Ray was deep in thought for several minutes when he noticed the Shadow Crow lying nearby. Next to its lifeless body was a scroll, slightly crumpled but intact. He had no idea what it was, but something about it intrigued him. Cautiously, he stepped forward.
Even though the creature was dead, Ray remained wary. He swallowed hard, steeling his nerves as he reached down to grab the scroll. His fingers wrapped around it, but when he tried to open it, nothing happened.
Confusion settled over him. He turned the scroll over in his hands, searching for a way to unseal it.
Then, suddenly—a glowing popup window appeared in front of his eyes.
[Shadow Control Scroll – First Order – Level 5] "You can control shadows at will."
[Do you want to absorb the Shadow Control skill?] [YES] / [NO]
Ray didn't hesitate. Without thinking, he spoke. "Yes."
The moment the words left his lips, the scroll in his hands slowly disintegrated, its golden particles dissolving into his body.
[You have absorbed Shadow Control – Active Skill (1/5).]
A sudden surge of knowledge unflooded his mind. He instinctively understood how to manipulate shadows—bend them, stretch them, shape them. His breathing quickened as the realization struck him.
5/1 that's mean He could absorb four more scrolls like this.
"I guess…" he murmured to himself.
Still shaken, he pushed forward, searching for a way out of the jungle.
As he walked, Ray decided to test his new ability. He focused on his shadow, willing it to move. At first, nothing happened—but as he concentrated harder, the black silhouette beneath him trembled. Slowly, it rose, bending unnaturally like liquid darkness.
He noticed something—each time he used Shadow Control, his mana and magic reserves dropped.
"If I run out…" he thought grimly, deciding to stop before exhausting himself completely.
Then—he heard it.
A child's voice, desperate and weak, pleading for help.
Ray froze, then instinctively bolted toward the sound.
When he arrived, his heart dropped.
A little girl, barely ten, was fighting off a monstrous cat-like beast. She clutched a knife, swinging wildly as the creature prowled toward her.
Even though fear clouded her face, she fought.
Ray's mind flashed back to his sister—the accident—the day he lost her.
Something inside him snapped.
Without a second thought, Ray launched himself at the beast.
He tackled it, driving his knife into its body—again and again. It thrashed violently, trying to shake him off, but Ray didn't stop. His hands were shaking. His vision blurred. But he stabbed until it stopped moving.
slowly the golden practical enter his body
> you kill level 5 wild cat best
Panting, he stumbled backward.
His body ached. Exhaustion settled over him.
Golden particles rose from the beast's remains.
[You have absorbed Level 1 – Feral Stalker.][You are now Level 2.][Your status has increased.]
A rush of energy surged through him, his body suddenly feeling lighter, stronger.
The little girl, still holding her knife, stared at him with wide eyes.
Then, she spoke.
"Big brother… are you okay?"
Ray blinked. Her voice—fragile, yet warm—pulled him back to reality.
He sat up straight and asked, "Are you okay?"
She gave a small, bitter smile. "Yeah… Just a few bruises. Other than that, I'm fine. Thanks for saving me."
Ray sighed in relief, then glanced around, realizing he still had no idea where he was.
"Where am I?" he asked hesitantly.
The girl arched an eyebrow.
Ray's mind raced. He couldn't tell her the truth—not yet.
"I… I don't remember anything," he said quickly.
Her expression softened. Now she understood why he asked.