Orion's trips to the forest became a daily ritual. He trained tirelessly, honing his skills, and gathering more shadow specters into his legion. Each day, he faced new monsters, summoned their specters, and tested his growing abilities. After a month of this intense routine, the number of shadow specters in his legion reached nearly 150, a shadowy army under his command.
One day, as Orion prepared to go to the forest, Anarak spoke to him in his mind. "Do not go to the forest today, Orion. Go to the advanced training room. There is something I will teach you."
Orion didn't hesitate. He had learned to trust Anarak, and that his words always held meaning. He immediately headed to the advanced training room, sat in the center of the room, and waited for Anarak's instructions.
"You asked me before how to gather shadow energy, didn't you?" Anarak said in his mind. "It's time you learned."
Anarak explained that Orion could gather shadow energy in two ways: first, by converting shadow specters into shadow energy by consuming them in his shadow. Second, by consuming the shadows of living people, but that would lead to their death. "The second option is out of the question for you now," Anarak said. "But the first option is what we'll focus on."
Orion began to sense the presence of the shadow specters in his shadow. He chose a random specter, a massive armored gorilla. He followed Anarak's instructions and focused on converting the specter into energy. Orion's shadows began to surround the armored gorilla, gradually consuming it. After a few moments, the specter disappeared, and Orion felt a strange surge of energy.
[You have gained 1 shadow energy.]
Orion thought. A spark-rank shadow specter equals 1 shadow energy. He looked at his shadow army, consisting of 150 specters, and felt excitement.
Orion began consuming the shadow specters one by one. He felt a familiar energy increasing, as if his shadow was becoming stronger. He continued consuming until he left only 30 shadow specters to accompany him in battle.
After consuming 120 specters, Orion began testing his shadow manipulation skills. The results were astounding. His skills became stronger, more efficient, and faster. He tried enhancing his body with shadow energy and was surprised by a 50% increase in his physical strength. Mana enhancement only increased his strength by 10%.
Orion looked at his shadow energy counter in his guide. It was 120, but it dropped to 119 after five minutes of use. Of course, Orion was only spending a small amount of shadow energy each time, but the amount was significant.
"This is your true power, Orion," Anarak said. "Use it wisely."
Orion felt an immense power gathering within him. He knew this was just the beginning, and there was more to learn. But he was ready. He had an army of shadows, a new power at his disposal, and a new way to strengthen his creatures. His journey to true power had just begun.
Orion's training never stopped. Every day, he went to the forest, honed his skills, and gathered more shadow specters. He tested his growing abilities and learned how to use shadow energy more effectively. He realized that true power lay not in the amount of energy he possessed, but in how he used it.
Years passed, and Orion trained tirelessly. At the age of six, he broke through the Spark rank and reached the middle stage. It was an amazing achievement for a child his age, but Orion was not satisfied. He continued training, and at the age of eight and a half, he reached the late stage of the Spark rank.
Orion also changed physically. He grew to 185 centimeters tall, and his hair and eyes began to darken. His beauty, physical strength, and combat skills increased. He developed unique martial arts, relying on the speed and power of shadows.
Additionally, he learned the skill [Shadow Storage], allowing him to envelop inanimate objects in shadows and store them within his shadow.
His shadow energy reached 1000 points, but he couldn't raise it any further. He asked Anarak why, and he replied, "You need to break through the Flame rank to break this shadow energy limit. Your shadow is like a vessel holding shadow energy. Your shadow is currently too weak to contain a large amount of shadow energy."
Orion understood. He had to become stronger, to surpass his current limits, to gain more power. He continued training, using shadow energy to enhance his abilities, strengthen his shadow creatures, and heal their injuries.
His battles in the forest were a true test of his strength. He faced stronger monsters and learned how to adapt to their fighting styles. He used shadow specters as part of his strategy, sending them to attack, defend, and distract. He saw how his creatures evolved, how they gained new skills, and how they became stronger over time.
In one battle, Orion faced various types of monsters, but they weren't all in the form of animals. There were monsters with a hundred hands, a thousand eyes, and many other creatures. But since he was in a training area, the focus was on the diversity and strength of the monsters.
When Severus or Legolas were injured, Orion used shadow energy to heal them, rebuild their armor, and enhance their strength. He saw how quickly his shadow creatures recovered, how they returned to battle with greater power.
Orion stood in the middle of the forest, surrounded by his shadow army, feeling an immense power flowing through him. He knew there was more to learn, more to discover. But he was ready. His journey to true power continued.