SSS Ranked Shadow Monarch: Summoning Infinite Shadows-Chapter 238: Adaptability

June stared at Athena for a few seconds, then let out a heavy, tired sigh.

"Casper isn’t like other awakened," she began.

"He’s an anomaly... a being basically created to be unstoppable," Athena added.

June looked at her.

"How so?" Athena asked.

"Casper is basically the peak of physicality in the domain and beyond," June explained. "Unlike others who are awakened, some may have abilities that increase their strength, speed, stamina, or give them magic like fire, water, lightning, and so on. Casper awakened something... endless. Abilities that are limitless. Endless. This isn’t unseen among the Bleed family or many of the royal families. I believe even you have one, and that’s why the patriarch is so interested in you, don’t you?"

June’s gaze locked on Athena. She had been briefed on Athena’s importance. She didn’t like it, didn’t fully accept it, but she understood it. Athena was the daughter of Chaos, with an endless supply of power, depending on her emotions.

"In simple terms, Casper is similar to you," June said. "He awakened the ability to adapt endlessly."

Athena raised her brows, still struggling to comprehend the weight of what she had just heard. June noticed and decided to clarify further.

"Casper isn’t strong on his own. He holds no innate power, no abilities, no strength per se. You could even say he could be killed by a simple knife," June explained.

"Huh? Then why do you fear him so much?" Athena asked.

"Because his ability is adaptability. Casper’s power activates when he decides that a person, thing, or item is an enemy. The moment he identifies you as an enemy in his mind, his mind instantly grants him power that surpasses yours by a large margin to ensure he can overcome you. If you fight him and manage to rise to his current level, his ability adapts him again, pushing him steps above you. Casper will always remain ahead, constantly adapting to your abilities and growing infinitely stronger to counter your strength," June said.

She paused, allowing Athena to finally grasp the gravity of what she had said. Athena’s eyes widened in shock.

"What?" she muttered.

"See it now, right?" June asked. "Casper is basically the enemy of everything and anything he targets. The only way to defeat him is if he stops seeing you as an enemy. Only then does all the power he gained vanish."

[.... ] 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Aren stared at Casper, his mind racing for a strategy. Every move he had tried so far was useless. Even with his dark armor activated and his power multiplied several times over, he still couldn’t land a clean hit. Casper just kept moving, fluid, untouchable.

Aren exhaled slowly. He knew he would have to pull out all the stops if he wanted even a chance to get through. He gripped the Ancient Devourer tighter, sinking into his stance.

"One drop... I just need one drop of blood," he muttered to himself. "Then it’s over."

He launched forward. The ground beneath him cracked and exploded, forming a crater as his speed blurred him into a streak. Casper stood unmoving. The moment Aren came into range, he slashed down. The blade cut through the air with impossible speed, yet Casper’s eyes followed every move without effort. At the last second, he stepped back, letting the attack sail past him and smash into the ground. Boom! Debris exploded in all directions, but Casper remained perfectly composed.

Then, in a blur, Casper moved forward and punched toward Aren’s chest. Aren barely reacted in time, dodging slightly, but his chest was grazed by the force. The explosive impact blasted him backward. He flipped in midair, landing on his feet with one hand braced against the ground to steady himself.

Casper was already above him, bringing a kick down toward Aren’s head. Aren raised his sword to block. Boom! The ground shattered beneath them, shockwaves rippling outward. Aren’s hands went numb from the sheer force; his entire body screamed in protest.

He gritted his teeth, pushed off the ground, flipped in the air, and launched forward with a flurry of slashes. Each strike was perfectly timed, yet Casper dodged with surgical precision, each blade slicing just inches away.

Then, seizing a moment, Casper slammed his palm into Aren’s gut. Aren coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth, flying backward into a tree. He collapsed to his knees, grimacing as Casper calmly advanced.

"Shit... I can’t even land one hit," Aren thought, frustration burning. But he refused to lose, especially with Athena’s life on the line.

He forced himself to his feet, gripping his sword tightly, and summoned Riker and Fang. The two launched forward instantly, Fang sending a barrage of lightning and flames, Riker swinging with precision. But Casper was lightning-fast. He dodged with impossible speed, appearing beside Fang and attacking, but at that moment, Riker attacked as well.

Exactly as Aren had planned. With Casper focused on Riker and Fang, Aren slipped into his blind spot, slashing upward. But Casper anticipated even this. Twisting his body inhumanly, he kicked Aren’s hand aside while dodging Riker’s attack, landing gracefully on the ground.

Without missing a beat, Casper countered. He launched forward, kneeing Riker in the gut and sending him flying, then spun midair, delivering a devastating superman punch aimed at Aren’s face. Aren raised his sword just in time to block, but the impact sent him skidding backward.

Casper gave immediate chase. Multiple kicks and strikes rained down on Aren, each blow pushing him back, arms numb, muscles screaming, internal organs wracked, yet he refused to relent. One misstep, one second of hesitation, and he would be completely overwhelmed.

Aren’s eyes narrowed. He couldn’t keep holding back. He needed a plan, a way to finally turn the tide against a seemingly unstoppable opponent.

Aren’s eyes narrowed as he realized what he had to do. All he needed was one moment, a single opening to land a decisive hit on Casper. That was it. One drop of blood, and everything could shift.

With that thought in mind, he activated his domain: Shadow Domain. Darkness erupted around him, spreading instantly and engulfing both him and Casper. The air thickened, shadows crawling across the ground, tendrils shooting upward to bind Casper. For the first time, Casper hesitated, slightly stunned by the sudden oppressive darkness.

Aren didn’t waste a second. He launched forward at full speed, slashing at Casper. The tendrils tried to hold him down, restraining his movement. Casper forced himself free, kicking off the ground and stepping back, but he couldn’t escape entirely. The tip of Aren’s blade grazed Casper’s cheekbone. A single drop of blood fell onto the sword.

Aren exhaled sharply. This was it. The moment he had been waiting for. The domain deactivated, and Casper’s eyes widened as he tapped his face, noticing the blood.

"That all you’ve got?" Casper asked, a mix of annoyance and disappointment in his tone. "Is that your final move? Then accept your painful death."

Aren smirked, still catching his breath. "Oh, I have plenty more," he said, calm but resolute.

He expected the Ancient Devourer to awaken with the blood of someone as formidable as Casper. But nothing happened. The blade remained dormant. Aren blinked in shock.

"What the hell?" he muttered. The Ancient Devourer had always reacted to a target’s strength, vitality, yet Casper’s blood hadn’t triggered it at all. Casper wasn’t inherently strong. He had no extraordinary strength, no magical prowess, no high vitality. He was, in fact, a weak human. His power lay entirely in his ability to adapt to any opponent. The blade hadn’t responded because Casper’s blood held no innate power.

Aren’s mind raced, stunned. He barely had time to process it before Casper moved again. He kicked off the ground and barreled forward, fists raised. Aren, still reeling from the realization, had to react instantly, blocking the punch with his sword. The impact slammed him backward, smashing through multiple trees before he skidded to a stop, coughing and bleeding, with Casper advancing relentlessly.

’This... this isn’t supposed to happen,’ Aren thought, frustration boiling in his mind. ’His blood... it should have activated the blade. But it didn’t. I guess... I don’t have a choice. I have to go all out or die.’

Aren slowly rose from the ground and called forth his shadow "Aiden," he whispered.

Aiden appeared behind him, wings unfolding majestically, bowing briefly in respect before standing tall.

"No time to bow," Aren said, his voice steady.

Aiden nodded and stepped forward, facing Casper head-on. Casper, accustomed to Aren’s shadows, assumed this was another standard attack and lunged forward, fists raised. But Aiden flapped his wings, generating a massive shockwave of wind and force that slammed into Casper.

The force sent Casper flying through the air before he crashed to the ground. He looked up, stunned. Finally, something had connected.

Aren, still on the ground, allowed a small smile to form. ’So this works... finally, something actually hits him. Maybe this is the key, using stronger shadows against him.’