Noah vanished—and in an instant, reappeared before a towering, shadowy beast.

The beast recoiled in surprise.

“Hi there. Mind if we have a little chat?” Noah asked, offering his most trustworthy smile.

The beast wasn’t impressed. Sensing danger from this strange being, it lashed out on instinct. Its claws were enveloped in sharpened shadows, twisting into deadly points.

“Guess you’re not much of a talker,” Noah sighed. “Fair enough.”

He raised a single finger.

The moment the beast’s claw struck it—it vanished.

Gone. As if it had never existed.

The beast froze, staring at its now-empty limb. There was no pain. Just… absence. A sudden void where its claws should’ve been.

A strange sensation.

But Noah didn’t give it time to process.

“Nothingness,” he said calmly.

And the beast was erased. Not just body—but soul. Annihilated completely.

Noah frowned. That’s no good. I need their souls to improve my manipulation.

“I’ll avoid using Nothingness as a finisher unless absolutely necessary,” he muttered.

Or… if I master it further, maybe I can spare the soul and erase everything else.

He nodded thoughtfully. That feels doable.

His gaze shifted deeper into the forest. He could sense the strongest presence yet—undeniably A-rank.

“That’s where the big ones are.”

What was strange… they had noticed him. Yet didn’t flee. Didn’t attack.

Noah narrowed his eyes. “What are they planning?”

He didn’t wait to find out from afar. In a blur, he shot forward—blazing through the forest in under ten seconds.

He stopped in front of a perfectly constructed hut. Its door stood open, revealing three beings seated inside as if expecting him.

And indeed—they were.

Obsidian skin. Jet-black hair and eyes. Two men and one woman—all radiating dense A-rank power.

“You finally made it,” said the man in the center. Clearly the leader.

Noah tilted his head. “You were waiting for me?”

He smiled faintly. “You could’ve just invited me over. I’d have come sooner.”

His tone was light. Casual. Unbothered by the heavy pressure in the room or the creeping shadows that thickened around the trio.

“You seem awfully confident, human,” the woman remarked, her black eyes narrowing.

Noah didn’t acknowledge her. His attention stayed on the man in the center.

“So. Why did you want to see me?”

The woman’s lips twitched, annoyed—but she bit it back, choosing restraint.

The man chuckled softly. “Let me introduce us first.”

“I am Zuhur. The woman you just masterfully ignored is Lalie. And the brooding fellow to my right is Boris.”

He gestured as he spoke.

Lalie clicked her tongue. Boris simply nodded.

Noah gave a small nod back—more out of politeness than interest.

Zuhur noticed, and got to the point.

“As you’ve likely guessed, this forest is filled with shadow beings like us.”

He paused, watching Noah’s face. But Noah’s expression remained unreadable.

“This place wasn’t always like this. It used to be an ordinary forest. But… due to an event—one we’re not permitted to speak of—it changed. The Forest of Darkness, as your kind calls it now. A fitting name.”

He leaned forward slightly.

“And as you may have also guessed… we can’t leave.”

Noah’s brows rose in mild curiosity. That explains why I’ve never encountered beings like them outside.

“Still,” he said, “why haven’t I heard of you? Even if you can’t leave, others can enter. You didn’t kill everyone who came here, surely. Some powerful beings must’ve wandered in.”

Lalie smiled.

“True. We can’t always kill them. But who said our leader couldn’t?”

“You’re only seeing us—suppressed A-ranks—because you’re still in the outer zone. Our power is cut in half because we are habitant from the inner zone. Not here. The same applies to others.”

Zuhur nodded.

“And we don’t bother with most intruders. Because even if we can’t kill them, we can hide from them. No one can find us, shadows, if we decide to hide.”

“Anyway you’re the first one we’ve ever approached.”

Noah’s eyes narrowed. “Why me?”

Zuhur’s eyes gleamed.

“Your shadow,” he said, reverently. “She’s like us. Or… partway there.”

“But we can feel it. She’s evolving. She’ll become one of us.”

He stood, approaching Noah.

“If you managed to bind a being like that as your shadow… could you do it again? With us?”

Noah tilted his head. “So, your goal is to escape this forest?”

Zuhur shook his head. “That’s part of it. But to understand the full picture, you’ll have to meet our leader—in the core region. He’s the only one who can explain everything.”

“It’ll be dangerous,” Noah warned.

Zuhur nodded. “No shadow will touch you. You’ll be under our protection.”

Noah stayed quiet. There’s too much going on here to ignore.

But then another thought struck him.

“How can a person have multiple shadows?”

If they wanted to become his shadows… was that even possible?

“The leader will tell you how,” Lalie interjected. Her voice was softer now, respectful.

“If you’re willing, we’ll escort you ourselves.”

“If not… we’ll let you leave. But—” she paused, then smiled coldly, “your limit will be the outer zone. The moment you cross into the inner region without permission, you’ll be surrounded and eliminated.”

Noah stood still. Then smiled faintly.

“Not the brightest move—trying to blackmail someone far stronger than you.”

“Or do you doubt that fact?”

Before anyone could react, the entire hut blinked out of existence—swallowed by Nothingness.

The trio found themselves standing amidst trees again, disoriented.

Then—before they could even speak—hundreds of transparent swords materialized above them. Each one radiated a presence so sharp, so absolute, it felt like they could sever reality itself.

Noah stood calmly, hands in his pockets.

“I don’t take kindly to threats,” he said, voice like ice.

“I’m the only one allowed to issue them. Got that?”

Lalie, Zuhur, and Boris stood frozen, wide-eyed. They had grossly underestimated his power.

Yet instead of fear, a strange light shone in their eyes.

Hope.

Excitement.

They smiled—broadly. Even Boris, the ever-stoic one.

“If you’re this powerful,” Zuhur said, voice filled with awe, “then maybe… just maybe… you really can help us.”

He bowed. Lalie and Boris followed.

“Help us—and we’ll reward you more than you can imagine.”

Noah blinked, slightly thrown off by their response.

The swords vanished.

“Alright. Let me go gather my team.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible, sir,” Lalie said gently.

Noah’s eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

“Our leader only requested you. Your companions may stay here or venture into the inner zone on their own mission.”

“My shadow?”

“She must stay behind as well.”

Noah hesitated.

Leave them in this place… alone?

Seeing the worry flicker across his face, Lalie added quickly, “No harm will come to them. The shadows won’t approach.”

“What if they’re forced to fight one?” Noah asked. “We came to kill a dragon-kin and retrieve its body.”

Zuhur didn’t seem surprised.

“There’s an A-rank Wyvern of Shadow in the eastern part of the inner zone. It predates the forest’s transformation—and has evolved with it. A rare beast, with deep shadow and darkness affinities.”

“If you can kill it, do. We won’t interfere.”

Noah nodded. That was fair.

He mentally contacted Ester, relaying everything. That he’d go alone. That they’d hunt the Wyvern.

Naturally, she panicked.

But after several minutes, Noah managed to calm her down.

He let out a soft sigh and turned back to Zuhur and the others.

“Give me five minutes. I need to prepare something.”

Then he vanished.

He reappeared miles away, deep in the forest. Alone. He raised a barrier of Nothingness—complete, impenetrable.

Nothing could see through it.

Sitting on the cold ground, he gave the command:

“System. Share Ester’s Shadow Affinity and skill… and my mother’s Ice Affinity and talent at the same time.”

His eyes hardened.

No more delays.

[Understood.]

—End of Chapter 64—

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Madara Web Novel