The Shadow Hunter

Chapter 106 — The Shadow Hunter

The northern wilderness stretched endlessly before Aether.

He had already left the battlefield behind.

There was no reason to remain.

The Blackridge warriors had come to kill him, and now they were dead. Their Origin imprints had been extracted, while the useful energy from their bodies had already been absorbed by his Origin Core.

Aether walked through the forest alone.

Blackfang and Ironhide remained inside his shadow.

His private System displayed his current progress.

[Origin Awakening — Stage 7]

[Origin Points: 600 / 900]

Aether glanced at the number.

“Three hundred more.”

His next breakthrough wasn't far away.

But he didn't intend to rush blindly toward it.

Breaking through was important.

Understanding his new power was equally important.

He stopped beside a small stream.

“Come out.”

Blackfang emerged first.

Ironhide followed.

Aether looked at them.

“Fight.”

Blackfang immediately lunged toward Ironhide.

The enormous bear raised its arm.

CLANG!

Claws collided with shadow-forged armor.

Blackfang retreated.

Then attacked again.

Ironhide blocked.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from NovelPhoenix. Please report it.

Aether watched carefully.

The two shadows were stronger than ordinary beasts of the same stage because they were connected directly to his Origin Energy.

But their greatest advantage wasn't raw strength.

It was persistence.

Even if their manifested bodies were destroyed, they returned to him.

Aether suddenly understood something.

“Your bodies are expendable.”

Blackfang stopped.

Ironhide lowered its arm.

Aether continued.

“But your combat ability isn't.”

He wanted to test that.

“Blackfang. Attack me.”

The wolf hesitated for less than a second before charging.

Aether didn't dodge.

At the last moment, he struck Blackfang's head with controlled Origin Energy.

BOOM!

The wolf's body shattered.

Black mist spread across the ground.

Aether waited.

The mist flowed back into his shadow.

Blackfang reformed.

Aether nodded.

“Again.”

The process repeated.

Every time Blackfang was destroyed, it returned.

But Aether noticed something.

Its movements after each reconstruction were slightly different.

More efficient.

It was adapting.

Aether's eyes narrowed.

“Your body disappears, but your battle experience remains.”

That was useful.

Very useful.

He suddenly had an idea.

If his shadows fought enough battles, their combat instincts could continuously improve.

They wouldn't merely become stronger because Aether became stronger.

They could become more efficient fighters through experience.

Aether looked at both of them.

“You'll become stronger through battle.”

The shadows stood silently.

Aether turned toward the forest.

“Then we'll hunt.”

The two shadows disappeared into his shadow.

Aether expanded his Origin Sense.

Several weak creatures were nearby.

He ignored them.

Then he sensed something stronger.

Stage 7.

Aether changed direction.

After nearly half an hour, he reached a rocky valley.

A gigantic lizard was sleeping beneath a cliff.

Its scales were dark red.

Aether studied it.

Stage 7.

Potential B.

Its Origin Energy was dense enough to be useful.

He smiled.

“Blackfang.”

The wolf emerged.

“Ironhide.”

The bear appeared.

The lizard immediately awakened.

Its eyes opened.

A roar shook the valley.

Aether stepped backward.

“Don't kill it immediately.”

Blackfang and Ironhide attacked.

Aether wanted to see how much they could accomplish without his direct assistance.

The battle began.

The lizard's tail swept across the valley.

Ironhide blocked it.

Blackfang attacked its exposed flank.

The beast roared and released a wave of fire-like Origin Energy.

Blackfang's body disappeared inside the explosion.

The lizard turned toward Ironhide.

Ironhide charged.

The fight continued.

Aether watched.

His shadows were learning.

And he was learning with them.

After several minutes, Aether finally stepped forward.

“Enough.”

Shadow Step.

He appeared beneath the lizard's guard.

His palm struck its chest.

BOOM!

The beast staggered.

Blackfang attacked its throat.

Ironhide smashed its legs.

Aether delivered the final strike.

The beast collapsed.

[Stage 7 Origin Beast defeated.]

[Origin Points +50.]

[Origin Points: 650 / 900.]

Aether looked at the notification.

Then at the two shadows.

“Not bad.”

He extracted the beast's Origin imprint.

The System displayed:

[Origin imprint detected.]

[Compatibility: 76%.]

Aether stored it.

Three hundred points had become two hundred and fifty.

He looked toward the deeper wilderness.

There would be stronger beasts ahead.

And every one of them represented another opportunity.

Aether smiled.

“Let's continue.”

The shadows vanished into darkness.

The hunt continued.