"What? Three shadows?" Leo blinked in confusion, his eyes scanning the glowing words. "Didn't it say that Mor2 had been destroyed? I didn't even awaken the other two yet…"
Taking a chance, he muttered, "Mor2."
At once, a heavy pull tugged at his chest. His mana drained in a single rush, his body trembling as his head throbbed like a hammer striking his skull. But then…
A dark silhouette rose from his shadow.
"Mor2!" Leo's eyes lit up, relief flooding his voice. "You didn't die back there… Whew, I thought I lost you for real."
The shadow kobold stood before him, the same familiar form, and though it had no real face, Leo swore it carried a faint look of joy just from being called back.
"You… you can smile like that too, huh?" Leo whispered, a grin breaking through his sweat. He reached out and patted Mor2's shoulder like one would pat a loyal pup.
His heart thumped with excitement. "So… I can bring you back as long as I have mana? And it costs five each time? That means…" He shook his head, a laugh escaping him despite the strain. "You're basically immortal. This… this is insane."
But when his eyes drifted to the two corpses lying nearby, his grin faded into a pained smile. He pressed a hand to his temple, still feeling the strain of summoning.
"A shame I can't make you guys mine yet," he muttered softly. "Once I recover my mana, I'll come back for you."
With that promise, he staggered slightly, clutching his throbbing head, but there was no denying the fire burning in his chest.
"Search for magic crystals," Leo ordered.
The shadows obeyed, cutting open the kobold corpses one by one. Out of the three bodies, only one had a faint glowing shard hidden inside.
Leo picked it up, holding it between his fingers as it sparkled faintly in the fading light. "Only a twenty percent drop rate? That's too low," he complained, clicking his tongue. But even so, his eyes lit up as the glow reflected on his face. "Still… at least I'm not penniless anymore."
He slipped the crystal into his pocket and turned back to the shadows. "Alright, let's keep going. We'll find more for sure." He paused, then pointed to the newest shadow that had risen. "And you, from now on, you're Mor3."
The three shadows stood silently, but Leo swore the air around them felt different, like they accepted his words.
Their hunt went on. Every now and then, a shriek echoed through the woods, and they struck quickly, always aiming for the kill. With four against two, the kobolds didn't stand a chance. Step by step, kill by kill, Leo's confidence started to rise.
By the time the sun dipped lower, painting the trees in orange light, four hours had passed. Leo stood breathing hard, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Around him lay the proof of his work, thirteen dead kobolds. Out of their bodies, he had pulled out three more magic crystals, each one gleaming in his palm.
He couldn't help but grin, his chest swelling with disbelief and pride. "Each one of these… can buy me food for a whole month," he whispered, voice trembling. "And with this… I can finally pay Jasmine back."
In front of him, four shadow kobolds stood lined up like loyal soldiers. He had managed to recover his mana in between hunts, enough to add another one to his ranks. He pointed to it with a small smile. "And you'll be Mor4."
The four shadows bowed their heads slightly, as if answering his call.
Leo's grin widened. "Good work today, Mors. You're my angels," he chuckled. "Alright… time to go home."
He raised his hand to recall them, but then froze mid-gesture, his eyes narrowing as something tugged at the back of his mind.
'These shadows… from what I saw earlier, they aren't that smart, but they can fight and hunt on their own. What if…'
Leo's lips curled into a grin. "All of you, continue to stay here and hunt kobolds," he ordered, his voice firm.
Inside, his thoughts were racing. 'That's right. They're basically immortal. Even if they get destroyed, I can just revive them again… so why not let them hunt for me?'
He chuckled, almost giddy. "I'm a genius."
Then his gaze moved to the newest shadow. "Oh wait… Mor4, you're coming back with me."
The decision was simple. Unlike the others, who were cut and battered from hours of fighting, Mor4 was perfectly fine. He had just been created, untouched and fresh. Besides, Leo didn't have enough mana to recover the others right now. It only made sense to keep one at his side for security.
"Now go," he waved at the remaining three. "Keep hunting. And don't forget, always check the bodies for crystals."
The shadows sank into the dark, disappearing between the trees, while Leo turned back toward the city with Mor4 silently following in his own shadow.
An hour later, the towering city wall came into view. Leo slowed his steps, glancing at the armor strapped to him.
'This armor might get me questioned… better hide it for now.'
He slipped off the leather pieces and tucked them carefully into a thick bush by the roadside.
"I'll come back for it tomorrow. If it's gone, I'll just get another set from the kobolds." He smirked to himself. "Mm… life's good."
It was the first time in years he felt a spark of abundance, like the world wasn't crushing him for once.
Another long hour of walking later, Leo finally stood before a large building, its doors wide open, lanterns glowing bright. People streamed in and out, hunters carrying weapons, some laughing, others grim.
His eyes lingered on the sign above the entrance.
The Association Guild.
Leo pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside. The hall was wide and bright, filled with the noise of hunters chatting, bargaining, or reporting their hunts. The smell of metal, leather, and faint blood hung in the air. He kept his head down and made his way toward the long counter where several clerks worked.