Solo Leveling : 10 Shadow Technique

Puddle Frog – A tiny blue frog with a watery sheen. Can dissolve into water to escape attacks.

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Finn entered the Gate and found himself inside an underwater temple. The eerie blue glow of the surroundings illuminated the massive stone pillars and algae-covered walls. As he scanned the area, he spotted an oversized pufferfish with blue scales and orange spikes, along with jellyfish and sharks lurking in the depths.

Without warning, a beam of blue energy shot toward him. Finn barely had time to react before the Great Serpent lunged in front of him, taking the attack head-on. Its movements slowed immediately.

"Tch, annoying ability," Finn muttered. Realizing he had two Shikigami suited for underwater combat, he swiftly summoned Jaws, the prehistoric crocodile, and Kraven, the massive octopus.

Jaws wasted no time, tearing into the Guardian with its powerful bite. The moment the creature was destroyed, the slowing effect vanished, and the Great Serpent regained its speed. Finn smirked.

"Huh. That's a pretty great ability."

Spotting another Guardian in the distance, Finn propelled himself forward by shooting pressurized water from his feet—an ability granted by Max Elephant. He created a solid platform using his venom and extended both his venom and shadow across it, preparing to activate Shadow Swallow. Before he could strike, another Guardian fired a slowing beam at him, halting his advance.

An eel-like creature lunged toward him, its fangs glinting in the dim light. Finn reacted instantly, forming a Shadow Spot behind him. Max Elephant's trunk emerged from the shadow, blasting him forward just in time to evade the attack. The Great Serpent coiled around the eel, constricting it before swallowing it whole. Jaws finished off another enemy nearby, tearing through flesh with ease.

"Well, he's definitely getting an electric skin upgrade," Finn thought, watching the battle unfold.

As the Great Serpent carried him toward a set of towering pillars, Finn spotted something far larger—an Elder Guardian. Unlike the others, this one had gray skin covered in glowing blue thorns.

"Fudge," Finn muttered.

The Great Serpent surged forward at Finn's command, weaving between ruins as the Elder Guardian fired its beam. The serpent barely dodged the attack, but Finn wasn't as lucky. The beam struck him, and he immediately felt his movements slow. Even so, the Great Serpent had already closed the distance.

It spat a thick stream of oil directly into the Elder Guardian's eyes, causing it to flinch. That brief hesitation was all Jaws needed. The massive crocodile lunged and clamped down on the Elder Guardian's head, crushing it in a single, decisive bite. As Jaws devoured the remains, Finn felt his summon growing stronger.

Pressing onward, Finn arrived at a massive, ancient door. Kraven used its powerful tentacles to pry it open, revealing a hidden chamber with an air pocket. Finn dismissed Jaws, as the crocodile was too large for the confined space.

"What in the Eternity is going on here?" he muttered, scanning the room.

At the center of the chamber lay a colossal serpent. Unlike the Great Serpent, this one had two tails, each ending in a blue flame. As its eyes flickered open, Finn groaned.

"Why does the boss of a water dungeon have fire abilities?"

The serpent let out a low growl, and the temperature in the chamber seemed to rise despite being underwater. Finn sighed and summoned a clone.

"Just use Agito," he ordered.

From Finn's shadow, Agito—a fusion of Great Serpent, Nue, and Toad—emerged. Without hesitation, Kraven and Agito launched their attack. Kraven's tentacles wrapped around the serpent, restraining it momentarily, but as soon as it made contact, blue flames ignited across its body.

Kraven thrashed violently, trying to extinguish the fire with water, but it refused to die out. In a desperate move, it severed its own tentacle. A new limb grew in its place, but the blue flames suddenly exploded, sending a shockwave through the chamber.

Finn barely had time to react before noticing the flames rapidly consuming Agito's body. Yet, despite the damage, Agito didn't falter—thanks to Round Deer's healing abilities, it regenerated almost instantly. The two-tailed serpent roared, but its cry was cut short as Agito delivered the final blow, tearing through its body.

Finn blinked. "Wait… it's dead?"

He dismissed his clone and watched as Agito stood before him, completely intact.

"But… you were erased. How did you regenerate?" Finn muttered.

Agito simply stared back.

Finn extended his shadow and pulled Agito into his Shadow Garden, feeling an unusual connection form between them.

"Wait… does this count as a new beast?" he wondered aloud.

As the Great Serpent absorbed its meal, Finn felt a surge of strength, as if he had just leveled up.

//--\\

Later, Finn sat on a quiet island, looking at his newly acquired Shikigami—Ankha, Jaws, Kraven, and the Elder Guardian. The Guardian floated lazily in a pond created by Max Elephant, while Finn examined his new abilities.

Mind Control, Blue Exploding Tags, and the Slow Beam were all added to his arsenal. The electric reinforcement, strength, and healing were just bonuses. But what intrigued him most was Agito—an entity that shouldn't even exist by normal rules.

Finn laughed to himself. "Man, look at me. I'm like a dollar store Shadow Monarch."

Extending his shadow, he summoned every Shikigami he possessed, watching as they emerged before him.

A grin spread across his face. "Alright, we have three years to reach the level of the big guys. And I promise you—" Finn's voice carried with determination, "—you're all getting upgrades… and we'll be welcoming more family members soon."

His shadow pulsed as his summons stood before him, ready for what lay ahead,