In this world, every anomaly possesses a unique innate ability linked to their own guide. These individuals do not follow the ordinary laws of cultivation or combat, but forge their own paths, making them unpredictable and capable of achieving amazing or catastrophic feats.
Oiron was well aware of this, but he was not alone...
As he sat in a dark corner of his room, contemplating the shadows surrounding him, he asked Anarak, who was watching him from within:
"Anarak, what is the difference between a shadow companion, shadow creatures, and shadow ghosts?"
Anarak remained silent for a moment before answering in a calm tone:
"Shadow ghosts are the remnants of shadows belonging to people who have died. When a person dies, their shadow does not disappear, but rather moves to the shadow world."
Oiron nodded, thinking about his words, then asked:
"And what about shadow creatures?"
"Shadow creatures are something different... They are the shadows of people who had guides linked to shadows, but the same thing happened to them as happens to ghosts. The essential difference is that shadow creatures possess an 'I'—meaning they retain their entity and consciousness, while ghosts are just empty shadows without will."
Oiron frowned, then looked at Anarak and asked seriously:
"So... what about a shadow companion? What about you?"
Anarak chuckled softly before answering in a cryptic way:
"I will explain when the time comes."
Oiron didn't like this answer, but he decided not to push further. Instead, he asked about something else that was on his mind:
"And what about the shadow world? What exactly is it?"
Anarak, as usual, didn't give him a clear answer, but simply said in a calm voice:
"The shadow world is not what you imagine... It's not just a place, but a concept, something beyond ordinary understanding."
Oiron was not satisfied with the answer, but he decided to postpone this discussion for later. It was time for him to begin his first real steps towards power.
Advanced Training Room
Normally, when the heir to a powerful family awakens, a special tutor is assigned to him from the family itself, someone who shares the same guide, even if there are slight differences. But Oiron was an anomaly.
His family decided not to interfere with his training directly, not because they didn't want to teach him, but because they didn't want to spoil his unique path. Any mistake in guiding him could hinder his development instead of helping him.
But Oiron didn't need a tutor. What he needed was the advanced training room—a place designed specifically to push talented individuals to their limits.
When he entered the room, he found it filled with the latest technology. There were gravity fields that could be adjusted to train the body, as well as combat simulations that created illusions of various opponents, whether they were monsters or fighters with different abilities.
As he examined the equipment, he noticed that some devices had strange symbols, which he didn't know yet... symbols of the rune language, which he would understand their importance later.
Then he turned to the corner of the room, where a man with white hair and yellow eyes stood. When he examined his features, he immediately realized that he was from the Lysandra family, one of the families that specializes in the light element.
"Apparently, my parents brought him here to treat me if I get injured. The Lysandra family has amazing healing abilities, and they are also known for their extreme speed. If any accidents happen during training, he will be able to save me quickly."
The man, who looked like he was in his mid-twenties, bowed slightly and said in a calm and respectful voice:
"Young master, you can start your training. If you need any assistance, do not hesitate to ask."
Oiron said nothing, but simply nodded his head, then went to the middle of the room, squatted on the floor, and closed his eyes.
It was time for him to begin his real journey.
He remembered Anarak's instructions about mana training, and began to follow the steps carefully. At first, he focused on feeling the mana inside his body, trying to direct it as ordinary cultivators do, but he realized that his path was completely different.
The shadows around him began to move slowly, as if responding to him...
And so, Oiron began his training, unaware that this was the first step towards something much greater than he imagined.
The First Step Towards Mana Control
Oiron took a deep breath, trying to feel the mana flowing through his body.
With each breath he took, he began to feel a light energy flowing through his veins, like a cold current moving quietly inside his body. Each person had a certain mana color that reflected the nature of their guide, and Oiron's mana color was dark purple, unlike his father's family's mana, which was light purple tending towards pink due to the power of gravity.
The moment he focused on his inner energy, the shadows around him began to move!
He felt as if they were pulsating with his breaths, approaching him as if responding to him. This was not just a normal mana flow, but a unique connection between him and the shadows.
"The first step in your training," came Anarak's voice inside his mind, "is to learn how to control the shadow mana within you before you think about using it outside your body."
Oiron nodded slightly, then closed his eyes again, trying to focus more.
Gravity Field: Body Test
After an hour of training to sense mana, Oiron decided to move on to the next stage—body training under the influence of doubled gravity.
He stood in front of the control panel, and when he touched it, a holographic screen appeared in front of him displaying several options:
[Select gravity level: ×1.5 / ×2 / ×3 / ×5 / ×10]
He hesitated for a moment, but decided to choose ×2, doubling the natural gravity. He didn't want to strain his body too much at first, but he needed a real challenge.
The moment he pressed the option, he felt a terrible weight pressing down on his body!
His knees bent slightly, and he felt as if a huge weight had suddenly fallen on him. This was his first time facing this type of training, but he didn't intend to give up easily.
"Remember, this is not just a physical test, but a training to adapt to pressure. You have to make your body consider this weight normal."
Anarak's words made sense. Instead of resisting randomly, Oiron began to adjust his breathing, distributing his strength evenly in every muscle. After a minute, he was able to stand firmly, then began to perform simple exercises:
* Squats
* Push-ups
* Balance exercises
With each movement, he felt how his muscles slowly adapted to the new weight. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't impossible either.
Combat Simulation: First Battle
After spending half an hour adapting to gravity, he decided to try the combat simulation. He approached the simulation capsule, which was equipped with the latest combat training technology.
When he entered, a holographic control panel appeared in front of him displaying several options:
[Choose enemy type:]
* Low-rank monster
* Human fighter (spark level)
It made sense to start with a human fighter at his level. He pressed the first option, and suddenly, the virtual space around him filled with gray fog.
When the fog dissipated, he found himself in a circular combat arena, standing in front of a virtual fighter wearing light armor and carrying a wooden sword.
[Battle will start in 5 seconds...]
Oiron didn't move, but watched his opponent calmly. He remembered what Anarak had said about how to fight in the early stages:
"Don't attack first. Watch, understand, then strike."
[3... 2... 1... Start!]
The moment the fight started, the fighter lunged at him quickly, raising his sword to strike directly at his shoulder.
But before the blow reached him, Oiron felt the movement of the shadows around him, as if warning him!
"Shadow instinct... it's warning me!"
Thanks to this ability, he was able to dodge a moment before the sword hit him, then delivered a swift punch to the fighter's side, causing him to stagger back.
This was just the beginning of his first battle...
The Battle Ignites: Instinct Test
The virtual fighter didn't stop. As soon as he staggered back, he quickly regained his balance and lunged at Oiron with another sword strike, this time targeting his left side.
But Oiron no longer relied solely on his eyes.
The "Shadow Whispers" began to work unconsciously, giving him an inner sense of the opponent's movement before he saw it.
In the blink of an eye, his body automatically moved to the right, narrowly avoiding the blow, then seized the opportunity to attack.
With a quick and direct blow to the fighter's chest, he landed a powerful punch, causing the opponent to stagger several steps back.
"Good, you're starting to adapt to using your instinctive abilities, but that's not enough." Anarak's voice came into his mind, warning him.
Oiron didn't respond, but kept his full focus on the fight.
He knew that just avoiding attacks wouldn't be enough. The virtual fighter wasn't real, but he was designed to simulate real opponents—which meant he would learn from every move he made.
Suddenly, the pace of the fight changed.
The fighter didn't attack directly this time, but started moving quickly, hiding among the fog that began to surround the arena.
"He's testing me."
Oiron didn't need to see him with his eyes, but began to focus on feeling the shadows around him.
The "Shadow Whispers" whispered the enemy's location to him, giving him a general impression of where he was. But he didn't move yet.
He waited... then suddenly, when the opponent quickly approached from behind, he turned quickly and delivered a reverse kick towards his head!
But the fighter was fast, raising his sword to block the kick, causing Oiron to recoil backwards.
But this was his plan all along.
As soon as he staggered back, he used that moment to charge his fist, then lunged forward again with deceptive speed!
The fighter had no time to react. In a split second, Oiron landed a powerful punch to his chest, shattering his virtual body into light fragments.
[Battle Over!]
Oiron took a deep breath, then looked at his hands. They were trembling slightly, but he felt something different—this wasn't just a training battle, but the first time he felt his true power.
"Not bad." Anarak's voice came, with a hint of satisfaction. "But you're still at the beginning. This is just your first test."
Oiron smiled faintly.
This was just the beginning…
After the first virtual battle ended, Oiron stood catching his breath, then turned his gaze to a part of the room where weapons were carefully lined up on metal racks, gleaming under the cold light.
There were long and short swords, katanas, double-edged daggers, sharp throwing knives, pointed spears, taut bows, grim-looking sickles, a huge halberd, heavy axes, and countless other weapons.
Oiron moved forward quietly, his eyes moving between the weapons, observing every detail of their design, studying their shape and weight with his eyes before touching them.
"Choose any weapon," said the supervisor's voice from afar, his voice calm but with a hint of interest.
Oiron didn't need to think much.
He reached out his hand and grabbed one of the daggers first.
[Weapons Training - Stage One: Daggers]
The moment he grabbed the dagger, he felt its perfect balance in his hand. It wasn't heavy, but it wasn't so light as to be useless. He began to move it between his fingers, testing his grip on it, then moved into a fighting stance.
He began practicing stabbing and cutting movements, using his speed and agility to execute consecutive attacks against the virtual targets that appeared in front of him. He was testing how his body adapted to the dagger, how his hand automatically moved to direct the stabs at lethal points.
"Your movements are clean, but you rely too much on your speed alone," Anarak commented.
Oiron didn't respond, but increased the pace of his training, until his movements became like a deadly dance among the shadows.
After a while, he returned the dagger to its place and moved to another weapon.
[Weapons Training - Stage Two: Sword]
He took a medium-length sword, feeling its weight different from the dagger, but it wasn't a problem for him.
He raised the sword, examining its blade for a moment, before beginning to execute quick and precise strikes, measuring every move, calculating angles, and studying how the sword moved in the air.
Then he started attacking the moving targets, each strike faster and more precise than the one before, until he became like a part of the sword itself.
"Not bad," Anarak muttered. "But the sword is not just a cutting tool. You have to feel it as an extension of your arm."
Oiron smiled faintly. He knew this was just the beginning.
[Weapons Training - Next Stages...]
After the sword, he moved on to the katana, then the spear, then the bow, then the halberd, then the axe...
Each weapon was a new experience, a different challenge.
With each weapon, he tested his balance, how its weight affected his movement, how he could use it effectively, and whether it suited his fighting style.
Some weapons required precision and speed, such as daggers and bows, while others relied on raw power, such as axes and halberds.
He knew he wouldn't become a master of all these weapons overnight, but training was an essential part of his journey.
"You're not just learning how to hold a weapon... you're learning how to make it a part of you."
After long hours of training, he finally stood in the middle of the room, panting slightly, but he felt something new inside him—a feeling that he was no longer just a child holding a weapon, but a fighter being reborn.
"Well..." he muttered, looking at his hands, then at the weapons he had trained with.
This is just the beginning.
The supervisor, the man with white hair and yellow eyes from the Lysandra family, stood in the corner of the room, watching Oiron silently. At first, he didn't expect much. It was true that Oiron belonged to a powerful family, but he was still a three-year-old child. Even with the awakening of the mana core, most children his age needed months or even years before they could use weapons effectively.
But what he saw in front of him was something completely different.
The moment Oiron touched the first dagger, the supervisor noticed something unusual—his movements were not experimental or unbalanced like those of beginners, but smooth and natural as if he had used daggers all his life.
And as he moved from one weapon to another, the supervisor's astonishment increased. He wasn't just training, he was adapting to each weapon unnaturally.
* Daggers? His movements were precise, his stabs lethal, as if he were a professional killer.
* Sword? He understood balance, attacks, defense, and even tactical steps with amazing speed.
* Katana? Incredible speed and smoothness.
* Spears? Excellent control of range and distance.
* Halberd? Despite its size, he used it with confidence as if it were not a huge weapon.
* Axe? Calculated power, without wasting any unnecessary movement.
Every weapon he carried, he treated as if it were part of his body, even though he had barely touched these weapons before!
"This is not normal..." the supervisor muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing as he watched the little boy move smoothly inside the training arena.
Normally, even talented people need months to learn the basics, but Oiron wasn't just learning... he was remembering.
It was as if his body and mind possessed ancient knowledge, as if every move, every attack, every defense was engraved inside him since birth.
"He's not an ordinary child..." the supervisor whispered to himself, before turning to the screen that displayed Oiron's vital data.
* Energy consumption rate? Very low for the amount of movements he makes.
* Adaptation speed? Unbelievable.
* Battle analysis? Comparable to veteran fighters.
He had seen many geniuses in his life, but he had never seen a three-year-old child move like this.
He was watching the birth of a real monster.
And so, this routine became part of Oiron's daily life. Every morning, he would wake up early, follow Anarak's instructions on controlling mana, then move to the advanced training room where he would begin his physical and combat exercises.
Days passed, then weeks...
His small body was growing stronger at an amazing rate, his skills were developing at an unnatural pace, and even his perception of mana and shadows became deeper. He wasn't just learning, he was remembering—as if those skills had been engraved in his soul since ancient times, and every training was just a way to awaken them from their slumber.
But the change was not just physical.
Over time, his personality began to take shape clearly. He was no longer that ordinary child who ran and shouted happily like his peers. Instead, he became a mysterious young man, calm, taciturn, only speaking when necessary, and often his words were concise and precise.
He wasn't introverted, but he didn't find a need to waste his words on useless conversations. Most of his time was spent either training, meditating, or talking to Anarak through their link. However, there was an exception...
Those close to him.
Despite his calmness and silence, he had a different side that only appeared in front of his family, especially his parents and grandparents. With them, he didn't talk much, but he showed his respect to them in other ways—by listening carefully, by small gestures, and even by just being by their side.
And even his new friends, who happened to be the children of the heads of the other four families, namely Flora, Sarah, Mark, and Xander.
As for strangers?
They felt a kind of awe when they met him. Despite his young age, his aura was not that of a child. There was something invisible, something in the way he moved, in his calm, deep gaze, in his silence full of meanings.
And so, as the days passed, everyone began to notice it. The supervisor, the servants, even the family members. They were watching the birth of a different person.