CHAPTER 95: CHAPTER 95: SHADOW MONSTER

Axelius didn’t wait. He stepped quietly toward the shadow under the tree, scanning it with each step, eyes locked on the shifting darkness. But before he could get close enough, the shadow moved again—this time jumping from the ground to the shadow on a bush nearby, like a fish swimming through water, quick and silent.

"There!" Axelius said, pointing. "It moved again!"

Owen followed the movement with his eyes. "It’s using natural shadows to jump places... We might be dealing with a Shadewalker-type."

Axelius reached into his inner coat, pulling out a small crystal that gave off faint light, and tossed it toward the bush’s shadow.

"Let’s see if light can drive it out," he muttered.

The crystal hit the ground, glowing slowly—but nothing happened Then a shape flickered for half a second, like a thin hand pulling back from the edge of light.

"It’s watching us," Owen whispered.

Axelius stood tall now, eyes serious.

"Then let’s give it something to see," he said. He stepped forward, toward the next patch of shade. "Come out, monster... or I’ll cut the shadow itself if I have to."

As Axelius slowly followed when suddenly a small bird fluttered down from the sky and perched on a branch above them, its wings folding gently as it settled in place to rest.

Without warning, the strange thing inside the shadow below the tree twitched and stretched, and before Axelius or Owen could react, it reached out like smoke and wrapped around the shadow of the bird on the ground, swallowing it in one swift motion—and just like that, the bird above dropped straight to the forest floor with its wings stiff, lifeless.

Owen’s eyes widened behind his glasses as he looked at the fallen bird, and Axelius glanced back at him and Axelius spoke low, "So this guy... he’s the suspect behind all the Mistburrowers and forest birds found dead lately."

They didn’t waste time; Axelius moved quickly again, following the trail of shadow as it jumped between the trees, now more cautious, more aware, until suddenly—

"What are you doing here?" said a voice behind him.

Axelius turned fast ready to fight then he saw who it was, and then his face twisted with annoyed disbelief as he sighed loudly and said, "You? You must be so in love with me you came looking this far into the forest? Can’t stand being away from me that bad?"

Elena gasped, her face turning red as she stomped her foot, clearly annoyed. "Hey! We’re only seeing each other after four years and that’s how you greet me?! Huh?! Only your body and height changed, not your attitude!"

But before Axelius could say something again, his eyes caught movement—The shadow he had been tracking darted again, this time stopping near Elena. It didn’t hide this time. It began to rise, forming into something more solid and terrifying.

Axelius saw it first—a skeletal dog-like figure made from layers of black shadow and swirling mist, its form shifting, its ribs sharp and thin, glowing faintly as it stepped silently from the shadow on the ground, its head low and mouth opening wide—and then it started biting Elena’s shadow.

She gasped and froze, her body stiffening, and her hand immediately reached up to her forehead as her knees weakened. "I... I feel dizzy..." she whispered, but before she could fall, Axelius moved.

He caught her in one arm, holding her against him, and with the other, he reached straight for the monster, grabbing it by its neck and squeezed.

"Don’t you dare swallow it," Axelius hissed, his aura leaking out in thin, dangerous waves. "Puke it. Now."

The shadow creature trembled in his grip as if it felt true fear for the first time, and without any more resistance, it coughed violently. A swirl of black mist shot out from its mouth, reforming into Elena’s stolen shadow as well as the bird’s.

The lifeless bird on the ground fluttered its wings suddenly, coming back to life, and flew off in a burst of feathers and panic, while Elena blinked and stood more steadily in Axelius’s arm.

"Wh-What... was that...?" she whispered, still a bit pale.

Axelius didn’t answer her right away. He tossed the shivering shadow monster to the ground with disgust and stood up straight, letting go Elena.

Owen bounce beside them, arms crossed now with a thoughtful frown. "Well, now we know what we’re dealing with... this guy is dangerous."

Meanwhile, Elena stumbled backward and rolled slightly on the ground, still holding her chest from the dizzy feeling earlier But when she realized Axelius had dropped the shadow monster without even helping her up, she frowned and stood up slowly, brushing the dirt off her dress with an annoyed look.

"You could’ve at least let me down gently, jerk..." she mumbled.

Axelius turned around with a cold look and spoke firmly, his voice sharp and without hesitation. "Break the engagement off. I’m not begging. That’s an order."

Elena froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. Then, with a frustrated cry, she shoved Axelius hard on the chest. "I will! Even if you don’t say it! You think I want to marry you?!"

He didn’t even flinch. Instead, he looked straight into her eyes and asked flatly, "Then why are you here?"

Elena bit her lip, looked away, and crossed her arms. She seemed to hesitate, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "I... I needed to ask you for help."

Axelius raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? You heard the news, right? That must be the reason. You wanted to see it for yourself," he said, gesturing at his body casually. "Taller, hot body. Impressive, huh?"

Elena scrunched her nose and made a face like she was disgusted."Dream on! You still talk like a jerk! Can we just go back inside already? So we can talk properly?"

Without saying another word, Axelius turned around and started walking toward the mansion, hands in his pockets like he didn’t care if she followed or not.

"Ugh! Seriously? Not even helping a lady? So not a gentleman..." Elena muttered behind him, stomping after him, her arms swinging angrily as she tried to keep up.