Shadow Being System

Chapter 114 Cave In

Deep in the night, within the heart of the foggy chasm, William stood motionless beside the ethereal glowing lake, the soft luminescence casting shifting shadows on the jagged walls of the cave. His breathing was steady but deep, his fingers curled tightly around the grip of the bow. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and the lingering metallic tang of magic.

With deliberate slowness, he nocked an arrow, the faint creak of the string stretching under his pull echoing softly in the vast emptiness. He drew it back with every ounce of strength he had, pushing himself to the bow's maximum draw length. His muscles burned, his shoulders trembling, his arms shaking as his fingers clung tightly to the string. He knew the bow wouldn't break; it was designed to withstand immense force. But his body, on the other hand, was another story.

His hand trembled, the effort sending a dull ache through his joints. His fingers, slick with sweat, strained against the bowstring. A thought flickered in his mind: "Is this how an archer feels the first time they draw?" The weight of the arrow, the tautness of the string—it all felt foreign yet exhilarating. He swallowed hard, gritting his teeth as he fought against the strain, refusing to let go just yet.

Then, he exhaled slowly and activated his lightning ability.

A crackling hum filled the air as the arrow began to change. Blue arcs of electricity slithered along the shaft, sparking wildly as they coiled around it. Small jolts danced over William's fingers, tiny bursts of light flickering in the dim cave, but they didn't harm him. Instead, the energy pulsed in harmony with his breath, waiting, ready to be unleashed.

But he wasn't done yet.

Closing his eyes for a brief moment, William reached out—not with his hands, but with his will. The darkness within the cave stirred, shadows slithering like living tendrils at his command. They rose and coiled around the arrow, embracing it like a silent predator. The moment the shadows fused with the lightning, the crackling blue arcs vanished, swallowed whole by the void.

Now, the arrow looked like a spear of thunder in a pitch-black night, its presence barely perceptible yet humming with restrained devastation.

William's breath hitched as he struggled to hold the bow any longer. His muscles screamed in protest, his fingers feeling as if they would rip apart at any second. Yet, despite the pain, a grin tugged at his lips.

"I can combine more than one ability at a time."

The realization filled him with an odd satisfaction. His training was paying off. But at the same time, he knew he was still limited. He hadn't copied any abilities in a while, leaving him with only lightning and shadows at his disposal.

"We'll have to make do with that."

He turned, aiming in the opposite direction of the target circle he had drawn earlier. With a deep breath, he released the arrow.

The moment his fingers let go, a thunderous crack erupted as the arrow tore through the air. The sound reverberated through the cave, bouncing off the walls like the roar of an approaching storm. A sharp sting pulsed through William's hand as the force of the release sent a tremor up his arm, his skin prickling in the aftermath.

The arrow streaked forward like a phantom bolt, nearly invisible, the only sign of its passage being the faint shimmer of disturbed air. As it hurtled toward the cave wall, William stretched his hand forward, his fingers splayed open as he concentrated.

The shadow coating the arrow answered him instantly.

The moment his will connected with the darkness, the arrow's trajectory changed mid-flight, twisting sharply to the right before veering left again. William's eyes gleamed. "This was the real reason I added the shadow." With it, he could manipulate the arrow's direction at will. In a public setting, people would assume he was using wind control, never realizing he was relying purely on his shadow ability. It was the perfect deception.

But there was a problem.

William's brow furrowed as he noticed the shift in momentum. The arrow was still fast—blindingly so—but it had lost a fraction of its initial speed when he manipulated it. Not enough to ruin the attack, but enough to make a difference in a high-stakes battle.

Still, it wasn't a dealbreaker.

He continued guiding the arrow through the air, forcing it to zigzag through the cave without touching the walls. His control over shadows had increased significantly since his training with Zarin during the holiday, allowing him to execute movements that would have been impossible before. The arrow swerved, looped, and spiraled—an extension of his will, his command absolute.

And his Shadow Essence have increased since he met the Shadow Lord, giving him more time to use his shadow ability without worrying about running out of essence.

Satisfied with his progress, he decided not to waste any more of his shadow essence. He directed the arrow toward the target circle he had drawn earlier, urging it forward at full speed. The arrow obeyed, streaking toward the center of the mark like a predator locking onto its prey.

But just as it was about to strike—

It stopped. Midair.

William blinked, his breath catching in his throat. He clenched his fist, attempting to push it forward, but the arrow remained frozen in place, completely unresponsive to his command.

A heavy silence filled the cave before William exhaled sharply and muttered, "Zarin, is that you?"

As if answering his call, a figure materialized beside the arrow, one hand gripping its shaft lightly. Green hair framed a calm, unreadable expression as Zarin lowered the arrow to the ground without a word.

William scowled, frustration evident in his tone as he asked, "Why'd you stop it? I was so close to seeing its full power! I needed to test it before tomorrow's outing to the beast planet."

Zarin looked at him as if he were an idiot. "If I hadn't stopped it," he said dryly, "you wouldn't need to worry about the outing tomorrow. The impact would have caused a cave-in."

William blinked. Once. Twice.

"Oh."

The realization settled in, and for a brief moment, he imagined the entire cave collapsing on top of him. He gulped.

Zarin sighed, shaking his head. "Next time, maybe test it in an open field?"

William scratched the back of his head, offering an awkward chuckle. "Yeah... good idea."