The phone's beam rolled and landed on the figure, lighting up a warped shadow crawling along the wall like it was alive.
Leo's breath caught in his throat. "No. No… no."
His arms trembled as he tried to push himself up again, but his body refused. It was like a lead, heavy and uncooperative.
After a few more weak struggles, he fell flat on his back, gasping. His vision swam.
'Ahh… damn it.' His mind buzzed, going blank. 'So this is it. Even after everything… even after fighting for my life yesterday… I'm still going to die in this slum.'
The shadow stretched toward him. Cold swept over his skin.
Leo closed his eyes. His chest rose once, then stilled, as if accepting what would come next.
…
Moments passed. Nothing touched him. No claws, no fangs, no pain.
'Huh? Why don't I feel anything?'
Leo cracked one eye open, then slowly the other. The shadowy figure still stood over him, its gray eyes glowing faintly in the dark. It didn't move, and it didn't strike.
His breath hitched. He flinched and threw his arms over his face, bracing for an attack. But still… nothing.
"…Bloody hell?" His voice shook, then grew louder. "Is this a prank?"
He peeked again. The shadow monster hadn't disappeared. Its gaze locked on him, quiet, and waiting.
Leo's eyes narrowed, flickering with recognition. Something about it felt… familiar.
"Wait… you…" His voice cracked as he sat up halfway. "You're that monster." His chest tightened. "How the hell are you still alive? Did you come to haunt me?"
The thought was ridiculous even as it left his mouth. Ghost monsters? That wasn't a thing. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to think.
Then a spark lit in his head. A possibility.
'Status window.'
The words echoed in his mind. And at once, the glowing panel appeared before his eyes.
….
Name: Leo Vale
Level: 1 (1/100 exp)
Rank: Exclusive (Demon Lord)
Skill: SSS Rank Shadow Awaken
Shadows: 1/5
Health: 7/10
Mana: 10/15
Strength: 5
Intelligence: 7
Speed: 6
Agility: 6
Perception: 4
Stamina: 4
Vitality: 4
Stat points: 0
….
Leo's eyes widened, breath catching in his throat.
"That's it…" he whispered. "It was my skill."
He turned slowly toward the figure standing in front of him. The shadow was the same humanoid monster from before, the dog-faced creature he had fought with everything he had. In its hand was the same spear that he carried, its body covered in scraps of light armor.
Except now, its entire form was different. Its skin, its armor, its weapon, all of it was black, like living smoke shaped into a body. Only its eyes stood out, glowing faint gray in the darkness.
Leo's fear faded, replaced by awe. His lips parted, and he let out a shaky laugh. "This is… amazing. That monster… it's my subordinate now?"
He slowly pushed himself up to his feet, his body still sore and weak, and took a cautious step closer. The shadow didn't move. It only stood there silently.
Leo circled it, studying its new form. "Completely black. If you stay still in the dark, no one would even notice you." His voice trembled with excitement. "A perfect shadow soldier."
He crouched and leaned closer, staring into those gray eyes. "What are you really? A Kobold… right?" He fumbled for his cracked phone, tapped at the screen, and searched. The internet confirmed it, the monster he fought was indeed a Kobold.
"So… that means I can turn the monsters I kill into shadows like this?"
His gaze flicked to the glowing panel still hovering in front of him.
Shadows: 1/5
"Five… it only says five." His grin widened anyway, heart pounding in his chest. "Doesn't matter. This alone is broken. And maybe… maybe the number will grow as I level up."
The thought made his blood rush. His fists clenched tight.
'This is it,' he told himself. 'An ability to turn my enemies into my shadows. With this power… I'll climb out of the slums.'
He couldn't hold it back anymore, he laughed, low at first, then sharper, a grin splitting his face.
But the moment was short-lived. His body screamed at him, the aches from yesterday crashing back in waves.
"Ugh…" He groaned, stumbling toward his thin mattress. "I'll figure it all out later… just need to sleep for now."
He dropped onto the floor, his shadow soldier standing silently in the dark beside him.
...
Morning came as Leo rubbed his groggy eyes. His head felt heavy, but when he turned to the corner of the room, his heart skipped.
The shadow was still there, crouched down like it had been waiting all night.
"It's not a dream…" Leo let out a long breath, a mix of relief and amazement washing over him.
But then reality hit him. "Wait, how am I supposed to hide you? If anyone sees this, I'm finished."
He stared at the shadow soldier, then focused his thoughts, trying something new. 'Hide where no one will be able to see you.'
The shadow suddenly moved, sinking into the floor like water. In the next instant, it slipped into his own shadow beneath his feet.
Leo blinked, his mouth slightly open. "Awesome… so this works." He couldn't help but grin.
Just as he was about to sit back down, his stomach growled loud enough to echo in the quiet room.
"Ughhh," he groaned, holding his belly. "Why am I getting hungry so often? …Well, I did burn through a lot of energy yesterday."
His whole body was still sore, but hunger pushed him to his feet. He hadn't eaten properly since the fight, and if this kept up, he felt like he might starve to death before he even figured out how this new skill worked.
He rubbed his neck, debating with himself. "Should I go back to the mountains? But… it's too far, and there might be more monsters waiting. Forget it. I'll just grab something and pay later."
Dragging his feet, Leo headed toward the small convenience store he knew too well, a place he always went when he had nothing left in his pockets.
…..
When Leo pushed open the glass door, the familiar bell above jingled softly. The cool air from inside brushed against his face, carrying the faint smell of instant noodles and cheap coffee.
Behind the counter stood a young girl about his age, sorting through receipts. When she noticed him, her eyes lit up.
"Oh, isn't it Leo?" she said warmly, stepping out from behind the counter. A playful smile curved her lips. "What's this? You came here just to see me?"
Leo froze, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "Uh… yeah," he muttered, his voice uneven.
The girl's name was Jasmine, his childhood friend. They had grown up in the same streets, but life had drifted them apart. Even so, she was one of the few people he could still lean on when things got rough.
Taking a breath, Leo forced himself to speak honestly. "Actually, I… I came to ask if you could lend me some money. I swear I'll pay you back later. I just… I really need it right now."
Jasmine's smile faded. "Ah… sorry, Leo. I already sent my whole salary to my mom. I don't have anything left on me." She hesitated, then tilted her head. "Wait, were you going to buy food with that money?"
Leo nodded without a word. His stomach growled right on cue, making his face flush red.
Jasmine chuckled softly at the timing, then her eyes softened. "How about this then, just grab whatever you want from the store. I'll put it under my name. You can pay me back when you can."
Leo's chest tightened at her kindness. "I… Thank you, Jasmine. I'll definitely pay you back," he said, bowing his head deeply.
"Don't sweat it," she replied with an easy smile. "Just make sure you eat properly, alright? You look like you'll fall over any second."
"It's you again, runt!"
The sudden sharp voice cracked behind them, making Leo flinch. An older, heavyset lady waddled out from the back of the store, her eyes narrowing at him.
"…Didn't I tell you not to feed that boy anymore?" she barked at Jasmine. "Or do you want me to replace you? Plenty are waiting for this job."
Jasmine's smile faltered, but she stood her ground. "I'm sorry, Madam. You can deduct it from my salary."
"Hmph!" The woman snorted and crossed her arms. "This is your last warning. If I see him here again, not only you, but that whole family of yours might end up out on the street."
"Yes, Madam. Sorry…" Jasmine bowed her head quickly.
The lady glared once more before stomping back into the storeroom, leaving a heavy silence.
Jasmine turned back, forcing a smile. "Don't mind what she said. If you ever need something, just come to me. I'll figure it out."
Leo stayed quiet, his fists curling so tightly his nails dug into his palms. His face burned with shame.
He hated it. Hated having to stand there, burdening those he cared about because of his incapability. Jasmine had already helped him more times than he could count. She was the only one who gave without asking anything in return.
He opened his mouth, then shut it. Words felt useless. All he could do was bow his head, swallowing the lump in his throat.
Later, back in his cramped room, Leo slurped down the noodles Jasmine had covered for him. The steam fogged his tired face as he ate in silence.
He had only taken five cups of noodles, refusing the rest no matter how much she pushed. It was enough. More than enough. For him, this would stretch three days.
As he chewed, he clenched his jaw. 'Jasmine, One day… I'll pay you back.'
His mind began to turn. He needed a plan. The first step was obvious, money. And with the strange power he had awakened, the fastest way was to hunt monsters.
But there was a problem.
He didn't belong to any guild. That meant dungeons were out of reach, each guild had their own territory, and outsiders weren't welcome. Government-run dungeons were an option, but even those required an entrance fee.
"No money, no equipment…" Leo muttered, staring at the half-empty cup in his hand. "Should I try for a loan? …No, impossible. They'd never give me one unless I revealed my ability. And that's not happening."
His chest tightened with frustration. Every path seemed blocked. Then a memory sparked, last night, the kobold.
"...The mountains." His eyes lit up. "If a kobold showed up there, then there's definitely a dungeon nearby."
It was risky, but it was his only chance.
Still, another issue pressed in. 'I don't even have proper gear…' He glanced around his room, but there was nothing of use. Then it hit him.
"The kobold's body," he whispered. "I left it in the mountains. His armor, his weapon, they should still be there. I have to check."
The thought of scavenging from a monster's corpse would've disgusted him yesterday. But today, it felt like survival.
Having made up his mind, Leo shoved down the last of his noodles and forced himself to stand. His body still ached, but there was no turning back.
Two hours later, after trudging along the same worn path he had taken before, he found himself at the foot of the mountain once again.
He followed the faint trail he had left behind. After a few minutes, his eyes landed on it, the kobold's corpse.
Flies buzzed lazily around the body, its skin already starting to pale, but surprisingly, it was still mostly intact. The armor and weapon remained where they were, untouched.
"It's starting to stink," Leo muttered, covering his nose. Then he gave a small, humorless laugh. "Still better than the slums."
Taking a breath, he focused. 'Shadow.'
At his command, the black figure rose silently from the ground. The shadow kobold stepped out beside him, its grey eyes glinting faintly.
"This… is so cool," Leo whispered, a grin tugging at his lips.
The eerie part was that the shadow stood face to face with its own corpse, yet gave no reaction. No hesitation, no confusion, it was just waiting for orders.
Leo scratched his head. "I can't just keep calling you 'shadow.' If I get more of you in the future, that'll be a mess." He tapped his chin for a moment, then snapped his fingers. "Alright, I've decided. From now on, your name is… Mongmor."