Shadow manipulation

After experimenting with his Shadow Summoning ability and summoning Severus and Legolas, he learned some fundamental differences in the types of bonds. His bond with Anarak is a bond of an equal companion who uses the same skills and the same level of strength. Of course, he can learn skills as Severus and Legolas did. Speaking of them, the type of bond between him and them was a king and general bond, a master and follower. As for the shadow ghosts, the type of bond is king and pawn, master and soldier. He will use his Shadow Summoning ability to summon shadow ghosts, but in a real battle.

Orion looked at his guide in front of him and then clicked on the "Shadow Manipulation" skill. In an instant, information flowed into his mind like a stream of knowledge. He remained in place for a minute, processing and analyzing the new data, until a familiar voice appeared inside his head.

[New statistic unlocked: Shadow Energy]

Orion looked at his status window, and indeed, he found a new option under the statistics list: Shadow Energy, but its number was (0).

"I don't have any shadow energy?" he muttered to himself.

He decided to try the skill anyway, and began gathering the shadows around him. He watched as the black threads gathered from the ground and walls, wrapping around him as if responding to his call. He focused on shaping them, and they began to take different forms—threads, needles, a knife, a dagger, a katana, a spear, a longsword, and even a hand extending from the darkness.

He was impressed by the flexibility of the shadows, but he felt that his new skill was a vast ocean with many ways to use it. Then, he asked Anarak internally through their bond, "Why can't I use shadow energy? And what exactly is its benefit?"

Anarak answered him in a calm and wise voice, "Shadow energy is the true source of your power. You can use it in your skills to make them stronger and more efficient, and you can also enhance your body with it in a way that surpasses mana, giving you greater speed and strength."

Orion raised an eyebrow in interest, "So, why don't I have any shadow energy currently?"

Anarak chuckled slightly before answering, "Unlike mana, which regenerates automatically, shadow energy has special ways of obtaining it. I will tell you about it when the time is right."

Orion frowned slightly but didn't press the question. Instead, he continued experimenting with shaping the shadows, trying to discover their potential.

At that moment, the supervisor in the corner of the room looked at him with eyes full of astonishment and confusion, wondering what exactly he was doing...

A year passed of continuous training on using "Shadow Manipulation," during which Orion dedicated his time to honing his skills, trying to integrate them with martial arts. He spent long hours in the training room, shaping the shadows and making them an extension of his body, turning them into weapons, shields, and even additional limbs that enhanced his speed and combat power. His ability to control shadows improved remarkably. Orion realized that when shaping something using shadows, it would be stronger if he created something with a structure. For example, creating a hand from shadows would be easy, but if he wanted it to be strong, he could form bones from shadows inside that hand. Orion was able to form shadows into a solid material to replace bones. The same applied to weapons; if he wanted to strengthen them, he needed to study the structure of real weapons to create a powerful weapon. However, despite his progress, he realized that the road to complete mastery was still long.

Upon reaching the age of five, he decided that he needed to apply his skills in a real environment, not just in the training room. Thus, he made a formal request to his parents to allow him to go to the level one training area, where creatures of the "Spark" rank live.

His father Oberon and his mother Clara were fully aware that this was only the beginning of his journey. In a few years, he would have to face more dangerous challenges, so they had to allow him to train in a real environment from now on.

They agreed to his request, but not without stern warnings:

"Be careful, Orion. Always remember that despite your growing strength, you are still at the beginning of the road," his father said in a firm voice.

Orion smiled confidently and bowed respectfully, "I promise you that I will be careful, and I will never be careless."

The next morning, Orion left the palace heading to the level one training area, which was a vast forest stretching for thousands of kilometers. The giant trees rose towards the sky, their branches intertwined to form dense shadows, making the place ideal for using his skills.

He stood at the entrance of the forest, inhaling the fresh air and feeling a thrill overwhelm him. This was the first real step towards achieving his power.

"Alright... let's begin," he muttered to himself before venturing deep into the forest, ready to face his first battles against creatures of the Spark rank.