The Boundless King: Anime Mania

For the next two months, Aki fully dedicated himself to mastering his Shadow Monarch abilities. No distractions, no side missions—just raw, relentless training to forge his shadow army into something unstoppable.

Under his absolute control, his five shadow generals—Igris, Beru, Iron, Tusk, and Greed—grew exponentially. They devoured shadows, fought simulated battles in his Virtual Battleground, and evolved into beings of terrifying power.

By the end of those months, their strength had skyrocketed to medium Kage level, each one a monstrous powerhouse capable of tearing through entire villages if unleashed.

His elite shadow army had also expanded. 200 Shadow Knights, each at elite Jonin level, now stood as a perfectly trained battalion, ready to annihilate anything that stood in Aki's way.

Aki stood on a massive shadow platform, looking over his army. Their glowing eyes stared back at him, unwavering in loyalty. He exhaled slowly, feeling something click inside him.

This was power. This was dominance. This was the path of a true Monarch.

---

The moment he stepped out of his training, the first thing he noticed was the System's voice ringing in his head.

[Ding! Congratulations, Aki! You have successfully trained your Shadow Army for two months, perfected your five generals, and expanded your forces to new heights. Today marks a special occasion…]

[It is now your 10th birthday!]

Before Aki could react, the Virtual Battleground around him shifted—the dark, battle-ravaged landscape morphed into something completely different. Instead of a bleak battlefield, Ael had transformed the space into a peaceful, stunning world—a serene lake, surrounded by cherry blossom trees that swayed gently in the wind. A soft, warm sunlight bathed the area in a golden glow.

Ael appeared beside him, wearing a rare, genuine smile. "Surprise."

Aki blinked, momentarily stunned. "Wait… this is for me?"

Ael nodded, placing her hands on her hips. "Of course, dummy. You've been training nonstop like a battle maniac, so we figured you deserved something special."

The System's voice chimed in, sounding oddly soft and affectionate.

[You always work so hard, Aki. It's only right you get a proper celebration.]

Aki stood there, absorbing the moment. The past two months had been brutal—nonstop battles, endless training, pushing himself to the absolute limit—and yet… here they were, making sure he didn't forget himself.

For the first time in a while, he felt something warm in his chest.

He turned to Ael and the System, smiling. "You two are the best."

Ael rolled her eyes. "We know."

---

Just as Aki was about to relax, the System spoke again—but this time, its voice was laced with excitement.

[And now… for your real birthday present! As a special reward for your dedication and progress, we're unlocking the Character Template Feature early!]

Aki's brain stopped working.

"…What?" His heart started pounding.

A golden interface materialized in front of him, displaying a brand-new Character Template Tab.

[Unlocked Feature: Character Templates]

[Congratulations, Aki! You now have the ability to unlock and fuse with various legendary characters, inheriting their strengths and skills.]

[Your first available template is now accessible!]

Aki's hands were shaking as he reached toward the interface. The moment he touched it, a familiar name flashed before his eyes.

[Current Unlockable Template: Adam (Record of Ragnarok)]

Aki's eyes widened in shock.

"Holy shit."

Ael grinned at his reaction. "Guess we finally got your attention, huh?"

Aki couldn't stop himself—he burst out laughing, pure joy radiating from him. His affection for Ael and the System skyrocketed in that moment. These two were always there for him, always pushing him to be better, always giving him more reasons to love this second life.

Still grinning, he ruffled Ael's hair. "I swear, I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

Ael huffed, pretending to be annoyed—but Aki caught the slight blush on her face. "Tch. Don't get sappy now."

The System chimed in teasingly. [He loves us~]

"Shut up."

---

That evening, as Aki was preparing to head out, he suddenly heard knocking on his door.

"Oi, Aki, open up!"

Recognizing the voice immediately, he smirked before casually opening the door.

Naruto, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, and even Hinata were all standing there, grinning.

Naruto grinned widely. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TEME!"

Before Aki could even react, Ino shoved a small box into his hands, smirking. "I got you something cool, so you better love it."

Shikamaru gave a lazy wave. "Troublesome, but happy birthday."

Choji handed Aki a bag full of snacks. "Figured you'd want something good to eat."

Hinata, standing at the back, was blushing furiously but still managed to whisper, "H-Happy birthday, Aki-kun."

Aki was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected anyone to show up, let alone his friends. He had been so focused on training that he hadn't even realized how much these bonds had grown.

For a second, he just stood there, staring at them.

Then, his usual cocky smirk returned. "Damn… I feel popular now."

Naruto laughed. "Of course, idiot! We're your friends!"

Aki's smirk softened. "Yeah… yeah, you are."

For the first time in a long while, Aki felt like he wasn't just some overpowered anomaly in this world.

He was someone who belonged.

And as the night stretched on, filled with laughter and conversation, he realized something else—

This was only the beginning