Gaga didn’t move.

Only when the Clan Leader’s beak was an inch from his eye did he tilt his head slightly, deftly dodging while casually flicking a wing.

SMACK!

The Clan Leader was swatted away like a pebble, letting out a pained squawk as he was sent flying backward. He slammed into a tree trunk with a THUD, slid to the ground in a heap, and couldn’t get up for a long while.

The flock of ravens fell silent.

All the Ravens stared in stunned silence, their gazes flickering between the groaning Clan Leader on the ground and the motionless Gaga.

Just then, the Clan Leader’s daughter, a young female raven with particularly glossy feathers, suddenly shrieked.

"He dared to strike the Clan Leader! He’s a traitor, a freak! Drive him out, caw—!"

It was like lighting a powder keg. The other Ravens joined the uproar.

"Yeah, drive him out!"

"He’s been acting strange lately. Something’s definitely wrong with him!"

"Get out of our territory, caw, caw!"

Not a single Raven spoke up for Gaga, even though he had just displayed Power far superior to the Clan Leader’s.

They just huddled together, staring at him with a mixture of fear and disgust, spewing vicious curses from their beaks.

Gaga stood in the clearing, looking at those familiar yet alien faces.

He suddenly understood. They weren’t stupid; they were afraid of anything different.

Anyone who was different from the flock was an outcast, destined to be shunned.

He said nothing more. Spreading his wings, he silently flew away from the ancient tree.

Behind him, the sound of curses gradually faded.

Gaga was heartbroken.

It wasn’t anger, but a hollow, unanchored sadness that filled his heart.

He flew for a long time, finally finding a crevice in the rock on a solitary peak deep within the Silent Death Mountain Range to build his nest.

From then on, he lived alone.

Lonely, but free.

He began to explore farther afield, even occasionally flying to the edges of human settlements.

He learned to hide in the treetops or under the eaves to eavesdrop on humans. Although he didn’t understand many of the words, by combining them with their movements and expressions, Gaga gradually grasped the general meaning.

He also gave himself a name: Gaga.

He discovered that humans were actually quite weak. They couldn’t run fast, jump high, or fly, and they only used clumsy tools when they fought.

But humans were also very clever. They could use fire, build houses, and create all sorts of ingenious contraptions.

Gaga slowly grew bolder. Sometimes he even dared to skim low over human villages in broad daylight, feeling a little smug as he watched them cry out in panic, "What a huge crow!"

Until the day he met a human in a black robe.

It was at the edge of a swamp. Gaga was just about to catch a plump fish for dinner when the black-robed man suddenly walked out of the mist as if appearing from thin air.

Gaga immediately sensed danger. It wasn’t about Power or speed, but a deeper, more fundamental pressure, as if the entire sky were pressing down on him.

The aura emanating from that person was more terrifying than any Magic Beast he had ever seen, even as fearsome as the terrifying giant bear in the depths of the Silent Death Mountain Range!

His feathers stood on end in terror. Without a second thought, he shot into the sky.

Almost simultaneously, the black-robed man moved. He was flying too!

Not with wings, but by riding a roiling black cloud beneath his feet, moving at incredible speed.

Gaga had never flown so fast in his life. His heart pounded so furiously he thought it would explode.

He flapped his wings desperately, pushing the mysterious Power gained from eating the Red Fruit. His body let out a piercing shriek as it cut through the air, the edges of his feathers even growing hot from the friction.

He didn’t know how long he flew, only daring to slow down when he could no longer feel that terrifying presence at all.

He landed in an unfamiliar forest and collapsed at the foot of a tree, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

From that day on, Gaga never dared to go near human settlements again. He would even flee immediately upon seeing a lone human walking by.

He retreated back into the depths of the Silent Death Mountain Range, living a cautious and lonely life.

Time passed, day by day.

One day, Gaga encountered a giant bird he had never seen before. It was a full size larger than him even in his enlarged form, its feathers a brilliant rainbow of colors, but its eyes were savage and crazed. Its beak and talons glinted with a cold, Metal-like light. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

The giant bird clearly saw him as prey and attacked without a second thought.

A life-or-death battle ensued.

Gaga fought with all his might, enlarging his body, firing Wind Blades, and shooting gray light from his eyes... The giant bird was equally ferocious, spewing scorching flames, its feathers as hard as iron armor.

In the end, Gaga severed the base of the giant bird’s wing with a Wind Blade. The bird shrieked in pain and fled into the clouds.

But Gaga himself was gravely injured. Three bloody gashes on his chest were so deep the bone was visible, his left wing was broken, he had lost nearly half his feathers, and his Power was completely drained.

His body shrank as his vision went black, and he plummeted from the sky.

THUMP!

He landed on a patch of soft grass, the pain nearly causing him to pass out.

Through his blurry consciousness, he heard footsteps approaching.

A human. He had black hair and wore a dark gray robe. He looked young, but his eyes were very calm.

He didn’t have that terrifying, oppressive aura. Instead... he felt very peaceful.

Ian knelt down, his movements gentle. He didn’t immediately touch the gravely injured Raven.

Instead, he first took a Healing Potion from his Dimension Bag and carefully dripped the liquid onto the deepest wound on its chest.

As the Potion touched the flesh, it made a faint SIZZLE sound, stopping the bleeding and beginning to promote healing.

Next, a soft, ice-blue glow appeared on his fingertips. He gently stroked Gaga’s broken left wing, using the low temperature to temporarily numb the pain and suppress any potential swelling.

Gaga was immobile. He could only stare warily at the human, letting him do as he pleased while his mind raced.

’If he tries anything funny, can I still fire one last Wind Blade? Probably not...’

After performing this simple first aid, Ian looked calmly into the Raven’s wary eyes.

"Little one, are you willing to become my partner?"

His voice was gentle, like a spring breeze brushing against new leaves.

But Gaga was too clever. He detected something else in the human’s voice... loneliness.

It wasn’t a facade. It was real loneliness.

Just like him!

Moreover, certain ancient memory fragments in his bloodline awakened.

This was an invitation to become a "Summoned Demon"—a partnership linked by the Soul.

Not master and servant, but more like... allies who kept each other company.

Gaga looked into the human’s eyes.

There was no greed, no calculation, only a calm question and a faint trace of hope.

He thought of his days living alone: no one to keep watch for him while he hunted, having to lick his own wounds when injured, not even a companion to warn others when facing a powerful foe...

"...Caw."

He gave a soft cry and nodded his head.

A hint of a smile flashed in Ian’s eyes.

He reached out, holding his fingertips before Gaga’s forehead, and began to chant a strange Spell in a low voice.

His voice wasn’t loud, but each syllable carried a peculiar rhythm, stirring invisible ripples in the air.

Gaga felt a warmth on his forehead, followed by a surge of warm Power flooding his mind.

It wasn’t unpleasant. On the contrary, it felt like soaking in warm water, so comfortable he almost hummed.

Deep in his consciousness, something was established—faint, yet clear and stable.

Then, he "heard" a voice ring directly in his mind, tinged with a lighthearted smile.

"When we’re alone, I’ll call you Brother Bage."

Ian was reminded of a clever bird from his past life that was somewhat similar.

Gaga: "..."

His eyes widened. ’Brother Bage? What’s that? Sounds like some kind of smaller bird, doesn’t it? I’m a massive Raven...’

"Protest denied," the voice in his mind replied cheerfully. "It’s decided. Brother Bage."

Gaga: "..."

’Fine. For the sake of him saving my life, and the fact that his Soul fluctuations are quite comfortable...’

He managed to lift his uninjured right wing and gently tapped Ian’s hand.

Done deal.