The icy dome dissolved around Gabriel's frame, leaving faint mist lingering in the air of his chamber. His breathing steadied, his mind sharper than ever. Power hummed within his veins, yet it was not enough. Not nearly enough.
"High stage Novice…" he muttered to himself, fingers curling into fists. "A speck on the path. If I stop here, I will be trampled."
His eyes burned with quiet determination. He knew what was waiting—his siblings' scorn, the king's indifference, and enemies hidden in every shadow. His vow demanded more than small victories. It demanded domination.
But even as he basked in the afterglow of his breakthrough, unease lingered. The prisoner's words from the dungeon still echoed in his chest. "If you grow into someone worthy of commanding me, then perhaps one day I will kneel."
Gabriel's lips tightened. That man was no ordinary criminal. His aura, even chained, had felt suffocating. If he could earn—or force—that man's loyalty, his rise would quicken.
Yet rushing without strength was suicide. Gabriel needed to test his limits. He needed prey.
The moon hung low when a knock rattled his chamber door. Gabriel frowned, instantly alert. He did not expect visitors at this hour.
"Who is it?" His voice was calm, but edged with warning.
A muffled whisper answered, "It is I, Daisy."
Gabriel's frown deepened. He opened the door slightly, just enough to see his younger sister's worried eyes. She clutched a tray of food, her small hands trembling.
"You did not eat much earlier," she said softly. "I thought… you might be hungry."
For a moment, Gabriel's heart stirred. Daisy—unlike the others—always looked at him not with contempt, but with fragile care.
He almost softened. Almost. But then he remembered: attachments were weaknesses others could exploit. He could not afford sentiment. Not now.
He took the tray, placed it on the table, and said simply, "Thank you. Now return to your room."
Her lips parted, as if she wanted to say more, but the coldness in his eyes stopped her. She lowered her head. "Goodnight, Brother."
When she was gone, Gabriel exhaled slowly. "One day, Daisy. When I am strong enough, I will protect you. But until then, stay away."
He ate quickly, fueling his exhausted body, and returned to meditation.
At dawn, Gabriel slipped from the palace unnoticed. Cloaked in plain garb, he passed through the western gate and into the forests beyond the capital. The guards barely spared him a glance; to them, he was still the forgotten son, weak and unworthy of concern.
Perfect.
The forest was alive with dew and birdsong, but Gabriel's senses searched for something darker. His system whispered possibilities into his mind.
[Nearby spiritual beast detected.][Classification: Cave Serpent – Beginner Stage Mid rank beast][Estimated Subjugation Probability: 32%.]
Gabriel's lips curved faintly. "Good enough for a test."
He followed the trail deeper, branches scratching his cloak, until the ground grew damp and the air heavy with rot. A cavern yawned open ahead, shadows thick as oil.
The serpent waited.
From the darkness, a hiss coiled through the air. Twin eyes glowed green, and the beast slithered forward, scales scraping against stone. Its body was thick as a man's torso, muscles rippling beneath slick armour.
Gabriel's pulse quickened, but he stood firm. "Perfect."
The serpent struck, jaws wide, fangs gleaming with venom. Gabriel's hand rose instinctively. "Glacial Mirror Aegis!"
The dome of icy light shimmered into existence just as the beast slammed against it. The impact rattled his bones, but the shield held. Frost spread across the serpent's snout, and it recoiled with a furious hiss.
Gabriel's system flared.
[Opportunity: Attempt Subjugation?]
"Yes."
The serpent's aura pressed down like a tidal wave—the oppressive might of a Beginner Stage Mid rank beast. Any ordinary Novice stage would have been swallowed whole by fear alone. But Gabriel's eyes deepened into swirling blue-black vortices, and the creature's soul quivered as the abyss reflected in his gaze began pulling it into submission. A tremor ran through its massive body as its soul was dragged toward the consuming void mirrored in Gabriel's gaze. The stone pillars still quaked under its weight, but its resistance grew weaker with every heartbeat, as though the very core of its being was being unraveled and swallowed whole.
Submit. Obey me.
The serpent fought, its mind like a storm, but Gabriel's new cultivation lent him strength. His spirit burned, pressing harder, locking tighter.
At last, the beast stilled. Its glowing eyes dimmed, then flickered with faint obedience.
[Subjugation Successful.][Beast Added: Cave Serpent – Beginner Stage Mid rank beast]
Gabriel fell to one knee, chest heaving. Sweat poured down his face, but a savage grin split his lips.
"Another piece for my army."
The serpent coiled beside him, no longer an enemy but a servant. Its presence swelled his aura, making him feel less like a boy and more like a commander of shadows.
But Gabriel was not alone.
From a nearby ridge, cloaked figures watched. One, draped in black, lowered a spyglass. "So the forgotten prince has teeth after all," he muttered.
Another chuckled, voice cold. "The king believes him useless. The ministers laugh behind his back. Yet he subjugates beasts? Dangerous. Very dangerous."
"Shall we kill him now?"
The leader shook his head. "No. A hatchling's growth is more entertaining. Let him sharpen his claws. When he threatens the balance, we strike."
The assassins melted into the shadows, leaving no trace of their presence.
Gabriel, deep in the cavern, remained unaware.
With the serpent at his side, Gabriel pressed deeper into the forest. More beasts lurked—wolves, boars, even a skeletal bird that cawed venom into the air. He fought, tested, failed, and tried again. His shield cracked under claws, his mana nearly ran dry, but each battle tempered his resolve.
When dusk fell, he had subjugated another: a shadow hawk, weak but swift, its wings slicing air like blades.
[New Beast Added: Shadow Hawk – Novice Stage High rank beast.]
Three beasts now answered his call. Three more than yesterday.
Gabriel stood at the edge of a cliff, overlooking the dark expanse of the kingdom. His cloak billowed in the evening wind, his beasts crouched at his feet.
He whispered, almost to himself, "This world thinks me broken. Let them. Soon, I will rise beyond their reach."
The serpent hissed in agreement.
*Back at the Palace*
When Gabriel returned under the cover of night, the palace was buzzing. Whispers darted through halls like sparks. News of Evelyn's engagement to David had spread, and gossip thickened like smoke. Servants exchanged pitying looks whenever Gabriel passed, expecting him to be shattered.
But Gabriel ignored them all. He walked calmly, his expression unreadable. Inside, he burned not with despair, but anticipation.
Each whisper was another chain snapping. Each sneer was another reason to ascend higher.
When he entered his chamber, his beasts dissolved into shadows at his command, hiding from sight. He sat cross-legged again, system panel glowing faintly before his eyes.
📜 System Panel
Name: Gabriel AshfordRealm: Novice Rank – High Stage
Health: 120/120
Stamina: 120/120
Strength: 19
Agility: 20
Endurance: 18
Spirit: 23
Mana: 20
Affinity: Water/Ice (Awakened)
Skills: God's Eye, Subjugate, System Inventory
Techniques: Eternal Frost Scripture, Glacial Mirror Aegis
Subjugated Beasts
1. Dungeon Rat
Cultivation: Novice – Low Rank
Health: 20/20
Strength: 2
Speed: 4
Affinity: Darkness
Skills: Poison Bite
2. Cave Lizard
Cultivation: Novice – Mid Rank
Health: 45/45
Strength: 8
Speed: 6
Affinity: Earth
Skills: Scale Armor, Tail Whip
3. Shadow Hawk
Cultivation: Novice – High Rank
Health: 70/70
Strength: 12
Speed: 16
Affinity: Darkness/Wind
Skills: Sky Rend (fast aerial slash), Shadow Dive (concealment in low light)
4. Cave Serpent
Cultivation: Beginner – Mid Rank
Health: 95/95
Strength: 16
Speed: 12
Affinity: Water/Poison
Skills: Venom Fang, Constrictor Coil, Aqua Surge (minor water manipulation)
He stared at the glowing text, then closed the panel. His path was still long, but he could feel it: each step heavier, each victory sharper.
That night, as moonlight bled through his window, Gabriel whispered into the dark.
"Samuel, Mother, Daisy… wait for me. When my chains are gone, I will protect you."
His eyes hardened.
"As for the rest—siblings who mocked me, ministers who spat on me, a father who never saw me…" His voice dropped into a growl.
"They will kneel."
The serpent stirred in the shadows, echoing his hunger.
And Gabriel, eyes like shards of frozen steel, closed them only when dawn threatened the horizon.
His hunt had only begun.