Rain continued to fall heavily over Ravencrest Academy.
The courtyard that once echoed with the sounds of training and arrogant laughter had turned into a battlefield.
Broken stone pillars lay scattered across the ground.
Blood mixed with rainwater, slowly flowing between cracks in the ancient courtyard floor.
In the center stood **Lucien Void**.
Before him knelt two creatures born from darkness itself.
One was the shadow of Marcus Valerian.
A humanoid soldier made entirely from black smoke and living shadow.
Beside it stood the massive form of the **Shadow Beast**, the shadow extracted from the Dark Fang Beast Lucien had just defeated.
Its glowing red eyes burned in the darkness like embers.
Lucien stared at them silently.
His breathing was still uneven from the battle.
Just an hour ago he had been the weakest student in Ravencrest Academy.
Now…
He had an army.
A small one.
But still an army.
The glowing system interface appeared before him again.
[Shadow Army Status]
Host: Lucien Void
Shadow Soldiers: 2
Shadow Capacity: 2 / 10
Lucien frowned slightly.
"Shadow capacity?"
The system responded instantly.
[Host can currently control a maximum of 10 shadows.]
Lucien looked back at the two shadows.
"So the limit grows later…"
Interesting.
Very interesting.
But there was no time to think about it.
Screams echoed through the academy halls again.
"HELP!"
"THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!"
Lucien turned toward the sound.
More monsters were entering the academy.
The broken outer wall had allowed creatures from the forest to pour inside.
Students were running through the corridors in complete panic.
Some tried to fight.
Most simply ran.
Lucien clenched his fists.
He needed information.
"Marcus," Lucien said calmly.
The shadow soldier immediately bowed its head.
"Yes, my master."
Lucien still wasn't used to hearing that.
But he ignored it.
"What's happening?"
Marcus's shadow answered without hesitation.
"The academy barrier has collapsed."
Lucien's eyes narrowed.
"The barrier doesn't just collapse on its own."
Marcus nodded.
"Correct."
Lucien felt a strange tension in his chest.
Someone must have destroyed it.
But who?
And why?
Another explosion echoed in the distance.
Lucien looked toward the academy tower.
Smoke rose into the dark sky.
More monsters were entering the courtyard.
Several **Iron Claw Wolves** leapt over the broken wall.
Their glowing eyes locked onto nearby students.
The wolves charged immediately.
Students screamed and scattered.
One boy slipped on the wet stone floor.
The wolves closed in.
Lucien watched silently.
For years, these same students had mocked him.
Humiliated him.
Ignored him.
But something inside him refused to look away.
"…Marcus."
"Yes, my master."
"Kill them."
The shadow soldier moved instantly.
It dashed forward faster than any normal human could move.
The wolves barely had time to react.
Marcus's shadow sword flashed once.
Then again.
Two wolves collapsed onto the ground.
Dead.
The third lunged toward Marcus's shadow.
But the massive **Shadow Beast** stepped forward.
Its claws tore through the wolf's body like paper.
Blood splattered across the courtyard.
The boy on the ground stared in shock.
He slowly looked up at Lucien.
"…You saved me?"
Lucien said nothing.
The boy stood and ran away without waiting for an answer.
Lucien didn't stop him.
More messages appeared on the system interface.
[Enemy defeated.]
[Shadow extraction available.]
Lucien studied the corpses.
Three wolves.
If he extracted them…
He would gain three more shadows.
But he hesitated.
The wolves were weak compared to the Dark Fang Beast.
Was it worth filling his shadow capacity with low-rank creatures?
Lucien asked the system.
"If I fill my limit with weak shadows… can I replace them later?"
The system answered.
[Yes.]
[Host can release shadows at any time.]
Lucien nodded slowly.
"Good."
He raised his hand.
"Extract."
Dark smoke rose from the corpses.
Three smaller shadows formed before him.
They resembled wolves made entirely from darkness.
[Shadow Wolves Created.]
Lucien checked the interface again.
Shadow Soldiers: 5 / 10
His army had grown quickly.
But the chaos around the academy was getting worse.
Students were fighting monsters everywhere.
Some teachers had finally arrived.
Powerful magic exploded across the battlefield.
A fire mage incinerated several beasts near the library.
Lightning bolts struck monsters near the main gate.
But something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Lucien noticed something strange.
The monsters weren't acting randomly.
They were moving in groups.
Almost like they were being controlled.
Marcus's shadow suddenly spoke.
"My master."
Lucien looked at him.
"What is it?"
Marcus pointed toward the forest beyond the broken wall.
Lucien followed his gaze.
Through the rain and smoke, he saw something standing far away.
A figure.
Tall.
Wrapped in a dark cloak.
The figure stood on a hill overlooking the academy.
Watching.
Lucien felt a chill run down his spine.
"…Someone is controlling them."
The system suddenly flashed a warning.
[New Mission Detected.]
Lucien focused on the screen.
[Mission: Investigate the Monster Commander.]
[Reward: Shadow Evolution.]
Lucien's eyes widened.
"Shadow evolution?"
The system explained.
[Allows shadows to increase rank and power.]
Lucien slowly looked back toward the distant figure.
If someone was truly controlling the monsters…
Then killing them could make him stronger.
Much stronger.
Lucien turned toward his shadows.
Marcus stood ready.
The Shadow Beast crouched low like a hunting predator.
The three shadow wolves circled around him.
For the first time in his life…
Lucien felt powerful.
But also cautious.
The academy teachers were beginning to organize a counterattack.
If they saw his shadow army…
They would ask questions.
Too many questions.
Lucien whispered quietly.
"Return."
The shadows immediately dissolved into smoke and sank into his own shadow.
They disappeared completely.
Lucien took a deep breath.
No one nearby had noticed anything.
Good.
Very good.
Lucien pulled his academy cloak tighter around his body.
Rain continued falling as he began walking toward the broken wall.
Toward the forest.
Toward the mysterious figure watching everything.
As he approached the ruins of the academy gate…
The system voice echoed one more time.
[Warning.]
Lucien stopped.
"What now?"
The screen displayed a new message.
[Host is being watched.]
Lucien slowly turned his head.
High above the academy courtyard…
On top of the tallest tower…
Someone stood in the shadows.
Watching him.
A woman.
Her long silver hair flowed in the wind.
Her sharp golden eyes were fixed directly on Lucien.
She had seen everything.
Lucien felt his heartbeat slow.
"…Who is she?"
The woman smiled faintly.
And then she disappeared.
Leaving Lucien standing alone in the rain.
The system displayed one final message.
[Danger Level Increasing.]
Lucien looked toward the dark forest again.
A slow smile appeared on his face.
"Good."
"For the first time…"
His eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.
"…things are finally getting interesting."