Betond The Shadow Army

Chapter 120 — Beyond the Shadow Army

Three days passed.

Aether left the eastern wilderness behind and traveled toward the nearest major city.

He didn't rush.

There was no reason to.

Stage 9 had given him enough strength to move through the wilderness without fearing ordinary threats, and his three shadows provided him with additional senses and combat options.

Blackfang usually traveled ahead.

Ironhide stayed close enough to respond immediately.

Grimhorn remained hidden within Aether's shadow unless needed.

Aether was gradually learning how different their personalities were.

They were not truly independent people.

Their instincts came from the original creatures, filtered through his Origin Energy.

Blackfang was restless and aggressive.

Ironhide was patient.

Grimhorn was the most disciplined, constantly observing its surroundings.

Aether found that useful.

"Blackfang."

The shadow wolf emerged.

"Scout the road ahead."

Blackfang disappeared.

Aether continued walking.

Several hours later, the wolf returned.

Nothing dangerous.

Aether nodded and continued.

This simple process repeated throughout the journey.

It made traveling considerably easier.

Aether no longer needed to personally investigate every movement in the distance.

His shadows could do it.

And because they could return to his shadow instantly, they were almost impossible to permanently lose.

By evening, Aether finally saw the walls of a large city.

The city was considerably larger than the settlement he had visited previously.

Dozens of cultivators entered and exited through the gates.

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Merchants traveled with caravans.

Adventurers carried weapons.

Beast hunters dragged corpses behind them.

Aether entered without drawing unnecessary attention.

He wasn't interested in becoming famous.

He simply needed information.

Inside the city, he quickly discovered that Blackridge was not a name people discussed openly.

That alone told him something.

The organization had influence.

But it wasn't enough.

Aether entered an ordinary inn and rented a private room.

After closing the door, he summoned Blackfang.

"Tell me what you sensed around the city."

Blackfang remained silent.

Aether didn't actually need words.

Their connection transmitted impressions.

Several powerful cultivators.

One Stage 8.

Two Stage 7.

Nothing beyond that.

Aether nodded.

"Not bad."

He sent Blackfang back.

Then he summoned Grimhorn.

The massive shadow beast appeared in the center of the room.

Its body immediately filled most of the space.

Aether looked at it.

"Too large."

Grimhorn tilted its head.

Aether almost laughed.

"Not your fault."

He looked at the ceiling.

If he wanted his shadow army to operate inside cities, enormous beasts wouldn't always be practical.

That was another reason Shadow Evolution interested him.

Perhaps future evolution would allow shadows to adapt their manifestations.

For now, he would have to manage them carefully.

Grimhorn returned to his shadow.

Aether sat on the bed.

He opened the System.

[Origin Awakening — Stage 9]

[Origin Points: 0 / 1,600]

[Infinite Origin Physique: Active]

[Origin Shadow Authority: Advanced Resonance State]

[Origin Shadows: 3]

[Shadow Resonance: 55%]

[Stable Manifestation Capacity: 3]

[Shadow Storage: Unlocked]

[Shadow Exchange: Locked]

[Shadow Evolution: Locked]

[Shadow Command: Basic]

[Shadow Realm: Locked]

[Origin Sovereign Path: Locked]

Aether stared at the final few lines.

The system was gradually revealing the structure of the path.

But it was still incomplete.

He closed the interface.

His attention shifted toward the window.

The city lights had begun appearing below.

Then he sensed something.

A powerful Origin Energy fluctuation.

Aether's eyes narrowed.

It wasn't inside the inn.

It wasn't even nearby.

It came from the northern side of the city.

And unlike ordinary cultivators, the energy had an unusual quality.

It felt compressed.

Controlled.

Almost like someone was deliberately suppressing their true strength.

Aether stood.

"Interesting."

He didn't immediately leave.

Instead, he sent Blackfang toward the location.

The shadow wolf returned several minutes later.

Aether received its impressions.

A black-robed man.

A hidden warehouse.

Several guards.

And something else.

A familiar energy.

Blackridge.

Aether's expression became cold.

"So they really are here."

He hadn't come searching for them.

That was important.

He wasn't chasing revenge.

He wasn't trying to save anyone.

But they had appeared in front of him.

And they possessed information he wanted.

That was enough.

Aether opened the window.

Black mist gathered beneath his feet.

Shadow Step carried him onto the neighboring rooftop.

Blackfang appeared beside him.

Ironhide emerged next.

Grimhorn remained in his shadow.

Aether looked toward the northern district.

"Tonight, we investigate."

Blackfang's crimson eyes glowed.

Ironhide lowered its head.

Aether moved across the rooftops.

He didn't know what Blackridge was doing inside the city.

He didn't know who commanded the Stage 9 operative.

He didn't know why they had allowed him to gather the keys.

But he intended to find out.

And this time, he wasn't going alone.

He had three shadows.

Three weapons born from his victories.

Three extensions of his Origin Energy.

The shadow army was still small.

But Aether understood something now.

An army didn't need to begin with thousands.

It only needed a first soldier.

Then a second.

Then a third.

After that, every victory could become another addition.

Every powerful enemy could become another weapon.

Every battlefield could leave something behind.

Aether's gaze hardened as he approached the northern district.

"Let's see who becomes the next shadow."

Behind him, three shadows moved silently through the darkness.

And for the first time, Aether's growing army was no longer merely a concept.

It had begun to take shape.