Walking through the gates, countless memories resurfaced within Snow's mind.
It hadn't been that long since that day.
"This is the beginning of your new life."
Snow still remembered those words clearly.
The day he began building toward his vision.
After taking Angelina in, several plans had immediately been set into motion.
"Master… what exactly are you planning to do?" Angelina asked quietly. Though still adapting to her new life, her voice had already grown calmer than before.
Snow continued walking ahead of her.
"The Assassin Association isn't an organization to take lightly," he said calmly. "There are people within it far stronger than either of us. Sooner or later… they'll come after us."
Angelina remained silent for a moment.
Snow glanced back slightly.
"We'll be fine."
His voice remained steady.
"I promised to take care of you, didn't I?"
For reasons she couldn't explain, those words made her chest tighten.
"I'm not strong enough to destroy an organization like that yet," Snow continued. "But they'll never be able to catch me."
A faint chill spread through the air.
"And now… the same applies to you."
Snow suddenly stopped walking.
"You asked me what I plan to do."
He slowly turned toward her.
"So listen carefully."
"I want to create my own force."
His deep blue eyes remained cold and unreadable.
"You will be the very first step toward that vision."
Snow raised a single finger.
"I don't need thousands of followers."
"Ten."
"That's all I need."
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"I'll make every one of them a force capable of shaking the world."
Angelina's eyes widened slightly.
"Each of you will serve a purpose," Snow continued.
"You will all become necessary pieces of something far greater."
He stretched out his hand toward her.
"Get ready, Angelina."
"You're about to witness my vision…"
"My own path."
"Come."
Angelina stepped forward calmly and stopped directly in front of him.
Snow raised his hand and placed it gently against her forehead.
The air around them froze.
"Angelina Flamesworth."
His voice echoed with strange authority.
"I grant you the title…"
"Shadow."
A violent tremor shook Angelina's body.
"You shall become my right hand."
"My weapon to command."
"My shield to guard."
Snow's eyes glowed faintly beneath the cold mist surrounding them.
"Angelina…"
"You will become my shadow."
The moment those words were spoken—
Something within her awakened.
Heat surged violently through her body.
Her spiritual energy spiraled uncontrollably as if resonating with something hidden deep within her soul.
Inside her spiritual plane
Her beasts roared wildly like overjoyed children.
Angelina let out a sharp cry.
Her vision blurred instantly.
The last thing she saw before losing consciousness.
Was Snow calmly catching her before she fell.
"Sleep," Snow said softly.
"When you wake up…"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"You'll become a different version of yourself."
The mist swallowed them whole.
And both disappeared.
PRESENT DAY
Ever since his birth, Snow had been plagued by strange visions.
At first, he couldn't understand them.
But as time passed, the feeling became clearer.
Something…
Or someone…
Was guiding him.
Whether toward salvation or destruction—
He still didn't know.
Snow exhaled softly.
For now, there were more important matters to think about.
Like power.
The current power system of humanity was divided into four known stages.
RELEASE
The first stage of evolution.
At this level, a person unlocks a portion of their spiritual plane, allowing them to borrow power from their spiritual beasts.
Physical changes begin to manifest depending on one's beast and elemental affinity.
Enhanced strength.
Enhanced speed.
Elemental enhancement.
This was the stage the magma assassin had used during their battle.
DEMI RELEASE
At this stage, one gains greater control over both beast and element.
The spiritual plane opens further, allowing the user's body to evolve toward a more complete fusion.
Features such as fur, tails, sharpened teeth, altered eyes, and beast-like traits become more visible.
A Demi Release user stood between human and beast.
In Angelina's case, her Pantere traits became especially dominant her eyes, ears, fur, and tail making her appear almost entirely beastfolk.
Both physical and elemental abilities increased dramatically.
PARTIAL RELEASE
The near-perfect fusion.
At this level, one's aura alone could crush weaker opponents.
Their bodies transformed into true weapons of destruction.
Senses surpassed human limitations.
Elemental abilities became overwhelmingly refined.
Depending on one's beast, physical changes varied greatly.
Some developed burning hair.
Others gained glowing eyes or monstrous markings.
This stage marks the beginning of true individuality.
TOTAL RELEASE
Snow's eyes gleamed faintly as he reached the final known stage.
The stage humanity referred to as
Perfect Fusion.
At this level, complete synchronization with one's spiritual beast became possible.
The user gained access not only to their own elemental abilities
But also the abilities of their beasts.
The spiritual plane opens fully, allowing one to gradually unlock and manifest additional beasts hidden within their soul.
Both physical and elemental abilities evolved to terrifying levels.
This was the point where geniuses, monsters, and ordinary people became completely separated.
The rarer and stronger one's beasts were
The greater their potential became.
The first known human to achieve Total Release had been Lord Zodac himself.
During the Great War, his appearance had stunned the battlefield into silence.
Golden light swirled around his body like a divine storm.
A radiant halo floated above his head.
Massive wings stretched behind his back.
And behind him
His Serafim beast manifested in full glory.
Lord Zodac.
The strongest human.
A symbol of humanity's evolution.
But even then…
Snow couldn't shake a certain feeling.
Was Total Release truly the end?
Or merely…
The beginning?
Snow slowly looked toward the sky.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"There are still countless stages left to conquer…"
His eyes shifted toward the massive crowd ahead.
"Now then…"
"What comes next?"