Solo Leveling : 10 Shadow Technique

Finn moved swiftly across the country, clearing gates with Great Serpent by his side. These days, he only bothered with A-Rank and above—anything weaker wasn't worth his time.

With the mark of Escape Rabbit, Finn and his clones scouted the land, covering multiple dungeons at once. If they stumbled upon anything valuable—especially venom—they would take it back to the guild. However, since the clones were fully independent, their shadows weren't connected to Finn's original. That meant any loot they collected wouldn't automatically transfer to his main shadow when they dispelled. Instead, if they found something good, they had to bring it back manually.

Now, with another night's work done, the real Finn was heading back to the guild.

Finn's POV

"Hah… do I really have to do this?" I muttered, glancing at the night sky. "I could put it off… maybe a year or so… but my power is still too insufficient."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I can't just run headfirst into danger and expect the writer to pull some bullshit plot armor to make me win in some crazy long battle."

Wait… what in the eternity—

I stopped. My fingers brushed against a strand of hair that felt off. I pulled it forward and—

A strip of white.

My eyes widened. "No way…" I muttered, quickly summoning a mirror from my shadow. I inspected myself, sighing in relief when I saw it was just one strip.

What the hell happened? I thought, furrowing my brows.

Not wasting another second, I sank into my shadow, pulling Great Serpent with me.

Third-Person POV

Finn emerged within his Shadow Garden—his personal shadow realm. Before him stood a massive sphere of venom, swirling ominously. The outer layer was deep red, but Finn could see beneath it—layers of blue, then yellow, and deeper still…

White.

He grinned. So, it's working.

But his excitement faded as his brows furrowed. "No… not yet. It needs to be an instant kill. Right now, it's deadly, but… what if something adapts?"

He tapped Great Serpent's side, deep in thought.

Then, in a flash, Finn and his summon reappeared in the real world. Without hesitation, he climbed onto Great Serpent's back, riding it straight toward the guild.

Another night's work. Another step closer to power.

Finn stood in the guild's vault, surrounded by rows of bottles filled with different kinds of venom. Without hesitation, his shadow expanded, swallowing everything inside. Once the last bottle disappeared into the darkness, Finn summoned a clone and gave it a nod.

"Be careful. Use everything at your disposal to keep your identity a secret," Finn instructed.

The clone returned a nod of understanding before Finn slipped into its shadow, waiting for the right moment.

Later, when the clone posing as the real Finn was finally alone, the real Finn emerged from the shadow, tapping his duplicate's shoulder.

"My friend, it's time. Use the Rabbit Escape marking," Finn said, turning toward the ocean.

The guild was currently located near a beach, the waves gently rolling in under the moonlight.

"And try to stay close to our family. Give them the best life possible," Finn added, pointing back toward the mainland. "It's your turn now."

The clone trembled, eyes welling up with tears. "All Might!!" he screamed, overwhelmed with emotion.

But by the time he looked up, Finn was already gone, riding Great Serpent toward the sea.

//--\\

Finn dove into the depths, sensing something unusual beneath the waves. There were gates opening underwater, yet no hunters ever noticed them—simply because they were hidden beneath the ocean floor.

Let's make this interesting… Finn thought.

As he swam toward a newly-formed gate, bubbles escaped his mouth.

"Let's clear this dungeon without taking a single breath," he muttered, though only bubbles rose in response.

With a smirk, Finn and Great Serpent glided into the gate.

The moment they passed through, Finn's surroundings shifted dramatically.

Gone was the oceanic abyss—instead, he found himself in a vast desert, golden sand stretching endlessly in all directions.

Finn blinked. "…What the hell?"

When he turned around, he spotted a gigantic pyramid towering over the dunes.

"What a subtle base for a dungeon boss," Finn said sarcastically before making his way forward.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled.

Finn's instincts flared, and he immediately commanded Great Serpent to dodge.

A colossal sandworm erupted from the ground, its sheer size nearly touching the sky.

Finn's lips curled into a grin. "What a great catch…"

But then, his eyes narrowed. "…But you don't seem to have any venom."

Without hesitation, Finn closed his hand, leaving only a small opening at his palm's center. From it, a high-pressure jet of water shot forward—but within seconds, the stream was contaminated with venom.

Meanwhile, Great Serpent wrapped its massive body around the sandworm, binding it in place.

Finn took advantage of the opening and cleaved the beast's head clean off.

As the worm's body crashed to the ground, Great Serpent immediately began devouring it.

Finn sighed, watching his summon happily feast. "Well, he looks occupied."

With that, he summoned Nue.

This wasn't just the regular Nue—this one had been enhanced.

Thanks to devouring a Star Dire Wolf, Nue had evolved, now capable of generating black lightning.

With its newfound power, it only took seconds for them to soar across the desert, reaching the pyramid's entrance.

//--\\

Finn glanced at the towering pyramid, then at the shifting sands beneath him. Something eerie lurked within this dungeon. The air felt ancient, heavy with something more than just magic.

He smirked. Should I be worried? He rolled his shoulders, feeling the shadows ripple around him. I could just summon a hundred Agito and let them tear this place apart… but where's the fun in that?

With a flick of his wrist, he pulled two khopesh swords from the darkness.

"Let's see what you've got."

As Finn approached the massive door, it opened by itself, revealing a dark hallway stretching into the unknown.

The doors immediately slammed shut behind him.

"…Well, isn't this spooky?" Finn smirked, extending his shadow to the walls.

From the darkness, he pulled out two curved khopesh swords.

"Let's have some fun."

The mummies attacked first.

With a burst of speed, Finn lunged at the first enemy, slicing its head clean off.

What a fragile skeleton, he mused.

The battle continued, transitioning into a showdown against golems. Finn countered their overwhelming strength with a mix of Shikigami summons, precise strikes, and tactical maneuvering.

Finally, after a grueling battle, he stood before the next challenge.

The true depths of the dungeon awaited.