Chapter 35: The Shadow Apprentice

Since overcoming their inner fears, Alex felt his abilities had made a breakthrough. However, he also realized that relying solely on spatial control was far from enough when facing the increasingly powerful Void threats.

This morning, Alex and Kai were conducting their daily training on the rooftop garden. The sun gently shone on them, and the surrounding plants emitted a faint fragrance.

"Alex," Kai suddenly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of hesitation, "I was thinking... maybe it's time to teach you something new."

Alex looked at Kai curiously, "What new thing?"

Kai took a deep breath, "Shadow manipulation. I think if you could master this ability, we could coordinate better in battle."

Alex's eyes widened in surprise, "Really? But... is that possible? I thought everyone's ability was unique."

Just then, Leo's apparition suddenly appeared. "Theoretically, it's possible," he explained, "Alex, as a powerful traveler, has the potential to learn multiple abilities. Moreover, the deep connection between you two might make this process easier."

Kai nodded, "That's right. And I think you're ready for it."

Alex felt both excited and nervous, "So... where do we start?"

Kai smiled, walking to the boundary between sunlight and shadow. "First, you need to feel the presence of shadows. They're not just the absence of light, but another form of energy."

Alex concentrated, carefully observing the shadow at Kai's feet. At first, he felt nothing. But as time passed, he began to sense a subtle energy fluctuation.

"I... I think I feel something," Alex said softly.

Kai nodded encouragingly, "Good. Now, try to touch that shadow with your consciousness."

Alex closed his eyes, focusing all his attention on that shadow. Suddenly, he felt a cool sensation, as if something had responded to his call.

"Wow!" Alex exclaimed, opening his eyes to see the shadow at Kai's feet trembling slightly.

Kai's face showed a satisfied smile, "Well done, Alex. This is a great start."

Over the next few hours, Kai patiently guided Alex on how to sense and manipulate shadows. At first, Alex could only make the shadows move slightly. But as the practice deepened, he gradually managed to form simple shapes with the shadows.

"Remember," Kai said, "Shadows aren't just weapons. They can be shields, reconnaissance tools, even used for healing. The key is to guide them with your will."

Just as Alex was trying to form a small ball with the shadows, Marcus suddenly ran into the garden, his face filled with panic.

"Something big has happened!" Marcus gasped, "In the basement... something has broken through the dimensional barrier!"

Alex and Kai immediately became alert. "We need to check it out right away," Kai said.

The three quickly went down to the basement. When they arrived, the scene before them was shocking. A huge black crack was spreading on the wall, with black mist constantly seeping out.

"What's going on?" Alex asked in horror.

Leo's apparition suddenly appeared, his expression serious, "It's the Void creatures. They've found the weakest point of Silver Moon Apartments and are trying to invade."

Just then, a huge tentacle reached out from the crack, grabbing towards them.

"Watch out!" Kai shouted, immediately releasing a shadow barrier.

Alex instinctively wanted to use his spatial control ability but suddenly remembered what he had just learned. He took a deep breath, concentrated, and felt the shadows around him.

"Come," Alex whispered, "Heed my call."

To everyone's surprise, the shadows in the basement suddenly came to life, cutting off the tentacle like sharp blades.

"That's incredible, Alex!" Marcus exclaimed.

Kai also showed an approving smile, "Looks like you've learned faster than I imagined."

But their joy was short-lived. More tentacles poured out from the crack, and the entire basement began to shake violently.

"We need to find a way to seal this crack," Leo said urgently.

Alex looked at Kai, and they seemed to have the same idea. "Let's do it together," Alex said.

They stood in front of the crack, hand in hand. Alex controlled the surrounding space, while Kai manipulated the shadows. Under their joint effort, space and shadows intertwined, forming a powerful barrier.

Marcus also joined in, using his ability to stabilize the emotions of people around, preventing fear from providing more power to the Void creatures.

As the power of the three converged, the crack began to slowly heal. Finally, with a huge boom, the crack completely disappeared.

When everything settled down, all three collapsed on the ground, exhausted.

"We... we did it," Alex said, panting.

Kai smiled at Alex, "Yes, we did. And Alex, your progress is really amazing."

Leo's apparition floated to their side, his face bearing a satisfied expression, "You all performed excellently. Especially you, Alex. You not only learned a new ability but also found a way to combine it with your original power. This is exactly what we need to fight against the Void forces."

Marcus looked at Alex curiously, "So, now you can control both space and shadows?"

Alex shook his head, "Not entirely. I feel like I've only just scratched the surface of shadow ability. There's still a long way to go before truly mastering it."

Kai nodded approvingly, "That's the right attitude. Remember, regardless of the ability, the key is how to apply it."

As they left the basement, Alex felt Silver Moon Apartments trembling slightly, as if cheering for their victory and growth.

"I have a feeling," Leo said, "that your abilities will continue to grow and merge. Silver Moon Apartments chose you as guardians for a reason."

Alex looked at Kai and Marcus, feeling a strong sense of belonging and mission. He knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, as long as they were together, nothing was impossible.