The morning air was brisk, the scent of moss and dew still clinging to the trees. A gentle breeze fluttered through the grass as Angel gazed over the peaceful terrain. It was time.
"Well, since everything here is all settled," Angel muttered to himself, brushing off his coat, "we should head to the DarkGhost's Forest now."
"W-where are we going?" Sofia asked, her voice small and uncertain.
Angel turned to her, a faint smile on his lips. "The place where you'll get stronger—DarkGhost's Forest."
"G-Ghost!?" Sofia squeaked, her hands clutching her sleeves.
"Don't worry," he said reassuringly. "I'll be with you the whole time."
Angel raised his hand and called out, "Thunder, come out!"
In a flash of radiant light, a sleek white unicorn emerged from thin air, its mane glistening like threads of silver under the sunlight. It neighed softly, bowing its head in greeting.
"W-what a beautiful horse!" Sofia gasped, eyes wide with awe.
Angel chuckled lightly. "Of course it is. It's a unicorn, after all."
They climbed atop Thunder, who trotted off at a steady pace. Though not as fast as Black Kyrin—who dwelled in the shadows and could move like a wraith—Thunder made for a far more calming ride.
> "Still… what starter technique should I teach her?" Angel pondered silently as the trees began to thicken around them.
It didn't take long before they reached the eerie edges of DarkGhost's Forest. The atmosphere was heavy, but calm—unnaturally so.
"We're here," Angel said, dismounting. "This is where I'll be training you."
Sofia hesitated as her feet touched the forest floor. "I… I'm scared."
Angel glanced around. "I've already asked a friend to cleanse this place of spirits. I don't hear any weeping or whispers, so he must've finished."
"So there aren't any ghosts?" Sofia whispered.
"None. Only beasts," Angel replied.
Sofia's eyes widened. "But beasts are still scary!"
"Not for long. In three months, you'll be the one scaring them—if you follow my instructions properly."
"I-I will!" she nodded vigorously.
"That's the spirit." Angel gave a rare smile. "Now then, first lesson…"
> "Think, think… The tomes and sutras I brought mostly boost qi gathering. No proper technique manuals…"
Then it hit him. "Qi Control Breathing Technique!"
"Sofia, sit down. Lotus position," Angel instructed.
"L-like this?" she asked as she sat cross-legged, fumbling slightly.
"Perfect. Now close your eyes. Slowly breathe in the energy around you—let it flow to your center."
Sofia obeyed, inhaling deeply. A strange warmth trickled through her nose, followed by a cool chill. A whirlpool of essence flowed down into her abdomen—into her dantian.
> She's absorbing qi too fast! Angel thought, eyes narrowing. If this continues…
"Shit! She's about to overflow!"
He rushed over, pressing his palm against her back. With a focused surge of his own energy, he helped redirect the excess flow, guiding her safely through the chaotic torrent.
A flash of light surrounded Sofia's body. Then—silence.
"…Mister?" she opened her teary eyes. "What… what was that?"
Angel exhaled in relief. "Congratulations. You've just broken through to the early stage of Qi-Condensation."
"Qi… Condensation?" she asked, tilting her head.
"It's the first stage of becoming a martial artist. You're officially one now."
"Martial artist…?" She frowned. "Isn't that what they call the barbarians?"
> Barbarians, huh? Guess they exist in this world too… Angel mused.
Sofia suddenly stared at her hands. "Mister… what's this blue light in my body?"
"That's your qi. It's similar to mana. Try punching that tree over there."
"O-okay!"
With a determined yell, Sofia lunged forward, her tiny fist shimmering with blue light. Her punch shattered the tree in half like it was made of paper.
"I DID IT!" she cried, spinning around with glee. "I broke a tree! I'm super strong now!"
Angel smirked. "Yes you are. Isn't that right, Heavenly Dao?"
Sofia blinked. "Mister… who's that?"
A figure descended like moonlight. Tall, elegant, clad in radiant robes, with obsidian hair flowing behind him—Heavenly Dao had arrived.
"You still call me that?" the man said, half amused. "I thought I gave you that name."
"That was just a title," Angel replied calmly. "You're the original."
"And this child?" Heavenly Dao nodded toward Sofia.
"My new disciple."
The celestial being folded his arms. "I was bored… then I saw a world I didn't create. Tell me—did you make this one?"
"No. Neither of us did," Angel replied flatly. "If you want to stay, live like a commoner. No heavenly techniques. No breaking laws."
"…Hah. Fine. I've already studied the culture here," Heavenly Dao said with a wink. "I'll go blend in. See you around."
With that, he vanished into thin air.
"Sofia, he's gone. You can come out now," Angel said, smiling faintly.
A rustle came from a nearby tree. Sofia peeked her head out.
> She hid inside a tree. Cute.
"Alright," Angel clapped his hands. "Let's get back to training. We've got no time to waste."
Days passed quickly. Angel hunted, while Sofia trained in breathing, movement, and combat basics. The once-dense qi around them began to thin.
> Two weeks have passed… Sofia's already at mid Qi-Condensation. She's talented. Though, for me, it only took an hour to reach Foundation Realm…
"Master! I broke through again!" Sofia beamed.
"Good. Pack your things—we're relocating."
"Where to?"
"The Everglades Forest. The qi there is abundant, and we need fresh beasts to spar with."
Angel also had another goal in mind—the arcane library of the magic academy. He planned to master every spell he could find.
Instead of teleporting, Angel opted to travel by Thunder. Monsters along the road would provide Sofia with valuable experience.
"Sofia!" he called during one encounter. "Three ogres up ahead. Show me how you handle stronger enemies!"
"[Light Magic: Illuminate!]" she cried.
A burst of blinding light exploded in front of the ogres.
> She's going for a flash-and-strike tactic… Smart.
"[Gale Wind Sword Sweep!]"
Sofia spun, her blade cutting through air—and flesh. The ogres collapsed, groaning.
> 'Gale Wind Sword Sweep'—a solid AOE technique. She's picking up fast.
"Great job!" Angel called out. "Let's move on!"
As they continued riding, Angel looked up at the sky.
> I wonder how much that girl… Lyla Astallon has grown. Should I try teaching swordsmanship in a magic academy? Maybe I'll talk to the headmaster… or find a proper knight's academy.
He smirked, wind rushing past them.
"This… will be fun."