douluo dalu: Dark Phoenix

Chapter 12: Star Dou Forest and the Serpent's Dance

The morning mist hung low over Shrek Academy, cold and thick as though the world itself had yet to wake up.

Ayanokoji stood silently near the academy gates, dressed in black, the faint traces of rain still clinging to the earth.

Today, they were going to Star Dou Forest.

Not for him this time — but for Oscar.

---

A Rare Third Spirit Ring Hunt

"I can't keep relying on everyone else," Oscar had said the night before, his usually light-hearted tone serious for once.

"I need my third ring."

It was rare for food-type spirit masters to require such a hunt — most spirit rings suited for support systems could be obtained more safely.

But Oscar wanted something more powerful.

Something that would allow him to stand alongside the others… not behind them.

So, despite Grandmaster's initial reluctance, the decision was made.

They would enter Star Dou Forest.

---

The Journey Begins

The group assembled at dawn — Tang San, Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Oscar… and Ayanokoji.

Flender and Grandmaster would accompany them, both to supervise and to protect.

The trek toward Star Dou Forest was long but quiet, the early hours lending a strange serenity to the journey.

Ayanokoji, as always, walked at the edge of the group, silent and watchful.

His mind, however, was not at ease.

There was a tension in the air — something he couldn't quite place, but could feel.

As though the forest knew they were coming.

---

Entering Star Dou Forest

The entrance to Star Dou Forest was marked by ancient trees, their thick trunks covered in moss, the canopy so dense it swallowed the light.

The forest was alive — not just with sound, but with spirit power.

Even the air felt heavier.

"We stay together," Grandmaster said as they crossed the threshold, his voice low but firm. "No exceptions."

The forest floor was soft beneath their feet, damp with morning dew.

Branches creaked overhead, unseen spirit beasts moving through the foliage.

Ning Rongrong shivered, staying close to Zhu Zhuqing, while Oscar's normally playful demeanor was replaced with grim determination.

Ayanokoji's gaze remained forward, golden eyes calm but sharp, scanning every shadow.

He'd been here before.

Alone.

And he knew…

Star Dou Forest was never truly silent.

---

The Search for Oscar's Ring

The first few hours passed uneventfully.

They encountered several spirit beasts — a 1,000-year-old Wind Wolf, a 900-year-old Shadow Panther — but none suited Oscar's abilities.

"We'll need to go deeper," Grandmaster finally said, his expression tight.

Oscar nodded without hesitation.

They pressed on.

The deeper they went, the older the forest became.

The trees were larger, twisted with age, their roots like thick serpents coiling through the underbrush.

It was here that the stronger spirit beasts lived.

A place where even predators feared to tread.

---

The Shadow of a Serpent

They found the clearing around midday.

A wide, open space with a crystal-clear stream running through it — rare in the dense forest.

A good place to rest.

The group settled in, drinking water, catching their breath.

But Ayanokoji didn't sit.

He stood at the edge of the clearing, staring into the trees.

He felt it.

A presence.

Ancient.

Watching.

The others hadn't noticed yet, but he knew… something was out there.

Something dangerous.

And it wasn't just a spirit beast.

---

The Snake and Dragon Couple

The attack came without warning.

A sudden rush of wind, a blur of white scales — and before anyone could react, a massive serpent burst from the underbrush, its silver body coiling toward them with terrifying speed.

"Back!" Grandmaster shouted.

But the serpent wasn't alone.

A deep, rumbling roar shook the ground, and from the opposite side of the clearing, a massive dragon-like beast emerged — covered in black scales, its crimson eyes burning with primal fury.

The Snake and Dragon couple.

A powerful, bonded pair of spirit beasts.

One could have been lethal.

Together… they were unstoppable.

---

Chaos Unleashed

The clearing erupted into chaos.

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass shot out instantly, forming a barrier, while Dai Mubai activated his White Tiger transformation, charging the black-scaled dragon with a feral roar.

Xiao Wu moved like a phantom, vanishing and reappearing behind the silver serpent, aiming a swift kick at its head.

But these weren't ordinary spirit beasts.

The serpent moved fluidly, faster than seemed possible for its size, evading her strike and countering with a whip-like snap of its tail.

Xiao Wu barely dodged in time.

Meanwhile, the black dragon roared again, sending a shockwave through the ground, throwing Ning Rongrong and Oscar off their feet.

Ayanokoji stood still, watching.

Calculating.

---

The Mind of a Predator

While the others fought desperately to hold back the two beasts, Ayanokoji's Spirit Eyes burned gold, scanning the battlefield.

The Snake and Dragon couple weren't just powerful…

They were coordinated.

The dragon guarded the serpent's flanks, while the serpent struck with speed and precision, forcing the group into defensive positions.

A perfect balance of power and agility.

But…

Every coordination had a pattern.

A weakness.

Ayanokoji saw it.

---

A Calculated Strike

Without a word, he moved.

Fast.

He crossed the clearing, slipping past the dragon's line of sight, closing the distance to the silver serpent with surgical precision.

As the beast coiled to strike again, Ayanokoji activated his third spirit ability — Shadow Serpent's Prediction — and time seemed to slow.

He saw the trajectory of the serpent's strike before it happened, the arc of its movement…

And countered.

With cold, lethal efficiency, he evaded its fangs, pressed his palm against the base of its head…

And unleashed a pulse of pure spirit energy.

The serpent convulsed violently, its coordination with the dragon breaking for a fraction of a second.

And in that moment…

Tang San struck.

His Blue Silver Grass constricted the dragon's limbs, giving Dai Mubai the opening he needed.

A savage white tiger palm slammed into the beast's side, sending it crashing into a tree.

---

Victory, but Not Without Cost

The battle ended with the two beasts retreating, wounded but alive.

The forest grew silent again.

The group stood there, breathing heavily, bruised but victorious.

"That…" Oscar whispered, staring after the fleeing spirit beasts. "That was insane…"

But Ayanokoji said nothing.

He simply turned, quietly walking back toward the others, as though the battle hadn't happened at all.

His golden eyes… distant.

And in that moment, Tang San realized something.

Ayanokoji wasn't just strong.

He was something else.

Something cold.

Something… untouchable.

---

The Hunt Continues

The group pressed on, deeper into Star Dou Forest, Oscar's third spirit ring still waiting to be found.

But now…

They all understood.

The forest wasn't the most dangerous thing out there.

The shadows were.

And Ayanokoji…

Was one of them.