Chapter 8: Expanding Darkness
The continent trembled with rumors. Entire sects had vanished overnight, their disciples either fleeing or falling victim to the shadow that moved unseen. Kael Veyra no longer operated as a mere mortal; he was a force a predator whose reach extended far beyond the mountains he had once called home.
Kael's followers, trained in secrecy, became extensions of his will. Each carried a fragment of the shadow, moving silently, striking decisively, leaving chaos in their wake. They were shadows themselves now, disciples of darkness, and Kael's legend grew with every raid, every conquest.
The next target was the Crimson Talon Clan, a mid-tier sect with fire mastery rivaling the Ashfang. Kael approached under the cover of a moonless night, his shadow splitting into dozens of autonomous tendrils, scouting, binding, and preparing the battlefield.
The clan's disciples were formidable, but Kael's shadow was faster, smarter, and more unpredictable than anything they had encountered. One by one, they fell not just to his hands, but to the autonomous strike of his shadow. Blades were crushed, flames extinguished, and warriors left in stunned disbelief at the black sea that seemed alive.
At the heart of the clan, Kael faced Master Teyrin, a veteran cultivator with years of experience. Teyrin's fire struck like molten rivers, but Kael's shadows anticipated, dodged, and countered. Tendrils immobilized, blocked, and even absorbed minor flames, growing stronger with each strike.
"You're… no ordinary boy," Teyrin gasped, sweat and soot covering his face. "You… manipulate shadows like they're alive!"
Kael's eyes glimmered with cold precision. "They are alive. And so am I."
With a final surge, Kael's shadow wrapped around Teyrin, pulling the master into darkness. The cultivator struggled, but the autonomous tendrils held, crushing his energy until surrender was inevitable.
Kael withdrew, leaving the clan fractured and under his indirect control. His followers spread into nearby territories, expanding influence silently but efficiently. Each conquest, each battle, fed the shadow, making it smarter, faster, and semi-independent capable of fighting entire squads without Kael's direct input.
As Kael stood atop a cliff overlooking the continent, he let the wind whip around him. His shadow stretched into the night like a living ocean, whispering promises of limitless power, dominance, and revenge.
This world belongs to those who take it, it seemed to say.
Kael's lips curved into a cold, dangerous smile. The boy who had survived a village massacre was no longer just a survivor. He was a conqueror. A shadow that consumed all light.
And the world will learn the true meaning of fear.