"Shadow! That guy's ability is connected to shadows!"
"Hiss! Could he be another future Shadow Lord?"
"What a strange power! Normally, Shadow Lords can only control their own shadows or merge with them, but this guy can summon puppet soldiers from his own shadow?"
"Incredible! If this ability grows, wouldn't he be able to defeat thousands of ghosts on his own?"
"Terrifying! I suddenly realized something... that guy, the one they call Young Master Yi, is being treated with such importance by the Krolar family, could it be because..."
"Scary to think about! Could the heir of the Shadow Lord finally be making his move?"
"..."
The moment Yi Bai's shadow ability was revealed, taking down the lizard man in an instant, the emotions of the ghosts in the stands were immediately ignited.
If it weren't for the silent effect of the Dead Silence Plaza, it would have been a riotous clamor.
Many of the ghosts started to compare Yi Bai to the legendary Shadow Lord. After all, ghost talents related to shadows were extremely rare.
The human players had no clue. The zombie employee who had escorted Yi Bai into the resort didn't understand either. But now, with Yi Bai's powers on full display, it instantly sparked all sorts of speculations.
In the stands, a seductive and enchanting figure's lavender eyes glinted with an unusual spark.
Dressed in leather, her perfect figure was accentuated.
She had curved horns on her forehead, and a dark purple heart-shaped tail swayed behind her.
"Iris, I think I've found a cute little prey!" Lilith's tail flicked with increasing delight as she licked her lips, speaking to her companion beside her.
"Heh... how many times have you said that about a helpless creature?" Iris, a tall woman with a body a head taller than Lilith's, retorted with ruthless sarcasm.
Her slender and graceful form had six crab-like black exoskeleton "decorations" attached to her abdomen. Her attire was odd, but it emanated a wild and dangerous allure.
Despite their enchanting appearances, the area around these two was completely empty, with all eyes avoiding them. Those who dared peek were filled with intense caution and dread.
"Tch, that's just because they're too weak to handle my little whip. How can they engage with me on a deeper level?"
Lilith didn't find it shameful, rather proud, of her remark.
Iris smirked coldly. "Don't make your perverted tendencies sound so justified. It's disgusting."
"Hmph!" Lilith snorted in response, clearly upset at her best friend's constant jabs. "At least I'm not like you, having no interest in procreating, but still indulging yourself in it!"
"I enjoy it!"
"So do I!"
Once again, these two black-hearted best friends quarreled, their glares locked like flashes of electricity, until...
The next round of combat on the Deadly Combat Arena began.
"Back to the point, what do you think of this interesting little one?"
Lilith licked her lips, her seductive demeanor hiding the dangerous gleam in her eyes.
"Strong. In the same rank, I can't guarantee I could defeat him, and I'm not sure if he has other hidden tricks."
Iris crossed her arms in front of her, her figure forming an elegant arc, her gaze fixed firmly on Yi Bai in the arena. Her hunger seemed to grow stronger.
"Yeah, very strong, and his ability is somewhat similar to the rumored Shadow Lord. The more I think about it, the more intrigued I become!"
Lilith's heart-shaped tail curled slightly, her pale face flushed with excitement. She watched Yi Bai in the arena, her gaze focused as if savoring a particularly thrilling scene. Her legs subtly tightened.
A deep red whip, covered in thorns, coiled beside her, alive like a snake seeking a delicious meal.
Iris frowned at the sight and warned, "I advise you not to act recklessly. Don't forget, we came here for a purpose."
"The purpose..." Lilith murmured, her dark purple eyes flickering. "The purpose is important, but my dear mother is very eager about my marriage!"
"That's not an excuse, Lilith!" Iris's eyes turned cold, her gaze locked on Lilith as she spoke with a hint of frost in her voice.
"Alright, alright~ I surrender. What can I do, my dear mother insists I listen to you! How did you manage to win her over so completely, you wicked adopted daughter?"
Lilith relented with a pout, while Iris smiled, a sense of triumph clearly displayed.
The rivalry between the adopted and legitimate daughters was a daily occurrence, and this time, Iris had won again.
...
Time passed.
"Next!"
Snaak Sixteen had lost count of how many times he had called out these words.
Instant kill after instant kill—lizard men, vengeful spirits, hanging ghosts, fire ghosts...
Not a single one could withstand Yi Bai's attack!
Four shadows emerged simultaneously. Yi Bai didn't even need to enhance his own body with shadows yet, and he was already invincible, overwhelming his equal-ranked opponents.
The true terror of the shadow ability was its lack of substance. If danger arose, Yi Bai could instantly alter his form to avoid attacks.
Each shadow had power equal to an evil ghost!
With Yi Bai's advantage in numbers, he remained undefeated.
So, as time passed, Yi Bai began to "increase the pressure."
The number of enemies he faced at once increased from one to two, eventually reaching five.
Many of the ghosts who had been instantly defeated came back into the arena, eager to leave a good impression on the "young master" without Yi Bai actually killing them.
"Indeed, once the numbers went up, I finally feel some pressure."
Surrounded by five ghosts, Yi Bai began to feel the strain.
But with his Eye of Insight allowing him to spot weaknesses, he still handled the situation with ease.
During this battle, Yi Bai's mastery of his shadow ability was rapidly improving.
His secret techniques, like the Painful Blood Hand, remained hidden.
Likewise, his use of Xir's abilities was concealed.
There's no need to show all your cards. Give only a glimpse, and save the rest for a surprise counterattack when the time comes.
Just imagine: when everyone expects him to rely solely on his shadow powers, suddenly, he uses "Old Six's Hand" to strike from an unexpected angle.
The tide of the battle could change in that instant.