A few hours later, the birthday celebration finally came to an end.
Most of the guests had left, leaving behind empty plates, scattered decorations, and the lingering smell of delicious food.
However, one guest showed absolutely no intention of leaving.
“Ran, it’s time to go home,” her mother said, gently trying to persuade her daughter.
“No!”
Ran hugged Rayan tightly and shook her head.
“I want to stay with Rayan!”
Her mother sighed helplessly.
It seemed her daughter had already decided where she would spend the night.
Rayan looked down at the little girl clinging to him.
Hey, hey! I’m the birthday boy here. Why am I being treated like a pillow?
He wanted to complain, but after seeing Ran’s determined expression, he swallowed his words.
After all, arguing with a three-year-old girl was probably one of the least productive activities in the world.
His grandfather watched the scene with an amused smile.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her tonight. You two can go home and rest.”
Ran’s parents exchanged glances.
“Are you sure? We don’t want to trouble you.”
“Hahaha! What trouble? The children are close, and we’re right next door. Let her stay here tonight.”
After a little more discussion, they finally agreed.
“Then we’ll leave her in your care.”
“Of course!”
With that settled, Ran’s parents said their goodbyes and returned home.
Ran, apparently satisfied with the outcome, continued clinging to Rayan for a while longer.
Unfortunately for her, the excitement of the birthday party had exhausted her tiny body.
Before long, her eyelids began to droop.
And soon enough—
Zzz…
She fell asleep.
Just like that.
Rayan stared at her sleeping face.
Incredible. She fought so hard to stay, only to fall asleep immediately.
He glanced at his grandfather.
I hope she doesn't take over my bed again.
A horrible memory suddenly flashed through his mind.
A certain little girl sleeping peacefully in his bed.
A certain wet mattress.
And a certain grandmother laughing so hard that she could barely speak.
Rayan shuddered.
I should have asked Grandpa to send her home.
Too late now.
His grandfather chuckled.
“Come along, Rayan. It's time for your lesson.”
He carefully picked up the sleeping Ran and handed her to Rayan’s grandmother, who had just entered the room.
“Please keep an eye on her for us.”
“Of course,” Grandma replied with a warm smile. “You two go ahead. I’ll put her to bed.”
With that taken care of, Rayan followed his grandfather toward the backyard.
For the first time since learning about the Zu family’s bloodline ability, he was about to see it with his own eyes.
And naturally, his curiosity was through the roof.
Finally! My first lesson!
He clenched his tiny fists.
Will I learn to summon undead creatures? Control darkness? Manipulate souls?
His imagination ran wild.
Or perhaps I’ll discover that the Zu family can turn stones into gold!
He immediately shook his head.
No, no. I shouldn't get my hopes up. Knowing my luck, I'll discover that our special ability is making shadows dance.
He followed his grandfather into the backyard.
And, as it turned out, he wasn't entirely wrong.
Although the ability was far more interesting than he had imagined.
The backyard was relatively spacious, with a few trees growing along the edges and enough open ground for training.
However, the evening light was fading quickly.
Rayan looked around before turning toward his grandfather.
“Grandpa, don’t we need Jet Black to perform this ability?”
His grandfather shook his head.
“No. This ability depends entirely on yourself.”
Rayan blinked.
Entirely on myself?
That didn't explain much.
In fact, it explained almost nothing.
He still had no idea what his special ability actually was.
His grandfather seemed to notice his confusion, but rather than explaining immediately, he walked around the backyard and began lighting the lamps.
He also lit a few additional torches, placing them around the training area until the entire space was brightly illuminated.
Rayan watched him work.
Why are we lighting so many lamps? Is this a training session or a festival?
He glanced at the shadows scattered across the ground.
Although, considering the ability we're about to learn, I suppose having good lighting is important.
Once everything was ready, his grandfather returned and stood a short distance away.
“Rayan, watch carefully.”
His tone had changed.
The usual playfulness was gone, replaced by a seriousness that made Rayan straighten his back.
His grandfather pointed toward the ground beside his feet.
More precisely, he pointed at his own shadow.
“Look at this.”
At first, nothing happened.
Then—
The shadow moved.
Rayan's eyes widened.
The dark shape on the ground began to ripple as if it were a pool of water. Slowly, it detached itself from the ground and rose into the air.
Within seconds, the shadow stood upright.
It took on the same shape and size as his grandfather.
The same height.
The same broad shoulders.
Even the same outline of his head and arms.
There was only one obvious difference.
It was completely black.
Not the ordinary darkness of a shadow cast by a lamp, but a deep, unnatural blackness that seemed to swallow the light around it.
Rayan stared at it.
His grandfather stood beside the shadow, looking rather pleased with himself.
“This is the special ability of the Zu family.”
He gestured toward the black figure.
“Our shadows can leave our bodies and act independently according to our commands.”
Rayan slowly turned his head toward his grandfather.
Then he looked back at the shadow.
Then at his grandfather again.
Wait. We can control our shadows?
He had expected something impressive from a family bloodline ability.
Perhaps the power to summon undead creatures. Maybe the ability to manipulate darkness. Or, considering that the Zu family were necromancers, perhaps something involving dead souls.
But this?
His very own shadow could become a separate being?
That was genuinely cool.
Then another thought occurred to him.
“Grandpa…”
“Yes?”
“Does your shadow listen to everything you say?”
“Of course.”
Rayan's eyes sparkled.
“So, if you tell it to do the dishes, will it do them?”
His grandfather froze.
For a moment, the old man looked as though he had just discovered a revolutionary new use for his bloodline ability.
Then he coughed.
“Ahem! We are discussing a powerful bloodline ability, not household chores!”
Rayan nodded solemnly.
Translation: He has never tried it.
What a waste of a perfectly good supernatural servant.
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His grandfather cleared his throat and pretended not to have heard that last part.
“How is it?” he asked. “Do you like it?”
Rayan nodded vigorously.
“I like it, Grandpa! I really like it!”
He stepped forward, his eyes shining with excitement.
“So please teach me! Please!”
His grandfather laughed at his enthusiasm.
“Hahaha! All right, all right. I’ll teach you.”
Then his expression became a little more serious.
“But remember something, Rayan. When your shadow leaves your body, it consumes your mental energy. You may feel tired, dizzy, or even faint if you use too much of it.”
Rayan nodded with an unusually serious expression.
“I’ll remember, Grandpa.”
“Good.”
His grandfather turned toward his own shadow.
“Now, let's begin.”
The black figure moved.
It stepped forward and extended one hand toward Rayan's shadow.
The moment their shadows touched, Rayan felt something strange.
His shadow rippled.
It moved like liquid spreading across the ground before slowly rising into the air.
A small black figure emerged, taking on Rayan's shape.
It was shorter than his grandfather's shadow, of course, but its appearance was unmistakably his own.
Rayan stared at it in astonishment.
Whoa.
He felt a slight wave of exhaustion wash over him.
Physically, it was barely noticeable. His legs felt a little heavy, and his body seemed to have lost some of its energy.
The sensation inside his head, however, was more pronounced.
It felt as though he had been concentrating intensely for a long time.
Even so, he remained firmly on his feet.
No dizziness.
No loss of consciousness.
Not even the slightest need to sit down.
His grandfather, on the other hand, had gone completely still.
His eyes were fixed on Rayan.
What?
He looked at the child.
Then at the detached shadow.
Then back at the child.
For a moment, he wondered whether he had missed something.
When he had first learned the ability, things had been nothing like this.
At three years old, he had struggled desperately to make his shadow leave his body. He had failed again and again, and nearly every attempt had ended with him fainting from exhaustion.
It had taken almost ten days before he could make any meaningful progress.
Even then, his father had needed to help him understand the sensation and guide him through the process.
His own son had performed even worse.
Despite receiving guidance, the boy had repeatedly exhausted himself. It had taken him roughly a month and a half to gain a proper understanding of the ability and begin drawing out his own shadow.
And now—
His three-year-old grandson had done it on his first attempt.
Without fainting.
Without collapsing.
Without even looking particularly exhausted.
His grandfather felt shock spread through him.
But beneath that shock, another emotion began to grow.
Excitement.
This child…
His potential is even greater than mine.
The thought made his heart beat faster.
After all, this was his grandson!
How could he not feel proud?
“Good! Very good, Rayan!”
His grandfather's laughter broke through the silence.
“Now, how does it feel? Try touching your shadow. See whether you can feel the difference.”
Rayan cautiously extended his hand.
His fingers met the black figure's arm.
He paused.
It felt solid.
Not exactly like touching ordinary skin, but not like touching smoke or mist either. There was a strange resistance beneath his fingertips, almost as though he were touching another person.
He pressed lightly against the figure's shoulder.
The shadow remained still.
So this thing is actually tangible? Interesting.
His grandfather nodded approvingly.
“Now, give it a simple command. Tell it to return.”
Rayan looked at the shadow.
“Go back.”
The black figure immediately began to ripple.
Its body softened, flowing downward like liquid before merging with the shadow beneath Rayan's feet.
In the blink of an eye, it was gone.
Rayan looked down.
His ordinary shadow lay at his feet once more.
“Good,” his grandfather said. “Now try summoning it yourself.”
Rayan straightened.
“All right!”
He stared at his shadow with complete concentration.
“Come out, shadow!”
Nothing happened.
He waited.
Still nothing.
Rayan frowned.
“Shadow, come out!”
The shadow remained stubbornly attached to the ground.
Seriously? You were just standing there a moment ago! Why are you suddenly pretending you don't know me?
He tried again.
“Get up!”
Nothing.
“Move!”
Absolutely nothing.
Rayan narrowed his eyes.
“Listen, you uncooperative patch of darkness. I'm your owner!”
His shadow continued doing what shadows did best.
Absolutely nothing.
Rayan stared at the ground.
Oh, now you're ignoring me? Fine. Let's see how long you can survive without a salary.
His grandfather stared at him.
“Rayan, are you threatening your shadow?”
Rayan looked up innocently.
“No, Grandpa. I'm negotiating.”
“Negotiating?”
“Yes. Our working relationship has started badly.”
His grandfather covered his mouth, desperately trying not to laugh.
This child…
He's either a genius or a future headache.
Possibly both.
Rayan tried several more commands, each one becoming slightly more desperate than the last.
“Come out!”
“Get up!”
“Shadow, please!”
His shadow remained stubbornly on the ground.
Finally, Rayan's shoulders drooped.
His grandfather watched him for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“Hahaha! What kind of face is that?”
Rayan looked up at him with a wounded expression.
“But Grandpa, I did it before!”
“Of course you did. But that was when I helped you bring it out.”
His grandfather patted his head.
“Your father took nearly a month and a half to learn how to summon his shadow properly. And you're upset because you couldn't do it a few times?”
Rayan's head snapped up.
“Really? It's that difficult?”
“Indeed.”
His grandfather nodded.
“This is the Zu family's special bloodline ability. It belongs to our family alone, and learning to control it requires considerable mental energy and concentration. We begin training at the age of three, when children are still very young. Naturally, it isn't easy.”
He smiled reassuringly.
“But don't worry. You have great potential. I'm sure you'll learn it soon.”
Rayan's eyes brightened again.
So Father took a month and a half?
He felt a little better.
Not because he wanted to be worse than his father, of course.
Absolutely not.
He simply appreciated knowing that the standard of comparison wasn't a child who had mastered everything in five minutes.
His grandfather looked at him thoughtfully.
“Would you like me to help you bring it out one more time?”
Rayan nodded immediately.
“Yes, please!”
“Very well. But this time, don't just watch the shadow. Try to remember how it feels when it separates from you.”
Rayan listened carefully.
His grandfather's shadow emerged once more and approached him.
It extended a hand toward Rayan's shadow.
The instant they touched, Rayan closed his eyes.
He concentrated on the strange sensation.
Something was moving.
Something was separating from him.
Yet it was not entirely separate.
The feeling was difficult to describe. It was as though a part of himself was being drawn away while remaining connected to him by an invisible thread.
He held on to that sensation.
His breathing remained steady.
His grandfather waited.
After a while, Rayan opened his eyes.
“How was that?” his grandfather asked. “Did you feel it?”
Rayan nodded.
“Yes, Grandpa. I think I did.”
His grandfather laughed happily.
“Good lad! Very good!”
Then he paused.
His gaze moved over Rayan's face, searching for signs of exhaustion.
There were none.
The boy was standing perfectly well.
Even after experiencing the sensation a second time, he showed no obvious signs of mental fatigue.
His grandfather's expression grew thoughtful.
This is extraordinary.
A three-year-old child should not possess such remarkable mental endurance.
Of course, there were exceptions. Some children were born with unusual gifts, and a few possessed potential far beyond that of their peers.
But seeing such a child in his own family was something else entirely.
His grandfather did not mention his thoughts aloud.
Instead, he quietly smiled to himself.
Let's see just how far this boy can go.
Rayan, completely unaware of his grandfather's excitement, was busy thinking about something else.
Mental energy? What exactly is that?
He had heard the term before, but nobody had explained it properly.
And if he wanted to master this ability, he needed to understand how it worked.
“Grandpa?”
“Yes?”
“What is mental energy?”
His grandfather raised an eyebrow, then smiled.
“Ah, I suppose I haven't explained that yet.”
He crouched slightly so that he could speak to Rayan at eye level.
“Mental energy is a kind of energy generated within our minds. It allows us to use certain abilities, including our family's bloodline power.”
Rayan listened without interrupting.
His grandfather continued.
“It is especially important for necromancers. When you turn fifteen, your Black Core will be formed. To generate Jet Black, you'll need to transfer your mental energy into that core.”
Rayan's eyes widened a little.
“So mental energy is important?”
“Very important.”
His grandfather nodded.
“The greater your mental energy, the greater your potential may be. As you grow older, your mental energy will also increase. If yours continues to develop at this rate, you may eventually possess a much greater quantity of Jet Black than an ordinary person.”
Rayan absorbed the information.
So the Black Core is formed at fifteen, and mental energy is used to generate Jet Black…
He filed that information away for later.
Then another question occurred to him.
“Grandpa, how did you know I have so much mental energy?”
His grandfather smiled.
“Because of what happened just now.”
He pointed toward Rayan's shadow.
“When we first learn to extract our shadows, we usually consume a large amount of mental energy. Most children our age faint after their first attempt. Even when they don't, they generally become so exhausted that they can barely stand.”
He gave Rayan's head a gentle pat.
“But you summoned your shadow on your first attempt, remained standing, and then experienced the sensation again without collapsing.”
His grandfather's smile grew wider.
“That tells me you have more mental energy than most children your age.”
Rayan froze for a moment.
Oh.
Oh, no.
A terrible realization had just struck him.
He could have tried this ability many more times.
In fact, he was fairly certain he could have endured several more attempts.
After all, although his body was only three years old, his mind carried the memories of his previous life. Before being reincarnated, he had been twenty years old.
He wasn't an ordinary three-year-old mentally.
And if his grandfather knew how easily he could withstand the strain, the old man might decide that Rayan should train much harder.
I need to be careful.
If I show too much talent, Grandpa might turn me into a training machine.
His gaze drifted toward the house.
More specifically, toward the kitchen.
And what will happen to my meals?
The thought was horrifying.
Still, he couldn't resist his curiosity.
He wanted to know whether he could summon his shadow again without any assistance.
Just one more time.
After that, he would claim to be tired.
That seemed like a reasonable compromise.
“Grandpa?”
“Yes, Rayan?”
“Can I try one last time?”
His grandfather chuckled.
“Of course. One last time. Remember what I told you: don't force it. Focus on the sensation you felt when your shadow separated from you.”
Rayan nodded.
This time, he didn't immediately shout a command at the ground.
Instead, he sat down.
He crossed his legs and looked at his shadow.
Then he closed his eyes.
Don't think about making it move.
Don't think about commanding it.
Just feel it.
He placed his hand against the ground, touching the dark outline beneath him.
He concentrated.
Slowly, the world around him seemed to grow quieter.
He could hear the faint rustling of leaves in the backyard. He could hear his grandfather breathing nearby.
And beneath all those ordinary sensations, he focused on the strange connection between himself and his shadow.
There it was.
That familiar feeling.
Something connected to him.
Something that was a part of him, yet could also exist independently.
Rayan held on to it.
Come out.
Nothing happened.
He frowned slightly but didn't give up.
He adjusted his concentration, trying to understand the sensation rather than forcing the result.
You're not something I need to drag out.
You're part of me.
He took a slow breath.
Then he spoke.
“Come out.”
For an instant, he felt nothing.
Then—
His shadow trembled.
A wave passed through its surface.
The black shape began to rise from the ground, slowly at first, then with increasing steadiness.
Its outline stretched upward.
Its arms formed.
Its legs followed.
And finally, a small black figure stood directly in front of him.
Rayan opened his eyes.
He stared at the figure.
The figure stared back with a featureless black face.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Then Rayan raised his right hand.
The shadow raised its right hand.
He tilted his head.
The shadow tilted its head.
He crossed his arms.
The shadow did the same.
Rayan grinned.
Amazing! I have a personal body double!
Then a brilliant idea struck him.
He pointed toward the ground.
“Shadow, stand guard while I sleep!”
His grandfather immediately interrupted.
“No. You must first learn to control it properly.”
Rayan's smile disappeared.
“But Grandpa, what if a mosquito attacks me at night?”
His grandfather stared at him.
“...A mosquito?”
“Yes! It's a dangerous enemy. It steals blood while people sleep.”
His grandfather opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Rayan nodded gravely.
“Someone has to protect the family from these bloodsucking monsters.”
For a moment, his grandfather said nothing.
Then he laughed so hard that he had to hold his stomach.
“Hahahaha! First, learn to summon your shadow consistently. Then we'll discuss your war against mosquitoes!”
Rayan sighed.
Adults. They never take mosquito-related security seriously.
Then he turned toward his grandfather, his smile returning.
“Grandpa…”
His grandfather wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.
“What is it now?”
“Can my shadow do the dishes?”
“Absolutely not!”
“Can it clean my room?”
“No!”
“Can it bring me snacks?”
“Rayan!”
“All right, all right! I'm just exploring its capabilities!”
His grandfather shook his head, laughing helplessly.
What kind of child have I raised?
Then he paused.
Wait. I didn't raise him. His parents did.
He glanced at the little boy standing proudly beside his detached shadow.
Perhaps I should ask them what they've been teaching him.
After a few more moments, Rayan began to feel the strain of the third attempt.
His smile faded slightly as he noticed the heaviness in his head.
His grandfather immediately caught the change in his expression.
“All right, that's enough for today. Tell it to return.”
Rayan nodded.
“Go back.”
The black figure rippled and sank into the ground, returning to its original form beneath his feet.
The moment it disappeared, Rayan felt the remaining tension in his mind begin to ease.
His grandfather watched him carefully to ensure he was all right.
Then he suddenly bent down, scooped Rayan into his arms, and lifted him high into the air.
“Grandpa?!”
Before Rayan could protest, the old man swung him around and settled him onto his shoulders.
“Hahahahaha!”
His grandfather began walking toward the house, laughing so loudly that anyone nearby could probably hear him.
“My grandson is a genius! A genius, I tell you!”
He even began singing a cheerful, completely improvised song as he carried Rayan through the backyard.
“Rayan is the best! The pride of the Zu family! The greatest grandson in the world!”
Rayan sat on his grandfather's shoulders, gripping his head for balance.
He stared at the night sky, listening to the old man's enthusiastic singing.
Grandpa, please. The neighbors will hear you.
Unfortunately, his grandfather was beyond saving.
“My grandson summoned his shadow! On his third try! What a genius! What a prodigy!”
At this rate, the whole village will know before breakfast.
Rayan could already imagine the consequences.
More attention.
More expectations.
More training.
And probably fewer opportunities to sneak away for an afternoon nap.
His smile weakened.
Wait a minute.
If everyone thinks I'm a genius, won't they expect me to work harder?
He looked toward the house.
More specifically, toward the kitchen.
I need to find a way to make genius-level talent compatible with a genius-level appetite.
It was an important problem.
Perhaps the most important problem he had ever faced.
After all, world domination was expensive.
Free food was economical.
And if he became powerful enough, perhaps he could eventually summon his shadow to fetch snacks from the kitchen.
Now that's a future worth fighting for.
His grandfather continued laughing and singing as he carried Rayan home.
For now, the old man was celebrating the discovery of what might be an extraordinary prodigy.
Rayan, meanwhile, had already begun planning how to turn his family's supernatural ability into a convenient personal assistant.
Neither of them noticed the small shadow stretching across the ground behind them as they approached the house.
For a fleeting instant, its outline seemed to ripple.
Then it returned to normal.
And the night passed peacefully.
At least, for now.