Chapter 119: Silver Wings!

"Why is it that, despite the theoretical enormity of the Golden Fish, mages can't find a single trace of it?"

"Why does the Void say the Golden Fish is on the surface, visible without any rituals?"

"There's only one answer."

Ash murmured, "We're already inside the Golden Fish. The Time Continent is above the white mist."

Sonia instinctively wanted to refute him, but as she compared the conclusion with the information she had, everything aligned perfectly, explaining the mystery of the Golden Fish in a way that made undeniable sense.

"Wait," she suddenly recalled. "The only mage handbook I've read mentioned an explorer finding the Golden Fish and climbing over 800 layers but never reaching the top!"

"Think about it—if the Golden Fish were truly massive enough to span 800 layers, even with the mist concealing it, mages wouldn't completely fail to notice any trace of it. And in the Sea of Knowledge, the only place unreachable after climbing over 800 layers is…"

"The sky."

Both stared blankly at the white mist above them.

After a long silence, Sonia muttered, "But how do we even climb up there?"

Good question. How could they reach the sky?

Even knowing the Time Continent lay above them and that reaching it would make them two-winged mages, there was no visible path upward.

There was no celestial ladder descending from above, no tower rising from the ground, and the Sea of Knowledge was entirely flat, lacking any natural elevation over a meter.

They couldn't even stack themselves upward effectively. The only thing they could try was to have Ash summon a substitute, then Sonia stand on it, and Ash climb onto her shoulders.

But summoning thousands of substitutes to form a human tower? Out of the question. Ash's Substitute spirit didn't include the Multiple Substitutes miracle, meaning he could only summon one at a time. If he summoned a second substitute, the first would vanish.

If he wanted two substitutes, his best option was to acquire a second Substitute spirit and use them both together to create a Double Substitute miracle.

Spirits were a peculiar mix of limitless potential and strict boundaries.

"Are there any flying miracles?" Ash asked.

"One-wing miracles rarely offer true flight." Sonia shook her head. "Most one-wing mobility miracles focus on rapid ground movement. Even those allowing temporary leaps are designed more for clearing obstacles than sustained flight."

"Even at two wings, the improvement is only in speed, efficiency, and maneuverability. True flying miracles typically become common only at the three-wing Saint Domain level."

"Why's that?"

"Because achieving three wings requires fully unfolding both Silver Wings and Golden Wings." Sonia raised her hands, mimicking flapping motions. "Do you think a mage's ethereal wings are just for show?"

"What? I thought they were just for intimidation! Like a pre-fight flex: bigger, shinier wings mean stronger mage."

"That's just a social use. In reality, ethereal wings represent a mage's accumulation of knowledge. Each wing provides immense benefits."

"Immense benefits?" Ash blinked and spread his own Silver Wings. "Other than acting as my personal nightlight, what benefits?"

"The Silver Blessing." Sonia spread her hands. "Didn't I tell you? Fully unfolding your Silver Wings proves your silver mana is at its peak. But they only show their true potential after you ascend to two wings and reach the Time Continent. That's when they truly shine—their perfect form."

"Shining Silver Wings grant an eternal blessing, often tied to the mage's primary field of study. Even a newly ascended two-wing mage gets a 20% increase in combat strength from their Silver Blessing, sometimes up to 100% if they're lucky."

Ash's eyes widened. "No wonder you've been so insistent about finding the Golden Fish tonight…"

An upgrade between 20% and 100% in power was game-changing, especially with his escape plan looming. If this blessing could boost his odds, it was well worth the effort.

Sonia blushed faintly, her face warming under the influence of alcohol in the real world. "I just wanted to see the view of the Time Continent sooner… Besides, you promised to help me chase my dreams. Finding the Golden Fish is part of that, so of course I'd drag you along."

"That's fair. So, when are you singing for me? I need to hear your voice to know if I've signed up for a morally questionable job."

"You're seriously holding that over me? Fine, I'll—'I feel so light, like a balloon—'"

"Sorry, my bad, too arrogant. Back to flying miracles."

Ash chuckled but grew serious, finally realizing why his Silver Wings looked unimpressive compared to Valkas's. They lacked the brightness and strength he'd seen before. He had thought it was a trick of the light, but now he knew they were underdeveloped—still in their "virgin" state.

Sonia continued, "Once a mage attains perfect wings, they don't just gain the Silver Blessing and the Golden Blessing. The wings themselves undergo a qualitative change, enabling real-world flight. That's why most flying miracles require at least two fully unfolded wings, and typically three wings for full effectiveness."

In other words, flying miracles were like luxury yachts—reserved for the elite few who had reached three wings or higher. There was no low-cost option for the masses.

She gazed at the misty sky. "Even if we found a one-wing flying miracle, explorers have built towers over 800 layers high without reaching the summit. No matter how much mana we pour into it, we'd never fly that high."

"The easiest way for a mage to fly is with their own ethereal wings. Knowledge is the lightest set of wings."

Ash stood and gave his Silver Wings an experimental flap. Other than making the boat wobble, they accomplished nothing.

"Even without wind spells, you should know it takes two wings to fly," Sonia said, exasperated, before her expression grew puzzled. "Flying miracles can't reach that height, and earth miracles can't build a tower to the sky… How did those legendary mages who supposedly found the Golden Fish climb to the Time Continent? Did we misinterpret something, or is there a hidden staircase in the Sea of Knowledge? Or… could there be a way to gain wings ahead of schedule?"

"If it's just about having wings…" Ash said softly, "then we already do."

"We?"

Sonia froze as Ash pointed at his own Silver Wings, then at hers.

"This is ridiculous…"