After his family left the room, Orion sat on his small bed, staring at the shadow stretching beneath his feet. He took a deep breath, then muttered in his mind:
"Am I ready now?"
An ancient, familiar yet enigmatic voice echoed in his mind.
"Ready? You had no idea how ignorant you were until you saw this guide."
A transparent screen shimmered before him, faintly black as if made from the very fabric of shadow. At first, he didn't fully understand what he was looking at, but the words etched within were perfectly clear:
[Congratulations, Orion Terra, on awakening your Mana Core! You have unlocked the Shadow Guide.]
Name: Orion Terra
Age: 3 years old
Gender: Male
Race: Human/Shadow
[Attributes]
(💀 Shadow Heart)
(👁️ Whispers of Shadows)
(🌑 Shadow member)
(⚡ Shadow Instinct)
(🏚️ Shadow Shelter)
[Stats]
🛡️ Strength: 12
⚡ Speed: 22
🔥 Endurance: 25
❤️ Vitality: 18
🌀 Perception: 35
✨ Charisma: 10
🔮 Mana Core Rank: Spark
[Innate Ability]
🔲 Call of Shadows
You can summon shadow creatures from the shadow realm.
These creatures can evolve with you, but their rank cannot exceed yours.
You can summon shadow specters, but you cannot summon a specter that exceeds your rank.
You can form an eternal bond with only one shadow companion.
1/1 Shadow Companion
0/2 Shadow Creatures
0 Shadow Specters
"Tap the ability to learn it"
[Skills]
⚔️ Shadow Manipulation
"Tap the skill to learn it."
Orion murmured in his mind, "Amazing... this is like a system panel, but tailored just for me..."
Anarak chuckled softly within his mind.
"Of course, it's not just a guide, it's a part of you. Now, tell me, what do you understand from this?"
Orion looked at his screen for a moment, then replied confidently:
"That... it shows my potential. My strength, speed, endurance, even my innate abilities... everything is here."
"Correct, but make no mistake... this is only the beginning."
Orion raised an eyebrow, wondering.
"What do you mean?"
"What you have here are just numbers. But true power doesn't come from numbers alone, but from how you use them. That's why I won't allow you to rush to learn your skills yet."
"Why?!"
"Because you can barely use mana, let alone fight with it. You think your ability to hear whispers or move quickly is useful? These are just natural manifestations of your attributes, but they are unrefined. You need to master them, not let them control you."
Orion pondered Anarak's words for a moment, then crossed his arms while lying on his bed.
"Alright... how do we start?"
"First, we'll train your mana control. After that, we'll make sure your body can keep up with your new strength. And when your skills merge with your stats, you'll start training your attributes one by one."
"And how long will that take?"
"One year."
Orion smiled. Despite his young age, he knew this was just the beginning of the journey.
"Then, let's begin..."
The following morning, the main dining hall of the Terra family mansion was filled with a rare celebratory atmosphere. Despite the hall's usual grandeur, with its glittering chandeliers and gilded tables, today was distinctly different.
Everyone was present, from his parents Oberon and Clara, to his paternal grandparents Oscar and Mona, and his maternal grandparents Vincent and Leray. Even the servants in the mansion were smiling with unusual enthusiasm.
At the head of the table, Orion sat on a slightly elevated chair, his curious eyes scanning the room. The atmosphere was warm, and although everyone present was among the most powerful individuals in the universe, at this moment, they were simply a happy family celebrating their young son.
Oberon, his father, raised a glass of fine wine and said in a booming voice:
"Let's raise a toast to Orion's awakening! Today, his journey towards greatness begins!"
The family followed suit, everyone raising their glasses in unison, while Mona, his paternal grandmother, laughed, saying:
"Oh, my little darling, I knew you'd be special, but I never expected you to shock us all like this!"
Leray, his maternal grandmother, nodded, her eyes filled with pride:
"He's our grandson after all, we wouldn't expect anything less."
Clara, his mother, couldn't hide her happiness, gently patting his head and asking with a warm smile:
"Sweetheart, how do you feel? And can you tell us about your guide? What did you see when you awakened?"
Orion, who was eating a piece of cake specially made for him, paused for a moment, then looked at his mother with his deep black eyes and said with an unexpected seriousness for a child his age:
"I got the Shadow Guide."
A moment of silence fell, before Oscar, his paternal grandfather, broke it, placing his hand on his chin thoughtfully.
"The Shadow Guide? Interesting... tell us more about it."
Orion looked around, sensing their deep interest, and began to explain:
"My guide shows my stats, attributes, skills, and innate ability."
Vincent, his maternal grandfather, frowned slightly and asked:
"And what are your attributes?"
Orion began listing them with childlike innocence, but he was well aware of their significance:
"I have Shadow Heart, Whispers of Shadows, Of Shadows, Shadow Instinct, and Shadow Shelter."
Oberon exchanged glances with Clara, then looked at him intently:
"Each of these attributes sounds... powerful. Do you feel any of them affecting you currently?"
Orion nodded confidently:
"Yes, I always feel calm, no matter what happens. And also, shadows sometimes whisper to me, I feel like they're trying to tell me things."
Mona laughed softly and said jokingly:
"Oh, our little one already has friends in the shadows? What a mysterious child!"
Everyone chuckled gently, but in their eyes, there was genuine astonishment. What Orion had said was not simple. For a three-year-old to possess these attributes and the ability to sense shadows in this way was no ordinary feat.
"And what about your stats?" Oscar asked, resting his elbow on the table and leaning forward.
Orion began listing them:
"Strength: 12, Speed: 22, Endurance: 25, Vitality: 18, Perception: 35, Charisma: 10, and my Mana Core rank is Spark."
Vincent narrowed his eyes and said:
"His perception is very high for his age... that's unnatural."
Clara, despite her pride, couldn't hide her slight worry, turning to her husband and asking:
"Oberon... does this mean his development will be different from others?"
Oberon, despite his outward calm, was thinking deeply. After a moment of silence, he replied with a gentle smile:
"His development will certainly be different, but that's a good thing. The more different he is, the stronger he'll be."
Orion looked at his father for a moment, then made a sudden decision, raising his head and saying confidently:
"Father, I want to start training."
Clara looked at him in surprise, while Oberon asked with interest:
"You're very young for rigorous training, but I'm sure you won't back down from your decision, will you?"
Orion nodded firmly:
"No, I won't. I want to start using mana, then learn to control my body, and then merge with the shadows. For that, I want to use the advanced training rooms."
Everyone was surprised by his request. The advanced training rooms were not places any child could enter. They were reserved for the elite, for individuals striving to achieve the impossible in record time.
Vincent laughed, saying:
"Ha! Do you hear that, Oberon? Our grandson doesn't just want ordinary training, he wants to go straight into the advanced training rooms!"
Oberon, after a moment of thought, smiled gently and looked at his son, saying:
"Alright... but I'll set conditions for you. Initially, you'll train under direct supervision. And if you prove that you can keep up with the requirements, I'll allow you to use the advanced training rooms as you wish."
Orion's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, and he nodded quickly:
"Agreed!"
Clara looked at her son and husband, then closed her eyes with a soft sigh, before smiling and saying:
"Well, it seems we're about to witness the beginning of an incredible journey..."
And so, Orion's training journey began, a journey that would make him stronger than anyone could imagine...