The forest of Anarky was a region that the Buijun Guild had to force itself to explore since it bordered the Telvian Sanctuary.
Standing between the Telvian Sanctuary and the unexplored region a few miles away.
The entrance of the forest was both vast and narrow, with the crimson moon radiating.
It entailed how horrifying this forest was.
Lenny wasn't concerned about the dangers the forest held. He would have if he weren't deathless.
Now all he cared about was mastering his Shadow Path Fallen Rune: Rune of Shadows.
He was preparing for the midnight expedition; he needed more available slots to imagine the dangerous Fallen Runes he would need.
**
Lenny's special night vision was a result of his hereditary genetics as a descendant of Great House Night.
Having a strong affinity for Shadow Path Fallen Runes.
Making his mastery over them easier than other Fallen Paths.
His evolution heightened his night vision to the next level. Making him even more comfortable in the dark.
Lenny wasted no time calling forth his shadow clone, without even giving it an order.
It mirrored him completely, from his height, his face, his physique down to his current speed and strength.
The only difference was that this shadow clone had no internal organs, nothing to identify it as a human being.
It could not get tired no matter how hard it fought.
It was still a shadow after all, Lenny's shadow.
"This is just like the Dark Jungle" Lenny whispered. He found similar traces between this forest and the Dark Jungle he was thrown in during his First Apocalypse.
He moved with caution, moving through trees, his shadow clone was both his eyes and ears.
If he's at the front, the shadow would be at the back.
The roles were reversed as well.
Lenny was quick to respond to the sudden movements detected by his shadow, he quickly climbed a tree.
He needed the view to understand what he was up against. Since he's a good climber, it didn't take him long to reach the top of the tree.
Sitting on a branch, he stared down at the moving Apocalypse creature. It was a giant bull frog, the size of a house with leopard stripes covering its skin.
Lenny breathed deeply, "A Common rank Apocalypse creature huh? I guess I'm lucky" Lenny grinned.
The first Apocalypse creature he encountered tonight was of the Common rank.
He summoned the status window of the Fallen System, and it downloaded the information of the Fallen creature.
Revealing it to him.
[You've encountered a Level 5 Common rank Fallen creature]
[Taskian Bull Frog]
Lenny's eyebrows furrowed, "A Level 5 Common rank Apocalypse creature huh?" He sighed, "I would have been cooked if it were still my First Apocalypse" He muttered.
While sitting, the young boy appeared beside him. Standing on the tree branch he sat on.
The young boy folded his arms, his frown caused Lenny to raise an eyebrow, "What is it?" Lenny asked..
The boy glared at Lenny for a moment before answering, "Don't tell me you don't know we're followed?" He asked.
Lenny chuckled, "Oh that? I knew we were followed from the beginning, didn't just see the need to react," He stated.
Lenny shrugged, "And besides the,y must have a reason why they're here rig, ht?" Lenny asked.
The boy nodded, "It's either they're here to monitor you, or they're here to kill you," the boy suggested.
Lenny sighed, "Sure, there are many who want Great House Night gone, we were pretty terrible a family back then"
"If they're from the Great Houses then they must need a good excuse to get rid of me"
"To erase the Great House Night completely from existence, or…." Lenny paused for a second.
The young boy's frown deepened, "Or what?" He asked, Lenny lingered for a moment, "Or the Cults have made their move" Lenny answered.
The atmosphere became tense.
The young boy chuckled, "You really do have a lot on your plates, don't you? Lenny, you should have wished you died instead of me"
Lenny grinned, "You wish." He softly exhaled, "And besides, we can only learn the truth later, for now….let's give them a show," Lenny stated.
The young boy nodded, "Yeah, don't forget the plan" he warned.
Lenny chuckled, diving down from the tree branch, he whispered, "How could I?"
Lenny made his landing without much difficulty, he signalled his shadow clone, who had hidden its presence.
"Kill it," Lenny instructed. He wrapped his fingers around his Sandel Crimson Dual Daggers.
[Rune Mastery: 45%]
The shadow clone dashed forward, running through the woods, it was like he was one with the wind.
With his Rune Mastery increasing every time he gained more ideas on how to properly utilize his Fallen Rune.
Although his shadow clone could not talk, it was able to mirror his tether system and open the dimension storage.
Bringing out the pair of Myraid Shooters.
An exact copy of his Myriad Shooters.
Ptuiii!
Bang!
Bang!
Three gunshots were fired simultaneously, alerting the Taskian Bull Frog to sudden danger.
But it was too late as the Fallen creature's loud screeches filled the air, its eyes burned with rage.
Firing out its long,, spiky, venomous tongue at the shadow clone, the clone was swift, evading the attack.
It appeared behind the Apocalypse creature.
Bang
Another gunshot resounded, and the Taskian Bull Frog bled once again, the monster twisted its body.
Swinging it's venomous tongue against the shadow clone again when the clone reverted back into a shadow.
Becoming intangible against the attack.
[Rune Mastery: 50%]
"Oh?" Lenny raised an eyebrow, "Am I that slick?" He giggled, he was getting entertained by his sneaky shadow clone.
His shadow clone could revert to being a shadow and change back into a living entity.
As it wished, this amazed Lenny.
Ptuiii
Bang
Two more bullets were fired, the bullets of the Myriad Shooters were infinite, but it took time to reload.
If the shadow clone was any slower, that time was enough for the Level 5 Common rank Apocalypse creature to decimate it.
But it was faster…..
The Taskian Bull Frog switched to its offensive mode, firing a colorless breath of liquid venom.
The shadow clone deflected the attack, "What the hell?" Lenny's eyes widened in shock.
The attack completely melted a tree, proving its lethality towards the shadow clone.
The shadow clone fell back, creating distance between itself and the wounded Level 5 Common rank Apocalypse creature.
It may be a Common rank Apocalypse creature, but it's nowhere weak, representing the evolutionary difference between Apocalypse creatures.
Ranks represent the true strength and Intellect of that Apocalypse creature.
A Level 5 Apocalypse creature was no ordinary creature, no matter the rank.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Ptuiii!
It took four more bullets to take out this Level 5 atrocity. Lenny breathed in deeply.
Satisfied by his shadow clone's victory…
He received the whisper of the Fallen System and the transparent crimson panel appeared before his eyes.
[You've slain a Level 5 Common rank Fallen creature: Taskian Bull Frog]
[Rune Mastery: 55%]
Lenny had confirmed two things: the rewards of his shadow clone's kills belong to him.
It is an extension of him after all, existing under his direct authority so he had control of everything.
And secondly, the more he used the shadow clone, the faster he mastered it.
"Currently at 55% huh?" Lenny sighed, "I need to master it quickly, I should hunt more Apocalypse creatures," Lenny concluded.
This was his first kill of the night, there were still more to count..