CHAPTER 25: SHADOW MONSTERS

In truth, Richard’s roar had echoed all the way to the city.

Though muffled by distance, it still startled those near the Dark Forest. Several even stumbled and fell, overwhelmed by shock.

"What was that?" someone muttered.

"Was it a beast’s roar? How could it be that loud?"

Even the Sky Armor Knights exchanged bewildered looks.

"What was that just now? Was that truly a roar?"

"There’s no way the beasts inside the Dark Forest could produce a roar like that, right?"

"Could one of them have evolved and awakened a Primordial Bloodline?"

"Even if that were true, no roar should be that powerful. Besides, the beasts put into the forest were carefully selected to ensure none of them had Primordial Bloodlines."

The knights’ faces shifted with uncertainty, confusion filling their expressions.

Investigate it? That wasn’t their duty. Their job was to guard the gate and slay any beasts that tried to escape.

"We should report this to the city lord first."

"Agreed... we can’t act rashly. Besides, only that boy went inside."

"Hey, look—he already has 170 points," another suddenly said in shock.

The wall’s display only showed the top ten rankings, but the knights had the ability to check anyone’s points through the same symbol that had verified Richard’s hand earlier.

Quickly, others gathered to confirm.

"How did he accumulate that many points so quickly?"

"Could he really be that strong? The only way would be if he slaughtered an entire pack at once."

Compared to the roar, the knights were even more shaken by this revelation. They completely forgot about reporting to the city lord, instead staring intently at the symbol to track Richard’s score.

Meanwhile, Richard pressed deeper into the forest.

He was headed straight for its center.

Strangely, ever since his roar, not a single beast had appeared along his path.

"Are they afraid of me now?" Richard wondered, suspicious that they might sense his presence and recognize him as the source of that devastating roar.

Of course, the forest wasn’t all that vast—only about half the size of Apple Town.

It didn’t take long before he reached the center, where clusters of Sakura trees bloomed.

Beneath one of them lay a grave, marked by a nameless tombstone, the soil still fresh as though it had been buried only days ago.

I should be able to dig this up like so, Richard thought, channeling his Aether into the earth and merging with it.

Sure enough, he soon felt control over the soil itself.

With ninety percent affinity for the Earth Element, how could he fail to manipulate it?

At his will, the ground split apart, revealing a coffin within—still fresh, newly buried.

Richard hesitated at the sight. He had no interest in gazing upon corpses.

But for Olivia’s promised reward, he steeled himself.

Climbing down into the grave, he braced his courage. His fingers pried into the crack between coffin and lid, then forced it open.

"Eh..." His nerves shifted into pure surprise at what he found.

It wasn’t a human corpse, but the preserved body of an orange cat. Clearly very old, yet its fur remained pristine.

Around its neck hung a black necklace with a pendant shaped like a tiny skull.

"Whose cat is this? Why was it buried like a person? Was it so highly honored?" Richard wondered aloud.

He placed his hand upon the cold body, startled to sense faint remnants of tremendous power lingering within, slowly dispersing into the world.

This was no ordinary creature.

Richard suspected the cat belonged to someone powerful, perhaps sharing a deep bond with it.

Still, he had come this far. There was no turning back.

He pulled the skull-pendant necklace free from the cat’s neck.

"Mmm..." A faint, mysterious aura pulsed from it.

This must be valuable. But I don’t know what it is, he thought.

Climbing out, he cast one last curious glance at the cat before closing the grave again with a single thought, the soil folding neatly back into place.

"Where are the beasts?" Richard muttered irritably, scanning the forest.

Then an idea struck him.

He stretched out his hand.

Whoosh!

Shadowy energy surged forth, shaping itself into eight massive lions—each three times the size of an ordinary lion.

Even Richard was shocked by the result.

Of course, these were born from the Hundred Shadow Monster Arcane Art.

He had mastered it to eight percent, allowing him to form eight shadow beasts.

Though forged of darkness, they appeared vividly alive, with fierce expressions and eyes filled with loyalty, just like his steed Athena.

Their bodies were half-shadow, half-substance—able to strike with real force yet still move fluidly like shadows.

If only he had more Aether, they would’ve been even larger.

"Go. Hunt the beasts. Kill them all," Richard commanded.

The lions even nodded in response before bounding away in different directions.

Each leap carried them twenty meters through the air, astonishing Richard—he himself couldn’t jump nearly that far.

Not long after they vanished, two glowing orbs returned, sinking into Richard’s token and increasing his points.

Then came three more.

Richard smiled in satisfaction, realizing he no longer had to lift a finger.

The shadow lions would continue fighting until their energy ran dry and their bodies dissolved.

Back at the gate, the knights still monitored Richard’s progress.

His points weren’t increasing steadily, leaving them puzzled.

"Unless he stumbled upon a dying pack and finished them off?" one knight suggested, a notion the others quickly agreed with.

"He’s just a seven-year-old child. How strong could he possibly be, no matter how much of a genius?"

"Hahaha. Let’s just file the report to the city lord. That roar must be investigated."

"Wait. His points just rose again."

"..."

(Point: 190)

(Point: 250)

(Point: 380)

(Point: 500)

(Point: 670)

At that moment, Richard’s name appeared on the wall’s display, his score leaping into the top ten.

In fact, he had reached rank four, pushing William down a spot. His data now shone clearly for all to see.

(Richard, Age 7!)

(Rank: 4)

(Points: 700)

His speed in accumulating points could only be described as absurd.

But what truly left everyone in disbelief was his age.

Seven years old. How could a seven-year-old possibly do this?

If he were sixteen or seventeen, already in the Aether Will Realm, then perhaps it could be explained.

But seven years old? No one had ever heard of a child that young stepping into the Aether Will Realm.

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