The castle remained silent.
Unchanging.
Unyielding.
But I was not.
I stood alone in the grand hall, shadows stretching unnaturally at my feet, twisting—not from light… but from will.
"…So this is you," I murmured.
Power stirred within me.
Not like magic.
Not like mana.
Something more… primal.
The Longinus.
Annihilation Maker.
I exhaled slowly, closing my eyes as I reached inward—not for mana, not for time, not for shadow magic…
But for imagination.
"…Let's start simple."
My shadow rippled.
Then—
Something moved inside it.
A shape began to rise.
Distorted.
Formless.
Incomplete.
And then—
It emerged.
A creature.
Rough. Unstable.
A malformed beast with too many limbs, its body flickering as if unsure of its own existence.
"…Huh."
It collapsed seconds later, dissolving back into shadow.
I frowned.
"Not quite."
Again.
This time—I focused.
Structure.
Purpose.
Design.
A wolf.
The shadow stretched—then solidified.
A sleek, black creature stepped out of my shadow, its body smooth, eyes glowing faintly. Stable.
Alive.
It didn't attack.
Didn't move wildly.
It simply… waited.
"…Better."
I walked around it slowly, observing every detail.
The structure held.
No instability.
No degradation.
"Durability test."
I flicked my fingers.
A small blast of magic struck it.
Nothing.
The wolf didn't even flinch.
"…Highly resistant to magic," I muttered. "Just like the description."
Interesting.
I raised my hand again.
"Let's push it further."
This time, I didn't create just one.
Ten.
Then fifty.
Then a hundred.
The hall filled with silent, obedient shadow-beasts, each one perfectly formed, each one awaiting command.
"…No strain," I noted.
Not on my magic.
Not on my body.
Because this…
Wasn't powered the same way.
It was manifested.
I smiled faintly.
"Now let's get creative."
The wolves dissolved instantly.
In their place—
Something far larger began to form.
A massive shape rose from my shadow, its body towering, limbs thick and armored, its presence alone distorting the air around it.
A giant.
Nearly brushing the ceiling.
"…Still stable."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Bandersnatch."
The name alone triggered something deeper.
The shadow beneath me exploded.
A colossal beast tore its way into existence—easily over a hundred meters tall, its form monstrous, grotesque, alive with unnatural energy.
The castle trembled slightly beneath its weight.
"…There you are."
And then—
It split.
Smaller creatures began forming from its body.
Multiplying.
Expanding.
"…Self-replication," I whispered.
That was… dangerous.
Very dangerous.
I raised a hand.
And instantly—
Everything stopped.
The creatures froze.
Then dissolved back into shadow.
"…Not yet."
I exhaled slowly.
That kind of power—unchecked—could spiral out of control. Even for me.
I needed precision.
Control.
Not just creation—
Design.
I paced slowly, thinking.
"Anti-monsters…"
That was the real advantage.
Not just brute force.
Adaptation.
I extended my shadow again—this time with intent.
"Something resistant to temporal interference."
The shadow shifted.
Formed.
A new creature emerged—sleek, humanoid, its body covered in layered armor, its eyes glowing faintly with unnatural awareness.
"…Now you're interesting."
I reached out with my time magic.
Attempted to slow it.
Nothing happened.
I smiled.
"Good."
Then I tried shadow binding.
Minimal effect.
Even better.
"…You'll be useful against Merlin."
Very useful.
I dismissed the creature and stepped back, letting my shadow return to normal.
"…So that's the key."
Not numbers.
Not size.
Specialization.
If I could create creatures tailored to specific enemies…
Then even someone like Merlin—
Wouldn't have a perfect answer.
I glanced toward the walls of my prison.
Still there.
Still absolute.
Still watching.
"…You can drain magic," I said softly.
"But this…"
I let my shadow ripple once more.
"…isn't something you understand yet."
And that…
That was my advantage.
For now.
I turned away, already planning the next stage of experimentation.
Balance Breaker.
Advanced constructs.
Hybrid creations combining shadow, time, and Annihilation Maker.
It would take time.
Years, maybe.
But time…
Was something I had in abundance.