Chapter 35 — Shadow Claws in Action, Magic Experimentation Begins!
After exchanging a brief farewell with Hephaestus, Shin Akira wasted no time and shot straight back into the Dungeon.
Hephaestus didn't try to stop him. She understood—his power had just taken a massive leap, and even his abilities had evolved. It made sense that he'd want to test everything out right away in a real battlefield.
She only reminded him not to overdo it and to come back early.
After all, Akira already had a key to the room. Even if he returned in the middle of the night while she was asleep, he wouldn't have to wake her up to get inside.
Upon reentering the Dungeon, Akira immediately began summoning his shadow army.
The shadow beneath his feet pulsed ominously and stretched outward. One by one, new creatures began to emerge from within the darkness—Claw Shadows, his newly acquired unit.
A low, vibrating growl rumbled through the air.
And right on cue, fresh monsters began crawling out from the Dungeon walls.
There was no hesitation.
The Claw Shadows lunged forward with terrifying precision.
Unlike regular Shadow Warriors, these new summons didn't just resemble humanoid ninjas. Their legs were sharply tapered—like massive steel drills or pointed stakes—and in combat, those weren't just for movement. They were deadly weapons in their own right.
In a split second, razor-sharp claws tore into the newly spawned monsters.
Blood sprayed, and the creatures collapsed into black mist before crystallizing into magic stones.
From a distance, Shin Akira observed the battlefield in silence—his arms folded, his eyes gleaming with pride and anticipation. What he was witnessing now... was the prototype of the Shadow Legion he would one day unleash upon the world.
For now, his army consisted of [16 + 16]—sixteen Claw Shadows and sixteen Shadow Warriors. But he knew that number would grow. With every level, with every new skill and power he obtained, his dominion would expand.
He imagined it already:
[32 + 32 + 32]
[64 + 64 + 64 + 64]
[128 + 128 + 128 + 128 + 128]
…and beyond.
One day, when his synchronization with the Tarakudo Template reached 100%, he'd possess the power to unleash Absolute Darkness across this entire world.
…But even so, he had no intention of actually doing that.
This world was ruled by gods and goddesses—beings of divine authority and unfathomable power. He wasn't foolish enough to challenge them blindly. No, he wasn't that reckless.
Still, if he did reach that stage, his power would be nothing short of terrifying.
A thought crossed his mind.
In the Jackie Chan Adventures universe, Tarakudo—King of the Shadowkhan—had nine Oni Generals, each commanding a distinct tribe of shadows.
"Then... could I also create nine generals of my own?"
The vision forming in his mind was almost too epic to describe.
Back on the field, the Claw Shadows ruthlessly tore through monsters, clearing the path with savage efficiency. Behind them, the Shadow Warriors picked up leftover items and magic stones like an automated cleanup crew.
Everything moved like a perfectly calibrated machine. Strength, coordination, and rhythm blended into a strange but mesmerizing harmony.
While his summoned units carried out the extermination, Akira focused on something else—magic experimentation.
With his new Shadow Force skill, he could already manipulate shadows at will. But to forge actual magic spells through the Falna, he needed extensive research—trial and error.
The shadows beneath him began to swell and spiral outward, forming a pitch-black circle nearly ten meters wide.
Akira stood at the center, arms spread like he was channeling the very core of darkness.
From within the swirling shadows, a single tendril surged out—snapping forward like a striking whip.
It slashed across a nearby boulder with astonishing speed and force.
With just one strike, the massive stone was cleaved cleanly in half.
He glanced at the cut—it was smooth, as if sliced by the finest blade.
Akira gave a small nod of approval. The sharpness exceeded most weapons he'd seen so far.
Still… the attack range was underwhelming. Only about four to five meters. Not nearly enough.
He shifted his approach.
This time, instead of extending the tendrils directly, he formed a thin trail of shadow across the ground—connecting himself to the target—and then launched a single focused tentacle along that path.
The result?
A drastic improvement.
The range now extended to nearly thirty meters.
He could touch anything within that radius.
Excitement sparked in his chest.
He kept experimenting.
He even pulled inspiration from the Shadow Possession Technique used by the Nara Clan in the Naruto universe. The mechanics were different, of course, but the core concept—using shadows as control tools—was a valuable reference.
At one point, he considered mimicking Leticia Draculea's Dragon's Shadow technique from Problem Children Are Coming from Another World, Aren't They?
…But that was still far out of reach.
For now, it remained a fantasy.
He became so engrossed in his experiments that time slipped away.
All around him, monsters kept spawning… and being destroyed… and spawning again… only to be wiped out once more. The cycle continued endlessly.
Akira remained rooted in the center of it all—fully immersed, oblivious to the passing hours.
Explosions, collisions, the sound of claws tearing into flesh—it echoed through every corner of the Dungeon floor.
And then…
Something unexpected happened.
A figure emerged from the lower levels of the Dungeon, stepping onto the fifth floor.
Akira had deliberately limited his testing to the upper layers—he didn't want to attract too much attention just yet. This was just supposed to be a field trial.
But the moment this new arrival entered the floor, they were greeted by a swarm of humanoid shadows with glowing crimson "V"-shaped eyes.
The Claw Shadows instantly detected the presence.
And they didn't hesitate.
Their standing order was absolute: eliminate anything that appears on this floor—be it human or monster.
Anyone who set foot here… became a target.
"Is this… some kind of monster?"
The intruder raised a wooden sword, swinging with shocking force.
With a single slash, one of the Claw Shadows was torn apart—its body dispersing into a cloud of dark mist.
No magic stone.
No remains.
It simply vanished.
The mysterious figure blinked in surprise.
And then the rest closed in—Claw Shadows emerging from every direction, encircling their prey.
Their synchronized assault was terrifying.
Under the faint glow of the Dungeon, their gleaming claws reflected a cold, merciless light.
But the intruder wasn't ordinary.
Even with just a wooden sword, their movements were lightning-fast.
They weaved through the barrage of attacks with supernatural agility. Every slash took down a Claw Shadow with pinpoint precision.
From a distance, Akira—still focused on his magic tests—suddenly noticed a massive drop in his summoned units.
Startled, he turned to look.
"The fifth floor…?"
He muttered under his breath.
"Just eight Shadow Warriors were enough to take full control of this level without resistance."
But now… even with sixteen Claw Shadows and sixteen Shadow Warriors—thirty-two shadow units in total—his forces were being shredded.
This… didn't make sense.
And then… he saw them.
The person responsible for wiping out his summons.
He froze.
He recognized them.
Greenish-blond hair.
A green battle outfit.
A wooden sword held confidently in hand.
Leaf-themed armor and accessories.
There was no mistake.
He knew exactly who this was.
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