpai.”
“Sure. So, you’ll be able to learn all the skills?”
“No. It seems like the chastity squad only acquires what’s compatible. I never would’ve guessed something like fur shedding… would count as compatible, though.”
Iris couldn’t bring herself to say the skill’s name aloud and mumbled vaguely.
She didn’t want to tell Teresa.
A skill name that damaging to one’s mental health was best kept to herself.
Teresa, nodding, got into position and said:
“Then since we don’t know what’ll be compatible, I’ll have to show you everything useful I’ve got. Stay focused and don’t get distracted.”
“Yes, senpai!”
With a serious expression, Teresa assumed an eagle stance.
Then a phantom image of an eagle’s head burst forth and instantly cleaved a wooden dummy’s head in two.
It was one of her skills.
Iris, heart pounding in hopes of acquiring it, was disappointed when a message appeared saying it wasn’t compatible.
‘So not this one. But Teresa-senpai still has many more skills to show.’
When Iris shook her head, Teresa demonstrated the next skill.
A dazzling array of abilities Iris had never seen during monster battles unfolded before her…
Teresa flapped her arms rapidly like wings, shook her head like a pecking eagle, and even stretched out her legs as if snatching prey—all to demonstrate everything generously like a giving tree.
Despite her heartfelt effort, the message continued to say the skills were incompatible.
After passionately finishing the demonstrations, Teresa wiped the sweat off her face with the back of her hand.
“Phew… I think I’ve shown you everything. Looks like there’s nothing more you can learn. That’s a shame.”
“Ah… Senpai, actually….”
Iris hesitated, rolling her eyes nervously.
Teresa looked at her, as if asking what she wanted to say.
‘I don’t think I saw the flight skill from senpai’s status window… Right, none of the skills she showed included flight.’
It couldn’t be helped if it wasn’t compatible, but of all Teresa’s skills, flight was the one Iris wanted most.
Still, how could she ask for it?
Maybe Teresa didn’t want to show it.
While hesitating, Iris finally opened her mouth.
“Ah, well… don’t eagles usually fly? It just felt like something was missing without a flying skill.”
“Oh! That’s right, there is that skill. Yes, like you said, since I’m Eagle Woman, I do have a flight skill. But… I doubt it’s compatible with the chastity squad.”
“Wow, so you do have it! If it’s okay with you, could you show it to me? I won’t know if it’s compatible until I see it.”
Thankfully, it didn’t seem like she’d been hiding it out of unwillingness.
Then again, Teresa wasn’t the type to do that.
Feeling guilty for even suspecting her, Iris asked with sparkling eyes.
Teresa nodded while catching her breath.
“Hmm, sure. I didn’t think you’d be able to learn it, so I didn’t bother showing it. Phew, just give me a moment… let me catch my breath.”
She drank a mana potion.
Showing all those skills at once had exhausted her.
After a short break, Teresa explained the skill.
“The skill I’m going to show you now is a flight skill that lets you fly through the sky. The casting time isn’t too long, so I don’t use it for travel. It’s for escaping in emergencies or ambushing enemies.”
“Ah, is the casting time that short?”
“Hmm, if I drink mana potions while casting, I can use it for movement. But how can you fly through the middle of a city? You’d draw way too much attention, and dodging tall buildings would be tricky. Above all, if you’re not careful, you could be mistaken for a suspicious flying object and shot down.”
“Gasp, no way.”
Teresa furrowed her brow, recalling the memory.
“There was a case where a novice ability user was flying around thoughtlessly and was mistaken for a UFO. It ended in tragedy… I think it was decades ago, back when there was far less information about ability users. That incident was broadcast at the time, but now it’s considered too brutal and got taken down due to the Ability User Information Protection Act. Since then, no one uses flight skills in cities.”
“That’s terrifying. Wait, there’s a law like that?”
“Yes. Violating it is similar to defamation. It means the media can’t disclose detailed info about ability users. It may be curiosity for the public, but for ability users, it’s life or death.”
This was the first time Iris had heard about the Ability User Information Protection Act.
As someone who’d lived as a regular civilian before awakening, she’d had no reason to know.
“I had no idea since it doesn’t apply to me. So that’s why the media doesn’t cover them in detail… I thought they were just scared of ability users and avoided—”
“No, you’re right. Fear is the main reason. Heroes aside, do you think villains would leave alone the journalists who publish their articles?”
“Retaliation happens all the time… There’s even a famous saying that all the brave journalists of Gyodam City are dead now. You can’t blame them. Life comes before news.”
Iris flinched.
Teresa’s words hit her hard.
She had often criticized reporters for playing it safe.
But now, she understood—and regretted speaking without thinking.
“That’s true. Whew… Anyway, I’ve learned that if I get a flight skill, I’ll need to be careful with it.”
“Exactly. You should always think carefully about what impact your skills will have when you use them. Now enough talk. I’ll show you the flight skill, so watch closely.”
“Yes!”
Teresa exhaled deeply and looked up at the sky.
It was a skill she hadn’t used since retiring, so she needed a moment to mentally prepare.
Her body soon turned white, and an image of an eagle overlapped her.
As the sound of an eagle’s cry rang out, large wings sprouted from Teresa’s back.
Iris covered her mouth with her hands and held her breath, watching.
“Up into the tree!”
Teresa shouted powerfully and took off.
She flapped her wings like an eagle and shot up from the ground like a ping pong ball, flying straight at the tree like a missile.
She moved at lightning speed!
Iris, unable to keep up with her trail, looked around and found Teresa perched casually on the tree.
“Wow! Senpai, that was amazing.”
“What do you think? Think you can learn it?”
“Hmm….”
While Iris hesitated, a message popped up before her eyes.
You can learn [Flight]. Would you like to acquire it?
‘Of course. I’m definitely learning this one.’
As she silently agreed, another message followed:
You can learn the skill of Eagle Woman. It will be categorized under [Ancient Chastity Squad]. Would you like to acquire it?
‘Whew, I’m not even surprised anymore. Of course it’s the ancient chastity squad again. No way I’m letting this skill go. Let’s learn it!’
It felt like the system never worked the way Iris wanted—it was almost like it enjoyed teasing her.
Flight seemed like the perfect match for her bracelet, yet here it was being absorbed by the chastity squad classification.
Acquiring skill: [Flight Spring]. Though originally incompatible, it is being modified to match [Chastity Squad].
You may now use [Flight Spring] Lv.1. Practicing soon will help make the skill your own.
‘…Spring? Well, at least the name’s normal. Sort of. Still, I get the idea of how it’s meant to be used. Anyway, I got it. It’s a strong skill perfect for evasion. If I improve it, it might even become a short-range movement skill.’
The skill had adapted to fit Iris’s chastity squad classification.
Iris gave a thumbs-up to Teresa, who was watching nervously.
“It’s okay. I learned the skill, senpai.”
“That’s great. Go ahead and try using it.”
“Okay. Hmm, I’m not sure if I can pull it off exactly like you did, but…”
Iris looked around nervously.
Since it was her first time using a flight skill, she was half-excited and half-worried.
The idea of suddenly flying was a bit scary.
She whispered the skill name to herself and stared at a large rock off in the distance.
As always, a chill ran through her legs and a chain began to emerge.