Chapter 4 – Unwanted Visitors

Lying on the shadow of the bear, I felt my body relax for the first time all day. The texture was surprisingly comfortable—dense, yet with a certain softness. With the campfire beside me and the scent of roasted meat filling the cave, it almost felt like a normal camping trip. Almost.

The day had been productive. After taking the first bear's shadow, I kept hunting and expanding my army. Two wolves, a snake, and a second bear joined the collection. When I realized the cave where I found this last one was spacious and safe, I decided it was worth using as a shelter, at least for now.

As I devoured the rabbit I had hunted earlier, I watched the flames dance. The shadows they cast seemed to move with a will of their own—almost ironic, considering my new ability.

The truth was, things were going well. Almost too fast. It hadn't even been a full day since I got here, and I already had a small army. Everything I had faced so far had fallen without much trouble, and each new shadow made the next fight even easier. If things continued like this, soon there wouldn't be any real challenges left in this place.

The meat was juicy, slightly charred on the outside. Funny how my senses felt sharper here. The taste was stronger, the smell more intense, even the night breeze seemed more real.

At least that was the one certainty—I was really here. The warmth of the fire, the texture of the bear, the flavor of the food… Everything was so tangible there was no room for doubt. But as for where I was, that was another story.

No signs of civilization. Just forest, stretching endlessly. That narrowed things down. It wasn't a modern world, and from the lack of magic in the air, it probably wasn't one of the fantasy worlds I knew. Or maybe it was, and I just hadn't seen enough yet.

I let out a breath and tossed the cleaned bones aside. Thinking about it now wouldn't get me anywhere. The important thing was to keep growing, expanding my shadows, and preparing for whatever came next.

I closed my eyes, feeling the steady rhythm of the shadow bear's breathing beneath me. Tomorrow would be another day. More hunts, more challenges, more power.

And honestly? I was looking forward to it.

---------

The warmth of the fire made the cold night bearable, and the exhaustion of the day made sleep inevitable. The shadow of the bear beneath me rose and fell gently with its breath, creating a steady and calming rhythm.

I was about to sink completely into sleep when I felt a subtle tug at my awareness. A presence. Something was approaching.

It wasn't some supernatural instinct, nothing mystical. I had left the birds on watch, and one of them had just alerted me. I opened my eyes slowly, keeping my breathing steady, as if I were still asleep.

I listened.

Light footsteps, trying to be silent but not enough. The sound of boots scraping against the cave's stone floor gave the intruders away. Judging by the weight of their steps… humans.

A smile formed naturally.

If they had been animals, they might have backed off upon sensing danger. But people? No. People kept moving forward, convinced they were the hunters.

Well, not this time.

I moved carefully, making sure not to alert them too soon. I glanced around, assessing the shadows at my disposal. The bear, the wolves, the snake… more than enough.

An ambush would be better than a direct fight.

Silently, I gave orders to the shadows. The wolves slipped into the corners of the cave, ready to strike. The bear hid in the darkness, waiting for the perfect moment. The snake positioned itself above, where it could drop straight onto an enemy's neck.

Then, I waited.

The footsteps drew closer. Six figures entered the cave, their silhouettes outlined by the firelight. Ragged-looking men, armed with knives and clubs.

Bandits.

One of them stepped forward first—probably the leader or just the dumbest one. It was the last thing he ever did.

I grabbed a rock from the ground and hurled it with force. A dull thud sounded as it struck the man's head. He stumbled back but didn't fall.

Tsk.

I got up quickly, and before he could react, I struck again. Another hit. And another. He collapsed, but I kept going. Rock against skull. Flesh against stone.

The others shouted in surprise.

That was when the shadows attacked.

The bear burst from the darkness, crushing a bandit against the cave wall. The wolves lunged in unison, tearing throats and knocking down prey before they could react. The snake dropped from above, sinking its fangs into another man's neck before he could even lift his weapon.

Screams. Chaos.

And then, silence.

I let go of the rock, feeling warm blood dripping from my fingers.

Six entered. None left.

I stepped closer to the bodies, studying them with curiosity.

Who were these idiots, anyway?

And more importantly… how many more of them were out there?