Chapter 6 – Wings of the Silent Reaper
The caged soul beast before Ryuga was called the Silent Reaper Crow.
Its enormous shadowed wings, spectral feathers, and fading aura told Ryuga everything he needed to know about its age.
By his estimation, it had lived for roughly twelve hundred years.
He studied it quietly, letting all the information he had memorized from countless books surface in his mind.
The size of its wings, the unnatural silence around its body, and the cold fire burning in its eyes all confirmed something rare.
This wasn't just any member of its species — it was a monarch-level Silent Reaper, a king among shadow crows.
Such creatures seldom appeared outside the depths of the Star Dou Forest.
One had reportedly been spotted months ago, and Ryuga suspected this was the same one.
It was one of the beasts he had listed for his first ring, chosen carefully among several options.
The Silent Reaper Crow carried a name feared by both soul beasts and soul masters: Silent Assassin of the Night, or Shadow Reaper.
It was known for killing without sound, striking from nowhere, and vanishing without a trace.
Low-level soul masters died without ever realizing they had been targeted.
When a Silent Reaper Crow was sighted, the Spirit Hall usually sent teams to eliminate it immediately.
The beast specialized in shadow and mental-type attacks, making it extremely dangerous.
Even its flight produced no ripples in the air, proof of its terrifying control over surrounding soul power.
Its methods of attack were varied and deadly.
It could strike from within shadows, assault a victim's mind, or weaponize darkness itself.
The most frightening ability was its power to manifest dozens of small crows from shadows beneath its wings, each one draining vitality and soul energy before returning to the monarch to heal it — a technique known as Shadow Harvest.
Ryuga recalled its other advanced abilities as well, names like Silent Dominion, Night Veil, Soul Requiem Cry, and Eternal Eclipse Ascension.
A beast like this was no ordinary opponent.
Even now, weakened and dying, it stared at him with a hatred sharp enough to cut.
"Son, what do you think?" Granvill's voice broke Ryuga's thoughts.
"Did your dad catch a good soul beast for you?" he asked with obvious pride.
Ryuga nodded.
"Yes, Father. You did an amazing job. Thank you for all the trouble."
Granvill smiled wider at the praise.
"Among all the soul beasts you mentioned, this one matched your absorption limit perfectly. Its shadow and mental attributes suit you the most."
He folded his arms. "It took me two months to find it, so finish it quickly and absorb the ring."
Ryuga gave a soft laugh.
"I know, Father. Thank you. I love you."
Then he whispered one word: "Equip."
Shadow Armour enveloped him instantly, the metallic plates sliding over his body like living night.
The katana appeared in his right hand at the same moment, its black blade gleaming with violet reflections.
Ryuga had named the weapon Legion, choosing the name during a moment of inspiration while practicing sword forms.
He approached the cage quietly.
The Silent Reaper Crow lifted its head and matched Ryuga's stare.
Neither fear nor hesitation flickered in Ryuga's eyes — only certainty.
For a long breath, they simply looked at each other.
The beast's gaze radiated resentment and killing intent, as if it cursed Ryuga for witnessing its final moments.
Ryuga accepted it with calm resolve.
In a single motion, he thrust Legion forward.
The blade pierced the beast's skull cleanly, sliding straight between its glowing eyes.
There was no emotion on Ryuga's face — only a steady acceptance that this was his first kill in both lives.
The crow's body went still.
A moment later, a purple ring of light rose from its corpse, hovering gently above the cage.
Granvill stepped forward.
"Now sit, Ryuga. Absorb it just as I taught you."
Ryuga sheathed Legion, walked to the ring, and sat cross-legged.
He released a soft pulse of soul power, drawing the spirit ring toward him.
As soon as it sensed him, the ring descended over his head and sank into his body.
The pain was mild.
He felt warmth spreading through his limbs, a faint burning pressure in his bones, and a gentle tightening in his meridians.
It was uncomfortable, but nothing compared to the stories he'd heard of spirit ring agony.
Thanks to a year of consuming Whale Glue, his body had undergone extraordinary strengthening.
His muscles had hardened, his meridians expanded, and even his bones felt unshakably dense.
He absorbed the ring smoothly, even though its age surpassed his normal limit by nearly nine hundred years.
Six hours passed before the process finished completely.
Ryuga inhaled softly and opened his eyes.
Something rustled behind him.
He twisted slightly and saw massive wings unfurl from his back — wings nearly ten meters wide, pitch-black and quiet as the night sky.
In the moonlight, violet and silver streaks shimmered across the feathers, giving the wings an ethereal glow.
Each slight movement sent ripples of silence through the air.
Ryuga stared in disbelief.
He knew exactly what they were.
Before he could celebrate, something unexpected happened.
The Shadow Armour began reacting almost instantly, its metallic scales rippling like liquid over his body.
The armor flowed backward, reaching the new wings and covering them completely.
Within a minute, the wings had transformed.
The feathers turned into layers of black metal, each scaled surface reflecting a deep violet sheen.
The entire structure blended seamlessly with the armor, looking as though they had always belonged together.
Ryuga was speechless.
He had never imagined his martial spirit could adapt to an external soul bone so naturally and completely.
His father, on the other hand, was stunned for a different reason.
Granvill's voice trembled slightly.
"Son… what is that on your back? Did your martial spirit mutate again?"
Ryuga nodded gently.
"Yes and no, Father. It did mutate, but not in the usual way. It adapted to the soul bone I received."
He touched the metallic edge of one wing. "This is an external soul bone. It's extremely rare… rarer than most spirit bones."
Granvill listened as Ryuga explained what external soul bones were, how they could grow with the user, and how they bonded naturally.
Granvill's expression tightened with both shock and pride.
"Alright, son," he said at last, recovering his composure.
"I won't mention this to anyone. Now tell me — what's your first soul skill? And what's your soul power level?"
Ryuga smiled faintly.
"It's not flashy, but it's incredibly useful."
He took a breath and continued.
"I call it Absolute Control. It lets me control the flow of soul power throughout my body with precise accuracy — almost like I can feel every thread of it. It also lets me manipulate soul power just outside my body, but only within a small range."
He paused, feeling the energy swirl inside him.
"It helps me absorb soul energy faster during meditation. It will let me activate soul skills quicker in the future. And it grants me the ability to completely hide my presence, just like the Silent Reaper Crow did."
He looked at his father with a confident glint.
"With these wings, the stealth and control become even more effective. This soul skill won't lose value no matter how strong I grow."
Granvill watched his son glow with pride and determination, and a soft smile warmed his face.
He had spent months risking danger in Star Dou Forest to find this soul beast.
Now, seeing Ryuga's evolution, he felt every moment had been worth it.
Written by :- Ashborn_
Edited by :- Chat GPT