Chapter 44: Angelic’s determination

Angelic’s body was on the verge of surrendering, but her mind clung fiercely to the determination to survive. In the suffocating room, filled with deadly gas, where panic would have been the natural response, Angelic did the opposite—she calmed herself. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and focused on things that could soothe her. Despite the overwhelming situation, she centered her mind and found a strange sense of peace amid the chaos.

Meanwhile, the poison gas had completely filled the room, making it impossible to see anything inside. Cassandra, who had been watching Angelic closely, turned her back on the room, disappointment evident in her expression.

“I expected too much. Another weakling, crushed by worthless dreams. What a pitiful creature,” Cassandra muttered, spitting on the floor in disgust as she walked away, heading outside for some fresh air.
As she passed by the control room, a voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Cassandra, come here! You need to see this!” called out one of the instructors, excitement in his voice.
“What is it?” Cassandra asked, her curiosity piqued, though she maintained a skeptical tone.

“Look at the monitor. It’s Angelic… she’s still in there, but she’s not what you think,” the instructor said, pointing at the screen.
Cassandra approached the monitor, her skepticism fading as she peered at the image on the screen. There, on the CCTV footage, she saw Angelic, not lying lifeless as she had assumed, but sitting upright, meditating calmly amidst the toxic gas that filled the room.

“How long has it been?” another instructor asked, his voice filled with awe.
“Over 20 minutes,” someone replied, a mix of disbelief and amazement in their tone.

“Impossible,” Cassandra whispered, her eyes widening in shock. “Who is this woman? This has never happened before… not once in all the years of our training. No one has ever managed to hold their breath for this long, let alone stay calm in such a deadly environment.”

Cassandra’s mind raced as she watched the screen, seeing Angelic’s stillness, her unflinching calm. The gas that should have broken her down, that had claimed the lives of countless others, seemed almost powerless against her. Instead of fighting the gas, Angelic had embraced the situation, calming herself in a way that defied everything Cassandra had ever seen.

As the minutes ticked by, Cassandra realized that Angelic had accomplished something extraordinary. The pride she had for Angelic grew, as did her respect. This was not just any trainee—this was someone special, someone with potential far beyond what Cassandra had anticipated.

“She’s rare… a true rarity,” Cassandra murmured to herself, her voice filled with a mix of admiration and surprise.
As time passed, Angelic’s breath began to falter, the gas finally taking its toll. Sensing that Angelic had reached her limit, Cassandra quickly instructed the other instructors, “Open the ventilation! Let the gas out, now!”

The ventilation fans whirred to life, sucking the poisonous gas out of the room. Fresh air rushed in, and Angelic felt the change immediately. She opened her eyes, her senses slowly returning to normal. As she looked around, she noticed Cassandra standing in front of her, a smile of approval on her face, clapping her hands slowly.

“Bravo, Angelic,” Cassandra said, her voice warm with praise. “You’ve done something incredible today. I underestimated you, and for that, I apologize. You’ve shown a strength and resilience that I haven’t seen in a very long time.”

Angelic, still catching her breath, looked up at Cassandra, surprised by the applause and the praise. Cassandra, who had been so harsh and dismissive earlier, was now looking at her with genuine admiration.
“I… I just did what I had to,” Angelic replied modestly, though her heart swelled with pride.

Cassandra knelt down beside her, placing a hand on Angelic’s shoulder. “No, Angelic. You did far more than what was required. You showed that you have the heart of a true warrior. You didn’t just survive—you conquered. And for that, you have my respect.”

The other instructors gathered around the monitor, nodding in agreement, their earlier doubts about Angelic now gone. They, too, were impressed by her extraordinary performance.
Cassandra helped Angelic to her feet, still smiling. “You’ve proven yourself today. But this is only the beginning. There’s much more to learn, much more to endure. But if you continue on this path, I have no doubt that you will become one of the strongest warriors this island has ever seen.”

Angelic nodded, her resolve stronger than ever. “I’m ready, Miss Cassandra. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it.”
“Good,” Cassandra said, her eyes gleaming with approval. “Let’s see just how far you can go.”

As they left the room, Angelic felt a renewed sense of purpose. She had come here to become stronger, to prepare for the revenge she so desperately sought. Today had been a test of her will, and she had passed. But deep down, she knew that this was only the beginning of the trials she would face.
But if today had taught her anything, it was that she was ready for whatever came next.