CHAPTER 39: SHADOW MIST SNAKE

Angelica, followed closely by Athar, left the perimeter of the camp and began heading deeper into the forest. The density of trees in this part of the forest was far higher than where they had been camping. It was difficult to see more than few feet ahead, not that it was possible in the darkness of the night.

As they walked through the thickening darkness, a cold, creeping unease began to climb up Athar’s spine. He had no idea what Angelica intended, and despite the panic and faint fear he had begun to associate with her, he had no choice but to stick close behind. He did not want to ambushed and killed by a beast even before he got to know what did Angelica wanted.

The forest, as they headed deeper, felt alive with distant growls and the occasional crackle of movement, and Athar kept his senses sharp, alert to every noise, every shadow. Yet, strangely, no beast came near them.

"T... Teacher..." he stammered after a while. They had gone more than a kilometre into the forest.

Angelica did not respond, and Athar followed in tense silence. It was only after they had walked at least another kilometre, by now, and Athar had started to feel really restless. The silence of Angelica mixed with the growls and noise of the beasts were gnawing him from inside.

It was at this moment that the thick wall of trees suddenly parted, revealing a wide clearing. Angelica led Athar to the centre of the clearing. Then she stopped and turned to face him.

"Athar," she said in a soft voice after a long pause. "I brought you here with a proposal. That proposal will be your reward."

"You are free to accept or reject it," she continued. "But trust me, it will benefit you far more than you can comprehend right now."

"What is the proposal, teacher?" Athar asked, his voice tight with tension. His nerves were stretched thin.

"I want you to become my personal disciple," Angelica replied smoothly.

Athar’s eyes widened. Personal disciple? He had never imagined such a thing. But the real question was- why him?

"But... why me, Teacher?" he asked, the uncertainty thick in his voice.

"I do not have high talent or some great potential. I come from no background, and I cannot pay you a dime in fees."

"And even my beast... it is only iron grade," he added.

"I do not think I have anything that would interest you enough to make me your disciple," he continued. "Was it just because of how I performed against you during the duel?"

Angelica did not interrupt. She let Athar finish, patiently allowing his nervous words to spill out. She understood. Anyone raised in the circumstances Athar had grown up in would be cautious, wary of too good to be true offers.

"Not a very high talent?" she repeated, a hint of amusement in her voice. "An iron grade beast, you say?"

Athar’s heart skipped a beat. That tone—did she know?

"Never in my life," Angelica said with a soft chuckle, "did I think I would meet someone who would look at a Shadow Mist Snake and call it an iron grade beast."

His heart began to race. She knew. If there had been even a sliver of doubt before; now there was none. The moment Angelica uttered the name of his beast, it was clear she knew the truth. He had assumed that since his beast was not listed in any academy records or library texts, no one would recognize it.

But here he was—his secret laid bare before her.

"Teacher," he stammered trying to form a coherent reply. But no words left his mouth.

Angelica shook her head.

"Call your beast, Athar," she calmly and Athar’s heart turned frantic.

"Teacher..." Athar tried to speak, but Angelica’s eyes remained locked on him, unwavering. He took a deep breath and called out to Sarpinash.

The little snake appeared and it could sense all the storm inside Athar—panic, fear, anxiety, uncertainty. Sarpinash coiled around his neck, his small form tense, his red eyes watching Angelica warily.

"Just as I said," Angelica repeated calmly, "a Shadow Mist Snake."

"Athar," she continued, "you would have succeeded in hiding your beast’s true potential—if not for me."

"And I have a very special reason why I could identify it so easily. That same reason," she said, her voice firm, "is why I want you as my personal disciple."

"Special reason?" Athar echoed, confused.

Angelica gave a small nod.

The next moment, her mana erupted. The clearing trembled as her power surged through the air.

And then—Athar’s breath caught in his throat. A massive snake appeared in front of him, materializing with a crackle of energy.

Towering over them, it coiled in the clearing like a steady mountain. And standing atop its head, regal and composed, was Angelica. It was without a doubt her companion beast.

The serpent was more than twenty meters long, its body thick and intimidating. But what left Athar truly stunned was its resemblance to Sarpinash. The same deep black scales. The same piercing dark red eyes. Except this beast’s scales shimmered with a sheen of power, and its body radiated raw strength and maturity.

Athar’s heart pounded, and he was not alone in his astonishment.

He could feel it—Sarpinash’s emotions shifting. The fear and wariness faded, replaced by something else. Recognition. Familiarity. A deep, instinctual connection.

It was as if Sarpinash had just met a long lost kin. There was a resonance of connection of between them and even Angelica’s beast was eyeing Sarpinash carefully.

"Shadow Mist Snake," Athar muttered, still reeling from the shock.

"Correct," Angelica said, her towering beast vanishing in an instant as she gracefully stepped back in front of him. "One of the rarest species to exist in this world—and yet, here we are, with two of them."

"You want me to be your disciple because... we have the same beasts?" Athar asked. The fear that had gripped him was beginning to ease.

"You could say that," Angelica replied with a faint smile.

"Athar," she continued softly, "Shadow Mist Snakes are not just ordinary silver grade beasts. Their potential is vast, far beyond what you can currently imagine. In the right hands, they can accomplish things that defy common understanding."

"Trust me," she added. "You need guidance and with correct guidance you can accomplish things which you can never imagine."

Athar took a long breath. The weight of the moment pressed on him, but it no longer felt suffocating. It felt... empowering.

"I accept you as my personal teacher," he said with conviction.

With that, he bowed deeply.

Angelica chuckled lightly, reaching out to pat his head with an amused glint in her eyes.

"Very good," she said. "Let’s return. There is much we will discuss... but that can wait for the future."

With this Angelica and Athar charted the same path back to the camp but this time Athar’s life had taken a very massive and momentous turn whose significance Athar would realise only in future.

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