Solo Leveling : 10 Shadow Technique

Finn was out on a walk—or rather, a glide. Shadows carried him forward while venom pulsed through his body, his movements fluid and effortless.

Deep within his shadow, a massive sphere of venom compressed, shrinking down to the size of a high-caliber bullet before dispersing back into a flowing state. The cycle repeated endlessly, refining his control.

As he moved, Finn popped another coffee pill into his mouth, his sharp eyes scanning a newly erected sign.

Shadow Garden.

Something about the name tugged at a distant memory—like a word on the tip of his tongue, just out of reach. He frowned but shrugged it off. He had more important things to focus on.

His name had spread far and wide—he was no longer just Finn.

He was Chimera.

And right now, Chimera was lounging in his office, indulging in ice cream while binge-watching anime. A cup of coffee sat beside him, a spoon in hand, and a satisfied sigh escaped his lips.

"This is the life… drinks, ice cream, no paperwork. What more could I ask for?"

Just as he scooped another bite, the door burst open. Jess stormed in, looking utterly shaken.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" Finn said, raising an eyebrow, spoon still mid-air.

Jess took a deep breath. "Sir… the situation at Jeju Island happened."

The spoon stopped. His gaze sharpened instantly, his relaxed demeanor vanishing.

"Call them. Tell them I want to be on the island immediately," Finn said, already pushing himself up from his chair.

Jess hesitated. "I'm sorry, sir, but we can't. The South Korean Hunter Association won't allow it. They've already sent an S-Rank Hunter."

Finn lowered himself back into his chair slowly, fingers interlocked as he leaned forward. "When can we start recruiting?"

"We've already started, sir."

He sighed, rubbing his temple. "Check out Anton Violette. B-Rank Hunter from my hometown." He pulled up a notepad on his laptop.

Jess didn't move, just stared at him like she was looking at a stranger.

"What are you doing? Get going. The Garden won't run itself," Finn said, waving her off.

Jess scrambled out, leaving Finn alone with his thoughts.

He turned back to his laptop, fingers moving quickly as he mapped out a training regimen—not just basic routines like a hundred push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. No, this was something more. A structured course designed for efficiency, adaptability, and raw power.

A blueprint for the strongest hunters.

//--\

A day later, Finn stood at the edge of his newly acquired land, blueprint in hand. His eyes scanned the open space, envisioning what it would become. His plan was simple—one central building, while the rest would be dedicated to training grounds.

Expanding his shadow, he conjured a table in front of him, laying the blueprint down for Jess to see.

"How long do you think this will take?" Finn asked.

Jess studied the plans. "Maybe a couple of weeks."

Finn clicked his tongue. "What if we had a hundred workers?"

"…Not sure."

He sighed. "Alright. Get me the materials, and schedule Gates that will completely fill my time."

Jess blinked, confused. "Why?"

Finn smirked. "I need my grind session. For the next three years, don't question anything I do—even if you see me drinking venom."

Jess stared at him like he had lost his mind. "Drinking venom?"

"Yup." He leaned back. "I'll enhance my own by consuming and refining stronger venoms. Eventually, I'll have something potent enough to kill an S-Rank in seconds."

Jess hesitated, then reluctantly nodded.

//--\

Finn stood in the middle of the construction site, markings stretching across his chest and stomach, watching over a hundred clones of himself hard at work. Each one moved efficiently, hauling materials, reinforcing structures, and assembling the main building piece by piece.

"Oi, Max Elephant! Use it already!" Finn yelled at one of his clones, who was struggling to lift a heavy stack of metal beams.

The clone grumbled but complied, summoning Max Elephant to carry the load. Meanwhile, another Finn on the second floor shouted down, "Hey, can someone send up more support beams? This section's looking sketchy!"

One of the ground-level Finns smirked. "Just hold on, will ya? Unlike some people, I only have two hands!"

"You are me, idiot," the second-floor Finn shot back.

OG Finn sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, enough complaining. Let's speed this up—use Rabbit Escape for scaffolding!"

Immediately, 113 Finns simultaneously summoned their Rabbit Escape, creating an intricate network of platforms and supports. The entire construction site became a whirlwind of coordinated chaos, Finns bantering with Finns.

"Hey, do you think we'll get paid for this?"

"You are the boss."

"Wait, so does that mean I owe myself money?"

"Damn, being self-employed sucks."

Jess stood off to the side, watching the madness unfold. She pinched the bridge of her nose. I don't know what's more terrifying—the fact that Finn can summon this many clones, or that he actually argues with himself.

Days later…

The main building was finally completed. Finn stood in front of it, arms crossed, admiring their work. "Not bad. Not bad at all."

A nearby clone stretched. "Man, that took longer than expected."

Another Finn cracked his neck. "Yeah, but at least it's done. Now we just have to build the actual training grounds."

Jess, who had been observing quietly, finally spoke up. "Wait… the training grounds aren't done yet?"

OG Finn grinned. "Nope. That was just the warm-up."

Jess groaned, already regretting asking.