Published at 6th of March 2026 6:26 am

Chapter 1561 Fear of Snakes

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Adam and Valerian made their way toward the crumbling citadel that lay atop the cliff at the center of the island.

Meanwhile, Zagho Somnia followed more than a hundred meters behind them. He had not cast any spell to conceal himself, yet Adam's senses failed to detect him.

It was not a matter of a difference in strength.

This was a form of psychological invisibility, an innate trait of Mind Dragons. They did not hide their bodies, instead they suppressed their presence in the minds of others, slipping past awareness as if they had never been there at all.

Zagho's emotions were in conflict.

On one hand, he was ecstatic. After centuries of waiting, he had finally found the lost prince. This was something that even dragons far stronger than him had failed to accomplish. That realization stirred pride and relief within him.

But alongside that sense of triumph was a growing unease.

He watched the way Valerian moved beside the human. The closeness, the trust, the ease between them, and the love they shared.

If his suspicion was correct, then the damned human had formed a familiar bond with the clan's prince!

A dragon, especially a royal-blooded Mind Dragon of the Somnia Clan, binding itself to a mere human?

The thought alone was offensive.

To dragons, humans were short-lived, fragile creatures. Many did not even regard them as equals, some barely as more than prey. To share a pact was one thing. To submit to one was another.

If it was true, then it was not merely improper. It was heresy!

But Zagho couldn't confirm whether it was the truth. If Valerian truly was Adam's familiar, then killing the latter would bring about grave consequences to the dragon.

His brows furrowed together as he gazed at the human's departing back.

Foul insect! He thought in dismay.

Have you truly bound the prince to you? The audacity!

Although he had found the lost prince, he was now unsure of how to act. He retrieved an artifact from his storage ring and brought it to his mouth.

I'll summon my elders. I'm sure they'll know what to—

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt when Adam suddenly turned around and gazed in his direction.

Tyrannical mana rolled around his fists as he got into a combat stance. His tenebrous eyes sharpened as he intently scanned the area.

"Brother, what is it!" Valerian asked in alarm.

Finding no one there, Adam couldn't help but frown. He slowly lowered his hands, his mana settling down. But he remained alert.

"No, I…" he murmured. "I felt a gaze on me."

"Who?" Valerian looked around, still nestled comfortably within Adam's robes. "I don't see anyone."

Adam slowly retreated into the citadel. "Let's get this over with quickly. The longer we stay here, the more threats we might have to deal with."

With that said, the pair entered the citadel.

Zagho stood by the main entrance of the building as the human and the dragon prince passed him by. But this time, he didn't directly gaze at Adam.

What monstrous senses! He couldn't help but exclaim inwardly.

He had not encountered anyone of the same rank who could see through his psychological invisibility, let alone a Magus weaker than him.

Just who is this kid? He wondered.

The dragon was distracted only for a moment. Then he quietly spoke into the artifact, informing the others that he had found the lost prince.

He also transmitted his location, summoning all nearby clan members to converge at once.

And then…

Zagho patiently waited.

***

Adam and Valerian moved through a dark corridor for a long time, and soon, they found themselves in a dimly lit hall.

The hall was spacious, and its height was more than fifty meters. There were dozens of thick pillars that supported the vast ceiling.

Just like the first time he'd visited this place, Adam once again found countless skeletal remains strewn across the floor. All of them were corpses of spirit world creatures.

Gazing at the remains that had clearly been chewed through, Valerian couldn't help but shudder.

Adam, on the other hand, remained stoic. He was no longer the weak and helpless boy who had just stepped on the path of a Magus. He was now someone significantly more powerful than the ruler of this island.

His eyes narrowed as he looked ahead. At the far end of the hall, there was a large pillar. Around it, a colossal white snake with crimson eyes stared at him with intense hostility.

The raven-haired youth's lips curled into a smirk.

You were the reason I grew to fear snakes, he thought.

But who would have imagined… that I'd one day use that very fear to strike terror in the heart of my enemies?

His lips parted, and he spoke in snaketongue:

"We have some questions for you, serpent."

The snake's red eyes narrowed, and it hissed, "You ssssspeak our language?"

Adam snorted. "Are you deaf?"

HISSSS!

The serpent bared its fangs as it coiled around the pillar and slid downward. When it reached the ground, it kept its distance from the raven-haired youth. It could sense a dangerous aura from him and had no desire to confront him directly.

"What do you want, Magusssss?"

"Huh." Adam was a little taken aback. "You really don't remember me, do you?"

The white serpent remained silent. It was obvious that it did not remember how it had once tried to eat Adam.

Adam shook his head helplessly. Without warning, he grabbed Valerian by the scruff of his neck and tossed him toward the serpent.

"My little brother is the one who's going to ask the questions."

"B-Brother!!" Valerian scrambled back toward Adam, his feet trembling slightly. He clung to Adam's leg and looked up in panic. "What're you doing!"

Adam said in a stern voice. "I told you, this is your battle. I will not help you. If you want answers, you must face your fears and confront the serpent."

Just like Adam, Valerian had a fear of snakes. The only difference was that he hadn't yet found the courage to overcome that fear.

But the time to do so had come.

"B-But—" Valerian tried to come up with an excuse.

But Adam sharply interrupted him. "No buts. Didn't you want to find out about your origins?"

Valerian gulped subconsciously and nodded.

"Good." Adam pointed at the serpent. "Then defeat the snake."

The young dragon turned toward the giant snake, his topaz eyes flickering with fear. His body was tense, every instinct telling him to retreat.

But his need for answers outweighed the terror in his heart. Besides, his brother was also there to protect him should anything happen.

And so, step by step, he forced himself to walk toward the serpent.

Meanwhile, Zagho Somnia stood at the edge of the hall, arms crossed and back against the wall, watching everything in silence…

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