Status
As Luke's mind began to break free from the submersion into his mental space, he regained sense of his surrounding and felt the whole interaction he just had was a momentary imagination of his, similar to his life flashing before his eyes because of the dire situation he was in with the two pursuers about to drag him out of the hallow tree and kill him.
Luke's heart pounded in his chest as he prepared to face his two pursuers. His breath came in ragged gasps, but a newfound relief coursed through his veins as the voice of the Shadow System echoed in his mind, activating the new inherited skill.
[SHADOW REFLECTION!]
A surge of energy pulsed through him as the shadow beneath his feet detached itself from the ground, swirling and morphing into a humanoid form. Gaining a physicality that mirrored Luke's silhouette and not just that but his physical ability too.
"w-what's this??" Luke shouted in shock of the figure that had just emerged from his shadow.
[IT IS THE INHERITED SKILL: SHADOW REFLECTION]
[IT CAN PERFECTLY REPLICATE ANY MOVEMENT THAT YOUR PHYSICAL ABILTY WOULD ALLOW YOU TO PERFORM AND MORE SINCE IT IS WITHOUT THE RESTRAINT OF FEAR, FATIGUE AND ANY OTHER HUMAN FACTOR THAT AFFECTS THE ABILITY TO FIGHT AT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT]
"wow, so it can fight for me??"
[AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE MANA TO SUSTAIN IT, INHERITOR]
"alright!" Luke got up, with determination and resolve in his eyes, the two pursuers on witnessing the materialization of the shadow reflection stepped back, their eyes widening with confusion and fear.
"y-you…you have a c-class?" one of the pursuers stuttered in awe and fear.
"shit! I thought Shamrock said there were no 'classed' in this town!"
'They are afraid, now's my chance' Luke thought to himself as he ordered the shadow reflection to attack the pursuers.
"G-GO SHADOW ME! BEAT THEM UP!".
In a swift motion, Luke's Shadow Reflection lunged at the first pursuer. Its movements were fluid and precise, displaying fighting skills that were completely alien to Luke. The shadow's fists struck with the force of a seasoned boxer, dodging the attacks the pursuer made with his daggers and landing blows that sent shockwaves of pain through its target. The pursuer stumbled backward, disoriented by the unexpected onslaught.
'wow, dad taught me a little bit of boxing for self-defense, is that how I would've been able to move if I took it seriously?' Luke thought to himself as he watched the shadow reflection pulverize the pursuer.
[AFFIRMATIVE!]
[SHADOW RELECTION FIGHTS AT THE FULL POTENTIAL OF YOUR PHSYQUE AND EXPERIENCE]
"wow, that's insane" luke stuttered while fixing maintaining his focus on the fight before him.
With the first pursuer momentarily incapacitated, Luke's attention turned to the second pursuer. He channeled his focus to the second pursuer and instinctively commanded it to attack him with his thoughts.
With lightning speed, Luke's shadow darted forward, evading the swing of a blade with a graceful duck. It retaliated with a quick combination of jabs and hooks, striking the second pursuer with blinding speed. The pursuer staggered back, clutching his face, blood trickling between his fingers.
The pursuer quickly regained his composure and lunged forward, his weapon poised to strike. But Luke's shadow sidestepped the attack, dodging with incredible agility. It retaliated with a powerful uppercut, sending the second pursuer sprawling backward.
The pursuers, now realizing the threat posed by the shadow manifestation, regrouped with newfound determination.
"Aim for the boy! I we get him, it'd disappear too!" yelled one of the pursuer as They circled Luke, attempting to corner him, their weapons poised to strike at any moment.
But Luke's shadow maintained a fluid and elusive movement and quickly caught up to them, its movements resembling that of a seasoned boxer. It ducked and weaved, dodging each swing of the blades with expert precision. With lightning-fast reflexes, it countered with a barrage of punches and hooks, landing blow after blow on the pursuers.
The scene became a dance of light and shadow, as Luke's shadow weaved through the chaos, striking with calculated precision. The pursuers struggled to keep up, their attacks growing more desperate as frustration crept into their faces.
One of the pursuers managed to land a glancing blow on the shadow, causing it to stumble back momentarily. But before they could capitalize on this momentary advantage, the shadow sprang forward with an unyielding resolve.
Using its agility and speed, the shadow unleashed a flurry of devastating blows, landing strikes with bone-crushing force. The pursuers faltered, their weapons slipping from their grasp as pain enveloped their bodies.
With a final devastating uppercut, Luke's shadow sent the last pursuer hurtling backward, crashing into a nearby tree. The pursuer slumped to the ground, unconscious and defeated.
Breathing heavily, Luke's shadow dissipated, returning to its ephemeral existence as it dissolved into Luke's shadow, merging with him once more again. The forest fell silent, the only sound echoing being the ragged breaths of Luke himself.
In that moment, Luke stood victorious, his heart still pounding with the remnants of adrenaline. The fight had been fierce, but he had emerged triumphant, thanks to the unexpected power and skills bestowed upon him by the Shadow system
[DING!-----BATTLE COMPLETED!]
[DING!]
[EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN GAINED!]
[INHERITOR HAS RISEN TO <<LEVEL 2>>]
[DING!]
[PROFICIENCY OF SKILL HAS RISEN!]
[SHADOW REFLECTION HAS REISEN TO <<LEVEL 2>>]
[DING!]
[STAT POINTS +5]
[ACHIEVEMENT POINTS +10]
[PLEASE LOG INTO YOU STATUS SCREEN TO USE POINTS]
"w-what? status screen?" In an instant, a holographic projection materialized before him, revealing a series of intricate symbols and numbers. It was a system—a conduit to his newfound power and abilities.
As Luke gazed at the holographic interface, his vision was filled with an array of statistics and options. Vitality, strength, dexterity, intelligence—all displayed with numerical values.
Uncertainty mixed with a glimmer of hope as Luke began to comprehend the implications. This system offered him a path to transcend his current limitations, to become something greater. It held the potential to unlock hidden talents, grant him extraordinary abilities, and guide him towards his destiny.
Luke's voice trembled with a mixture of determination and sorrow as he prepared to leave the forest behind. The weight of his family's loss hung heavy in his heart, fueling his burning desire for revenge.
"T-this is interesting, but I don't think now is the time to properly read through all this," Luke muttered, glancing at the information provided by the Shadow System. Though intrigued by its revelations, he knew that his immediate priority was to find safety and think about how to live on.
With a final look at the billowing smoke that came from the direction of his home, which was probably now reduced to ashes, Luke's eyes filled with a fury-filled gaze. The memory of his dad's image fading as he ran away and the cruel laughter of the attackers seared into his mind, intensifying his lust for revenge.
"I swear, I'll find you all and kill every last one of you," Luke vowed, his voice laced with both determination and an underlying fury. The pain of his loss mingled with his thirst for justice, creating a resolve that burned brightly within him.
The path ahead would be definitely fraught with danger and uncertainty, but Luke would no longer be the naive farmer's son they had mercilessly attacked. He had been chosen as the Inheritor, bestowed with the power of the Shadow System. And with that power, he would stop at nothing to avenge his family and bring justice to the perpetrators.
As he turned away from the forest, leaving behind the remnants of his former life, Luke took his first steps toward a new destiny—a path paved with darkness, revenge, and the pursuit of his family's killers. The road would be treacherous, but he would not falter. With determination etched into every fiber of his being, Luke set forth, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead and fulfill his desire for revenge.