Jenna's screams echoed through the lobby.
[Jenna (☆)'s transformation has almost finished…]
Han, Shay, Tess, and Raphtalia stood in a tight circle around her, faces drawn and tense. Jenna writhed on the floor, her entire body trembling uncontrollably.
Though her wounds had been healed by the Lobby's restorative energy, it was too late—the transformation had already progressed too far. And the Lobby couldn't undo it.
"Jenna!" Tess shouted, tears streaming from her wide, panicked eyes.
Bone jutted violently from Jenna's back—two skeletal stubs unfurling into full, wing-like limbs. Jet-black feathers bloomed rapidly, coating the bone in a shroud of darkness. She let out another guttural scream, her voice raw.
"What's happening?!" cried Chloe, rushing in from the Lodgings with Gilly and Saena hot on her feet.
They froze at the sight—Jenna's twisting, changing form, the unnatural wings forming from her back.
"What… what's happening to Jenna?!" Saena gasped, her face pale.
"She's… transforming into a harpy," Han said gravely, eyes locked on the girl convulsing in front of them.
"A harpy?" Shay echoed in disbelief.
"But Han! Last time—you were in a similar state! But it stopped when we came back!" Tess pleaded, gripping his sleeve. Her voice cracked with desperation, her usual iron-willed composure nowhere to be found. "Why isn't it stopping now?!"
Han's expression darkened.
"We were too late," he said quietly. "Last time… the transformation hadn't sunk in all the way. But Jenna—she's passed that point."
"No…" Tess whispered, tears still flowing. The Warrior's Mark had hardened her heart—but here, faced with her friend in pain, it shattered again.
Suddenly, Jenna let out a final, shuddering gasp—and the wings on her back burst forth, fully formed.
Black, sleek, and imposing.
Then—
[Due to Jenna having not drunk enough of the Harpy Queen's blood, the transformation cannot be fully completed.]
Han blinked, stunned. "What…?"
Jenna's body stilled. The screaming stopped. And then—with a sharp flap of her wings—she rose.
"JENNA!" everyone cried, stepping back instinctively as her form lifted into the air, a few feet off the ground.
Her eyes opened—glowing faintly violet, sharp like a raptor's. Her body radiated a strange, wild energy.
[Jenna (☆)'s race has been changed to: Skyborne!]
[Skill Awakening!]
[The hero, Jenna (☆), has awakened the skill: Harpykin's Charm!]
[The hero, Jenna (☆), has awakened the skill: Stormlit Resilience!]
[The hero, Jenna (☆), has awakened the skill: Aerial Senses!]
[Jenna (☆)'s Hawk's Eye has evolved into: Skyborne's Eye!]
Jenna slowly descended, her black wings flapping with elegance and grace as she landed softly on the white marble floor of the Lobby. The glow in her eyes dimmed to a gentle violet shimmer, and the wild aura surrounding her settled into something warm—comforting, even.
She looked up at everyone, her face flushed with exertion but calm now.
"Guys…" she said, voice trembling slightly. "I think I'm okay."
The moment she spoke, Tess rushed forward first, throwing her arms around her. Gilly, Saena, Shay, and even Chloe followed, encircling her in a massive group hug.
"You idiot..." Tess mumbled through tears, hugging tighter.
"You scared us!" Shay said, voice shaking. "That scream—I thought—"
"You looked like you were dying," Raphtalia added, her fists lightly thumping Jenna's shoulder. "Don't do that again!"
"Geez, I didn't want to scream," Jenna muttered weakly, smiling despite herself. "It really hurt, okay?"
Only Han stood back, arms crossed, his gaze analyzing her carefully.
A Skyborne? he thought. What the hell is that?
He raised his hand, calling forth the familiar blue interface.
[Status Window]
[Jenna Cirai (☆) – Lv.7 (Exp 12/70)]
[Class: Novice]
[Strength: 20/20, Intelligence: 10/10, Stamina: 20/20, Dexterity: 34/34]
[Skills: Basic Archery (Lv.8), Basic Dagger Handling (Lv.6), Pain Tolerance (Lv.9), Switching (Lv.4), Quick Draw (Lv.6), Quick Fire (Lv.4), Harpykin's Charm (Lv.1), Stormlit Resilience (Lv.1), Aerial Senses (Lv.1), Skyborne's Eye (Lv.1)]
"Her stats rose quite a lot..." Han muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Is it because of Stormlit Resilience?"
He tapped on the skill.
[Stormlit Resilience]
[You bear the strong physique of the Skyborne, beings forged in the fury of the open sky. Your body has adapted to endure high-altitude pressure, slicing winds, and the raw force of thunderstorms. Grants the user flight-worthy wings, enhanced natural defenses, and significantly raises mana affinity with the elements of Wind and Thunder.]
"Interesting…" Han murmured, a spark of amusement flickering in his eyes. "She has two elemental affinities now. That's rare."
"She... is perfect to take up the Magic Archer job..."
He quickly opened the next skill.
[Harpykin's Charm]
[Your bloodline carries the echo of harpies. You possess a natural allure that draws others to you. Your voice becomes especially captivating—when singing, the charm effect is significantly amplified.]
He nodded once, then pressed the third.
[Aerial Senses]
[Born of the sky, your perception stretches far. You can perceive the finest details within a thirty-kilometer radius. Enhances the precision of accuracy-based skills by 50%.]
Han whistled quietly. "Not bad for an archer…"
Finally, he tapped the last skill.
[Skyborne's Eye]
[Eyes blessed by the wind itself. You can track movement with uncanny clarity, even predicting an enemy's next move. Every shot becomes a certainty. Synergizes with Aerial Senses for maximum effectiveness.]
So accurate she can probably hit a falling leaf mid-tornado... Han thought, raising an eyebrow. "This is—"
"Han~" Jenna suddenly purred behind him.
He didn't even hear her move.
Her large black wings wrapped around his torso from behind, soft feathers brushing against his sides. Her arms followed, sliding around his chest as she pressed her warm body flush against his back.
"Han..." she whispered, her voice lower, a teasing smile in her tone. "I've never seen you so worried before."
He stiffened slightly, but didn't pull away.
Jenna chuckled. "It was definitely worth the pain."
"Shut up, Jenna," Han muttered, unable to hide the small smile growing on his face.
To be continued...
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How was this chapter? Liked it?
Also, did you all like Jenna's power up? Yes? No? I tried to make the best I could for an archer.
Oh, and sorry for having posted only once this week... my girlfriend has been taking me for herself quite a lot this week.