Chapter 63 — Shadowy Beings
The fight wasn’t difficult.
No matter how many there were, in the end, they were just B-rank beasts. And in front of A-rank beings—especially ones with absurd talents like Yuki and Elizabeth—they didn’t stand a chance.
Noah didn’t even lift a finger.
In fact, only Yuki fought. She killed them all with a single strike. No suspense. Just silence.
The group continued their journey. The Forest of Darkness was divided into zones. They were currently in the outer zone, where only lower-ranked beasts appeared. Next came the inner zone—where A-rank and even some S-rank beasts roamed. And then, at the very heart of it all, the core zone.
No one had ever returned from there alive.
That alone said enough. That meant the existence of SS-rank monsters, at the very least.
Extremely dangerous.
For Noah and his group, even an S-rank opponent was a death threat. An SS-rank? Instant annihilation.
"Anyway, our mission is A-rank," Noah said. "So we’ll most likely find our target in the inner zone."
The others nodded.
They were resting now. Sitting in a circle, talking quietly. They couldn’t tell what time it was—there was no light here—but it was probably night. Time to sleep.
"What happens if we run into an S-rank beast?" Eric asked, his voice quieter than usual.
"Then we run," Noah said matter-of-factly.
"And if we can’t, then we fight with all our might," he continued.
No matter how strong they were, the difference between A-rank and S-rank was not small. Intent was stronger than aura, and generally, an S-rank being had a better grasp of their skills. There was no way an average A-rank would win.
But Noah and the others were no normal A-ranks.
That’s why Noah believed they could win—if they gave it their all.
The group nodded at his words.
But Eric had other concerns.
The deeper they went, the stronger his instincts grew. The shadows weren’t just shadows.
They were alive.
And not all of them felt friendly.
"Are you sensing it, Eric?" Noah asked, eyeing him with a faint smile.
Eric blinked. "Yeah. You too?"
It didn’t make sense. Noah didn’t have shadow affinity.
Noah shook his head. "Not me. My shadow did. She told me."
A pause.
"And I think it’s about time you met her. Ester, come out."
At his command, Noah’s shadow liquefied and rose into a human shape—a girl with black hair, red eyes, and a small mole near her lips.
Surprise flickered across their faces. Elizabeth was mildly curious. Yuki, on the other hand, frowned—clearly disliking the idea of another girl hiding in her best friend’s shadow.
But Eric... Eric felt something deeper.
No, it wasn’t attraction—he wouldn’t dare. One inappropriate look, and Noah would’ve gouged his eyes out. freewebnovel.cσ๓
No, this was recognition. That same eerie feeling he sensed in the forest... he felt it within Ester too. A familiar pull.
The pull of shadows.
"What... what are you?" Eric blurted.
Ester didn’t answer. She simply stood beside Noah like she belonged there.
Noah chuckled lightly. "She’s part-shadow."
Elizabeth and Yuki exchanged glances, confusion in their eyes.
But Eric understood instantly. His eyes widened. "That’s... how is that possible? Where did she come from?"
"She was human once. From my family’s estate. She became like this through a Title."
Then, Noah turned to the girls, explaining the Shadow Realm, shadow beings, and his theory—that this forest was connected to that realm.
"A realm of shadows?" Elizabeth repeated.
"A being made completely of shadow? Is that even possible?" Yuki asked.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Harem Stealer: Reborn with the God-Tier Sharing System